Tim's Travails

May 1 2025

Hello and welcome to episode 1 of Tim’s Travails, a new podcast/video show on InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv featuring intellectual property attorney and author Timothy Trainer.

Tim's Travails
Tim's Travails
Hello and welcome to episode 1 of Tim’s Travails, a new podcast/video show on InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv featuring intellectual property attorney and author Timothy Trainer.
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May 2025: Hello friends! I’m Hope Katz Gibbs, founder of Inkandescent, and I’m so happy today to introduce you to our new client and podcaster — IP attorney and author Tim Trainer. We met at Elaine’s Literary Salon just after his 3rd novel, The China Factor, was published this year. In the months since, our Inkandescent team has had the privilege of launching his new website, TimothyTrainer.com and posting entries to his blog that talks from experience about international trade, especially with China, as well as the current state of global economics and politics.

Writing books is his passion. In his downtime, Tim found time to pen a few non-fiction tomes, including his first book, Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights; the 15th edition was published in 2020. Thomson Reuters’ Aspatore Books published Tim’s next title in 2015, Potato Chips to Computer Chips: The War on Fake Stuff.  Fiction was a genre he always wanted to try. In 2017, Pendulum Over the Pacific, was released by Joshua Tree Publishing. “This political intrigue story is set in Tokyo and Washington, D.C., and centers on trade tensions between the U.S. and Japan in the late 1980s,” Tim explains. In 2023, his first series hit bookstores: The China Connection. In December 2024, he followed it with The China Factor.

On this podcast/video show, Tim’s Travails, will be talking about topics and interviewing other experts who will help us better understand our world in 2025.

Today, in Episode 1, we focus on Tim who shares:

  • You grew up with a father who had an impressive career in the Army. Tell us about your experience as an “Army brat,” and what led you ultimately to pen, “The Fortunate Son.”
  • Tell us about what led you to become an intellectual property attorney and what your 30-year career was like, traveling the world and specializing in international trade.
  • In your blog, you write about topics that provide a glimpse into how the Trump administration is handling international trade, especially with China. Headlines include “Hairline Fracture or Clean Break,” in reference to an April 16 article in Raw Story: Trump business allies reeling as they realize ‘he is crazier than they thought’: analysis – Raw Story. In a post called “Shutdown Threats and the Numbers Game,” came just before the government threatened to shut down. Tell us about what inspires your posts, and what you hope readers learn.
  • In this podcast/video show, you’ll be tackling other important topics. Who will be some of your guests?
  • We’ll also be doing something fun: Having conversations with the characters in your books. I think it’s fascinating to hear from the author about the backstory of their characters and what helped to birth them on the pages of the books. Today, can you pick one character and tell us about him/her?
  • What’s next for Tim Trainer? More books?

Stay tuned for more episodes on InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv, and of course log in regularly for new blog entries and other information on Tim’s website, www.TimothyTrainer.com.

Welcome to the podcast of IP attorney and author Tim Trainer. For more than three decades, Tim focused on intellectual property issues for government agencies and in the private sector; his assignments have taken him to 60 countries around the world.

On this podcast/video show: Tim interviews fellow attorney and other experts who help us better understand our world in 2025 and beyond. From the implications of conterfeiting to the impact of the Trump administration on global trade, you’ll won’t want to miss an episode!

About Tim: Writing books has always been his passion. Over the years, Tim penned serveral non-fiction tomes, including his first book, Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights; the 15th edition was published in 2020. Thomson Reuters’ Aspatore Books published Tim’s next title in 2015, Potato Chips to Computer Chips: The War on Fake Stuff. In April 2017 he published The Fortunate Son, which recounts the parallel lives of his experience as “an army brat” and a group of Vietnam veterans who intersect decades after the war. Tim says, “If you’ve ever been in the military or part of a military family, you’ll know that we all are bound together. For those who find the military to be foreign and unknown, our story may help you to understand why it binds so many together.”

Fiction was a genre he wanted to try. In 2017, Pendulum Over the Pacific, was released by Joshua Tree Publishing. “This political intrigue story is set in Tokyo and Washington, D.C., and centers on trade tensions between the U.S. and Japan in the late 1980s,” Tim explains. In 2023, his first series hit bookstores: The China Connection, followed in December 2024 with The China Factor.

Stay tuned for more episodes on InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv, and of course, log in regularly for new blog entries and other information on Tim’s website, TimothyTrainer.com.

MEET THE INKANDESCENT® RADIO TEAM

Hope Katz Gibbs, Founder & Executive Producer, InkandescentRadio.com

Brandi Wilsker-Merritt, Director of Podcasting

Nelson Benavides, Director of Videography

Max KukoyInkandescent Website Developer

Michael GibbsInkandescent Art Director

 

Previous Episodes
Saturday, August 2nd, 2025

Ep5 Tim’s Travails: Meet Chun T. Wright, law firm owner and former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia

September 2025 — This month on IP attorney and author Timothy Trainer’s podcast/video show we meet Chun T. Wright, law firm owner and former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia This month’s topic: The adventure of travel law Tim asks Chunnie: You’ve built a legal practice that covers copyright, trademark, technology and even something called “adventure travel law.” How did you create such a unique mix and what is the common thread You have traveled to over 60Click here to listen to the podcast!

Friday, August 1st, 2025

Ep4 Tim’s Travails: Meet Mark Cohen, former intellectual property attache at the US Embassy in Beijing

August 2025 — This month on Mark Cohen, former intellectual property attaché at the US Embassy in Beijing Today’s Topic: Understanding China through a Professor’s Eyes Tim talks with Mark about: What advice would you offer someone studying Chinese today? What are the challenges facing US diplomats in China on Intellectual Property? What do you see as the trajectory for US-China relations in trade and especially in Intellectual Property? About our guest: Mark Cohen is a non-resident fellow at theClick here to listen to the podcast!

Wednesday, July 30th, 2025

Ep3 Tim’s Travails: “The China Factor” is our topic today with guest Thomas Moga, a pioneer in protecting and enforcing IP rights in China

July 2025 — This month on IP attorney and author Timothy Trainer’s podcast/video show we meet patent attorney Thomas Moga Today’s Topic: The China Factor and what might happen next Tim will talk with Tom about: With his latest book being The China Factor, Tim has deep insights into the inner workings of international trade. Today, he’ll dive deep into the current state of affairs in 2025 and will share with the audience insights from Tom, who has more thanClick here to listen to the podcast!

Thursday, June 19th, 2025

Ep2 Tim’s Travails: “The Importance of Embracing Change” is our topic today with attorney Stacey Kalamaras, founding partner of Kalamaras Law Office LLC, an intellectual property boutique in Chicago

June 2025 — This month on IP attorney and author Timothy Trainer’s podcast/video show we meet Stacey Kalamaras, the founding partner of Kalamaras Law Office LLC, an intellectual property boutique in Chicago, IL. Today’s Topic: The Importance of Embracing Change On today’s episode, Tim asks Stacey:  Tell us about the importance of ensuring small businesses protect their brand/logo/trademarks. Why is it so essential, and should this practice be part of a small business strategy? What is your opinion of what’sClick here to listen to the podcast!

Thursday, May 1st, 2025

Hello and welcome to episode 1 of Tim’s Travails, a new podcast/video show on InkandescentRadio.com and Inkandescent.tv featuring intellectual property attorney and author Timothy Trainer.

May 2025: Hello friends! I’m Hope Katz Gibbs, founder of Inkandescent, and I’m so happy today to introduce you to our new client and podcaster — IP attorney and author Tim Trainer. We met at Elaine’s Literary Salon just after his 3rd novel, The China Factor, was published this year. In the months since, our Inkandescent team has had the privilege of launching his new website, TimothyTrainer.com and posting entries to his blog that talks from experience about international trade,Click here to listen to the podcast!

Wednesday, January 15th, 2025

Ep2: “The China Factor” author Timothy Trainer is featured at Elaine’s Literary Salon

Jan. 15, 2025: Today at Elaine’s Literary Salon — Writing books is a passion for attorney Timothy Trainer who for more than three decades focused on intellectual property issues in his day job. He has worked in government agencies and in the private sector and his assignments have taken him to 60 countries around the world. “He found time to pen a few non-fiction tomes, including his first book, Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights; the 15th edition was publishedClick here to listen to the podcast!