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Welcome back to Snafu with Robin Zander. In this episode, I'm joined by Bree Groff, consultant, writer, and author of Today Was Fun. We talk about why mischief belongs at work, how humor and flirtation create real psychological safety, and the bold design choices behind her unforgettable book cover. Bree shares how she moved from CEO roles to full creative freedom, and how that shift helped her find her voice. We discuss marketing in 2025, how AI might reshape work and writing, and why personal agency, not hours, is the most important lever in a workweek. Bree offers practical insights for leading with joy, helping kids future-proof their lives, and deciding what's “enough” in a world that always demands more. She also reflects on writing the book while parenting, consulting, and building her own business, and what it means to embrace the joy of not knowing what comes next. Bree will also be joining us live at Responsive Conference 2025, and I'm thrilled for you to hear her on stage. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them here. Books Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art — Lewis Hyde Anansi Boys — Neil Gaiman Work Less, Do More: Designing the 4-Day Week — Alex Pang Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less―Here's How — Alex Pang Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less — Alex Pang Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts — Ryan Holiday Today Was Fun — Bree Groff The 4-Hour Workweek —Tim Ferriss Responsive: What It Takes to Create a Thriving Organization — Robin Zander Podcasts/Videos TED Talk: How to Start a Movement — Derek Sivers Start (0:00) The Story Behind the Book Cover (00:07.822) Robin opens with a personal observation: Bree's nails are the exact shade of green as her book cover – a smiley face on a highlighter yellow-green background. Bree laughs and explains the choice behind the bold, offbeat cover: It was designed by Rodrigo Corral, known for iconic covers like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*. When she first saw it (at 3 a.m.), she gasped and loved it — it stood out and made a statement. The smiley is cheeky but not cheesy; it suggests optimism with a bite. The color isn't quite yellow — it's that “gross green” that almost hurts to look at. That tension is the point. “It's got some edge... not your straight-up yellow.” This tension – bright and fun, but just a bit weird or off – is exactly the tone she wanted for the book and for herself. The Wink That Makes Work Fun Again (01:51) Robin brings up his old graduation photo: he posed slightly off-center, adding a knowing smirk. At the time, he didn't know why he chose that shot, but later realized it made people curious, like a small rebellion baked into something formal. Bree relates completely. She talks about: Why humor and a bit of mischief matter in professional settings. The concept of flirtation – not romantic, but playful: A wink in a branding campaign. A reference that only a few insiders get. A running joke between team members. Mischief creates risk and intimacy, both essential for real connection. These small acts of rebellion are actually signs of psychological safety and creativity. “You need a little bit of flirtation at work... a wink that says, ‘we're in this together.'” She argues that fun isn't a distraction – it's a sign that something is working. Tricksters, SNAFUs, and the Role of Risk in Work (05:49.219) Robin brings in the idea of the trickster, from folklore characters like Anansi and Coyote to his podcast title SNAFU. These figures don't follow the rules, and that's what makes them interesting. Bree expands on the connection between play and professionalism: There's a cultural script that says “seriousness = competence.” But in her experience, some of the best work moments involve play, risk, and even slight embarrassment. Being human together – laughing too loud, saying something weird, trying something bold – is what builds bonds. Real joy at work comes from these edge moments, not the sanitized ones. “You have to go beyond professionalism to access the most fun parts of work.” They agree that creating spaces where people can color outside the lines is not just fun – it's productive. Beyond Palatable: From People-Pleasing to Belonging (08:29.068) Robin shares a lesson from his mother: that once you leave high school, life is no longer a popularity contest. But he's realized that in business, especially branding, people often still chase approval and “likability.” Bree offers a deeper lens: Being “palatable” – meaning universally acceptable – is actually the opposite of being memorable. People who try to please everyone end up blending in. What she wants is to be delicious, or at least striking, not for everyone, but unforgettable to some. She draws a line between Fitting in: performing a version of yourself to meet social norms. Belonging: being your full, vibrant self and finding others who welcome it. “Please don't chew me up. I'm not palatable — I'm not trying to be.” This philosophy shows up in her book's voice, design, and in how she shows up in the world. Selling a Book in 2025: Bottles in the Ocean (12:21.838) What's it been like trying to promote a book in 2025? Bree describes her strategy as both scrappy and intuitive: She thinks of book marketing as sending “a million notes in bottles” – not knowing which will land. Her approach includes: Partnering with a publicist. Creating swag kits with branded gear. Pitching the book to “chatty” communities (e.g., alumni groups, newsletters, podcast audiences). Posting regularly, even when it feels silly. She cites the idea of “luck surface area”: the more interesting things you do, and the more people you tell, the more chances something will stick. “You do interesting things and talk about them a lot... and maybe something takes off.” Still, she acknowledges that luck plays a role. There's no guaranteed playbook, just momentum and hope. Is It Worth Talking About? (14:47.63) Robin references a quote from Tucker Max: that all marketing, in the end, is just word-of-mouth. Bree shares what guided her during the writing process: Her goal was to create something remarkable — in the literal sense: Something people would want to talk about. Not just good – but distinct, resonant, and weird enough to share. She wanted to avoid the “business book voice” – flat, generic, overly polished. She lights up when she talks about: Strangers sharing the book on social. Friends are texting her about it. An old college boyfriend resurfaced after reading it. “When that starts happening... You realize the machine is working.” She's less interested in best-seller lists and more focused on impact – ideas spreading from person to person, because they hit. Finding Her Voice: From Blogger to Book Author (16:36.665) Bree traces the evolution of her writing life: Started a travel blog in her early 20s and loved it immediately. Played with writing publicly over the years: occasional posts on LinkedIn, Fast Company, and later Substack (which began two years ago, alongside early book ideation). Writing always felt natural, but being a public voice within organizations came with constraints: “Even when I was CEO, I still felt the need to toe the party line.” Going solo changed everything: No longer represents a company's brand – just her own. Writing feels more honest, bolder, and more fun when it's “Bree Groff's opinions” alone. Stepping out independently accelerated her writing voice and gave her creative freedom. Writing in the Age of AI (18:19.63) Robin asks: Does writing still matter in the world of AI? Bree's take: She's a verbal processor — writing is how she discovers what she believes. “I never know how an article is going to end… I write my way into the idea.” She rarely uses AI in writing (aside from Grammarly). She prefers human composition even for emails. Writing helps her organize and refine her thinking: “I'll write a sentence and go – wait, do I believe that? And rewrite.” What writing offers that AI can't (yet): Emotional authenticity. A confessional power — like stand-up comedy: humans telling uncomfortable truths, out loud. She hopes we'll someday have digital labels like: “This was made by a human.” Robin presses for Bree's take on what AI changes – for better or worse. Bree's pessimistic view: Mass unemployment is a likely risk. Not convinced by the “tech creates more jobs” argument – even referencing Jevons Paradox: as things become more efficient, we just use more of them. “I can't quite think my way out of the unemployment problem.” Bree's optimistic vision: We're burned out. AI could fix that. If used right, AI can reduce workloads, not eliminate humans: “Wouldn't it be great if we used these efficiencies to help people live happy, regulated lives?” This would require a policy change, like tax incentives for companies that adopt a 4-day workweek. But she admits: that's a long shot. “It would take a lot for companies to prioritize reducing burnout over cutting costs.” Entrepreneurship Isn't a 4-Day Workweek (And That's Okay) (25:04.686) Robin challenges Bree's hope with reality: Entrepreneurship is chaotic and demanding, as when he launched both a restaurant and a conference in one year. When building something from scratch, the work is relentless. “There's no 4-day workweek when you're going zero to one.” He notes Bree's book could become a “perennial seller,” but only if she builds that momentum now — and that means hustle. Bree agrees — and offers nuance: She's in a launch phase. The last 6 weeks have been intense: Nights, weekends, articles, appearances. Her daughter is in a full-day camp to support this push. But it's intentional and temporary. She frames her philosophy like this: Overwork can be fun, energizing, even addictive – if it's seasonal. She's already planned recovery: A two-week log-off in late August. A blocked-out first week of September for reset. Bree continues on the myth of “reasonable” work limits: There's nothing special about 40 or 60 hours. The only reason we cap out is that we literally run out of time. Businesses will take as much as you give, and now AI won't hit those limits. So we have to decide what's enough, not the market. “If we're going to cap work somewhere, why not cap it lower and enjoy our lives?” She reminds us: Deadlines and pace are levers, not laws. You can pull other levers, like starting earlier, extending timelines, or balancing your team differently. Robin shares that his intense physical regimen (handstands, running, cold plunges, hikes) isn't about health prescriptions — it's about joy. That same mindset applies to work. If building his company lights him up, great – but it's a personal choice, not a universal blueprint. Bree underscores that agency is key: the danger arises when a founder's choice to overwork becomes the cultural expectation for everyone else. A CEO has different stakes than employees; assuming equal sacrifice is unfair and toxic. Overwork becomes problematic when choice is removed or social pressure distorts it. They introduce the idea of opportunity cost: Every hour spent grinding is an hour not spent with loved ones, moving your body, or simply resting. Many delay self-care with the illusion they'll "catch up later" – but your body and relationships exist in the now. Robin recalls a brutal 2016: two startups, no time, lost relationships – a visceral reminder that everything has a cost. Work, But Make It Weird (36:39) Robin draws a parallel between their playful ethos and The 4-Hour Workweek: redefining productivity with mischief and authenticity. He asks Bree how leaders can lead differently – more playfully – without violating norms or HR policies. Bree delivers a gem: Her team once suggested that a CEO explain their product to a bunch of 7-year-olds on a picnic blanket. They scripted techy questions ("What's your tech stack?") for the kids, hired a comedy consultant, and filmed the whole thing. It was wild, unexpected… and the most beloved part of an otherwise traditional company week. The magic was in the vulnerability and humanity of the CEO — letting people into his home, sharing space with kids, and showing joy. Bree's advice to leaders: Rearrange the office furniture for no reason. Use Comic Sans in a slide just to annoy a designer. Hide jokes in presentations that only two people will catch. Amuse yourself. That's reason enough, and it models psychological safety and play for everyone else. Robin calls this “the courage to play” – the bravery to step out of line just enough to invite others into the fun. Bree builds on this: We're often afraid that having fun will make us look stupid – but that fear is misplaced. She quotes Amy Poehler: “Nobody looks stupid when they're having fun.” Play is an act of self-assurance, not frivolity. Bree shares a personal win: she turned a project Gantt chart into a hand-drawn arcade-style horse race. No one else joined in, but she loved it. And that joy, in and of itself, is a worthy output. Work According to a 10-Year-Old (42:21.176) Robin asks: How does Bree's daughter describe what she does? Her answer? “You help people work together.” Bree beams — that's not far off. Her daughter has even become her little publicist, linking nail polish to Bree's book and promoting it to strangers. Robin dreams of having kids and wonders about their future in a rapidly evolving world. Bree is grateful her daughter is 10, not 22 – the future feels so uncertain that not knowing is oddly freeing. College may or may not matter; she might be a marketing manager or start an artist retreat in Tuscany. The one stable prediction? Human connection. Jobs built on empathy, presence, and the hug – literal or metaphorical – will always have value. Robin jokes (but not really) about resisting the idea of robot romantic partners. Bree wonders: Will we be seen as biased for resisting AI companionship? Is that the next generational tension? The Only Skill That Might Still Matter in 2040 (43:55.959) Robin asks: What durable skills should Gen Alpha learn in a world of AI and noise? Bree's first thought: “understanding human behavior” — but AI might already be better at that. So she lands on something deeper: The skill of knowing what kind of life you want to lead. It's rarely taught, and sorely needed. That's why so many people wake up at 40, mid-career, with a law degree but no love for the law, and end up switching to something that finally feels like them. Teaching kids to listen to their appetites and curiosities might be the most powerful, future-proof education we can offer. Bree argues that most people were never taught to ask foundational questions about the life they truly want: From childhood to college, we follow preset tracks – curriculum, majors, careers. If you're lucky, you get an elective or two. But real self-inquiry? Rare. We're missing education on key lifestyle preferences: What kind of schedule do I like? What kind of people energize me? Do I want to live in a city or near nature? How much solitude, structure, or chaos is ideal for me? Bree believes this underdeveloped self-awareness is the root cause of burnout: People follow “the path,” get promoted, tick boxes, and still feel unsatisfied. Companies gladly fill the vacuum with corporate ladders and titles – senior director, VP, etc. But we rarely stop to ask: Do I want my boss's job? Her hope for her daughter: not just career success, but aliveness. To develop the instincts and courage to ask: What do I want to get out of my short time here? And to find joy in helping others experience a bit more light while they're here, too. “Who Are You and What Is Your Purpose?” (51:33.666) Robin shares a surprising memory: a third-grade class titled Who Are You and What Is Your Purpose? He doesn't remember the content – school was tough for him then – but the title stuck. It captured something real and deep that still resonates. Bree lights up: “Okay, I take it all back – someone was teaching this, and it was you!” They land on a core truth: that mischief, self-knowledge, and authenticity are deeply intertwined. Knowing who you are is the first step. And honoring the weird, playful part of yourself makes life better — and work richer. Order, Chaos & a Trello Board (53:51) Robin pivots: What did Bree learn about writing through this book, especially while juggling parenting and client work? Bree shares her full process: She started with a Trello board: each list represented a chapter. Over many months, she collected bits of inspiration: ideas from the shower, great quotes, Substack entries, research snippets – all filed as cards. This meant when it came time to write, she wasn't starting from scratch. Her trick: separate idea collection from prose creation. Once she had a "pile of disorganized meat," she could stitch it together with intention. She scheduled 4-hour blocks to write ~1,000 words per session – 50 sessions = a 50,000-word book. She was thoughtful about pacing and reader experience: "That was a heavy part – maybe time for a joke. "I've been light for a while – maybe we need some grounding research." The outcome: a process that respected her creativity, time, and humanity. The Joy of Not Knowing What's Next (54:45.848) Robin asks: Now that the book is out, what's next? Bree doesn't know, and that feels exciting. She's booked through the fall with workshops, consulting, media, and speaking. But beyond that? It's open. She's leaning into serendipity: Publishing the book drew new, inspiring people into her life – people like Robin. She's open to building the classic “author-speaker-consultant” portfolio. Or possibly returning to SYPartners, depending on what fits. Or a totally new path. What makes it possible? A jumpy career history – she's used to leaps. A baseline of financial stability – and a partner with a more predictable job. Uncertainty isn't terrifying when you trust yourself to figure it out. “I can see through October. That's enough.” Robin wraps with heartfelt praise: Few first books feel as personal and reflective of their author as Today Was Fun. Even fewer come with so many shared connections vouching not just for the content, but the author herself. Where to Find Bree Groff (58:13.58) He urges people to read the book and see Bree on stage at the Responsive Conference (Sept 17–18). Bree shares where to find her: Website: breegroff.com Substack, LinkedIn, Instagram – all linked from her site. People Mentioned: Rodrigo Corral Lewis Hyde Neil Gaiman Tony Hsieh James Clear Tucker Max Alex Pang Ryan Holiday Tim Ferriss Amy Poehler Derek Sivers Justin Gordon BJ Fogg Seth Godin Organizations / Companies Zander Media SYPartners Nobel Zappos Microsoft Trello Substack AOL LinkedIn Instagram
A lot of us think that the offers we put into the market are permanent and set in stone. But to be successful, we have to stop being so hard on ourselves and stay flexible with our business and our decisions. We need to be able to adjust our initial vision to have room to grow, pivot, and evolve our offers. In this episode, we are talking with Dayna Abraham about how she was able to grow and manage multiple successful memberships and courses that complement each other. Dayna Abraham is a National Board Certified early childhood teacher turned homeschooling mom of three. She started blogging at Lemon Lime Adventures because she believes that life is full of adventures, from the photo-worthy to the not so pretty. She has made Lemon Lime Adventures is a place where you can find inspiration for all of life's adventures, from tinkering and adventures in learning to positive parenting tips and adventures in parenting a child with special needs. She wants to show just how easy it can be to embrace adventure through all of life's sweet and sour moments. In addition to writing Lemon Lime Adventures, Dayna is also the co-founder of Project Sensory, an online store dedicated to getting sensory tools into classrooms around the world. Find the full show notes here: https://onlinemarketingpodcast.com/how-to-build-and-grow-multiple-memberships-that-thrive-interview-with-best-selling-book-author-entrepreneur-and-certified-educator-dayna-abrahamResources:Lemon Lime Adventures – Free Quiz: Discover Your Child's Behavior Type Out of 5 Unique Behavior Types. Knowing this for your child can provide incredible clarity and confidence in connecting with, understanding and empowering your child Top Membership Niches Guide - Grab our Top Membership Niches Guide to learn more about the best and most lucrative types of memberships and get started with brainstorming how to create the right membership for your business!Adaptive Marketing Program - Adaptive Marketing Program is an exclusive opportunity for online business owners, coaches, course creators, and membership site owners to play bigger and bolder in their business and explode their bank account with more clients!For a list of our resources & recommendations visit: https://onlinemarketingpodcast.com/learn-with-paul-melissa/Connect with Dayna Websites: http://lemonlimeadventures.com/ http://www.projectsensory.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LemonLimeAdventuresInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemonlimeadventures/Connect with us on...
Author Danny Blue shares how after years of corporate success, career pivots, and personal soul-searching, he turned his journey into inspiration with his debut children's book, “Coalie and the Great Mystery.” During our conversation, Danny opens up about connecting with deeper, sometimes hidden aspects of himself, insights gained through The Monroe Institute — an educational center that offers the study of human consciousness — and why he believes life isn't necessarily about finding yourself, it's about becoming who you are. "Coalie and the Great Mystery" is available by paperback on Amazon. Hard copies of the book are available at Iamcoalie.com. https://iamcoalie.com/
Meet Tricia Copeland. She is an award-winning author of books for youth and young adults. Mostly she writes fantasy books, but as we learn during this episode, she also does write some romance books. Tricia says that as a child she hated writing. Even so, she went to school and eventually she went to college where she received a degree in Microbiology. She also attained a Master's degree. She then went to work for a chemical company. After four years she found herself beginning a journey of technical writing and writing patterns and supporting materials. After a few years Tricia became a stay-at-home-mom for a time. She tells us how she loved to tell stories and entertain her children. We learn how she wrote her first fiction book series in 2015-16 about her time facing anorexia. In real life, she faced this and overcame it. She then began writing fantasy youth books and realized not only that she could write, but that she did not hate writing at all. She has written several series and has plans for more. About the Guest: Tricia Copeland is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of Kingdom of Embers, To be Fae Queen, Lovelock Ones, and Azreya, Aztec Priestess, and dozens of other titles. She is the host of the Finding the Magic Book Podcast who weaves magical stories about love, courage, and finding your passion. Tricia began her author journey with a women's fiction series, the Being Me series, which is an adaptation of her experience with anorexia. Afterwards she quickly pivoted to her favorite genre, fantasy. Her young adult fantasy series highlight themes including resilience, perseverance, faith, loyalty, trust, friendship, family, and love. They include the Kingdom Journals and Realm Chronicles series that find witches, vampires, and fae fighting an evil spirit determined to end them all. She tempers the high stakes drama in these books with her fun rom coms in the Perfect romance series. Tricia Copeland believes in finding magic. She thinks magic infuses every aspect of our lives, whether it is the magic of falling in love, discovering a new passion, seeing a beautiful sunset, or reading a book that transports us to another world. An avid runner and Georgia native, Tricia now lives with her family and four-legged friends in Colorado. Find all her titles including contemporary romance, now penned under Maria Jane, young adult fantasy, and dystopian fiction at www.triciacopeland.com. Ways to connect with Tricia: https://triciacopeland.com https://www.facebook.com/TriciaCopelandAuthor/ https://www.instagram.com/authortriciacopeland/ https://twitter.com/tcbrzostowicz https://www.tiktok.com/@triciacopelandauthor https://www.youtube.com/@triciacopelandauthor https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tricia-Copeland/author/B00YHN5Q4G https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14055439.Tricia_Copeland https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tricia-copeland About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:17 Well, hello everyone. We're really glad to have you here, wherever you may happen to be listening in from. We're really glad that you're listening to unstoppable mindset. I'm your host, Michael hingson, and our guest today is Tricia Copeland. Tricia is a prolific author. I use that word absolutely without any any concern, a prolific author of children's books, especially in the fantasy world. So she has been doing this a while and and also has an interesting story just of her life to tell. So we're going to go into all of that and delve in and see where we go. So Tricia, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here. Tricia Copeland ** 02:05 Thank you, Michael, I appreciate you having me, and I do want to make a little edit to that intro. Okay, go ahead. My books are young adult to New Adult books, so ages 13 plus mostly, all right, Michael Hingson ** 02:19 so young adult to new adult. All right, that's fair. So how do you feel that your books fall into the range of things like the Harry Potter series and so on, sort of the same age groups, Tricia Copeland ** 02:40 right? Genre adjacent, I have a series, The Kingdom Journal series, which includes three witches that have to break a curse on the witch lines. So the witches have to find each other as well as figure out how to break the curse using various forms of magic. So not really the same as Harry Potter, but definitely with with the witches, and the kind of contemporary world that Harry Potter is. But actually, I won't say that, because I haven't I think Harry Potter is mostly in the contemporary world, right? I didn't read all the books. I have to admit that he's Michael Hingson ** 03:18 somewhat in the contemporary world, but, but I was thinking more of from a standpoint of the same type of age group. Tricia Copeland ** 03:25 Yes, I think a younger reader. I think people started reading Harry Potter maybe around 10 or 11. And these books have older teenagers to start, age 1718, so 13 Plus is a good indicator. I think the other Michael Hingson ** 03:42 thing I would observe about Harry Potter is that there are a lot of people who aren't necessarily teenagers or young adults, including me, who have read them and enjoyed them. I think that that Harry Potter certainly brought an interesting dimension to reading for teenagers especially, and hopefully young adults, because a lot of people did catch on to them, and they they had a great theme, and you do some of the same sorts of things by virtue of the fact of what you're writing and who you're writing it for, Tricia Copeland ** 04:17 right? They definitely caught adult eyes and hearts and minds too Michael Hingson ** 04:23 well, tell us somewhat about the early Trisha growing up and so on. Love to learn a little bit more about you, and then we can talk about whatever we feel is relevant to talk about the early Tricia, Tricia Copeland ** 04:35 right? Well, I grew up in rural South Georgia, small town in south Georgia, and always loved reading and hiking and the outdoors, and very quickly, knew that maybe I didn't want to be in a small town forever. So I went to college in Atlanta, and I got a degree in microbiology, and from there, I got a master's. Degree, and I started my career in Central Research and Development at a chemical company, a large chemical company. So I was looking at making chemicals from microbes. And that was very exciting. That was my dream job that I'd always wanted. So that was very cool to be able to achieve that goal, and I actually didn't like writing until I started doing more technical writing with papers and patents. Michael Hingson ** 05:29 Technical writing can be boring, but people could make it more exciting than oftentimes they do. I would say I've had to do some of it. I understand Tricia Copeland ** 05:39 well, you have to like the topic, right? If you don't like the topic, you're not going to like the paper, Michael Hingson ** 05:45 right? But also, I think that a lot of technical writers write and it's all very factual, but I think even in technical writing, it would be better if writers could do some things to draw in readers. And I've always felt that about textbooks. For example, my master's degree and bachelor's degree are in physics, and I've always maintained that the the physics people who write these books, who are oftentimes fairly substantial characters in in the genre, if you will, or in the field, could do a lot more to interest people in science and physics by rather than just doing these technical books, telling some stories along the way, and bringing people in and making people relate more to the topic. And they don't do that like I think at least that they should. Tricia Copeland ** 06:36 I guess that can be said, maybe for every technical Yeah. Area, Michael Hingson ** 06:43 yeah, it would be nice if technical writers spend a little bit of time, but of course, then the other side of it is that the industry doesn't want that. So what do you Tricia Copeland ** 06:54 do? It may be a catch 22 on that one Michael Hingson ** 06:56 might be, but that's okay. So how long did you stay working at the tech at the chemical companies and so on? Tricia Copeland ** 07:06 I was in the lab for four years, and then I moved into the patent Legal Group. So I began my career as a Patent Agent, and now that's what I do for a living. My day job is that I help clients draft and file their patent applications. Michael Hingson ** 07:22 So you have your own business doing that. I do, yes, oh, Tricia Copeland ** 07:28 well, I write by day and I write by night. Michael Hingson ** 07:32 Yeah, well, that can be pretty exciting, though. You get all sorts of interesting things to write about. I Tricia Copeland ** 07:40 do I meet a lot of cool people that are inventing cool things. Michael Hingson ** 07:44 So here's the question, do you ever find that what you write about during the day influences you, and you want to use some of that, or the general concepts of some of that, at night, when you're doing your your fiction writing? Tricia Copeland ** 07:58 I haven't done that yet, I did write one dystopian fiction about a viral pandemic, and that touched on a little bit of my background in microbiology and genetics, but not anything that my clients have done Michael Hingson ** 08:19 well. So you got into the patent field when you when you started doing that initially, were you doing it for a company, or did you just leap out on your own and start to have your own business? Speaker 1 ** 08:30 Yes, I was doing that for a company. Okay? And how long did you do that? I was at that company Tricia Copeland ** 08:35 about a year and a half. And at the time, we lived in Pennsylvania and outside of Philly. So then we had a job change, and we moved to Denver, so I took a little time off to be with my kids before I started my business. Michael Hingson ** 08:53 So how long ago did you start the business? Speaker 1 ** 08:57 In 2012 so 13 years doing it a while? Wow, Michael Hingson ** 09:01 okay, and obviously you're having some success because you're still doing it. Tricia Copeland ** 09:05 I am. Yes, I love helping my clients, and feel like I can definitely give them a value add Michael Hingson ** 09:14 if you're not giving something away. What's probably the most interesting patent that you helped somebody work on attaining Tricia Copeland ** 09:24 I will say, I worked with an inventor a year ago, and amazing man, he had had his career in education and teaching, and he developed a set of blocks to help people or Help kids. I should say, learn the parts of speech so you could put the together, the blocks, whether it was a subject, verb, pronoun, noun, adjective, adverb, and I learned parts of speech that I never knew existed from helping them with this application, and I was very excited. To help him get his patent. That's kind of cool. Michael Hingson ** 10:04 Yeah, I am fair. I'm not sure I know all the parts of speech, but I remember being involved in high school well and in elementary school and diagramming sentences and learning a lot about the different or a number of the different parts of speech. Not sure I necessarily remember all of them extremely well, so I probably split infinitives and well, what do you do? Tricia Copeland ** 10:28 Yes, I hated sentence structures. Michael Hingson ** 10:35 Well, so what got you started then, since you were writing patents for people and so on, and helping people in securing patents. What got you then started in dealing with fiction writing, right? Tricia Copeland ** 10:49 Well, when my kids were very young, I was a stay at home mom, and most of my days were spent chasing them around, occupying them, entertaining them, shuttling them from one place to another. So I realized in the evenings I was bored. I did my mind didn't have enough to occupy it. And I was about, I think it was about 38 and, you know, looking at my 40 year old birthday and thinking, huh, well, and I maybe it was like my 20 year high school reunion. I don't know why it coincide coincided, but I started thinking about my early college years I developed anorexia, and thinking about that time in my life and how poignant it was that I was able to recover from that disease and really gain some life skills from that experience. So I started a story that was a fictionalized account of my experience with anorexia and recovering for anorexia. So my first series, called the being me series, is a four book series about a character named Amanda who develops anorexia and then is able to recover. Michael Hingson ** 12:01 So what caused if you understand, or, man, I don't know a lot about anorexia, Anorexia, and probably have some misconceptions about what I'm about to ask, but what, what caused it? Why did you develop that condition? Tricia Copeland ** 12:16 Well, there's a lot of I mean, it happens differently for a lot of people, I think anorexia is a lot about control and having control over your environment. And I got there was a number of factors that I was depressed and not happy about not feeling like I was achieving, maybe what I should be achieving, and instead of someone might have turned to alcohol or drugs to alleviate those stressful feelings. I channeled all that into Okay? Well, if I'm just thin and if I just look good enough, then everything will be fine. And obviously, once your brain starts to get in that cycle, it just compounds on itself. You can't stop yourself from thinking that way. Yeah, Michael Hingson ** 13:05 and what helped you get out of doing that? Was it writing or what? What really caused you to realize that ain't the way to go? Tricia Copeland ** 13:16 Yeah, I almost died. That was it very it was a low point. And really, you know, if I didn't do something different, if I didn't let people help me do something different, I would not have made it. So really, you know, a lot of that is like educating people how serious eating disorders are, as well as how helpless sometimes the person that is experiencing them is in being able to help themselves. Michael Hingson ** 13:48 And you said that this happened somewhat in your your college years. Tricia Copeland ** 13:53 Yes, I was 20. Michael Hingson ** 13:56 Were there a lot of pressures were, were people criticizing you in any way that helped contribute to it, or was it sort of really Tricia Copeland ** 14:04 internally? Part of it was internally. Part of it was, you know, what I thought people's expectations I was in. I was at a engineering school and I was a biology major, so maybe that wasn't the best place for me. Everybody was very high in performing. Yeah, yeah. There are many, many factors, I think, and just my my brain that was not processing things, maybe as realistically as they could have been processed. Michael Hingson ** 14:33 But what you eventually did about it was to write a series about it, so clearly you were able to move beyond it, and then, if you will, talk about it, Tricia Copeland ** 14:45 right, right? So I went into inpatient recovery, and then was able to get the help that I needed with therapist and psycho psychiatrist and support groups, and that was a big help. And then, yes, 20 years later, I. Wrote a series about it. Michael Hingson ** 15:02 Well, that's pretty cool. And again, it's I'm always one who admires people who are able to and willing to talk about things. I went to an event last year was the Marshfield, Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Cherry Blossom Festival, which happens every April, is a celebration of American history, and they'll bring people in who have some relationship to an historic event, or who have relatives who were so for example, the great grandson of President Grant was at this event, but one of the people who was there was a former secret service agent who rode in the car behind John Kennedy when he was in Dallas and assassinated, and it took him 45 years to get to the point where he could come out of his experiences enough to start to talk about it, and I just have always admired people who do that. For me, being in the World Trade Center on September 11 and getting out, I never really viewed it as all that traumatic, but I guess it was, but my way to deal with it was, and I realized it much later, but we had so many newspaper reporters who wanted to know about the blind guy who got out of the World Trade Center. I talked about it, I mean, answered everyone's questions. And that was ironically, I love to pick on the media, but ironically, it was the media that really probably helped me move forward from September 11 the most. Tricia Copeland ** 16:41 Yeah, I can imagine that was a lot of processing that you were able to do, as you talked about it. Michael Hingson ** 16:48 People asked all sorts of questions, some really good questions, some not so good questions. And we got to observe all sorts of different types of press people. We had one Italian film crew who came to our house, there were 13 people, most of whom didn't really seem to do a whole lot, but they were there. And then there was a Japanese crew that came. And I think there were two people. It's just amazing what you see and what you learn. And for me and my wife, both now my late wife, but both, both of us love to observe and study and really think about what all these people are doing and how they do it, and we use it as ways to help us learn more about things, if you will, studying and being a student. I think of life as always an important thing, Tricia Copeland ** 17:39 right, yeah, and I guess everybody reacts different to trauma and how you can process that everybody needs a little bit different. But yes, if you could look at things through a learning lens, that can definitely help too. Michael Hingson ** 17:52 So you wrote the being me series. How many books are in that series? Four books, four books. Okay, and so, how long ago did you write those? Tricia Copeland ** 18:03 I published them between 2015 and 2016 Michael Hingson ** 18:07 Okay, did you self publish or I do? Yes, you still do. Okay, great. Well, all right, and then what? What made you decide to then continue and start going into sort of teenage and so on, fiction and fantasy and so on, right? Tricia Copeland ** 18:31 I realized that I just loved writing, and it was something that I didn't want to stop doing. So when I looked around for my next genre to write in, it was very obviously fantasy. For me. I read fantasy from a very young age. I loved Merlin and King authors legends and the Lord of the Rings and all of those books as a young person and a young adult, and that's just what I wanted to write. So my first book, interestingly enough, my editor sent it back to me and said, This is not fantastical enough. You need to make it more paranormal. So it took a minute to make that switch. What Michael Hingson ** 19:15 book was that Tricia Copeland ** 19:16 that is drops of sunshine and it is mirrored off an experience I had. I was a camp counselor at a camp for the blind when I was in I guess after my freshman year of college, and the campers in my story have these extra sensory skills where they can read people's minds. That was the paranormal aspect of my book, and that's not known in the beginning the story to our main character, and then she discovers that these kids have this special talent, and that was how my fantasy books started out. Mm, hmm. Michael Hingson ** 20:00 Then where did it go from Tricia Copeland ** 20:01 there? Then I jumped into the witches with the kingdom Journal series. I developed a character that was a vampire or is a vampire witch hybrid, and so she has a vampire mother and a witch father, but she doesn't know who her father is. She's never met him. And to make things a little bit harder, vampire witch Hyderabad are not allowed, but either the witch lines or the vampires, so both the vampires and the witches got together and said, these beings are too dangerous. We're not going to allow them in our society. And if she's discovered, then she'll be killed. That was the first character, Alina, and she's and to give her just a little more stress, I put her in a human High School, so now she pretends, you know, can't pretend to be a witch. Can't pretend to be a vampire. She needs to be human too. And, yeah, so that was a really fun book to write, and that's the series where the trinity of witches has to come together, so she has to find the other two witches of the Trinity, and they each get to tell their story in the books too. So that's why it's called the kingdom journals. It's a little bit of a journal format, so each character gets to tell their own story as well as telling the overall plot line of the series. How Michael Hingson ** 21:19 do you come up with these characters and create these stories? I mean, it's very imaginative. I wouldn't have thought of it. How do you, and I'm sure other people say that, but how do you create the characters? How does all that Tricia Copeland ** 21:32 work? Yeah, I set out, funny enough, I set out to write a vampire series that was my vampire is my favorite fantasy characters. And I thought, Okay, I'm gonna write a vampire series. It's not you don't want to do it too far out from what most people write or most people think of vampires. But I wanted my vampires to be a little bit different from the other vampires and other series. So I had this idea of making the vampire witch hybrid and her set in a human High School, and what would that look like? And then the challenge? I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the challenge, but somehow I came up with this curse, and the curse was on the witch line, so it very quickly morphed into more of a witch book and the magical side of things, but the vampire characters are still there, and I explore them a little bit, although not as much as the witches. Michael Hingson ** 22:27 Do you find that the characters essentially tell you what they want to be and who they are and why they do what they do. How much are the characters involved in your writing process? I've heard other authors say that that in some of the fiction things, the characters really create the story Tricia Copeland ** 22:47 they do. I feel like my books are very character driven. So how I usually start with the idea for a character and think of their personality, their challenges, what I want, what themes I want to show with that character and then build the world sort of around that character. So it shows those themes and those character traits and what they're overcoming, either in their personal life or in their their physical life, right? But I do have characters that go off script. In the second book, kingdom of darkness. I have a character who we're not sure if he's a good guy or a bad guy. The main character thinks that he may be trying to delude her into thinking he's good when he's not really good. But I wrote him so well, like he was so nice that I couldn't make him a villain. So he became, I rewrote the story a little bit. I'd written it in my mind, I guess, but I rewrote it a little bit. So he did end up being a villain. And then somehow he got his whole own book, so he gets to star in his whole book after that. Michael Hingson ** 23:54 And does he stay a villain? No, he Tricia Copeland ** 23:57 didn't stay. He didn't was never, I mean, I kind of wrote it so the main character thought he was a villain, but in the end, I didn't make him a villain. Michael Hingson ** 24:06 Well, I like books like that. I yeah, I think that most creatures are generally pretty nice. Tricia Copeland ** 24:14 We would hope so, Michael Hingson ** 24:16 although I don't know that that bears necessarily are overly generally nice to people, but, you know, who knows? Yeah, that doesn't mean they're evil either. Well, no, yeah. Tricia Copeland ** 24:27 I mean, they're just living their life, right? That's they need their food sources. Is just like we need our food sources. So Michael Hingson ** 24:35 I'd rather not be their food source, though, but that's okay, right? Tricia Copeland ** 24:39 Yeah, and I don't know. I do struggle with, like, evil or antagonistic characters, because I'm, I don't like the idea that there's a character that is purely evil for no reason. So that is, that's always a grapple in an author's mind. I think, Michael Hingson ** 24:56 well, and you know, I'll go back to Harry Potter. Modern Of course, we have Lord waldemart, who was definitely evil. But even so, the way she created the characters and the way she crafted the books, which probably in some ways, are similar, just in a process of what you do, it's not necessarily overly graphically evil. Even if there's evil, it isn't so graphic that you you you become totally adverse or against it. Evil or bad things are there, but it's all on how you present it. That's why I like books that are essentially puzzles, if you will, because they leave a lot of things to your imagination, and they give you the ability to as a reader, think about it, but as a writer, you also are essentially drawing the reader in to where you want the reader to go, but, but they're puzzles, rather than just some graphic thing, talking about all these horrible, mean, nasty things that a character may do. Tricia Copeland ** 26:08 That's true, and it's all perspective, right? So the quote, unquote villain in my series is out to destroy all the vampires. But then you meet vampires that are good vampires, right? And you think, Huh, well, maybe this one vampire shouldn't be destroyed, because this vampire is not acting in a mean or hurtful way. So many sides to those questions, Michael Hingson ** 26:33 yeah. Well, so the Kingdom series. How many books are in that one? Tricia Copeland ** 26:38 There are four books in the main series, and there's a prequel to that series, okay? Michael Hingson ** 26:45 And then what happened? What happened after that series? Tricia Copeland ** 26:48 So in the finale, kingdom of war, my witches were going to have this huge battle against a vampire army that the evil witch created to, you know, battle the good witches. Yeah, she put which souls in the vampires. So that made them sort of like super vampires. But anyway, my witches needed an army, and I thought who would be a good character to be, to have an army that can come help the witches. So, yeah, the beings I thought of were fairies, and I created a queen Titania, is her name, who had an army who would come help the witches battle these vampire witch soul hybrid be. And when I created her, she just kind of took on her own character, and I quickly morphed that into what was her backstory, what were struggles? Where was she living? Where would the spay army come from? And that is what kind of launched my realm chronicle series, that the finale is coming out next month. Well, Michael Hingson ** 28:10 that's that's pretty cool, and that that answers, again, the question we talked about earlier. The character actually took over, if you will, the writing, which is always cool, because that really shows how deeply you're invested in the characters and you let them have their voices, right? Tricia Copeland ** 28:26 And I couldn't really give up the characters from my kingdom Journal series. They not, you know, not to give too much away, but they do complete their first quest and but this evil witch who's trying to destroy the vampires is still out there somewhere, so I couldn't completely let them go. So the witches from my kingdom Journal series come into the round Chronicles series, and the fairies and the witches are continuing to help each other. Michael Hingson ** 28:56 Well, that's cool. Well, it's kind of neat to even though it's a new series, and I assume you can read one without reading the other, but still, it's neat that you, you follow on and help to craft and expand the world. Tricia Copeland ** 29:11 It's been a lot of fun. And I, you know, selfishly, I didn't want to let go the characters. I felt like they had a little bit of story left in them, and I was able to do that through the round chronicle series. And yeah, it it was a lot of fun for me to Michael Hingson ** 29:26 write. And now, of course, the question is, will there be a lot more story with them, which is part of the adventure that will come next? Right? Tricia Copeland ** 29:33 Yes, I'm, I'm thinking of that. I put my characters through a lot. So after I finished the finale, I felt like I just had to let them rest. I'm not really sure if I will continue with those same characters or or either pull out some different characters from that book to have their own stories. Yeah, Michael Hingson ** 29:54 well, it's, it's going to be an adventure. No question about. It 30:00 definitely so Michael Hingson ** 30:04 with your books. Do you have themes in your books? That is, are you? Are you trying to convey messages? Do you have themes and things that you want people to think about as they go through reading your books? Tricia Copeland ** 30:16 I do. I feel like I like that in the book, and so I kind of embed that in my books too, but it's really more about what is the character grappling with. Not only, like I said in their physical world, maybe Queen Titania is the first female queen in her realm, and some of the old guard, other monarchs are not sure that a female should be able to rule, So that's sort of an out, outside challenge. But she also has inner conflict and challenges where she's not really trusting that she really can do it and she's really supposed to do it, and should she, you know, hand the crown to someone else who may be older or wiser or and so it does she have faith in herself. You know, would sort of be that theme there. And so each of the books have, I mean, it's not like I say, hey, the theme of this book is you need to believe in yourself, yeah, but just showing that the character arcs and how they overcome their challenges. Michael Hingson ** 31:22 How do you again create those? How do you work those in what? What's the process that allows you to to put those themes in and and add them to the book and bring that value out? Right? Tricia Copeland ** 31:37 I guess it's just how, the way I the challenges I choose to put in front of my characters and showing them fail at times, and showing them I do write first person, so you're getting a very up close view of what the character is thinking and feeling at all times. So I think that helps with a little bit of that, knowing that the character is struggling with whatever their um, XYZ, inner, inner turmoil that they're struggling with. And then, you know, just having other characters bounce things off of them, because the character themselves might not realize, hey, I I get anxious when I'm not in control of situations. So, you know, somebody might say, Hey, you're doing this again, stop. Michael Hingson ** 32:29 That's why we have editors, 32:30 right, Michael Hingson ** 32:33 and other people to help well, so you are you, but you clearly talk with your characters and you let them have a voice, which is, I think, something that adds a really great dimension to the writing that you do. And I think it's very important to do that. Tricia Copeland ** 32:51 I hope so. I have very detailed character sheets for each of my characters. I create much bigger back stories than, probably, than really makes it into the books, just to be able to know, like, how my characters will react in situations, what their growth needs to be, where areas that I want to show that growth, and what's most important in their values, And how would they react to all the different challenges? Michael Hingson ** 33:24 What caused you to bring fairies into it again? I think that's pretty imaginative. You were writing about witches of vampire. Fairies are are different. How did that come about? Tricia Copeland ** 33:34 Honestly, I was at a book event, and a person was walking around with these postcards, and they were trying to get authors to write a short story for an anthology, and it had to be a fantasy genre, and it had to be a character with a mental health challenge. But the image on the postcard was of a fairy, and she was hunched in a meadow in these grasses, and she looked kind of anxious or scared, maybe even a little timid or worried. And I thought, Oh, that's a cool image. It was very striking with the green grass and her fairy wings and just her eyes were like had just a lot of feeling behind them. So it caught my eye. I never thought I'd write about fairies. I was looking for the Army for my witches, and I thought, well, you know, the fairies could be like the characters the witches go to. So it was just kind of happenstance that I happened to see this fairy character on a postcard and think, Huh, I could, you know, the fairies could be the answer. Michael Hingson ** 34:44 And turns out, they were, they were Yes. So are all fairies girls? No, okay. Tricia Copeland ** 34:51 I mean, fairies are much like humans in my world, except that my fairies have wings. They in. Middle Earth, which is just below earth. So they share our same bedrock. It kind of mirrors our Earth in my world. And they have rings where they can come back and forth between the fae and the human realm, and they live in our contemporary times. I like those themes of there might be witches, there might be vampires, there might be fairies that walk alongside us every day, and we don't know it. Michael Hingson ** 35:24 And do they know Bill Bo Baggins, since we're talking about Middle Earth, just Tricia Copeland ** 35:29 they do, well, they might have read the book. I don't know that they met him personally. Michael Hingson ** 35:35 Yeah. Well, that's, you know, another, another story, but it's but it's cool. What other kinds of characters are you thinking of for maybe future books, outside of witches, vampires and fairies, Tricia Copeland ** 35:49 right? So I won't give too much away, but no, in order to perform some of the spells that they need to perform in, I guess in two of my books in this series, to be a Fae legend, which is the third book of the series, and to be a Fae which is the finale, The last book of the series. My witches and fairies need to perform these spells. So they need a great amount of power or energy, and they have to assemble different kinds of beings. And in the finale, they have to assemble 12 different kinds of beings. If you try to make a list of different kinds of being, you actually in ones that the witches and the fairies could find in the human realm, like so I had an elf and the werewolves and nicks and selkies like so the Nicks are shape shifters that shift into fish, and then the selkies are shape shifters that shift into now I'm blanking not walruses seals, sorry. So yeah, I had to go find all these different characters. So all of those characters are in this final book, and I I'm thinking of maybe some of those characters that can form a new series. Michael Hingson ** 37:11 So are all trolls, mean, nasty creatures, or, do you know yet, Tricia Copeland ** 37:16 in my series, they are depicted as that? Yes, Michael Hingson ** 37:21 how about gnomes? I don't have any gnomes. Well, there's another one for you to look at down the line. Might be. It might be interesting to see where that goes. Of course. Yep, so you but you have a variety of characters, and I think it's it's great when you have a rich culture of a lot of different characters. And of course, there are all sorts of potentials for conflict or for different creatures to work learn to work together too, Tricia Copeland ** 37:56 right? The Fay historically have not worked with other beings or creatures. They very much kept to themselves and had primary purpose. They think their primary purpose is to protect the humans from all the evil spirits. So that has been their focus historically, and they've shunned other groups of beings based on whether they thought they were descended from the Creator, who's sort of like their god or the creator or the evil one, right? So the Fae believed that the vampires and werewolves, for instance, were created by the evil ones, so they shouldn't associate with those types of beings, and there's a lot of learning in there. I guess you could say it, are we going to partner with these beings, and how? What does that look like? And is that really okay? And can we choose a different path than what our predecessors have chosen? Michael Hingson ** 38:59 And I guess it's sort of pretty clearly, is that they somewhat do that. Tricia Copeland ** 39:06 Yes, they do. And Titania, our main character, is very much the Herald for that type of behavior and that type of community and that type of acceptance Michael Hingson ** 39:23 well. So your next year, your book will be out in July, and then where do you go from there? Tricia Copeland ** 39:31 Yes, so like I said, I'm tossing around ideas for fantasy characters. I also write in the romance genre, so generally, I'll write a fantasy, and then I'll write a romance. I'll switch back and forth between writing those. The past year and a half, I guess I've been focusing on finishing this fantasy series, so I have two romances now queued up that I'm excited about writing, and we'll get to those first. I Michael Hingson ** 39:58 think, hmm. What romances Have you written already? Tricia Copeland ** 40:03 So after the being me series, I started the perfect romance series, which the first book was a little bit different from a typical romance. It has five parts, and it's the same main character, but based on decisions at different times in her life, her life goes off in a different way. So you see her go to France and fall in love with the French man, or you see her take a job in New York City and fall in love with a investment banker. And so you see her in different stages of her life, having made different decisions, but still finding happily ever after. So that kind of kicked off that. And somebody, somebody called it speculative romance at one time, and it's more like make your own story or choose your own ending type of book. But from there, I initially thought I would write like a full book showing each of the happily ever afters with that same character, but I wrote one book showing one happily ever after scenario, but then decided that I would look at all of her friends lives so they all met in college, and they were in this one sorority together. And so I write different books showing the different friends love stories. So I've written perfect. Was the first one perfect, always with Chloe. And then Brie book is a close as close to perfect. And this is still set in Lexington, Kentucky. And then the last one is perfect office pack, which is a enemies to lovers, office romance. Michael Hingson ** 41:51 Now, do you put a lot of sex in your books? I Tricia Copeland ** 41:54 don't know. My books are what's called closed door or fade to black, so you'll see some kissing, but not much more than that, Michael Hingson ** 42:03 and that's fine. And the reason I asked that question was to get to the whole issue of so many people when they're writing, just have to make everything so graphic. There's got to be all this sex and all this other stuff that they put in them. And my view has always been, is that really necessary? And I gather you, you're essentially saying the same thing. And again, it's like detective stories. I love to read a lot of detective stories, but I like the detective stories most that are puzzles. That is, I want to figure out who done it. I don't need all the graphics of how somebody got murdered, or what happened. It happens. You don't need to put all that graphic stuff in to get to dealing with the puzzle. And it's the same thing with sex. You really need all that. Like a lot of comedians, it's all the shock stuff. They got to have all these horrible words, swear words, and everything else but the best comedians, I think most people, if they really study it, will agree, are the ones that tell stories without all that dirty and sex stuff in it. Tricia Copeland ** 43:12 And that's what I like to read and what I like to watch, too. But there are definitely people that enjoy different types of books. Yeah, there are, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 43:21 yeah, I hear you, but I, I would prefer to be able to use my imagination in various things. So one of my favorite detective stories or Characters of All Times is Nero Wolfe, written by Rex Stout, because he he writes in a way where you don't see all the graphic and don't need to see any of the graphic to get the entire picture. He describes enough so you know what's going on, but he doesn't deal with it in a way that would How do I put it? Offend anyone? Tricia Copeland ** 43:59 Right? And I would probably argue that mystery books are would be the hardest to write, I think, because you have to give enough clues throughout so that the reader doesn't think, Oh, I would have never thought that was the villain, but you don't want to put too much in. So it's so obvious who the villain is, right? So I think it's the ways those authors weave those stories are very intricate and thought out and multi layered and impressive to me Michael Hingson ** 44:34 well. And the reality is that sometimes, and again, I'll use Rex Stout as an example, when you find out who did it, or who the bad person was, and Wolf explains it clearly, all the clues were there, but it would be really hard for you to put it together. Now, there have been a few times where there were things that he didn't tell you, that if you if he had said those. Because during the book, you might have figured it out, but mostly the clues are somewhat there, but it is so subtle that I doubt very many people would figure it out, which Tricia Copeland ** 45:14 is, yeah, definitely. Michael Hingson ** 45:17 It makes it so much fun. When that happens, it is. So you're, you're still deciding what you want to do for your next series of books, or what, what the next realm will be, if you will, Tricia Copeland ** 45:31 in the fantasy genre, yes, I'm still deciding which way to go with my next characters. Michael Hingson ** 45:38 Yes, right, but you're going to probably do some romances before you go into those. I Tricia Copeland ** 45:43 am, yes, I was just writing a newsletter to my subscribers. In the last book, I had subscribers pick names for my characters. And so in this book, I thought, You know what? I don't like this character has has only been introduced and very briefly in one of the books, and so she doesn't have a lot of backstory. And I thought, You know what, I can just ask my readers, where do you think she should live? What are her hobbies? What does she like to do? What's her favorite book genre? I thought that would be a lot of fun for my readers to direct some of that. Michael Hingson ** 46:18 And what kind of answers did you get? Did you get a lot of feedback? Tricia Copeland ** 46:22 Like I said, I Well, with the names one when? So I'm just sent out the poll today, new one, but for the name ones, yeah, I would. I got like 100 answers. And then I thought, you know, next time, I won't do the names, because sometimes names are so personal and can vote like a lot of emotion that people get very heated about people's names. Michael Hingson ** 46:47 Now, do mostly women answer? Do you get both sexes answering your questions? It is Tricia Copeland ** 46:52 mostly women, but definitely, maybe 10% male, I would think. And actually, I feel like I have more interaction, and that's mostly on the fantasy side, but I feel like I actually have sometimes more interaction. Maybe, I don't know, maybe this get more passionate about fantasy? Michael Hingson ** 47:13 Yeah, probably so. But you know, there's, there's something to be said for reading a good romance book. I like cozy mysteries as well, and a lot of those are really combinations of mysteries and romance, and the mystery part is oftentimes more straightforward, but it's just the whole book and the putting the entire book together that makes it so much fun. Tricia Copeland ** 47:41 Yeah, those can be a quick, you know, kind of feel good read. I yeah for that genre, yeah, and Michael Hingson ** 47:49 there's nothing wrong with that. It's good to have feel good books occasionally, Tricia Copeland ** 47:54 too. I am all for feel good everything, yeah. Michael Hingson ** 47:58 Well, when I travel, I like to read on airplanes, and I like not to work and do reading that's really related to work, because going and coming from events is really the time that I get to have the most down time once I get somewhere I am on until I am on the airplane coming home. And so it is the way to relax. So I enjoy reading things that will allow me to relax when I'm going and coming from trips or from events, which is so important, I think, to be able to do and I think people should do more of that. It's always worth slowing down some and really letting your mind just wander. Tricia Copeland ** 48:38 Yeah, plane trips are my favorite, because that's I do the same thing. I read on the plane, and I listen to audio books mostly if I'm home, when I'm exercising or when I'm doing chores. But to be able to sit down and read doesn't happen that often. Michael Hingson ** 48:56 What do you like to read most from audio books? What? What genre? Tricia Copeland ** 48:59 Um, exactly what I write, fantasy and romance. Michael Hingson ** 49:03 What's your favorite fantasy books Tricia Copeland ** 49:06 I just finished, and I'm so behind because I don't read fantasy when I'm writing fantasy. So I just finished Holly Black's, the folk of the air series, the cruel prince, I think the cool prince, the wicked king and the queen of nothing. I think they're the three books in that series. So that was really good series. And I'm writing Emily's wild encyclopedia fairies right now. So I just started that get Michael Hingson ** 49:33 a little bit more information on those fairies for a future book. Right? That's that's kind of important to do. So do you produce with I've asked a number of people this, and I'll ask you, do you arrange for audio books to be produced from your series? Tricia Copeland ** 49:53 I do both my fantasy series, The Kingdom journals, as well as the realm Chronicles. I have audio books. Four. I'm a little bit behind in the realm Chronicles. My Narrator had some health problems, so I'm switching narrators. But my new narrator, Tina walls, wolsen craft, yes, I think that's how you pronounce her last name, she will be working on the fourth book in the realm Chronicles series in September. So I'm hoping that will come out in October, and that will be my, my eighth audio book. Michael Hingson ** 50:23 And where can people get the audio books? Tricia Copeland ** 50:26 So the kingdom Journal series is on all platforms, and then the realm chronicle series, the newest series, is on Audible. Okay, Michael Hingson ** 50:37 so and again under your name for the author? Tricia Copeland ** 50:42 Yep. Tricia Copeland, author, the Kingdom Journal series. The first two books are female character, so and now I'm blank. I can't believe I'm blanking on her name. It'll come to me in a minute. Yeah. So I had a female narrator for the first two books, and then the second two books are male Lee main characters. So Dan Delgado did the narration on those and then Jillian Yetter, who was the most amazing narrator for Titania. She even had pink hair, just just like Titania does, a hold of the the cover of the book has Titania is pink hair. So that was really fun to work with her, and we won an award for the second book in that series, to be a fake guardian Michael Hingson ** 51:26 in audio book. Oh, cool. What was the award? It Tricia Copeland ** 51:29 was independent book publisher Association, young adult fantasy, Silver Award. Michael Hingson ** 51:35 Oh, cool. That's exciting. It's always good to have awards. Have you run other awards along the way? Tricia Copeland ** 51:40 I have several Colorado independent book Publishers Association for the first book, kingdom of embers, in the kingdom Journal series, as well as several the global Book Awards for to remember it to be, to be a fake queen, which is the first book in the kingdom journals and as Ray at my Aztec mythology. Michael Hingson ** 52:06 So how many books have you written all together? Speaker 1 ** 52:08 Next month's book will be 23 Wow. Michael Hingson ** 52:13 That is really exciting. Well, I know we're putting in the show notes, the picture of the book cover for the next book. And as I mentioned earlier, if you want to send us other books that you think people ought to read, we'll put those pictures in the the notes as well. I'm glad to have all the pictures you want to share. Tricia Copeland ** 52:31 I will definitely share them. Thank you. Well, Michael Hingson ** 52:34 so is there anything else you'd like all of our listeners and viewers to know or to think about going forward, Tricia Copeland ** 52:42 right? Well, if you go to my website, which is triciacopeland.com, Michael Hingson ** 52:47 and Tricia is T, R, i, c, I A, Copeland, C, O, P, E, L, 52:53 a n, d, l, a n, d.com.com, Tricia Copeland ** 52:56 yes, if you go there, and if you just want to get a trial of my books. If you subscribe to my newsletter, then you can read a free short story fantasy as well as a free short story romance. Michael Hingson ** 53:07 Oh, okay. If people want to reach out to you, what's the best way to do that, Tricia Copeland ** 53:13 they can reach out on direct message, on social media, or my email is Tricia T, R, i, c, I a@triciacopeland.com 53:21 too. Okay, Michael Hingson ** 53:24 then people can, can reach out and and they'll, I'm sure, have all sorts of ideas for you. Tricia Copeland ** 53:31 I love ideas, and I love talking to readers about my books. Michael Hingson ** 53:36 Yeah, I I've written three, and I love getting comments and feedback from people, because I get new ideas and new thoughts. And mine are really all about helping to inspire people and so on. So it's it's always good when people have their their observations, whatever they are. 54:01 I agree. Michael Hingson ** 54:03 Well, anyway, I want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun, and I really value your time being here, and I hope people will reach out and and also, more important, get your books and read your books and review them. One of the most important things that all of us who are authors will tell anyone is, please review the books. Please go to places like Amazon and Reddit and so on and review the books, because those reviews are are viewed and paid attention to by so many people. So giving an author, a great review is always a wonderful thing to do. Tricia Copeland ** 54:44 We do appreciate those and thank you so much, Michael for having me. Michael Hingson ** 54:48 Well, it was my pleasure, and I want to thank all of you for listening and watching today. We really appreciate it. If you've got any thoughts, I'd love to hear from you, please email me at Michael H i. M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I, at access, A, B, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, but also go to our podcast page, www, dot Michael hinkson.com/podcast, you can see all of our podcasts there, but they're also available wherever you're listening to podcasts and and you can find the most anywhere podcasts are available. If you know anyone who ought to be a guest that you think would make a wonderful guest, and you'd like to have them tell their stories and Tricia you as well, I would really appreciate you introducing us, because we're always looking for more people to have on the podcast, and so please don't hesitate to reach out and don't hesitate to provide introductions, but again, give us a five star review here on unstoppable mindset. We value your reviews greatly, and we really appreciate you doing it. So I want to thank you, Tricia again, for being here. This has been fun, and I think it's really important that people do get a great sense of what you're doing, and I think we've done that, and we're really anxious to see where you go from here. Tricia Copeland ** 56:08 Thank you so much, Michael, I so appreciate it. Michael Hingson ** 56:15 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
In this episode of the Becoming a Sleep Consultant podcast, I'm joined by CPSM graduate and now Amazon best-selling children's book author Aly Dabbs! Aly's story is such a beautiful reminder that entrepreneurship doesn't always follow a straight line, and that when you lean into your passion, one opportunity can open the door to the next.After leaving her HR career to stay home with her children, Aly built a sleep consulting business centered around supporting toddler families. That work eventually inspired her to write Bedtime Hearts, a playful and heartwarming children's book that's already topping the charts on Amazon. In this episode, we discuss:- How Aly went from feeling stuck to taking consistent action and gaining momentum in her business- Why she fell in love with toddler sleep support, and how she uses playfulness to make bedtime more enjoyable for families- The story behind Bedtime Hearts and how sleep consulting paved the way for Aly to achieve her dream of becoming a children's book authorLinks: Website: https://restfulbaby.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aly_sleepconsultant/Buy Bedtime Hearts here: https://a.co/d/8dwNprPIf you'd like to learn more about becoming a Sleep Consultant, please join our Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomeasleepconsultantCPSM website: https://thecpsm.com/Book a free discovery call to learn how you can become a Certified Sleep Consultant here: https://jaynehavens.as.me/CPSM-Inquiry
Hi Everyone! I interviewed Amanda Fletcher, kidlit author and co-assistant regional advisor for the SCBWI Southern Breeze. Here is more about Amanda:Formerly a magazine art director, Amanda Fletcher writes novels, picture books, and short stories for children. She's the co-assistant regional advisor for the SCBWI Southern Breeze region where she helps plan workshops, conferences, and monthly writing webinars for the kid-lit community. She's also actively involved with the Atlanta Writer's Club, where her coming-of-age short story won the Terry Kay Prize for fiction in 2024. She lives in Suwanee, GA, with her family and is querying her first middle grade novel. Find her on Bluesky @mandyfletcher.bsky.social and on her website www.mandyfletcherwrites.com
Sign up for our weekly newsletter here! In this special summer edition of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, hosts Matthew Worwood and Peter Reynolds welcome renowned children's author, illustrator, and songwriter Barney Saltzberg. Best known for his playful, heartfelt stories like Beautiful Oops and Crazy Hair Day, Barney shares insights into his two newest books: Just a Banana and Rabbit's Feet. The episode explores how Just a Banana uses humor and interactive surprises to encourage children and educators to see everyday objects—like a banana—in new and creative ways, reminding listeners of the value in play, divergent thinking, and finding joy in imagination both at home and in the classroom. The conversation then shifts to Barney's second new release, Rabbit's Feet, a thoughtful story born from artistic experimentation that ultimately champions selfless acts and doing what's right without seeking recognition. Whether you're a parent or an educator, this episode provides inspiration for nurturing creativity in children, and practical ideas for promoting a growth mindset through creative storytelling and play-based activities. Don't forget to check out the show notes for links to Barney's books, his YouTube creativity challenges, and further resources to enrich your summer reading and professional development journey. Eager to bring more creativity into your school district? Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and join their Creativity Network for Educators at Curiosity2Connect! Check out our Podcast Website to dive deeper into Creativity in Education! For more information on Creativity in Education, check out: Matt's Website: Worwood Classroom Cyndi's Website: Creativity and Education
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.Welcome to Series 10, Episode #85, where I chat to Rachel Bright, a celebrated children's book author and illustrator of such titles as:The Lion InsideThe Koala Who CouldThe StompysaurusAnd many more!To date, Rachel has sold over 6 million copies of her books. They've been translated into 50+ languages and have been adapted for both television and live-theatre. Her self-illustrated, Love Monster, is a major animated series for the BBC and currently has over 20 million downloads.The film rights to Rachel's famous title The Lion Inside have been acquired by a BAFTA winning production company and the project is currently in development. If that wasn't enough, Rachel also has an award-winning gifts and stationery business, The Bright Side, selling over 18 million greeting cards and over 6 million gifts on 5 continents.I came across Rachel's books while reading to my son and was blown away by her wisdom and the lessons that she's so kindly passing on to the younger generation. The story of Rachel's success is one of passion, grit and trusting that you're on the right path even when all the signs are pointing in the opposite direction. If you're a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur or just someone with a dream, get ready to be inspired by the wonderful, Rachel Bright.CONNECT WITH CONOR:LinkedInCONNECT WITH RACHEL:Rachel Bright BooksThe Bright Side - Gifts & StationeryInstagramSuperman (David Corenswet) reads Rachel's first ever published book, "What Does Daddy Do?" on CBeebies Bedtime storiesDiscover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollier) has died at the age of 71. He was the face of the WWE in the 1980s, and stayed involved in the sport long after his retirement from professional wrestling. Sharon Mazer, author of ‘Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle', told Heather duPlessis-Allan, ‘He was the one in the bright light at the end of the night, and generally the victor.' She also said that Hogan was known to stay behind after events to sign t shirts and pose for photos with children and young fans. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hi Everyone! I had the pleasure of interviewing Sheree Tomba, children's book author and illustrator. She's also an agency sib!Here is more about Sheree:Sheree's award winning art career was solidified at age 6 when she took home the $10 grand prize from the local grocery store coloring competition. She has since expanded from crayons and especially enjoys working in graphite, acrylic, and digital media. Her time studying theater at New York University taught her how to tell a story using color, space, and shape. She sees picture books a lot like a piece of theater - a chance to bring the audience into a different world and give them an experience through story. Sheree has loved animals since she was a little girl and they often show up in her work. Her list of former pets includes a Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula, a Giant African Millipede, and some very cuddly guinea pigs. When she isn't riding her bike, she can be found at home in Dallas, Texas with her dog, cat, and more often than not, a litter of foster kittens.Represented by Kaitlyn Sanchez of Bradford Literary Agency.Link to Sheree's website!
“I've never been happier professionally, and it's all because of my grandson stomping on anthills in the backyard one day.” – Ron Kinscherf Today's featured bestselling author is a husband, grandfather, and retired IT Consultant, Ron Kinscherf. Ron and I had a fun on a bun chat about his latest book, “Adorable”, the importance of fostering a love of reading in children, creative advice for young storytellers, and more!!!Key Things You'll Learn:How storytelling with his grandson led to writing bestselling books for kidsWhat led to one of Ron's books being picked up by a traditional publisherThe difficulties of marketing self-published books and reaching audiences beyond his local communityHow story messages emerge organically and how he generates ideas from everyday lifeThe importance of reading and the literacy crisisRon's Site: https://papatellmeabook.com/Ron's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09ZJ7ZC55/allbooksThe opening track is titled, “North Wind and the Sun” by Trevin P. To listen to and download the full track, click the following link. https://compilationsforhumanity.bandcamp.com/track/north-wind-and-the-sunPlease support today's podcast to keep this content coming! CashApp: $DomBrightmonDonate on PayPal: @DBrightmonBuy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dombrightmonGet Going North T-Shirts, Stickers, and More: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/dom-brightmonThe Going North Advancement Compass: https://a.co/d/bA9awotYou May Also Like…Ep. 682 – “Leadership Begins with Motivation” with Dr. Danny Brassell (@DannyBrassell): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-682-leadership-begins-with-motivation-with-dr-danny-brassell-dannybrassell/Ep. 586 – “Flipping Bad Situations into Joyful Children's Books” with Violet Lemay (@violetlemay): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-586-flipping-bad-situations-into-joyful-childrens-books-with-violet-lemay-violetlemay/Ep. 763 – The Improv Mindset with Keith Saltojanes (@keithsaltojanes): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-763-the-improv-mindset-with-keith-saltojanes-keithsaltojanes/Ep. 793 – How to Bounce Back as a Children's Book Author with Rella B. (@RellaBBooks): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-793-how-to-bounce-back-as-a-childrens-book-author-with-rella-b-rellabbooks/Ep. 559 - "Picky Patrick" With Eleni Fuiaxis (@EleniFuiaxis): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-559-picky-patrick-with-eleni-fuiaxis-elenifuiaxis/Ep. 892 – Giant Rays of Hope with Patricia Newman (@PatriciaNewman): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-892-giant-rays-of-hope-with-patricia-newman-patricianewman/Ep. 483 – “Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva” with Hans Kullberg (@AvivasDaddy) #BABYAVIVA: https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-483-baby-aviva-orangutan-diva-with-hans-kullberg-avivasdaddy-babyaviva/Ep. 582 – “Shaping the World Through Great Stories for All Ages” with Natasha Deen (@natasha_deen): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-582-shaping-the-world-through-great-stories-for-all-ages-with-natasha-deen-natasha_deen/Ep. 522 – “Peanut the Penguin” with Aruna Lepore (@ArunaMLepore): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-522-peanut-the-penguin-with-aruna-lepore-arunamlepore/Ep. 758 – Inspiring Readers Through Representation and Relatable Stories with Tonya Ellis (@TonyaDEllis): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-758-inspiring-readers-through-representation-and-relatable-stories-with-tonya-ellis-tonyadel/#M2M Bonus – “An Alcoholic's Progress from Mayhem to Miracles” with Sharla Charpentier (@The_Llove_Llama): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/m2m-bonus-an-alcoholics-progress-from-mayhem-to-miracles-with-sharla-charpentier-the_llove_llama-m2m/Ep. 822 – Journey to the Total Solar Eclipse with Meg Jerit (@megjerit): https://www.goingnorthpodcast.com/ep-822-journey-to-the-total-solar-eclipse-with-meg-jerit-megjerit/
The search for a safe haven for Jewish people in the early 20th Century led some Zionists to land on Galveston, Texas as a potential homeland for Jewish refugees. What was the Galveston Movement and what happened to it? We interviews the author of a new book MELTING POINT: Family, Memory, and the Search for … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Book Author interview – Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land ; Mining the Ocean Floor – July 13, 2025 →
I invited 3 promising authors from my Tiny Book Writing Group. Delphine, Rich, and Rachel have been relentlessly working on their manuscripts, and in this conversation, you'll hear them talk about how they're approaching the writing process, their reasons for writing, the challenges they're facing, and other tiny author-related matters.If you're a writer, an aspiring author, or both, you might enjoy this unedited conversation.*Links*Join the Tiny Book Writing Group - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/tiny-book-writing-group/Join Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/privateTimestamps00:00 – Introduction02:06 – Exploring the Purpose of Each Book08:40 – Writing Process and Challenges21:10 – Sources of Inspiration and Idea Generation26:30 – Daily Writing Practices and Discipline45:30 – Hopes and Aspirations55:00 – Advice for Aspiring Authors59:29 – Join Better WritersKeywords (ignore)writing, authors, books, tiny authors, tiny books, creativity, writing books, writers
For our June episode host and gerontologist, Sherri Snelling, talks with the authors of the new “AARP Caregiver Answer Book” – Barry Jacobs and Julia Mayer. They share some of the insights from the book including the difference in caring for a spouse versus an older parent, how and why families need to have the caregiving conversation, how to adopt self-care routines into an overwhelming caregiving life and more. For CAREGIVER WELLNESS NEWS, June is National Alzheimer's and Brain Health Month and Sherri talks about blood tests for Alzheimer's risk, how to avoid “popcorn brain,” brain health tests and more. And since June 21 is the Summer Solstice where we have the longest day of sunlight in the year, Sherri shares information on how “sunshine” plays a key role in healing and how a new study uses UV light to help those with multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's adults who experience “sundowning.” And June is also Employee Wellness Month where Sherri talks about the latest studies by Harvard, MetLife and other researchers on why caregiving help as a workplace benefit is crucial and a study showing a health benefit for women solopreneurs. In our WELL HOME DESIGN NEWS, Sherri talks about a new app from Apple and Universal Music Group for sound bathing just in time for World Music Day June 21, for National Garden Week June 1-7 Sherri shares how garden therapy is taking off in senior living and in workplaces for stressed workers and since June is National Elder Abuse Month, Sherri talks about studies showing how financial elder abuse and scams on older adults is on the rise and what you can do to protect your loved ones. (3:47) – Caregiver Wellness News (26:05) Interview with Barry Jacobs and Julia Mayer – authors of the “AARP Caregiver Answer Book” (1:02:29) – Well Home Design News Take Care and Stay Well! Find out more at: caregivingclub.com/podcast/
Send us a textIn this eye-opening episode of the Smarter Vet Financial Podcast, hosts Tom Seeko and CJ Burnett sit down with Dr. William Anton, founder of CEOeffectiveness.com, for a powerful discussion on personal development and the often-overlooked importance of mental health—especially among high-performing professionals.Dr. Anton challenges the outdated stigma around therapy and psychological coaching, describing it as the “emotional equivalent of graduate school” for those seeking to live and lead more effectively. He unpacks how early life experiences shape the way we see ourselves and the world—and how many of those beliefs quietly limit our potential.From redefining mental health beyond clinical labels to embracing a holistic, strengths-based approach to growth, this episode dives deep into what it truly means to become your best self. Whether you're a practice owner, team leader, or simply striving to grow, this is a must-listen for anyone ready to confront their inner barriers and unlock lasting personal and professional effectiveness.To contact Dr. Anton, or to purchase one of his books, please visit CEOeffectiveness.com. Smarter Vet Podcast-https://flveterinaryadvisors.com/smarter-vet-financial-podcast/Watch the no-cost, 5-part video course to review your finances and see where you could be doing better in your finances - 5 Foundational Steps to Financial Balance Video Course-http://series.flvetadvisors.com/Find out what you could be overlooking within your practice by taking our brief assessment Test My Personal Financial IQ - https://flveterinaryadvisors.com/personal-test/Sign up for a complimentary phone call to talk about how to get better use of all the cash inside your practice - Schedule a time: https://flveterinaryadvisors.com/contact-usCheck out our social media channels Facebook-https://facebook.com/flvetadvisors LinkedIn-https://linkedin.com/company/flvetadvisors YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAK-PzGDIch3vzKiAjWVrQQ
In this episode, we have a delightful chat with Christine about her love of animals, reading and the impact her life experiences had on becoming the teacher, and now author, she is for children. Like many children we have in our classrooms, Christine was shy as a child and did
On this edition of TMWS, I have Children's Book Author Leah Rise with her son, Maverick. Leah has written a book about her son called, "Maverick A Million." Maverick A Million is an inspirational children's bedtime story about inner strength, courage and self-worth. Listen & share.
In this lively conversation, Brad Lowe sits down with author Abbey Nieman to explore the inspiration behind her book Radiant Joy, rooted in Psalm 34 and a deep pursuit of joy through faith. They unpack how seeking God, listening for His voice, and showing up authentically—especially in life's messier moments—can lead to unexpected growth and transformation. Abbey shares her journey of embracing change, stepping outside her comfort zone, and discovering the beauty of community and connection along the way. Blending spiritual insight with fun personal stories, the two also dive into Texas culture staples like Whataburger, high school memories, and college love stories. From carnivore diet adventures to the power of love languages, this episode is a reminder that joy is often found in the everyday, and our stories—shared honestly—can truly inspire others.Follow Abbey here:https://www.instagram.com/abbey.nieman/Checkout the new Hopecast website:https://thehopecastnetwork.com/Buy Merch here:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-hopecast-network-swag/This show is brought to you by The Hopecast Networkhttps://www.instagram.com/hopecastnetwork/
In this week's Interview Classic episode from ten years ago (6-18-2015), PWTorch editor Wade Keller was joined by Howard Brody, co-author of Dusty Rhodes's 2005 autobiography, who shares for nearly an hour hour his memories regarding the challenges of working with Dusty on the book, personal interactions with Dusty, impressions of the reaction to his death from inside the industry, and more.Then Sean Radican joins Keller to preview the next night's ROH live PPV with the title vs. title main event, A.J. Styles, Kyle O'Reilly, The Young Bucks, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.
In this eye-opening conversation, I sit down with friend, children's book author, and singer-songwriter Tyra Juliette, to discuss her new best-selling book "The Sky is Red."We explore how the story addresses the concept of gaslighting — a psychological manipulation tactic often overlooked in conversations with and about children. Tyra shares the inspiration behind the book, how her own experiences shaped the narrative, and why she believes it's crucial to teach young people how to trust their own truth.Whether you're a parent, educator, or just someone interested in emotional literacy and storytelling, this conversation offers deep insights and practical wisdom.SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: / drustorynews
On the surface, Diné author Daniel Vandever's picture books might appear to be straightforward stories, but the messages about the power of imagination and adventure in his books are imbued with layers of meaning. In his book Fall in Line, Holden!, a little boy breaks free from the constraints of rules and discipline by using his imagination. On a deeper level, the book speaks to the history of Indian Boarding Schools in pushing cultural assimilation. Likewise, in his wordless picture book Herizon, a girl goes on a magic scarf ride to find her lost sheep. This book is imbued with symbolism about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic, as well as cultural references to the Navajo Nation. Herizon was nominated to represent New Mexico at the 2024 National Book Festival. Mentioned in this Episode: Fall in Line, Holden! by Daniel Vandever Herizon by Daniel Vandever We Weave by Daniel Vandever Salina Bookshelf New Mexico representation at the 2024 National Book Festival The Long Walk Livestock Reduction Act “A Brief History of Navaj- Churro Sheep” in the Spring 2025 issue of El Palacio Navajo Code Talkers Deb Haaland's Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report: Volume I and Volume II The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss Roadrunner's Dance by Rudolfo Anaya Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you loved about the episode, share a personal story it made you think of, or ask us a question at elpalacio@dca.nm.gov. You can write a regular email or record a short voice memo and attach it for us to listen to. Visit newmexicoculture.org for info about our museums, historic sites, virtual tours, and more. Our favorite way to fully experience everything they have to offer is with the New Mexico CulturePass. Reserve yours online! If you love New Mexico, you'll love El Palacio Magazine! Subscribe to El Palacio today. Encounter Culture, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, is produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Hosted by Emily Withnall, editor at El Palacio MagazineExecutive Producer: Daniel Zillmann Technical Director & Post-Production Audio: Edwin R. RuizRecording Engineer: Collin Ungerleider and Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa FeEditor & Production Manager: Alex RieglerAssociate Producer & Editor: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota) Theme Music: D'Santi Nava Instagram: @newmexicanculture and @elpalaciomagazine
Mike and I talk about his book about Pink Floyd titled Everything Under the Sun. You can find his book here: https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/everything-under-the-sun/ and his substack here: https://mikecormack.substack.com/
Most educational material for kids ends up being either too dry or too confusing, leaving both children and parents feeling stuck. It's frustrating when a topic feels important, but every attempt to explain it just leads to glazed-over eyes. The magic happens when a story can turn something dense into something fun—when kids are laughing, asking questions, and actually remembering what they learned. A good children's book doesn't just teach—it creates a shared moment between adult and child that sticks far beyond the last page. Lisa M. Bell blends creativity with clarity, turning complex ideas into stories kids actually enjoy. From solar energy to school adventures, her books simplify big topics without talking down to young readers. After leaving a sales job behind, she found her stride as a full-time author, proving it's never too late to rewrite your own story. Today, she shares how she crafts engaging narratives, markets her work, and navigates the publishing world. Her mission is to make learning fun—and help kids see the world through curious, confident eyes. Stay tuned! Resources: Lisa Bell | Check out my children's books & health & travel articles. Follow Lisa Bell on Facebook Connect with Lisa Bell on LinkedIn
Hi Everyone! My guest today is the lovely, Jasmine Fang, kidlit author. Here is more about Jasmine:Jasmine Fang (she/her) is a Taiwanese American writer and civil servant. She started writing poetry in high school and later performed spoken word in coffee shops. With a deep commitment to community building and amplifying minority voices, Jasmine's work reflects her motto to "livekind." Her book Beneath The Same Round Moon will be published in Fall 2026.Visit Jasmine's website or Instagram!Thanks for listening!
Bracha Goetz is not your typical Harvard grad - she's the author of 43 picture books that help children grow spiritually, inspiring each uniquely beautiful soul to shine. Her books make life's deepest concepts clear - in a delightfully simple way - as children find big ideas in little words. Her newest picture books include Let's Stay Healthy, Don't Read This Book, and The Mother Who Always Said Yes. Her books can be found in bookstores and at www.growingimpactpublications.comLearn more about your host, Kim Lengling:www.kimlenglingauthor.com#books #whattoread #readabook #authorslife #writerslife #childrensbookauthor #childrensbooks
Karen LeFrak is a celebrated Composer, Pianist and Children's Book Author. She has composed a number of moving music scores, including “Sleepover At The Museum, which have been presented around the world by the NY Philharmonic, National Symphony, American Ballet Theater and the Mariinsky Ballet. Her newest work is called “Miami Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra” and features World Class guitarist Sharon Isbin. As an author Karen has written several acclaimed children's books including “Jake the Philharmonic Dog” and “Best In Show”.My featured song is called “Cousins” from the album Trippin by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Ranked in the Top 1% of all podcasts with listeners worldwide on every continent in 200 countries!Click here for All EpisodesClick here to SubscribeClick here to receive our podcast emailsClick here to rate and review the podcast—----------------------------------------Connect with Karen:www.karenlefrak.com—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single. It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called "Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!"CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com
The podcast episode with Dr. Joe Roman, featured on the WeWhale Pod, explores his journey as a conservation biologist, focusing especially on marine ecology, whales, and their ecological importance. The discussion covers his unique research on whale feces—how it recycles nutrients in the ocean through the "whale pump"—and shares anecdotes from his global search for whale poop. The conversation also touches on his books Eat, Poop, Die and Whale, highlighting both the ecological roles of animals and the cultural history of whaling. The episode concludes with his vision for ocean conservation and how listeners can learn more about his work.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Best Selling Author of You're on Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive BehaviorsWant to be a guest on ABCs of Parenting Adult Children? Send James Moffitt a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/parentingadultchildren
Our featured interview on tonight's show is with Rick Newcombe. Rick is a well-known author of several pipe books, and he is a prominent collector of Danish pipes, and vintage tobaccos. We catch up with him and see what he's looking forward to at the Chicago pipe show this coming weekend. Rick was in Chicago when the show was first conceived of, and provides quite an interesting early days look at the show. Later, he chats with us about alternative sources of nicotine. At the top of the show in our Pipe Parts segment, Brian relays a quite interesting and nostalgic history and background on small batch and/or limited edition tobaccos.
Sara-Jayne Makwala King is joined by mom-of-7-turned children’s book author Lauren O’Connor May who’s debut book Dream House Adventures has just been published by LAPA. Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Listen live – Lunch with Pippa Hudson is broadcast weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) https://www.primediaplus.com/station/capetalk Find all the catch-up podcasts here https://www.primediaplus.com/capetalk/lunch-with-pippa-hudson/show-podcasts/lunch-with-pippa-hudson/ Subscribe to the CapeTalk daily and weekly newsletters https://www.primediaplus.com/competitions/newsletter-subscription/ Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkza CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What would make a corporate lawyer write a children's book about the New York City Zoo owl, Flaco, that escaped to freedom? Join The Plantbased Business Hour and Awesome Vegans Podcast for an in depth conversation with Christine Mott about her new book, Flaco's flight and plight and the power of children's books. Subscribe! For plant-based media/branding consulting and public speaking, reach out at elysabeth@elysabethalfano.com. For more information, visit ElysabethAlfano.com. For more information, visit ElysabethAlfano.com. Connect with Elysabeth on Linked in here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elysabeth-alfano-8b370b7/ For more PBH, visit ElysabethAlfano.com/Plantbased-Business-Hour.
What would make a corporate lawyer write a children's book about the New York City Zoo owl, Flaco, that escaped to freedom? Join The Plantbased Business Hour and Awesome Vegans Podcast for an in depth conversation with Christine Mott about her new book, Flaco's flight and plight and the power of children's books. Subscribe! For plant-based media/branding consulting and public speaking, reach out at elysabeth@elysabethalfano.com. For more information, visit ElysabethAlfano.com. For more information, visit ElysabethAlfano.com. Connect with Elysabeth on Linked in here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elysabeth-alfano-8b370b7/ For more PBH, visit ElysabethAlfano.com/Plantbased-Business-Hour.
SHLTMM CAN NOW BE HEARD ON YOUTUBE:YOUTUBE CHANNEL LINK: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoUWxgQECqrMqI1ylVH9DpwAs I mention in the introduction of my show, Gramps Jeffrey, I believe is the first grandfather I've interviewed on SHLTMM, so that's pretty great. I was so happy to hear how engaged he is with his grandchildren.Gramps' mother's name was Faye and she really left quite an impression on him and his brother. Faye was the youngest of 3 children, with two older brothers. Growing up during the Depression and WWII, known as The Greatest Generation, was a very challenging time, "and my mother lived up to every expectation", continues Gramps. While raising her two boys, she insisted they turn off the tv and read-no if, ands or buts. "We loved our mother," says Gramps, referring to him and his brother. They grew up in a small town in Ohio, about 50 miles outside Columbus, where they were free to play outside and knew when to come home in time for dinner. He had relatives nearby as well, including lots of love and support from his grandmother and uncle.Gramps brags, "mom always had a positive attitude. Her glass was always half full and she was always looking at the 'bright side of life." That philosophy and her passion of reading certainly influenced Gramps and his interest in writing. It's clearly stayed with him even today because he continues to write and read to his 6 grandchildren."Mom would remind us regularly that we were very fortunate and had a good life, but that we can't forget other people. This world is hard and she knew it," remarks Gramps. Faye had learned many life lessons from her paternal grandmother who lost her husband suddenly when he was only 49. She was left to raise her children on her own, including Fay's dad. She also raised her nephew who had also lost his parents. But her grandmother was always smiling regardless of her hardships.Gramps Jeffrey is very concerned about the different parenting styles today. Most concerns him most and feels is most important for every child is 'one on one attention' from the parent. Gramps feels so blessed to have had such a devoted mother, and hopes that parents still take the time to put the phone down, turn the computer off and just sit and read or spend that precious time with your children. Gramps' mom gave him such a sense of security. "We could always go home and feel secure, you felt love, you felt protected," remarks Gramps about his mom. One of his mom's favorite quotes was "when you love, you will teach others how to love."Gramps Jeffrey is truly committed to sharing this message. He's got every little child on his mind in hopes that they get all the loving that they truly deserve.Gramps Jeffrey is his pen name. His real name is Marc Joseph. Here is a link to his LinkedIn profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcjoseph/Reviews of I Don't Want to Turn 3Here are links to the site, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:https://grampsjeffrey.com/https://www.facebook.com/Author-Gramps-Jeffrey-102652905388092/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gramps-jeffrey-3b022b214/https://twitter.com/AuthorGrampshttps://www.instagram.com/authorgrampsjeffrey/https://www.pinterest.com/hellogrampsjeffrey/_created/ Firebird Book Award WinnerMom's Choice Award Winner "Should Have Listened To My Mother" is an ongoing conversation about mothers/female role models and the roles they play in our lives. Jackie's guests are open and honest and answer the question, are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother and so much more. You'll be amazed at what the responses are.Gina Kunadian wrote this 5 Star review on Apple Podcast:SHLTMM TESTIMONIAL GINA KUNADIAN JUNE 18, 2024“A Heartfelt and Insightful Exploration of Maternal Love”Jackie Tantillo's “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast is a treasure and it's clear why it's a 2023 People's Choice Podcast Award Nominee. This show delves into the profound impact mother and maternal role models have on our lives through personal stories and reflections.Each episode offers a chance to learn how different individuals have been shaped by their mothers' actions and words. Jackie skillfully guides these conversations, revealing why guests with similar backgrounds have forged different paths.This podcast is a collection of timeless stories that highlight the powerful role of maternal figures in our society. Whether your mother influenced you positively or you thrived despite challenges, this show resonates deeply.I highly recommend “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast for its insightful, heartfelt and enriching content.Gina Kunadian"Should Have Listened To My Mother" would not be possible without the generosity, sincerity and insight from my guests. In 2018/2019, in getting ready to launch my podcast, so many were willing to give their time and share their personal stories of their relationship with their mother, for better or worse and what they learned from that maternal relationship. Some of my guests include Nationally and Internationally recognized authors, Journalists, Columbia University Professors, Health Practitioners, Scientists, Artists, Attorneys, Baritone Singer, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Activists, Freighter Sea Captain, Film Production Manager, Professor of Writing Montclair State University, Attorney and family advocate @CUNY Law; NYC First Responder/NYC Firefighter, Child and Adult Special Needs Activist, Property Manager, Chefs, Self Help Advocates, therapists and so many more talented and insightful women and men.Jackie has worked in the broadcasting industry for over four decades. She has interviewed many fascinating people including musicians, celebrities, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, politicians and more.A big thank you goes to Ricky Soto, NYC based Graphic Designer, who created the logo for "Should Have Listened To My Mother".Check out our website for more background information: https://www.jackietantillo.com/Or more demos of what's to come at https://soundcloud.com/jackie-tantilloLink to website and show notes: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Or Find SHLTMM Website here: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Listen wherever you find podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/ShouldHaveListenedToMyMotherhttps://www.facebook.com/jackietantilloInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/shouldhavelistenedtomymother/https://www.instagram.com/jackietantillo7/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-tantillo/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@ShouldHaveListenedToMyMother
Warren has written six cocktail books - including on cannabis cocktails, as well as more conventional cocktail tomes - and he was way ahead of what is now a trend of quitting alcohol, back in 2018, during Tales of the Cocktail, which is like quitting skydiving mid-jump. He's recently created a range of delicious cocktail-inspired THC beverages named KLAUS, so it was high* time we sat down, guzzled a little Klaus, and caught up on the state of the world and the long, strange journey that took him from being a trained chef, a pasta entrepreneur, a private banker and then a rum judge, cocktail man-about-town and on to the wonderful world of THC. Enjoy!*See what I did there?Warren on IG: https://www.instagram.com/warrenbobrow/Klaus on IG: https://www.instagram.com/drinkklaus/Buy Warren's books: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=warren+bobrow Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: consulting@liquidsolutions.org (PR friends: we're only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won't supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip's consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: philip@liquidsolutions.orgPhilip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...
The TYDS podcast is now available in video format! You can also listen to the audio version on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In this episode, I am joined by CJ Charles, a bilingual teacher and author of "My Mom is a Superhero." Together, we explore how our shared experiences resonate profoundly and remind us that, while our journeys may differ, they are connected through unique intersections.I am Yovy Daniels, a former television corporate professional in the U.S. Spanish-speaking broadcast industry, and I am building my media consulting firm, Alkiria Media Branding Consulting (AMBC). My business focuses on advocacy as a speaker and facilitator, emphasizing the importance of addressing Afrolatinx stories with proper etiquette. I aim to cancel trends that promote ignorance or erasure and highlight those who helped me succeed. Furthermore, I advocate for and map the personal stories of Afrolatinx individuals. I am passionate about female empowerment, higher education advocacy, and emotional intelligence.I aim to deliver lectures at colleges and universities that establish new academic studies on the Afro-Latinx experience, explore contributions to pop culture, highlight digital trendsetters, and address future endeavors in social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).I am a producer, host of two podcasts, and a native Spanish speaker. Currently, I collaborate and co-host the TodoWafi media show, Todolatino.I have been featured in several articles as a top Afrolatinx content creator to listen to, and I am honored to be part of this project.Please note that the views expressed by guests, sponsors, or myself do not necessarily reflect the policies of ALKIRIA MEDIA PRODUCTIONS, LLC. These opinions are solely those of the individuals, agencies, or businesses involved. Additionally, some explicit language may be used for illustrative purposes in the content.For more information and relevant links, please check the show notes below:- Visit C.J. Charles' page: https://www.mymotherisasuperhero.com/- Explore Yovy D's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yovyd- Support Yovy D on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Yovy_D- Additional Resource: https://ko-fi.com/yovydAre you interested in podcast editing and voice-over services? Check out these links:- The 50Fifty: https://linktr.ee/the.50fifty- Goo Media: https://goomedia.io/about-us/- Goo Media's Podcast Audio Editing: https://goomedia.io/services/podcast-audio-editing/- Yovy D's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yovyd- Yovy D's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Yovy_D- Visit Yovy D's Website: https://yovyd.com/**Keywords:** Business Entrepreneurship Children's Books Authors Teachers Financial Goals
Send us a textSasha Saidman is a cherished voice in children's literature, weaving tales of wonder and wisdom from her home in the vibrant heart of the Washington, D.C., area. Alongside her devoted husband and their two delightful children, Sasha crafts stories that celebrate the diverse tapestry of families, drawing from her own unique journey through life. Despite facing the challenges of dyslexia, which made the written word a formidable puzzle in her youth, Sasha's indomitable spirit saw her transcend these early obstacles. Her journey from a high school dropout to a GED achiever stands as a testament to her resilience and determination, qualities that have guided her path to becoming a beloved children's author. Sasha's work is more than just storytelling; it's an invitation to embrace life's adventures and to find joy in every moment.You can find Sasha and her books at https://www.sashasaidman.com/Dyslexia Journey has conversations and explorations to help you support the dyslexic child in your life. Content includes approaches, tips, and interviews with a range of guests from psychologists to educators to people with dyslexia. Increase your understanding and connection with your child as you help them embrace their uniqueness and thrive on this challenging journey!Send us your questions, comments, and guest suggestions to parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.comAlso check out our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingDyslexiaJourney
The TYDS podcast is now available in video format! You can also listen to the audio version on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In this episode, I am joined by CJ Charles, a bilingual teacher and author of "My Mom is a Superhero." Together, we explore how our shared experiences resonate profoundly and remind us that, while our journeys may differ, they are connected through unique intersections.I am Yovy Daniels, a former television corporate professional in the U.S. Spanish-speaking broadcast industry, and I am building my media consulting firm, Alkiria Media Branding Consulting (AMBC). My business focuses on advocacy as a speaker and facilitator, emphasizing the importance of addressing Afrolatinx stories with proper etiquette. I aim to cancel trends that promote ignorance or erasure and highlight those who helped me succeed. Furthermore, I advocate for and map the personal stories of Afrolatinx individuals. I am passionate about female empowerment, higher education advocacy, and emotional intelligence.I aim to deliver lectures at colleges and universities that establish new academic studies on the Afro-Latinx experience, explore contributions to pop culture, highlight digital trendsetters, and address future endeavors in social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).I am a producer, host of two podcasts, and a native Spanish speaker. Currently, I collaborate and co-host the TodoWafi media show, Todolatino.I have been featured in several articles as a top Afrolatinx content creator to listen to, and I am honored to be part of this project.Please note that the views expressed by guests, sponsors, or myself do not necessarily reflect the policies of ALKIRIA MEDIA PRODUCTIONS, LLC. These opinions are solely those of the individuals, agencies, or businesses involved. Additionally, some explicit language may be used for illustrative purposes in the content.For more information and relevant links, please check the show notes below:- Visit C.J. Charles' page: https://www.mymotherisasuperhero.com/- Explore Yovy D's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yovyd- Support Yovy D on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Yovy_D- Additional Resource: https://ko-fi.com/yovydAre you interested in podcast editing and voice-over services? Check out these links:- The 50Fifty: https://linktr.ee/the.50fifty- Goo Media: https://goomedia.io/about-us/- Goo Media's Podcast Audio Editing: https://goomedia.io/services/podcast-audio-editing/- Yovy D's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yovyd- Yovy D's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Yovy_D- Visit Yovy D's Website: https://yovyd.com/**Keywords:** Business Entrepreneurship Children's Books Authors Teachers Financial Goals
Discover Lafayette is thrilled to welcome Kiki Frayard, founder of Kiki, a boutique store known for its exquisite selection of fine jewelry, fragrances, handbags, and other carefully curated items from designers across the world. While Kiki is known for offering unique designs, Kiki says, "Anybody can walk in to buy fun or lower price point jewelry at $75 to $250. We also offer jewelry up to $65,000." In addition to her successful retail business, Kiki recently ventured into children's literature with her book Lila Says No, cleverly illustrated by Aileen Bennett. Her passion for beauty and creativity extends beyond retail, as seen on her vibrant Instagram page, where she shares colorful and inspirational table settings for various events. Kiki, an Opelousas native, has strong ties to the Lafayette community. She is the sister of Marilyn Castle, retired 15th JDC judge, and Joan Dubuisson of Cox Business. She graduated from UL-Lafayette with degrees in Art History and English, initially intending to become an art teacher before discovering her passion for advertising and retail. Her career has been a fascinating journey, including stints as a nightclub singer in New Orleans, a radio advertising executive, and an ad agency owner. Working alongside advertising legend George Graham, Kiki honed her skills in creative writing and marketing, ultimately paving the way for her entrepreneurial success. Kiki opened her boutique in River Ranch after gaining invaluable retail experience from Molly Flanagan, owner of Molly's. She and her daughter, Katie, built the business together, expanding to Baton Rouge and establishing Kiki as a premier shopping destination. A life-changing car accident in 2007 prompted Kiki to embrace retail fully, leaving advertising to focus on her boutique. She and Katie meticulously designed the store, ensuring an elevated shopping experience comparable to high-end retailers in New York and beyond. Kiki says, "We knew we wanted to do something nice. We didn't want it to be a hodgepodge of display cases and just thrown together. We really wanted it to be the nicest store in Lafayette. "We had a vision of doing jewelry with designers in mind so that every case was dedicated to a designer. The handbags were displayed one on a shelf to make it seem really special so that everything seemed a little elevated. That worked when people walked in the store. Also, with most merchandise, if you don't turn it, you got to put it on sale, you've got to get rid of it, you got to turn. But jewelry isn't like that. We could have an expensive piece of jewelry and it could be there for two years, and then someone comes in and and buys it. So you don't have to discount quite as much. The same thing with perfume." Beyond retail, Kiki has made a mark in the Lafayette community. She played a crucial role in the development of Lafayette's downtown playground, recognizing its value in revitalizing the area. Her passion for community enrichment continues to shape her contributions to the city's cultural and economic landscape. Kiki's love for creativity extends to her personal life, where she enjoys setting stunning tablescapes for family gatherings. Her collections of fine china and linens reflect her impeccable taste and appreciation for beauty. Her foray into children's literature has been met with great enthusiasm. Lila Says No is resonating with parents and educators, with notable endorsements from child psychologist Carolyn Helm. The book received a glowing review rom Kirkus as "quirky and entertaining, with a kid and parent-savvy message." Kiki's deep admiration for children's literature and her collection of over 500 books inspired her to finally write her own story, with more books potentially on the horizon. Though retired from store ownership, Kiki remains an integral part of Kiki, still attending market trips and influencing the store's aesthetic.
Kirk Manas, a nurse and father from Melbourne, wrote his first children's book entitled 'Juan Pinoy.' The vibrant story highlights the Filipino culture, inspired by his daughter and his own feelings of disconnection from his roots. - Sinulat ng ama at nurse na si Kirk Manas ang kanyang unang libro na pinamagatang 'Juan Pinoy' na tumatalakay sa kulturang Pilipino. Inspirasyon niya sa pagbuo nito ay ang kanyang anak na babae at ang naramdamang pagkadiskonekta sa sariling pinagmulan.
Disclaimer: Tiffany Obeng would like our listeners to know that the views expressed in this podcast are her own and my own views, and not that of any referenced organizations. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship, and you should consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Tiffany Obeng is a lawyer, a change-maker, and a children's book author on a mission to tackle diversity in the workplace. Seeing the daunting statistics highlighting the lack of diversity in law, particularly for Black women, inspired Tiffany to spend nearly 15 years fighting for equality in the workplace, from the trenches of employment law to providing strategic advice in higher education. But she realized the fight needed to start earlier. Now, she's using the power of storytelling to write children's books to shape a future where diversity isn't just a buzzword, it's a reality. Key Takeaways: Understanding employment law & discrimination: learn about the difficulties of proving discrimination, the importance of knowing your employment rights, and special protections you have as a government employee. Black representation matters: discover how diverse children's books can inspire career exploration and foster inclusivity. Combating toxic work environments: gain strategies for recognizing and addressing toxic workplaces and advocating for change. Navigating job insecurity: receive practical advice for navigating job insecurity in today's economy. The power of storytelling: explore how literature can drive social movements, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and empower future generations. Corporate responsibility & diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): understand how corporate responses to social movements impact workplace equality. Connect with us: Connect with Tiffany Obeng at https://www.sugarcookiebooks.com/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sugarcookiebooks/, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SugarCookieBooks, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyobeng/. Follow Samorn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/. Get a copy of Samorn's book, “Belonging: Self Love Lessons From A Workaholic Depressed Insomniac Lawyer” at https://tinyurl.com/2dk5hr2f. Get weekly career tips by signing up for our advice column at www.careerunicorns.com. Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.
In this episode, Alexa chats with Karen Ferreira, founder of Children's Book Mastery, about the journey of writing, publishing, and marketing children's books. They explore traditional vs. self-publishing, common pitfalls, and how authors can find success by aligning strategy with personality. A must-listen for aspiring children's book creators!
Disclaimer: Tiffany Obeng would like our listeners to know that the views expressed in this podcast are her own and my own views, and not that of any referenced organizations. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship, and you should consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation Tiffany Obeng is a lawyer, a change-maker, and a children's book author on a mission to tackle diversity in the workplace. Seeing the daunting statistics highlighting the lack of diversity in law, particularly for Black women, inspired Tiffany to spend nearly 15 years fighting for equality in the workplace, from the trenches of employment law to providing strategic advice in higher education. But she realized the fight needed to start earlier. Now, she's using the power of storytelling to write children's books to shape a future where diversity isn't just a buzzword, it's a reality. Key Takeaways: Understanding employment law & discrimination: learn about the difficulties of proving discrimination, the importance of knowing your employment rights, and special protections you have as a government employee. Black representation matters: discover how diverse children's books can inspire career exploration and foster inclusivity. Combating toxic work environments: gain strategies for recognizing and addressing toxic workplaces and advocating for change. Navigating job insecurity: receive practical advice for navigating job insecurity in today's economy. The power of storytelling: explore how literature can drive social movements, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and empower future generations. Corporate responsibility & diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): understand how corporate responses to social movements impact workplace equality. Connect with us: Connect with Tiffany Obeng at https://www.sugarcookiebooks.com/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sugarcookiebooks/, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SugarCookieBooks, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyobeng/. Follow Samorn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/. Get a copy of Samorn's book, “Belonging: Self Love Lessons From A Workaholic Depressed Insomniac Lawyer” at https://tinyurl.com/2dk5hr2f. Get weekly career tips by signing up for our advice column at www.careerunicorns.com. Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.
In speaking with my two guests, they shared stories of the three generations of writers in the family including, Irene's mother, Wilma, followed by my guest, Irene and her son Brendan. Brendan is an award winning graphic novel/picture book author and acquiring editor at Blackstone Publishing where he also runs the TV and Film Division even made notice of having his maternal grandmothers published books on his desk. Brendan shares that he was always supported and encouraged by his family with his passion for comic books which he started writing and drawing caricatures at a young age.In time, Irene expressed "that the family was moving in a different direction and the divorce was almost inevitable." Irene continues, "I'm highly emotionally intelligent and I finally found my tribe. I found people who spoke my language." This all occurred once she went back to school for her Masters Degree in Counseling, and later on became a social worker. Brendan raves about his childhood as a latch key kid. He loved growing up in Connecticut. And now as a father, he appreciates even more what it takes for parents to raise their children. And now he's learned even more about what his mother was going through raising the four Deneen children.Both Irene and Brendan claim to be emotionally intelligent-they are very good at listening to others, which Brendan feels that "not many people listen to one another these days." Brendan has always been there for his mom as a sounding board. Irene says " Brendan was my listening post." When she needed to talk, she call Brendan.They have a special bond for sure. They respect one another.Irene Deneen Murray: Irene Deneen Murray grew up in the 50's, an era when a woman could be a nurse, teacher or secretary. She chose teacher because it pleased her mother. In truth the first half of her life was devoted to taking care of or pleasing her mother. At age 50 having raised 4 kids in a Hollywood -worthy suburb, Irene became a divorcee and learned to love being more adventurous than she had previously ever imagined. By then she was working as a social worker having recently earned a Master's Degree in Counseling. Irene loves the natural world and has been a devoted hiker and later a biker, paddler and pretty consistently a practitioner of yoga. She continues these pastimes presently sometimes to the chagrin of her children since they may picture her falling off a cliff, rolling over in her kayak or some other catastrophe. Her children and grandchildren are her greatest achievement. She is a good observer and has insight galore but is sometimes amazed at how each of her children has developed so uniquely. Brendan Deneen is the author of the novelsThe Ninth Circle andThe Chrysalis, as well as the bestselling four-volume Night Night, Groot picture book series for Marvel/Disney. He's also the author of the middle-grade graphic novelGreen Arrow: Stranded for DC Comics; the novels Morbius: Blood Ties and Guardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation:Conquest from Marvel/Titan, and Alien: Uncivil War from 20th Century Studios/Titan. His other graphic novel work includes multiple volumes of Flash Gordon, an original Island of Misfit Toys book, and the original graphic novel Scatterbrain. In addition to his writing, Brendan has been working in the publishing and film/TV industries for twenty-five years, including development jobs with Scott Rudin Productions and Miramax, as well as editorial and book-to-film jobs with St. Martin's Press and Tor Books. He currently works at Blackstone Publishing, where he's an acquiring editor in addition to running the company's film/TV division, which he created, and where he has dozens of literary projects set up at movie studios, streamers, and networks. His short stories and essays have been published by St. Martin's Press, Reader's Digest Books, 13Thirty Press, and Necro Publications. Brendan Deneen's Written Works:NOVELS The Ninth CircleThe ChrysalisMorbius: Blood TiesGuardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation--ConquestAlien: Uncivil WarTracer GRAPHIC NOVELSScatterbrainFlash Gordon: The Mercy WarsFlash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword Flash Gordon: The Vengeance of MingThe Island of Misfit Toys Green Arrow: Stranded PICTURE BOOKSNight Night, Groot First Day of Groot!Snow Day for Groot!Summer Adventure for Groot! "Should Have Listened To My Mother" is an ongoing conversation about mothers/female role models and the roles they play in our lives. Jackie's guests are open and honest and answer the question, are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother and so much more. You'll be amazed at what the responses are.Gina Kunadian wrote this 5 Star review on Apple Podcast:SHLTMM TESTIMONIAL GINA KUNADIAN JUNE 18, 2024“A Heartfelt and Insightful Exploration of Maternal Love”Jackie Tantillo's “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast is a treasure and it's clear why it's a 2023 People's Choice Podcast Award Nominee. This show delves into the profound impact mother and maternal role models have on our lives through personal stories and reflections.Each episode offers a chance to learn how different individuals have been shaped by their mothers' actions and words. Jackie skillfully guides these conversations, revealing why guests with similar backgrounds have forged different paths.This podcast is a collection of timeless stories that highlight the powerful role of maternal figures in our society. Whether your mother influenced you positively or you thrived despite challenges, this show resonates deeply.I highly recommend “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast for its insightful, heartfelt and enriching content.Gina Kunadian"Should Have Listened To My Mother" would not be possible without the generosity, sincerity and insight from my guests. In 2018/2019, in getting ready to launch my podcast, so many were willing to give their time and share their personal stories of their relationship with their mother, for better or worse and what they learned from that maternal relationship. Some of my guests include Nationally and Internationally recognized authors, Journalists, Columbia University Professors, Health Practitioners, Scientists, Artists, Attorneys, Baritone Singer, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Activists, Freighter Sea Captain, Film Production Manager, Professor of Writing Montclair State University, Attorney and family advocate @CUNY Law; NYC First Responder/NYC Firefighter, Child and Adult Special Needs Activist, Property Manager, Chefs, Self Help Advocates, therapists and so many more talented and insightful women and men.Jackie has worked in the broadcasting industry for over four decades. She has interviewed many fascinating people including musicians, celebrities, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, politicians and more.A big thank you goes to Ricky Soto, NYC based Graphic Designer, who created the logo for "Should Have Listened To My Mother".Check out our website for more background information: https://www.jackietantillo.com/Or more demos of what's to come at https://soundcloud.com/jackie-tantilloLink to website and show notes: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Or Find SHLTMM Website here: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Listen wherever you find podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/ShouldHaveListenedToMyMotherhttps://www.facebook.com/jackietantilloInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/shouldhavelistenedtomymother/https://www.instagram.com/jackietantillo7/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-tantillo/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@ShouldHaveListenedToMyMother
The Trump Administration has launched full frontal political assaults on academic freedoms on college campuses. Both professors and students are being targeted for their political positions. Schools fear the loss of funding based on protests on campus and faculty political advocacy. And departments are being targeted not just for classes but also existentially, such as … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Trump's assualt on academic freedom; Book author interview – We the Men – March 23, 2025 →
Esteemed pro-wrestling historian and longtime WWE Magazine and Book Author, Keith Elliot Greenberg comes back for a conversation about his new book, "BIGGER! BETTER! BADDER! Wrestlemania III and The Year It All Changed". Together, Keith and Mike reminisce on their fandoms of professional wrestling, and take a look inside some of the stories and chapters in the new book which is available now through ECW Press at https://ecwpress.com/products/bigger-better-badder-wrestlemania-iii Hear stories not just about the event itself, but perspectives from every side you can imagine. Also, Keith talks about his work in compiling all the stories from persons living and dead, and much more! This interview is presented in its entirety on the Celebrate Wrestling podcast feed. For more, visit www.celebratewrestling.com
Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Forrest Dickison joins the show to talk about his debut book Crispin’s Rainy Day and to talk about the secrets of color. Get the book now: https://canonpress.com/products/crispins-rainy-day?srsltid=AfmBOoq33AupiCbGt6sbW9Ymj5VL8tM4MwlYmo7xyFLDvhFYxsQ4JEop
Learn more about Amanda at: https://www.amandacahill.com/Buy amanda's Book at: Redefining You: The 4-step process to find CONFIDENCE, CLARITY, and PURPOSE As A Woman: Cahill, Amanda: 9781966798064: Amazon.com: BooksShow notes timestamps:
Like all parents, Amy Sobel is inspired by her kids. Unlike most parents, she wrote a childrens' book about them! Sideline Sibling focuses on Lilah- the youngest kid who gets dragged to big brothers' sports games alllll weekend long. But Lilah didn't settle for sitting around bored. She went out of her way to meet the other sideline siblings and make her own fun while her brothers compete. A story about kids' resiliency and self determination that we can all take inspiration from. Check it out!
Our featured interview tonight is with Canadian pipe smoker and book author Fraser Moss. His first book, "The Unknown Canadian Pipe Smoker" discusses five companies that have shaped the Canadian pipe-smoking landscape. The book also guides readers new to the hobby on what to look for when buying their first pipe, and much more. It will soon be in stock at SmokingPipes.com. Fraser has been smoking a pipe for 25-years. He lives in rural Manitoba with his wife and their Samoyed, Luna. You can check out his YouTube channel at Prairie Piper. At the top of the show, Brian will chat about three special pipes that are a permanent part of his collection.
The insightful Rachel Madorsky, a renowned psychotherapist, executive coach, and best-selling author joins Anjel B Hartwell on Wickedly Smart Women. Rachel's book, "How to Love Yourself in Less Than a Week and Also for the Rest of Your Life," serves as a beacon for women striving to nourish and thrive in demanding environments. Rachel reflects on her childhood experiences and how they shaped her understanding of self-love. Despite early adversity, including a mother struggling with addiction and depression, Rachel found her way to a prosperous career helping others. She shares her unique journey from working in corporate America to founding her own private practice and eventually venturing into executive coaching. Throughout the episode, Rachel emphasizes the importance of replacing the culture of overwork with relaxation, ease, and intentional self-care. She advocates for pressing the "easy button" in life and reveals how critical inner work can remove obstacles to success. Listeners will be inspired by Rachel's transformative story, learning practical ways to feel and live better starting today. Key takeaways include actionable steps for self-love, techniques to manage nervous system responses around money, and the revolutionary idea of deserving rest and joy. Don't miss this empowering talk that's bound to reshape your notions of success and personal well-being. What You Will Learn What childhood experiences shaped Rachel Madorsky's understanding of self-love, and how did her upbringing influence her career path? How does Rachel describe the initial sense of self-love that babies inherently have, and what changes occur as life progresses? What role did Rachel's relationship with her mother and stepmother play in her understanding of love and self-worth? Why did Rachel choose to pursue a career in psychotherapy and executive coaching, and how did her early aspirations of being an actor influence her professional journey? What were some challenges Rachel faced in transitioning from a corporate job to starting her own private practice, and how did she overcome them? How did improv comedy and joining comedy sports help Rachel move through a period of depression and transform her career? What strategies does Rachel suggest for overcoming a glass ceiling in one's career and making a successful leap into entrepreneurship? What are some key takeaways from Rachel's book "How to Love Yourself in Less Than a Week and Also for the Rest of Your Life," and why is self-love crucial for overall well-being? How does Rachel address common myths about loving oneself and making money, and what beliefs does she challenge in her work with clients? What practical advice does Rachel offer for managing one's relationship with money, particularly around the concepts of financial safety and allowing oneself to receive and retain wealth? Connect with Rachel Madorsky Website InstagramLinkedin Resources Special link for the Wickedly Smart Women community: The Career & Life Fulfillment Quiz Apply to Qualify for Enrollment in the Wickedly Smart Women's Start Smart 30 Day Intensive™ Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com