This Week in America is a program that delves into the issues that matter most to its audience, offering a blend of informative, educational, and entertaining content. Hosted by Ric Bratton, the show is making significant strides across the nation, now airing on over 100 stations and featuring a diverse lineup of nationally recognized guests discussing contemporary topics that resonate with viewers.
Recently, the program was honored with the prestigious Philo T. Farnsworth Award for Best Professional Talk Show by the Central States Alliance for Community Media, a testament to its excellence in the television landscape.
Ric Bratton’s extensive media career encompasses various roles, including news reporting, anchoring, weather, and sports, culminating in “The Ric Bratton Show,” which holds the distinction of being the longest-running and highest-rated local TV talk show in the country. Beyond his impressive achievements in media, Ric has devoted 28 years to serving as a chapter president for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he has hosted telethons in multiple cities, raising over $20 million for the organization since 1975—all without ever accepting payment for his services.
Author and illustrator, Marian Flores has spent her life living in small Connecticut towns. She is married and has a son and an elderly cat. She attended Paier School of Art, where she earned a certificate in Advertising and Commercial Art and later Central Connecticut State University, where she was inspired to write this book. Currently, she is an art teacher at a private special needs school. She greatly enjoys her students who are children on the autism spectrum with multiple disabilities.
In this interview on This Week in America, the author Marian Flores shared the inspiration behind her beautifully illustrated children’s book, “Alisa in Washerland.” This playful narrative not only entertains young readers but also serves as a gentle reminder of the importance of responsibility and the joy of imagination.
In this children’s book, Marian, the author showcases a contemporary twist and plays on words with the classic book, Alice in Wonderland, influenced by the author dislikes doing the dishes as a child, and her nieces’ disdain for putting dishes into the dishwasher. The author’s sister had a dream of being inside the dishwasher, which became Marian’s idea to combine all these things in one story.
The main character of this fantasy is a ten-year-old girl named Alisa, who always tantrums about washing the dishes and wishes that she never has to. Her mother heard this and scolded her. Later, Alisa shrank in size and was sucked inside the dishwasher’s magical realm, where she saw strange creatures washing the dishes. She suddenly missed her friends and family and wanted to return to the real world. She made it back into the real world and swore to never again whine about having to do the dishes.
Marian hopes that her book not only entertains but also inspires children to embrace their responsibilities, allowing them more time for fun and creativity. As she contemplates future projects, the potential for another whimsical tale looms, promising to continue the tradition of storytelling that captivates young minds and nurtures their imaginations.
Listen to the full interview below: