Madelyn Simon can only be described as an original go getter. In 2020 when the world was locked down, Madelyn started to think about the stories she once told, and inspired by her own life and art, she put ideas to paper and through her art teacher, pictures filled the words on the page and Poppy came to life. Seven books later we have a wonderful series which helps children understand the world around them, how to find courage and how to find kindness, and the most important of all, how to love...
Jun 19, 2025•47 min•Ep. 209
Katherine Davis Gibbon has written has written her own unique books to help children learn words is a way only the visual mind can understand. Words children can learn, and the way they can learn is an amazing process where the word is a character a thoughtful process which brings a word into a 3D concept, a person, an analogy, a metaphor, so much more than a one dimensional space. This process of illustration not only helps a child remember the word, but they can play with the word which helps ...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 208
Annie Fox is an author of books for children and teens. Annie loves making art, baking, gardening, photography, hiking in the San Francisco Bay Area, traveling, and, most of all, being with her husband David and her family, including Gracie the Dog. The Little Things That Kill: A Teen Friendship Afterlife Apology Tour was her debut novel and Leeta Simtar: A Life on Two Planets is her latest. Every author has a journey. Mine began in childhood with the gift of a diary and the discovery that magic...
Jun 13, 2025•58 min•Ep. 207
Kit Karson is an author who sends some of her day, day dreaming the perfect way to murder someone and it's all part of good research. When you write murder mysteries, you spend a lot of time thinking about how to plan a murder, what motivates a killer, and how do they get caught. We dive into the writing process and how Kit discovers her characters, the writing process and how she doesn't know herself who the killer is. Kit Karson www.kitkarson.com
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 206
On November 5, 2017, Devin Kelley shot and killed 26 people and wounded 22 others at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, United States. Kelley was subsequently shot and wounded, then killed himself. It is the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history and the deadliest at an American place of worship, surpassing the Charleston church shooting of 2015. Kelley was then confronted by and traded fire with Stephen Willeford, a local resident and former firearms instructor who was arm...
Jun 11, 2025•56 min•Ep. 205
George Zavershinsky is the author of Atomic Shepherd is a former nuclear physicist and now priest who has found the connection between himself, and something greater than all of us. Through science he understands the physical world and through theology he understand the human purpose. George worked as a nuclear physicist and later found God and found a new purpose in his life. www.georgezavershinskiy.com
Jun 04, 2025•58 min•Ep. 204
David Singer is an internationally acclaimed musician whose performances include the White House for President Jimmy Carter and later for President Bill Clinton. He was a guest artist for many seasons with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society and performed chamber music concerts with Yehudi Menuhin, Yo-Yo Ma, Rudolf Serkin and members of the Guarneri and Emerson String Quartets. David Singer is an Emeritus co-Principal Clarinetist of the multi-Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. ...
May 29, 2025•56 min•Ep. 203
Today I spoke with Dr Callaghan, who has worked around the world from Cardiff to Paris, helping the ingredient suppliers to cosmetics companies understand the law, the application of the law and consumer rights. Dr Callaghan knows what right and wrong and knows what the cosmetic companies don't tell you. Do you know the dangers of buying from farmers markets? Do you know the regulations around organic foundation? Do you know why cheap isn't best? Dr Theresa Callaghan https://ccintl.eu/...
May 29, 2025•56 min•Ep. 202
THE LIFE GUIDE FOR TEENS is all about empowerment. This one-of-a-kind self-help book is designed to help teen readers take ownership of their own wellness, problem-solving, and growth. Renowned pediatrician and Psychology Today contributor Dr. Anbar has helped thousands of teens through mental and physical health challenges—not by solving their problems for them, but by helping them tap into their inner wisdom, strength, and resilience. In clear, empowering terms, THE LIFE GUIDE FOR TEENS takes ...
May 22, 2025•54 min•Ep. 201
Alex R Johnson is a film make, producer, Writer, Father, Husband, you get the idea. Most of all he's a passionate man who loves to write, create, to tell stories and today we talk about the agony of writing and why it has so much pleasure. The book is set in 1990's and the main character is a private investigator in Mayor Rudy Giuliani's New York, and what a time to be in New York, all the energy and excitement, that is unless you're a Private Investigator. Alex R Johnson www.brooklynmotto.com/...
May 16, 2025•55 min•Ep. 200
Air Traffic Controller Harold tells me about his life from growing up in poverty to working as an Air Traffic Controller, and along the way I tell him how young he looks. Harold's amazing story starts with his life growing up with a schizophrenic mother who bullied him, and despite all of this. Harold still went to School and to college, and then changed paths when he learnt there was a life controlling what was in the air. Where to find Harold and his books https://riseandread.com...
May 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 199
Dr joe Joe McManus and I discuss the motivations behind his book and his personal experience growing up and why he became an advocate for change. Where are the lines of division, the differences between the US and Europe, the history of slavery and impact it still has today. Most of all in this episode you had two people with different experiences and different opinions, talking and listening. As we all should! and then maybe we can unite rather than be divided. An award-winning author and sough...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 198
Does anyone know when Motown really started it, and who really started it. The music was influenced by the generations before, it's roots deep in Gospel Music and God. The two synonymous with each other, and one Band in particular Gladys Knight and The Pips can stake a claim to the title. There's so much more to the story and Lady Dhyana Ziegler knows more than most. As a child growing up in the family she saw first hand how the band grew, and how they handled their rise to fame. In her new book...
May 01, 2025•50 min•Ep. 197
In this episode I spoke with Robert Walker about his trilogy of books. A fictional story at the heart of a medieval fantasy. Is it good vs evil, or rich vs poor and we discus how corruption takes over good people and makes them do things they'd always sworn to protect. The nearly finished trilogy is filled with medieval battles and political corruption and takes the reader on a journey to somewhere not yet finished. Robert Walker https://rawalkerwriting.com...
Apr 26, 2025•57 min•Ep. 196
Alretha Thomas is an actress and a write, but which came first and how did the skillset evolve. Learning to tell her story and understanding the art of acting is telling the story of the person, the character will spill their own beans if you can stay in the moment. Alretha explains how staying present enables the character to step into their own. Using experience, imagination Alretha beautifully explains how she brings characters to life on screen and on the page. Alretha Thomas Alretha Thomas...
Apr 17, 2025•43 min•Ep. 195
In today's episode I spoke with Michelle and we discussed her new book, The Lunatic and what happens when the protagonist gives up their social media. And is this a dilemma many of us have experienced. Do we feel like slaves to our phone, and are too afraid to put them down. The Lunatic delves into this dilemma, alongside the everyday life of someone who works in a book store. The broader scope of The Lunatic lies in the real world where many of us don't know if this is a problem, and what would...
Apr 10, 2025•53 min•Ep. 194
Today I spoke with Jack Moore, a man I'd describe as an expert on the John F Kennedy assassination, and lots of people claim to be an expert, and some, like Jack can back it up. You can read the books, you can speak to eye witnesses, even members of Congress. It takes more, and Jack has done the deep dive and what's more can with confidence explain why it was Lee Harvey Oswald who pulled the trigger. But Why? We know who did it, but why was JFK assassinated, and who was really the power behind t...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 193
In her book The Miles we run Alison explores the lessons from running a marathon and how this transfers to everyday life. The miles we run we is a personal account of surrogacy, being a mother and training for a marathon. During the podcast Alison and I discuss how writing a gratitude journal everyday has helped her through her life, and why it is more successful for some people and doesn't work as well for others. In her heartfelt memoir, Alison Beder Solway confronts the complexities she faced...
Mar 27, 2025•56 min•Ep. 192
Today returning guest Martin and I spoke about what is next in his 6 part series of books. Starting with Children of the Dying Hearth. We also discussed the state of the world today, and did our best to the world to rights. The worlds politics, the difference between the left and the right, is there really a difference. How literature has sculpted our culture and our history. We are not immune to the propaganda we accuse others of, and how the world seems to suffering from cognitive dissonance. ...
Mar 13, 2025•2 hr•Ep. 191
Every family has their stories, every family is a drama unfolding and Denise has put together her experiences to tell the rich and wonderful history of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and a little bit about the world around us. In her book "Talent Show" Denise explores family dynamics and as her and I talked, Denise explained her writing process, and what it was like growing up in a large family and how from a young age she knew she wanted to write. Denise https://www.denisehaynesauthor.com/...
Mar 06, 2025•59 min•Ep. 190
Guen Bradbury is a vet, an explorer, a mother, a wife, an adventurer, and a prolific writer who is passionate about the world around us, and today she taught me what we could learn from other cultures and how other cultures manage without sugar. The importance of unsupervised time for children: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/w... How sugar affects children: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/t... How we can raise children who don't want sugar: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/r... What ...
Mar 06, 2025•57 min•Ep. 189
Don and I spoke about many things today, not least Sugar Land Texas, Cherry Coke, Dr Pepper and how he met his wife. This episode is a story about a man who has lived a life and travelled the world, and is now writing books about the world he sees around and where he sees the future is going. We also talked about Cherry Coke, Dr Pepper, old films and what it must have been like to hitch up you wagon and head out onto the the trail. An avid writer Don tells me how he manages to be so prolific, wh...
Feb 28, 2025•58 min•Ep. 188
Egypt has many secrets and mysteries, but just who were the people of Egypt. In this fascinating series of books we discover the real people who lived in Egypt, the real lives of the Egyptians. There are many secrets and mysteries to Egypt, and whether there were aliens, or a people with higher consciousness. What we know for sure is there were ordinary people, people who grew up raised families and in many ways were just like you and I. These are the stories being told, and this where the real ...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 187
Young children are more perceptive than we might imagine. Curiosity and intelligence are a heady cocktail for creative storytelling that informs, entertains and educates. This author could not resist. We might not realize how observant young children are. They have a lot of curiosity and intelligence that make them great at creating stories that can teach, amuse and enlighten. This author was drawn to this. You may wonder what a child understands about freedom, the environment, tolerance and sel...
Feb 20, 2025•51 min•Ep. 186
Shen Yun is a performing arts company, highlighting the rich history of Chinese culture. And you would think this would be celebrated by the CCP. Instead what you have is a rich history of interference, a deliberate attempt to ruin their reputation and stop the Shen Yun performing arts company. More and more we hear concerns about how far the CCP's influence is reaching and more and more our governments seem to be silent, some might say complicit. Shen Yun https://www.shenyun.com/uk...
Feb 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 185
From books, to music, to jobs Night Stand Matt is the Last Responder explains his life, the many jobs and where the enthusiasm for life comes from. Along the way we discuss dating, speed dating, and come up with some fresh ideas for some new books. Where to find Matt https://nightstandmatt.com/
Feb 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 184
Tom Shanahan is an award-winning sportswriter and author whose books focus on Michigan State’s football program leading college football integration. College Football Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daugherty 1960s rosters were college football’s first fully integration teams. His 2022 story on the Rose Bowl, Alabama and segregation won first place from the Football Writers of Association of America. Shanahan’s first book, RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football ...
Feb 09, 2025•42 min•Ep. 183
In today's episode I spoke to Leslee Hall and we discussed why and how he wrote his life transforming book "Tracking Your Inner Animal a book which teaches how to learn to control your mind and understand others. Leslee realised we're animals and animals have learnt behaviour patterns and when he observed his own animal behaviours, he saw a clear picture to how he was reacting to the world. How to curate and maintain your own mental health and dig your way out of the depression sink hole. How to...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 182
When I arrange to have a guest on my podcast, I often have a general idea of what we will talk about. Not this time, in this episode Gregg and I had an intimate conversation about grief. It was more than just how to deal with grief. When you know someone has your back, the grief is deep, it takes time and there is no immediate solution or fast track cure. This was emotional. Gregg https://gscottgraham.com/...
Jan 24, 2025•51 min•Ep. 181
The old saying goes "We all have a book inside us waiting to written" Jennifer Jones is a writing coach and utilises her skills to get the best from first time writers to experienced writers. Using simple techniques Jennifer helps the writer learn how to communicate with the reader, what the reader wants to know and how you can learn to express your unique story. Everything is skill which can be learned. Understanding the first draft is just the first draft, a base to build the foundations for t...
Jan 24, 2025•55 min•Ep. 180
