When Tracy Smith lost her father, she'd been thinking of writing about him and that urge kept growing. The process itself became a way of overcoming grief. The title - Li'l Bits of Buford: Overcoming Sadness by Finding "Bits" of Beauty in Everyday Life" -- is a tribute to her dad who was known as "Little Bits" in their community. The book itself is written as a journal, each month a chapter. Tracy herself is an artist - a prophetic artist. Each piece starts with scribbling and then turns into a ...
Jul 04, 2022•30 min•Season 4Ep. 339
Ksevin Sorbo enjoyed life as half god - half man in the top hit series "Hercules: The Legendary Journey." Returning to the States, Kevin and his wife Sam faced many personal challenges, yet thankfully their faith gave them the support they needed to face them. Their first book together, "True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal - and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life" was followed by "True Faith: Embracing Adversity in God's Light." Kevin's views on religion and politics were controve...
Jul 03, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 338
Dr. Samuel Adwenti Bentum discusses two books, "Chiefdom: The Women's World" and "The Root You Left Behind." Sculptor, painter and anthropologist, Dr. Bentum studies how African art forms express social, secular, political, economic and environmental influences. There are messages in the roots that have been discarded by society. In "Chiefdom," he explores elevating women to roles as chieftains. Ghana is not a society that has done this in the past. Males have dominated society, and in a polygam...
Jul 02, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 337
Skip Press is a writer, educator, and media consultant. He has written several books and courses on scriptwriting - from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting, The Ultimate Writer's Guide to Hollywood and From Novel to Screenplay. He's also a major contributor to Ask A Screenwriter on Quora. He shares some basic tips as well as some sage advice for writers who want to break through into Hollywood.
Jun 29, 2022•47 min•Season 3Ep. 336
Don Swenson has been a professor of theology, specializing on the sociology of religion. In this work: "A History of Judaism and Christianity: Towards Healing of the Original Wound of Division," Swenson explores how the historical tension between Jews and Gentiles has continued as a rift to this day. He believes it isn't possible to understand the last book of the Bible, Revelations, unless you are rooted in the Jewish faith. Since Vatican Council II, we have made headway in healing: understandi...
Jun 28, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 335
Derek Doepker is a bestselling author. He didn't start out that way. He had to learn what makes authors successful. Now he writes and coaches other writers on what they can do for their own success. He has cited 17 mistakes authors make that explain "Why Authors Fail." He is a huge proponent of research as a tool to marketing success and recommends the ASPIRE method as the key ways to promote your work that will yield the results you'd love.
Jun 26, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 334
Bryan Barton first began finding comfort in writing as a child. Later, he found comfort writing again while in the trenches under mortar attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. The comfort comes from the fantasy world of Kannekin where an interspecies has been keeping watch over the people of earth since the time of cave men. They are watchers who have formed many worlds. The first book in the series, "Man of War" introduces us to Darkleich. He's tough, loving and loyal, a soldier with PTSD suffering f...
Jun 18, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 333
William Weatherman was raised in a dysfunctional family. His dad was a violent drinker who abused his mother and sister, and made William's life a fear filled, angry reality. Once out of that household, William gravitated to places where Christian leaders gathered and ultimately, he was moved to be baptized. Today, his life is completely different. He reconciled with his dad and was able to see him baptized as well. William's message: We experience trials in life, however, help is always availab...
Jun 05, 2022•51 min•Season 3Ep. 332
This novel is set in the historical west with an eye to discuss the social ills of the time. Life was changing as we moved from an agricultural to an industrial society. In the west, there was an often inconvenient confluence of Native Americans, U.S. Army and industrialists. Surprisingly, the characters are dealing with some of the same issues we do today: cocaine, morphine, remnants of war conflicts, gunfighters, genocide and unsavory methods to access valuable mineral rights.
Jun 05, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 331
Shyamali Chaudhuri has written her legacy piece in the book "My Story." Set in mid-20th century India, it captures the look and feel of a now bygone era. Shyamali saw the fast changing scenarios in her household as the new century arrived and wanted people to remember the people and situations that had gone before. The book is available on Flipkart and other online bookstalls with the kindle edition.
May 28, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 329
This book is controversial. It sounds like heresy and blasphemy or an insane belief in something that happened in 1994. It raises questions about false prophecy. Yet, Sidney Ye says he is not a false prophet. He is not even a prophet. He has written this book to reach you in the hope you can save him from God's vindictive nature. Otherwise, he will be the only person who goes to Hell.
May 28, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 328
Supernatural, psychological, post Civil War, fantasy, horror in cinematic style. Those are the words that describe "Dead Man Chronicle."
May 27, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 330
Malcolm Pullen is actively involved in animal rescue. One rescue in particular held a great challenge. He would work with a stray for over 6 months to bring her out of the park and to his home. It was a magical experience which Malcolm documented daily from those first tentative attempts to connect with her to the day she finally jumped in his car and went home. If you've ever had a dream or goal that seemed so elusive you had no idea if you would be able to see it happen, this book demonstrates...
May 26, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 327
Lorrie Blitch is a woman of accomplishment. She has been a Naval officer, nurse educator, and owner of Magellan Christian Schools in Phoenix, Arizona and Jacksonville, Florida. When Lorrie saved a kitten that had been tossed in the trash, she was inspired to write a children's book about her. Sapphire is blind, yet always getting into adventures. Lorrie captures them all and has visions of a cartoon series where children can enjoy her capricious nature.
May 23, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 326
For Debra Godsee, the fear triggered by abuse triggered schizophrenia. For 5 years, she was hospitalized every year. She fought for the right to see her children. Now, she can tell a tale of hope given by God's presence and promise.
May 23, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 325
"Fried Oyster Sandwich" is a work of fiction set in the historical south, based on a question. What if the Confederacy had won the civil war? The answer: World War II would never have happened if the Confederacy had won the war.
May 23, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 324
Betty Hanks has run an early childcare center for years. She found that the parents and teachers would benefit from a guide that is quick and easy to use. The result? She created two, one for infants and the other for children who are 1-5 years old.
May 22, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 323
As written in the foreword, LaVetta Hankins-Price's book "Emotional Dependency" is about layers of emotional baggage that women carry around with them. Many stay silent, reluctant to expose their hurt and pain associated with mental and verbal abuse. LaVetta had a similar story until this "tell-all must-read book was written." She had reached a point in her life when she never went out and felt really bad about herself. Now, the silence has stopped. She is available to speak on this topic and ca...
May 19, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 322
For thousands of years, man has anticipated the earth ending in chaos, a situation where the entire infrastructure of earthly life is demolished. However, Beverley Buckley gets glimpses of new processes being put in place. People are waking up and learning that there is a structure of rules that, if we will learn them, will allow life to be extraordinary.
May 04, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 321
Henry Dyson has written several books in which he shares experiences of growing up in South Carolina in the late 1940s and 1950s. He shares games they played, creative use of materials that were on hand, and historical events that tied to the nation's story of segregation.
May 04, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 320
Years after the events of this story, Roxanne Chapman shares the poems written by her deceased husband while he was in prison. She also shares the story behind the story of abuse, threats and ultimately a suicide. She was able to find support through these experiences with groups like Circle of Violence and Survivors of Suicide. Unfortunately, these organizations are no longer active, leaving a void in the support structure for victims like Roxanne
May 02, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 319
What is it like to grow up in war torn countries? What does it do to the psyches of our youngest who have no other options? What does it to their relationships later in life? This is Cinnia's Story. And what emerges? Love.
May 02, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 318
If you have ever read the Book of Proverbs, you know that it is filled with wisdom in what seems to be no discernable order. Mary Turkington spend a few years organizing a concordance for Proverbs. It was over 500 pages and no one wanted to publish it. So she condensed the information into topics, cross referencing verses. The result is a user friendly book, complete with devotionals on topics we all can use.
May 01, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 317
When she was 6 weeks pregnant, Joanne Lynam knew that the child she was carrying would have Down's Syndrome. At her daughter's birth, the doctors wanted her to walk away and let them deal with the infant. Yet Joanne was firm in her decision to be mother to that baby. Today, her daughter is grown and has a business of her own, thanks in large part to the support that Australia gives to disabled children. Learn more about what Joanne was able to do to provide her daughter with a full life....
May 01, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 316
Don Loftis began preaching when he was 14 years old when he felt called to do so. In the Pentecostal tradition, it is not the norm, but not unheard of either. Over the years, Don found that certain aspects of the church were troubling. There was a stratification that caused competition and subsequent attempts to destroy church leaders with whom leaders disagreed. Don's book is one voice calling for change based on his understanding of the Bible.
Apr 25, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 315
Are you looking for global intrigue and adventures set in new places? David Handelman has created such a world in his thriller "The Gravel Road." Starting in the dust bowl in 1943, Jonah Knight is thrust into this new environment when his family loses everything during an auction, including their will to live. In the process, it gives Jonah an instant purpose in life and strong determination. "The Gravel Road" is the first in a series of books about Jonah Knight's adventures.
Apr 24, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 314
Sandra Swain loves to write children's books as an opportunity for children to learn life lessons. The lesson she offers in "How Willie the Wombat Won the Race" is that if you believe you can, you can. She modeled the situation after the story of Roger Bannister's 4 minute mile. No one believed it could be done until Roger Bannister did it, then one by one others achieved the same mile marker. This and other books are available at Amazon, Target, and Walmart online. She's also very active in soc...
Apr 24, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 313
Writing and publishing a book is not always easy. Todd Monger wrote for years as he worked to raise his daughter. Finally, an inheritance provided the funds to finish the project and a dream became a reality. Watching Star Wars and Lord of the Rings at night, he would think about what he would do. Then during the day, going through the routine of his position, he had plenty of time to come up with ideas. His daughter is one of his biggest supporters.
Apr 24, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 312
What would you do if you learned your child's teacher did drugs? David Butler was such a teacher. He got involved with drugs while in college and continued as he started his teaching career. Twenty years later, his drug use had intensified. Living on very little sleep, he was probably near death, yet he still able to function in this 8th grade classroom. Finally, he was arrested, put into rehab and on probation. That was the beginning of the turning point in his life. As they say it, "he got rel...
Apr 24, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 311
Laura Brunetti is an art therapist. She helps individuals with a wide range of conditions: Alzheimers, seniors, brain trauma, vets, PTSD, depression, at risk kids and alcoholics among them. For her, it is like magic to see the improvements people make through art. She makes herself available through brunettila33@gmail.com and will send free copies of her book to those who reach out to her. These are books people use. She speaks at universities, nursing homes, and wherever there is a need....
Apr 23, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 310
