Brogan: Concord Author Porter Turns Another Page!

As if she isn't busy enough with her upcoming 17th book due out in the spring, Margaret Porter has taken on an exciting new role. She is Producer and co-host of Turning Pages, a monthly program running on Concord TV. She conceived the new show and is co-host with another local author, Paul Brogan. Insofar as she has guested on Brogan's show, Capital Area Chats, more times than any other guest, it seems a logical extension to create a new spotlight that goes beyond talking with authors only but is providing something truly unique that is "about more than books".

In addition to being an award-winning and much-loved author, Margaret has served in the NH House, is a mentor to many area writers as well as providing editorial support and a listening ear. She is also heavily involved with her Church, the New Hampshire Writer's Project and has a level of community involvement that would leave most of us breathless.

Here is a link to the YouTube page that houses the first four episodes of the show. It is well worth settling in and enjoying. (15) Turning Pages - YouTube

I recently asked Margaret a series of questions related to her latest adventure and as is her style, she responded within a few hours.

1. As an award-winning and much beloved author, what made you decide to add television host to your impressive resume?

I earned my Master's degree in Radio-TV-Film. In a past life, I worked professionally in all three areas, as well as teaching television studio production, producing documentaries and promotional videos, doing voice over work, and much more. Appearing so often on Capital Area Chats with you, Paul, to discuss books and literary topics, really whetted my interest in returning to television, and in a way that performs a public service. Turning Pages is for the community at large as well as for booklovers and writers.

2. The promos for "Turning Pages" tout that it is about 'more than books...". Could you please elaborate?

Although published books and their authors are certainly a crucial component of the program, our vision for it extends beyond that. We're covering literary events and how they are organized. We want to uphold the important and powerful role of librarians and libraries and booksellers in our communities. We'll talk to members of writing groups and book clubs, as well as exploring the writing life in its many aspects. All of these topics, and others we haven't yet identified, are and will be connected to literature. But this isn't strictly a show that interviews authors about their books.

3. After 17 books, how do you maintain your enthusiasm for writing as well as being an inspiration to other writers and a mentor?

That's a very good question. The creative life can be very challenging, because of a writer's constant striving for perfection versus the reality of eventually having to finish what we start. My enthusiasm for a particular project never wanes, and I have a plenty of ideas for future novels that I'm eager to explore and bring to fruition. But writing a book can take a long time--depending on the plot, characters, subject matter, and research--so I admit to having unenthusiastic moments of what I can only call drudgery. There's not much fun in realizing I must maintain a certain page output in order to meet a deadline. But then I get to work, and I become absorbed, and my enthusiasm returns. Excitement increases the closer I get to publication day. And I really enjoy mentoring other writers, as I was mentored in earlier stages of my career, and for years I taught beginning and advanced fiction writing. Not that I know everything--I certainly don't. Doubts and questions--creative or professional--will arise, so I definitely rely on my author colleagues for support and advice!

4. What can viewers expect from "Turning Pages" in 2025?

For January, we've scheduled Deirdre Randall of Peter E. Randall Publisher and one of her true crime authors, Milli Knudsen. We'll certainly highlight our state's newest literary event, the annual New Hampshire Book Festival (https://www.nhbookfestival.org), as we did for our premiere show. The first festival was so impressive and enjoyable--I'm already looking forward to the next, which is October 3-4 in Concord. We'll also provide information about the 603 Conference, sponsored by New Hampshire Writers Project(https://nhwritersproject.org), taking place in June. As an animal lover, I'm aware of the Paws to Read program at Pope Memorial SPCA (https://www.pmspca.org/paws-to-read), in which elementary school children read storybooks to adoptable animals at the shelter. I'd love to learn more about its focus on building up literacy skills while socializing future household pets. In addition to inviting other authors onto our set, we hope to have informative conversations with librarians and booksellers. I'm also interested in thematic content--April is National Poetry Month, an opportunity to interview local poets. Perhaps we'll sometimes focus on particular genres of fiction or nonfiction, whether recent releases or backlist titles. New Hampshire has such a rich literary history, so we could include historians who can provide background on the famous authors of the past. That's a long wishlist...it might take us into 2026!

Margaret is an original and our community is fortunate to have her such a vibrant part of it.