Guest: Chris Donaldson Episode Name: Chris Donaldson: Adventures and Memoirs from a Life on the Road Episode Number: 254 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest After returning from South America, Chris Donaldson expanded his family’s furniture business in Belfast to London and Dublin. He became the UK Master Franchisor for a fitness company, developed a health and fitness franchise, and started a mobile app...

Guest: Guy Morris Episode Name: From Homeless Runaway to Acclaimed Author: Guy Morris on Blending History, Technology, and Thrills in Writing Episode Number: 253 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Guy Morris, a retired executive with a 38-year career in Fortune 100 companies in software, high-tech, and global energy, has also been a published songwriter for Disney Records, a patented inventor, a Coast...

Guest: Kirsten Rudberg Episode Name: From Seminary to Storytelling: Kirsten Rudberg's Creative Journey Episode Number: 252 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Kirsten Rudberg is an author and ordained clergy in the Church of Universal Interfaith, holding a Master's of Divinity. A panentheist with a diverse background, having lived in countries like Guyana and Pakistan, Kirsten's worldview is shaped by her...

Guest: S.G. Blaise Episode Name: S.G. Blaise on Awards, Inspiration, and Independent Publishing Episode Number: 251 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest S.G. Blaise was born and raised in Europe, where she wrote her first short story at the age of ten, inspired by a nightmare. Although she didn’t initially see herself as a writer and wasn’t fond of reading, her passion for books ignited at thirteen when...

Guest: Richard Lowe Episode Name: Mastering the Business and Craft of Ghostwriting: An Interview with Richard Lowe Episode Number: 250 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest After over 33 years in the computer and IT industry, Richard transitioned from his role as Director of Computer Operations at Trader Joe’s to become a professional writer and ghostwriter. Richard has authored numerous articles and...

Guest: Tyler Schwanke Episode Name: Resilience and Innovation: Overcoming Challenges with Tyler Schwanke  Episode Number: 249 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ About guest Tyler Schwanke is a writer and a filmmaker. He holds an MFA from Hamline University, and his short stories have been widely published in online journals and literary magazines including CHAOTIC MERGE, HAVIK, and FICTION SOUTHEAST. He is also a graduate...

Guest: Michelle Glogovac Episode Name: Empowering Authors: Navigating Publishing Challenges and Podcast Pitching with Michelle Glogovac Episode Number: 248 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Michelle Glogovac (San Jose, California), aka THE Podcast Matchmaker™, is an award-winning podcast publicist and host of the My Simplified Life podcast. She matches her clients with the perfect podcast hosts and...

Guest: Joel David Bond Episode Name: Crafting Memoirs with Joel David Bond: Overcoming Writer's Block and Embracing Creativity Episode Number: 247 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Joel David Bond is dedicated to helping people navigate their cultural world with mindful intention, fostering empathy and understanding across borders. With a profound belief in the power of travel to create a more empathic...

Guest: Michael Pickard Episode Name: Creative Insights: A Conversation with Children's Author Michael Pickard Episode Number: 246 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Michael Pickard’s writing serves as the bridge between his professional work in technology and his passion for the creative arts. Dozens of Pickard's short stories have been published, including Hardwired, which won a Ray Bradbury Creative...

Guest: Pat Wetzel Episode Name: Journey Through Empowering Stories with Pat Wetzel Episode Number: 245 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Endlessly curious about resilience amidst life's challenges, Pat Wetzel, a Wharton Business School graduate, once navigated the corporate world until a rare neurologic disease, myasthenia gravis, reshaped her life. Facing divorce, incurable cancer, and business...

Guest: Jyotsna Ramachandran Episode Name: Mastering Self-Doubt & Book Publishing with Jyotsna Ramachandran Episode Number: 244 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Jyotsna Ramachandran, known as the HomeEntrepreneur™, embarked on her journey towards freedom with a firm decision never to be an employee again. Experimenting with various ventures including a staff recruitment agency and a franchisee of...

Guest: Gary Simonds Episode Name: Navigating the Writer's Path: Insights and Inspirations with Gary Simonds Episode Number: 243 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Gary is a distinguished neurosurgeon and former head of an academic neurosurgery program at Virginia Tech/Carilion Clinic. He currently serves as a Professor at the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience and the Virginia Tech Carilion School...

Guest: Venchele Saint Dic Episode Name: Conversations with Venchele Saint Dic: Insights for Writers Episode Number: 242 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Venchele Saint Dic (1990-Present) is a Boston-raised writer of Haitian descent, passionate about community service and global health. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from Simmons College, she ventured to Granada, Spain, for...

Guest: Katelynn Balcom Episode Name: Dreams to Debut: Katelynn Balcom's Journey in Self-Publishing Episode Number: 241 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Katelynn Balcom is a teen author who was born and raised in the beautiful PNW. Although the East Coast is her home now, she'll take pretty trees and rainy days anytime. She is a dedicated and passionate writer/author who will continually be working...

Guest: Steve Schlam Episode Name: Breaking Chains and Nurturing Creativity: A Writer's Journey with Steve Schlam Episode Number: 240 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Steve Schlam first gained entry to the City of Words through the doors of the public library in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born and spent a good part of his childhood; and has maintained his residency ever since while living...

Guest: Frank Zafiro Episode Name: Mastering the Art of Writing: Insights from Frank Zafiro's Journey Episode Number: 239 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Frank Zafiro, a retired captain with a background in military intelligence, embarked on a prolific writing career specializing in gritty crime fiction from both law enforcement and criminal perspectives. Serving in the U.S. Army and later as a...

Guest: Justin Louise-Jean Episode Name: Unveiling Life's Seams: Psychology, Writing, and Beyond with Justin Louis-Jean Episode Number: 238 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Justin Louis-Jean, a Canadian-born individual with Haitian and Trinidadian roots, achieved graduation during the pandemic in 2020. Renowned for his award-winning book "Academic Revolution," he delves into his college...

Guest: Larada Horner-Miller Episode Name: Unlocking Narratives: The Audiobook Odyssey with Larada Horner-Miller Episode Number: 237 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Larada Horner-Miller is a poet, essayist and accomplished multi-genre author who holds a bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in Spanish and a master of education degree in Integrating Technology into the Classroom. She is the...

Guest: Mark Steven Porro Episode Name: Memoir Mastery with Mark Steven Porro: Tears, Laughter, and Marketing Adventures Episode Number: 236 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native with an Industrial Design degree from The Ohio State University, ventured from agency work to Hollywood, where he graced screens in numerous TV, film, and theatre productions. In his...

Guest: Randi-Lee Bowslaugh Episode Name: Memoirs, DIY Publishing, and Embracing Joyful Writing with Randi-Lee Bowslaugh Episode Number: 235 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Randi-Lee, hailing from Ontario, Canada, discovered her passion for aiding others early on. After graduating with honors from Niagara College's Community and Justice Services program, she excelled during her placement at a...

Guest: Chidi Iwuchukwu Episode Name: Empowering Writers: Mastering the Publishing Journey with Chidi Iwuchukwu Episode Number: 234 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Chidi, a resilient individual with a Master's in International Political Economy, has overcome homelessness, won a wrongful dismissal suit, survived a kidnapping, and triumphed over cancer. As the first in his family to attend...

Episode Name: Navigating the Aftermath: Unpacking Lessons and Charting the Next Steps After NaNoWriMo 2023 [NANOWRIMO Day 30] Episode Number: 233 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In this episode, Massiel reflects on a marathon of interviews with authors and industry experts, emphasizing the diverse approaches to book writing. Massiel encourages listeners to view writing as an art and to overcome the fear of...

Guest: Katherine Benfante Episode Name: From  Hybrid Publishing  to Beta Readers with  Katherine Benfante [NANOWRIMO Day 29] Episode Number: 232 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Katherine Benfante always felt destined to be an author, navigating various career aspirations in her youth before discovering her passion for storytelling. She holds a degree in mechanical engineering from McGill...

WARNING! CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE Guest: Mikaela Duffy Episode Name: Crafting Worlds and  Stories with  Mikaela  Duffy [NANOWRIMO Day 28] Episode Number: 231 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Mikaela Duffy is an award-winning Brooklyn-based author and playwright. She is ecstatic to bring art into the world through as many mediums as she can. Through meticulous efforts, she has found a passion in...