Book 101 Review

Angel Willard

Fighting to Come Home: Coming Home to Myself.

Welcome to Fighting to Come Home: Coming Home to Myself.

In this episode, we meet author Angel Willard, whose memoir tells a deeply personal story of trauma, survival, motherhood, and healing. Angel shares what it means to live through life-changing pain, rebuild after devastating experiences, and keep fighting for the people and future that matter most.

This is more than a story about surviving. It is about accountability, resilience, breaking painful cycles, and finding the courage to become yourself again.

As Angel writes, she was not only fighting to come home to a place—she was fighting to come home to herself.

This is her story.

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What does hope look like when your health, your business, and your future are all uncertain? In this episode of Book 101 Review, Daniel Lucas welcomes entrepreneur, filmmaker, and author Jim Stavis to discuss his memoir, When Hope Is Your Only Option, revised edition, 2026.

Jim founded Paragon Steel in 1988 and built a company that contributed to landmark projects across Los Angeles, all while living with a chronic illness that eventually required three organ transplants at Cedars-Sinai. His journey includes multiple brushes with death, the loss of his business partner of 25 years, and a profound connection with the family of the organ donor who saved his life.

Together, we explore Jim’s belief that hope can become a practical strategy for moving through adversity. The conversation examines faith, purpose, grief, entrepreneurship, and the challenge of rebuilding when life cannot return to the way it was. We also discuss the responsibility of honoring a donor’s gift and how writing and filmmaking helped Jim share his experiences with others.

His memoir, a Montaigne Medal finalist in the Eric Hoffer Awards and a Pacific Book Review Notable Book, offers a personal account of perseverance amid uncertainty. Join us for a meaningful conversation about survival, reinvention, and finding a reason to keep going when the odds seem overwhelming. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Michael Carbonneau

the business coach you been waiting for

'm Michael Carbonneau. I started with nothing at 19 and figured it out the hard way as a general contractor and a financial advisor. No silver spoon, no shortcuts. Now through Coaching by Rosewood, I work with aspiring entrepreneurs who are done lying to themselves about why they're stuck. I don't do fluff, I don't do hand-holding I give you the raw framework to build the CEO in you, get your structure right, and actually move forward. Because life's gonna hit you either way. Might as well get paid for it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Eva Levina

Eva Levina, Author and Survivor of Covert Emotional abuse.

Eva Levina

Eva Levina is the author of the memoir series Death Is No Reason to Stop Living, a true story of surviving years of covert emotional abuse, recognizing manipulation that was hidden in plain sight, and rebuilding a life from the ground up.

Like many survivors, Eva didn't realize she was in an abusive relationship for years. There were no black eyes, and no obvious signs. Instead, the abuse came through criticism disguised as concern, control disguised as love, isolation disguised as protection, and gaslighting that slowly eroded her confidence and sense of reality.

After leaving the relationship via brutal discard, Eva began the long process of understanding what had happened. Writing became part of that healing journey. Her memoirs were written not only to tell her own story, but to help others recognize the warning signs before they lose themselves.

On podcasts, Eva enjoys discussing topics such as:

How covert emotional abuse differs from physical abuse.

Why intelligent, capable people stay in abusive relationships.

Gaslighting and psychological manipulation.

Narcissistic and controlling relationship dynamics.

Trauma recovery and rebuilding self-worth.

The psychology of hope and resilience.

Turning painful life experiences into meaningful work.

The process of writing and publishing deeply personal memoirs as an independent author.

In addition to her memoirs, Eva is currently writing her first novel, Fault Lines Beneath Her, a work of fiction inspired by true events that explores love, manipulation, trauma, and healing through the eyes of a young woman searching for belonging.

Eva believes that while trauma may change a person, it does not define them. Her message is one of hope: healing is possible, rebuilding is possible, and life after emotional abuse can become richer and more meaningful than ever imagined.

Whether speaking with audiences interested in psychology, relationships, mental health, resilience, or the writing process itself, Eva brings honesty, compassion, and firsthand experience to every conversation.

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Ross Thorpe

CEO of Rooverse - The Social Media Platform that blocks all AI generated content.

Social media is awash with AI generated content. 71% of of images being uploaded everyday are made by AI. Some platforms have over 45% of the users as bots.

You are not interacting with people any more. The 'social' has gone from social media.

Ross is the CEO of Rooverse. A social media platform that blocks users from uploading any AI generated content. Just people interacting with people.

Also the only social media platform backed up in space.

Ross is also a founding member of the AI Trust Council. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Dawn Ross

Character-driven sci-fi author writing about resilience, loyalty, and the cost of our choices. Creator of a complete 7-book space opera universe with more adventures ahead.

I became a sci-fi author because I’m fascinated by how people endure hardship, rebuild themselves, and stay loyal when everything around them fractures. Writing my 7-book space opera taught me how to build worlds, manage long arcs, and write emotionally grounded characters. I love talking about creativity, resilience, worldbuilding, my writing process, and the real-life psychology behind the choices we make — both in fiction and outside it.

Over the years, my books have earned a 4.4-star average on Amazon and have reached thousands of readers. Completing a 7-book space opera series taught me how to sustain long-form storytelling, build emotionally grounded characters, and keep readers invested from book one to book seven. My work resonates with readers who want sci-fi that’s both epic and deeply human, and that connection has helped me grow a loyal audience that continues to expand with every new release. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Matt Thomas

Matt Thomas Poetry

Matt Thomas is a smallholder farmer, engineer, and poet. His poetry has appeared in Triggerfish Critical Review, Ponder Review, Hampden-Sydney Review, Hiram Review, Dunes Review, Avalon Literary Review, Galway Review, Milk House Review, Cleaver Magazine, Elm Leaves Review, River Heron Review, The Thieving Magpie, Common House Magazine, The Broken Plate, Hawk & Whippoorwill, Spellbinder Magazine, Pinhole Poetry, Slab Magazine, Kestrel, Susurrus Magazine, Temz Review, and elsewhere. Cicada, Dog & Song , a book length collection, was published by Serving House Books in 2026. Foxy Love: All American Poems , a chapbook collection, was published by Kelsay Books in 2026. Disappearing by the Math , a book length collection, was published by Silver Bow in 2024. He and his family live in Virginia where they practice land conservation and stewardship in the historic Shenandoah Valley.

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Cody Sturgess

Most Realtors Don’t Need More Leads. They Need Better Follow-Up.

Cody Sturgess is the founder of Agent Lions Den, an AI-powered sales infrastructure company helping real estate agents turn more leads into booked appointments and real client conversations. Before building Agent Lions Den, Cody spent years in high-performance sales and represented Canada internationally as a professional equestrian. Today, he helps agents solve one of the biggest problems in real estate: slow follow-up, missed leads, and inconsistent conversion. Cody believes AI should not replace the human relationship. It should help agents spend less time behind a computer and more time speaking with clients, building trust, and closing deals.

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Dror Ben Am

Dror Ben Ami is the author of two recently released books on metaphors in the Bible: "The Vineyard" and: "The Final Jubilee". Dror studied Comparitive Literature in both the USA and Israel and was greatly influenced by the work of the scholar and mystic: Maurice Nicoll. Dror brings an entirely new perspective to Biblical analysis, challenging views held for centuries in both the Christian and Jewish communities. THE VINEYARD: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HH1GXZB1

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Ryan Drumheller

Technology leader, entrepreneur, author & podcast host with 20+ years in IT. Co-Founder of DogLeg Digital, talking leadership, tech, AI, entrepreneurship, career pivots & golf.

Ryan Drumheller is a golf technology entrepreneur, IT executive, author, and cofounder of Dogleg Digital, a connected technology platform being built for golfers and businesses across the golf industry. His professional journey includes beginning college at 29, earning over 170 certifications, and leading technology organizations across multiple industries. Ryan is the author of From Firewalls to Fairways, a memoir about navigating toxic workplaces, career setbacks, leadership challenges, recovery, and personal reinvention. The book uses a round of golf to explore the different decisions, obstacles, and recovery shots that shape a career. Ryan can speak about building Dogleg Digital, opportunities within golf technology, creating stronger industry partnerships, career resilience, leadership, entrepreneurship, lifelong learning, and turning difficult experiences into a new direction.

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