"Barkers Upon Tyne" is an original, unproduced situation comedy series created and written by Kelly Marie Thompson (from England) and Garry Berman (from America). The six episodes follow the exploits of three siblings in their twenties: Pete, Alex, and Nicola Barker of the northeast English city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The Barkers are 'temporarily' all sharing Pete's apartment, and have a knack for causing considerable disruption in each others' lives. Accident-prone Nicola's disastrous dating history is legendary among those who know her, as is chronically-unemployed Alex's half-hearted attempts to hold a job for more than a week at a time. Responsible nightclub manager Pete is often the hapless victim when his younger siblings' lifestyles intersect with his own--and usually at the worst possible moments. While writing the pilot episode, the collaborators decided to write a total of six full episodes, partly just to see if they could do it. And they did--in about eight weeks. The pilot episode earned a Top 10 finish in the 2012 Writer's Digest magazine annual scriptwriting competition. Due to the unpredictable fate of scripts intended for production but which may not reach that goal, the authors decided to make "Barkers Upon Tyne" available in printed form for any reader with a healthy sense of humor to enjoy.

Between the Laughs takes us inside the minds of our greatest comedians, dating back almost 100 years-but not to find jokes or gags. Through their words, as they discuss their profession, we learn how they feel about comedy, and about each other. The greats of Vaudeville, silent and sound films, radio, TV, and stand-up have all had much to say through the decades about the art of making people laugh. As they attest, their job is not all fun and games. Here is an entertaining, educational, and thought-provoking collection of observations and opinions by legendary comedians and current favorites who, when the spotlight is off, take their comedy seriously, and who have been willing to share their knowledge, jealousies, failures, and triumphs when speaking between the laughs. Garry Berman is a pop culture historian whose previous books include Best of the Britcoms, We're Going To See The Beatles , and Perfect Fool: The Life and Career of Ed Wynn. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Karen and their two spoiled dogs.

Perfect Fool: The Life and Career of Ed Wynn is the first-ever biography of the master comedian, chronicling a legendary career that spanned over half a century. It was Ed who coined this famous definition: "A comedian is not a man who says funny things; a comedian is a man who says things funny." Ed did both, first as a vaudeville and Ziegfeld Follies star, then as the "Perfect Fool" (so named from one of his many self-produced Broadway revues), as radio's "Fire Chief" on the popular Texaco-sponsored program, and as an early pioneer at the dawn of network television. He attained a level of praise and respect from his comedy peers, critics, and, of course, the public, rarely matched by any other comedian since. In his later years, he became a highly acclaimed dramatic character actor, much to the surprise and joy of all who didn't know he had it in him (including Ed himself). Yet for all his impressive achievements, this comedian/actor/director/writer has been too often overlooked in the years since his death in 1966. Perfect Fool is meant to help correct this injustice, with reviews, interviews, and never before published photos, some courtesy of grandson Tracy Keenan Wynn. This book is an appreciation of Ed Wynn's talents, foresight, and highly regarded ability to make people laugh virtually at will. About the Author: Garry Berman is an entertainment historian and freelance writer. His previous books include Best of the Britcoms, a celebration of the finest British situation comedies to appear on American television, and We're Going To See The Beatles , an oral history of the Beatlemania era as told by the original generation of fans who lived it first-hand. Berman has also published a comic novel, Old Wave, and writes comedy scripts in between book projects. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Karen and their two spoiled dogs.

Comprised of fans' anecdotes, photographs, personal stories, and mementos, the contributors' stories reconstruct the entire history of Beatlemania in America, dating from the earliest whispers about the group to The Beatles' appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and from the breakup to the present day. The stories range from hilarious to compelling and poignant--one group of friends stole maid uniforms in an attempt to sneak into the Plaza Hotel during The Beatles' first visit to New York, one fan camped out overnight in front of a movie theater in order to be the first to buy tickets for the premiere of "A Hard Day's Night," and another attended a strict Catholic school but was so devoted to the group that she declared out loud to her class that she would rather see The Beatles than the Pope. What emerges from these stories is a richly detailed and entertaining history of the profound impact that The Beatles and their music had on their fans' personal lives--an effect that continues to be meaningful to this day.