Rhonda completed a Diploma of Family History through the University of Tasmania in 2018. Researching family history has become a passion, and she delights in helping others uncover the stories of their ancestors. Rhonda achieved a BA (Hons) from Griffith University in 2009. Her thesis, The Transformative Effects of the Steam Locomotive in English Literature, combines her passions, literature and steam engines. Documenting life in New Zealand’s railway settlements frequently features in her short...
Jul 12, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Author, Master Dog Trainer, Professional Animal Wrangler, and owner of Animal Talent. Louise Harding has trained dogs professionally for more than 20 years and multiple animal species for performance work in the film and television industries both in Australia and New Zealand. Over the years she has trained many obedience champions, written and implemented instructor training at multiple dog clubs, founded a successful sled dog racing club and trained multiple sled dog champions. Louise still co...
Jul 05, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Jacqui Preugschat is a Brisbane-based, happily-married mother of 4 beautiful children, with a passion for encouraging girls to use their talents. She is also a qualified Special Education Teacher, University Lecturer and Short Course writer for TAFE, a qualified Genos Emotional Intelligence Practicioner, and a contributing writer for Kidspot and Thrive Global . As a little girl, Jacqui spent her school holidays in her grandmother's dress shop, surrounded by elegant things and loved making and cr...
Jun 29, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Sally is a big believer in the power of networking and building strong relationships. Oh … and she also love wild places, animals, photography, family, street art, travel, reading, writing and dining out. Her aim is to enlighten, educate and entertain – and not always in that order. As a copy writer, she can craft words that convey just THE RIGHT MESSAGE whether that be on your website, blog, LinkedIn bio, Speaker or Author Kit … anywhere. As a speaker , her focus is on giving GREAT VALUE to the...
Jun 21, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Some time ago Zoë started to write travel blogs (some have now been re-posted onto this website or visit www.spectacularworldtravel.com.au for lots more) and whilst travel is one of her greatest passions, she also loves to write on small business and other general topics. Hence why the development of www.zoesparks.com and Spectacular Enterprises. Writing, travel & events and small business are Zoë’s passions and Spectacular Enterprises allows her to promote her love of all of these, and the ...
Jun 14, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Tom was born in Bathurst, NSW in 1951, in one of Australia’s post WW11 refugee camps, a huge improvement on the UN Displaced Person’s Camp in Naples where his brother Andrea was born. After some intense cross border encounters in Germany, Switzerland and Holland, his parents Zdeny and Philomena had fled Czechoslovakia in 1947 and were ordered to travel by train to Naples, where life was no picnic to say the least. Tom Stodulka | Author | Poet | Australia (tomstodulkaauthor.com) Tom’s early forma...
May 31, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 15
With an ability to connect with people in a genuine and profound way, Murray Altham delivers a captivating mix of expertise, empathy, humour and drive. He creates experiences that engage people, changes attitudes, behaviours, redefines possibilities and gets results, live or virtually! Murray is a world class purveyor of confidence, personal innovation and good vibes. He brings significant experience in 360° leadership, navigating intense change and aspirational wellbeing to every presentation. ...
May 24, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Kelly Maree settled back in Brisbane, Australia with her husband after 10 years travelling around the world, working as a diving instructor and photographer. Life was turned upside down when the couple’s twin ‘surprises’ were born prematurely at 24 weeks on Christmas eve of 2015. Unfortunately little Oli passed on New Year’s Day 2016. All the books are dedicated to the loving memory of Oli and all the little angels that didn’t make it, and a percentage of the books sales donated to the RBWH and ...
May 17, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Terese grew up in the Hunter Valley, NSW, and has loved mysteries ever since she was a child when she wrote her first novel on the back of a pile of dot-matrix paper her father gave her. The Mystery of the Missing Piecrust was never completed, however, she resumed her passion for writing several years ago. Blood Will Tell is her first completed manuscript. Terese currently works in a civilian role with the Police Service, which proved to be a tremendous resource while researching this novel. She...
May 10, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Tony Steven - the now Tony Steven | Author | Speaker | Realist Tony Steven is a realist and educator who will show you the enormous power you have over the circumstance of your life. After a lifetime of research, reading and education he has written a book, developed keynote presentations and educational seminars to show people that they are the ones responsible. No escaping the truth any longer, no blaming or being offended, Tony will explain the power you have, highlight your self-responsibili...
May 03, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Jenny was born and raised on a small farm in the Riverina in southern NSW, Australia. Following boarding school in Sydney, she commenced her nursing training at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne before embarking on a twelve-month adventure overseas with five close nursing friends at the age of 21. On her return, she married and lived on a remote cattle station in north Queensland. Her life there was recounted in her best-selling biography published as McAllister by Ocean Reeve at inHouse Publishi...
Apr 29, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 10
TRIGGER WARNING! Some content of this podcast could trigger the listener if they have been sexually abused. Xenia Schembri has had to face challenges as she navigated her way through a 15-year domestic violent marriage with her first husband. She has authored Broken To Be Beautiful to highlight that there is freedom and a victorious life waiting for anyone who finds the courage to move past their trauma and pain. She is eager to educate people that domestic violence is not just about the physica...
Mar 22, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 9
TRIGGER WARNING! Some content of this podcast could trigger the listener if they have been sexually abused. Karyn Webber is an Ipswich-based author and hairdresser. Ignited by the energy of others, Karyn loves engaging with those around her and empathising with their lives and stories. When she feels someone second-guessing themselves and getting lost among the many, Karyn’s the one to hold their hand and help them show themselves—their true selves. It’s this empathy that drives Karyn as an auth...
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Leon Stensholm started body building in 2001 after suffering a number of injuries that would end his promising soccer career. It quickly transpired that what Leon lacked in muscle, was made up for in spades by the sheer grit and determination he focused on his new sport. Committed to natural body building Leon has now been participating in the sport for the past 18 years with multiple Australian and Australasia titles to his name. During this time he has competed over 65 times, coached hundreds ...
Mar 10, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 7
René Michele ticks the box to each one of these experiences following countless years of sexual, physical, and mental abuse throughout childhood, as a teenager and adulthood. Growing up dreaming of a life without pain, rejection, loneliness, and fear; René’s reality was attempted suicides, self-destructive behaviour and violent relationships that made the dream a distant spark never to be attained. This book tells the story of one woman’s remarkable fight out of the darkness into a life filled w...
Mar 03, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 6
George Johnston lives in Brisbane and draws inspiration for his writing from the natural world. You could say that he thinks outside the box but he would prefer to say “What box?” He is married and together with his wife they have many adventures bush walking, kayaking and either clambering up a mountain or down a creek. His first book, Into the Storyverse , was published in July 2020. George is encouraged by the good people from Writers Rendezvous, a writing group based in Dayboro. His writing ...
Feb 26, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Ever since Sarah Kate (Valkyrie) was introduced to books and stories by her parents at a tiny age, she’s been eager to tell stories of her own. This grew to a dream of becoming a published author and helping other writers to publish their books, too. Sarah began this dream by training and working at an England-based trade publishing company. Since then, Sarah’s lived and worked in Japan as an English content writer and editor, trained to become a chartered proofreader and creative writer, and st...
Feb 11, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Joileen Mischel was born in Murwillumbah in New South Wales, Australia and had a life full of diverse experiences. After an inauspicious and abusive early life, she managed to forge a 30-year hairdressing career, married and had three children, and is now the proud grandmother of six delightful grandchildren. Joileen’s attributes her resilience and strong desire to fulfil her long held aspirations, as fundamental in enabling her to endure and overcome her early life of abuse and shattered dreams...
Jan 31, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Stacy Nottle grew up on a station in western Queensland where, from an early age, she began paying attention to her arid landscape where the changing seasons mean so much more than a change of clothing. At age six, she went away to boarding school ‘in town’, and later ‘in the city’, where she discovered the world of people—complex, confusing, intriguing, surprising people—and she began paying attention to what they did and how they interacted. She studied science at university and has worked as ...
Jan 16, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Jason (aka The Flash) is the Publishing Manager at Ocean Reeve Publishing and Managing Director at Clark and Mackay Printers . He works directly with each author managing them through the book publishing process and leads the publishing team Ocean Reeve Publishing. This includes everything from title registration through to book printing. His focus and efficiency often means he has over 60 authors in process at one time, multiple print jobs in the system both here in Australia and overseas – man...
Jan 15, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 1
