Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast

Interview with bestselling anthology author Meghan Nicholson, who contributed the chapter titled "Mirror" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

For the past fifteen years Meghan has been a private piano and vocal instructor. She thoroughly enjoys sharing her passion for music with others and enjoys watching students grow in their talents. Over the past year she has added the title of Reiki master and Intuitive Medium to her work. Embracing her rediscovered abilities, she understands the healing and closure it can bring others and has enjoyed this new journey connecting with people. When she is not working she is exploring life with her husband and three children. Family time is important to them, and if they aren’t with their horses or enjoying the Chesapeake Bay, you probably will find them on an adventure camping. This was Meghan’s first taste at professional writing and she discovered a new found love—she hopes this is just the first stepping stone down a new road.

You can connect with Meghan via email [email protected] or on Instagram @the_goo_phase.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Gillian Lichota, who contributed the chapter titled "Butterfly" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Gillian Lichota is the founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, a nonprofit US based organization dedicated to empowering, inspiring, and supporting young women to cultivate an outstanding quality of life during and after breast cancer. She is also a mother, marine biologist, mountain climber, adventure travel enthusiast, and breast cancer Thriver. For two decades Gillian specialized in Arctic marine science, advancing scientific understanding of ocean and coastal systems, climate and global change, and improving society’s ability to plan and respond. Now she’s committed to challenging her dire breast cancer prognosis, and helping others to do the same with theirs.

Gillian was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, and again in 2017. Facing imminent death revealed profound truths about living. Like a phoenix, Gillian has risen from the ashes of her incurable illness stronger, wiser, and more aligned with her purpose and passion. Ardent about living an intentional, authentic life, Gillian is devoted to self-healing and supporting others to rise in the face of unimaginable adversity, so they too can live their best lives. Through her leadership with the iRise Above Foundation, Gillian helps provide young women with targeted, age-appropriate, and integrated health and wellness resources, tools, and strategies that enable them to rise above the residual effects of breast cancer, so they can heal and live well—ultimately improving their quality of life and long-term survivorship.

Originally from Canada, Gillian continues to summit mountains where she finds the strength to confront her fears, and the inspiration to continue her path of healing and transformation. The mountains stand as silent witnesses to her life journey, offering solace and a reminder that even amidst the greatest challenges, there is a place where she can find clarity and peace—and rise above.

You can learn more about Gillian’s story and the iRise Above Foundation at www.iriseabovefoundation.org.

Follow on:

Instagram – @iRise_Above and @gillian.lichota
Facebook – @IRiseAboveFoundation
YouTube – @iRiseAboveFoundation
Email – [email protected]

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Jessica "Jess" Greenwood, who contributed the chapter titled "Flying with the Birds" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Jess began her career as a clinical genetic counselor working with families trying to conceive and those whose pregnancy may be impacted by a genetic condition. This direct-care experience continues to fuel the empathy and humanity she brings to her work. After eight years, Jess took advantage of a fortuitous opportunity for continuing education in digital health communication and began working with Dr. Zeev Neuwirth, creator and host of the award-winning Creating a New Healthcare podcast. Currently, she serves as the Director of Marketing and Operations for Zeev Neuwirth Health. A jack-of- all-trades, Jess’s role includes ghostwriting, copyediting, marketing, and managing all aspects of promotion for speaking events, the podcast, and his books. Jess has been instrumental in the publication of two Amazon best- selling books with Dr. Neuwirth, Reframe Healthcare and Beyond the Walls. Personally, Jess has authored several blog series including “A Year of Defiance” and “Chronicles of Alien Development,” both available on Medium, and her latest endeavor, “The Joy Luck Club,” an exploration of all things joy that has helped her process the loss of her mother and her husband’s tragic motorcycle accident. Jess has now added memoir to her ghostwriting services and is working with Soul Speak Press to offer that service to their authors. Connect with Jess on Instagram @jessgwrites and Substack at jessgwrites.substack.com.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more abo

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Erin Uritis, who contributed the chapter titled "A Queer Working Mom’s Journey to Authenticity, Freedom, and Family" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Erin Uritus is CEO of Out & Equal, the premiere global organization working exclusively on LGBTQ+ workplace equity, inclusion, and belonging. A leading voice on inclusive leadership and organizational change, Erin has pushed the conversation on LGBTQ+ workplace equity from the adoption of inclusive policies towards what Out & Equal touts as the “business of belonging,” that is, the creation of optimal cultures in which everyone can participate, thrive, and grow in the workplace as their full and most authentic selves. In this role, she is one of the few openly bisexual and pansexual chief executives.

She draws on her extensive experience in the private sector. For eight years at Booz Allen, her client-facing work included supporting agencies such as the IRS, DoD, INS, DHS, and others as they navigated the challenges of modernization and restructuring post 9/11. Erin has also spent significant time living and working abroad, supporting changemakers across the globe, including more than a decade in West Africa and the Middle East. She is the co-author of a book about change management in government—published in both Arabic and English.

From her earliest roles supporting women journalists in the Senegal-based African Women’s Media Center and launching an anti-hate crime project in the wake of Matthew Shepard’s murder, impact-driven work with human systems has been a central, passionate, and relentless focus of Erin’s career.

She continues that commitment in both her professional life and her personal volunteer work—including at All Souls Church, Unitarian, in Washington, DC. Erin holds a masters in Organization Development (OD) from American University, and two masters certificates in change management and performance management from Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University, respectively. She is also an alum of the Stanford Graduate School of Business LGBTQ+ leadership program.

Erin and her two beautiful children live in the Washington, DC, area.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Lindsey Oyat, who contributed the chapter titled "A Traveler" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Born and raised in the Bayou State, Lindsey Oyat’s heart resides in both Louisiana and Uganda, where she moved in 2015 for missionary work. While there, she met the love of her life, a Ugandan native who’s heart for Jesus and passion for serving others aligns with Lindsey’s. On their honeymoon in 2017, the two bought a coffee farm and Bibeko’s Brew was born. Lindsey is a fierce follower of Jesus, loving wife and mother to her three young children, passionate homeschool teacher, trafficking survivor, and debuting author. Lindsey loves coffee, adventures, and Jesus, and instills these passions in her children. For the first time ever, Lindsey is opening up about her sacred journey into motherhood: the trauma and the triumphs.

To follow Lindsey along on her adventures, visit her on Instagram: @oyat.lindseybibeko and @bibekos.brew.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Laura O'Malley, who contributed the chapter titled "Where You Lead, I Will Follow" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Laura, a native of small-town Kentucky, now calls Tennessee home. As an army spouse and mother to a toddler, she balances the unique challenges and rewards of military family life. Laura’s passion for floral design flourishes alongside her familial responsibilities, allowing her to infuse beauty and creativity into the world around her.

Specializing in weddings and special events, Laura simply loves love and feels grateful to be a small part to the beginning of so many unions. However, her commitment to service extends beyond her professional life; she is an active member of her local church, where she leads small groups and participates in community outreach programs.

Laura’s daily mission is twofold: to create beauty in the world and to spread joy wherever she goes. Deserts to Mountaintops is her debut memoir project, and it marks an exciting new chapter on her motherhood journey. Laura is deeply grateful for the opportunity to share her story with readers, hoping to inspire and connect through her experiences.

Follow along on her flower adventures @bluerootflorals.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Jennie Tapscott who contributed the chapter titled "Less > More" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Jennie was born and raised in Scottsville, Virginia, “a small town with a big story.” She is a truth-teller, an empath, and highly sentimental. Jennie has spent twenty-two years as a middle school mathematics educator but identifies more as a life-long learner than a teacher. Her greatest joy comes from her relationships with her son Landon and her daughter Cameron, who have taught her the immeasurable importance of being present and being love. In her spare time, she can be found creating art in a variety of mediums, including charcuterie boards, soaking up the sun, or snuggled on her couch reading a self-help book. Jennie lives in her hometown with her husband Brian, children, and stepchildren Mason and Cooper.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Tara Casagrande, who contributed the chapter titled "Holding On, Letting Go:" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Tara sees herself as a lifelong learner. Her natural curiosity about the human mind, body, spirit connection never ceases. Tara grew up in southern Ontario and eventually moved to California for work where she fell in love with an American boy from New Jersey. They raised their three children in Virginia. A cancer diagnosis while pregnant with their second child awakened Tara to healing modalities outside of traditional Western medicine. Now, Tara travels the world teaching yoga, meditation, and qigong. Tara loves her family more than anything in the world and is thankful for all they have taught her in life and in love.

Connect with Tara Casagrande on Instagram @tcyogamindfulness and on Facebook at Tara Casagrande Yoga & Mindfulness. Check out her retreats and sign up for her monthly newsletter at taracasagrande.com.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Danielle Corrales, who contributed the chapter titled "Mothering in the Space Between Love and Loss" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Danielle is an expert coffee drinker and working mother of two. This is her first published writing piece, a deeply personal work inspired by her experiences in which she channels the profound loss of her mother at fourteen, an event that shaped her life’s journey. She enjoys connecting with others, offering comfort and understanding through life’s challenges. When not writing or caring for her family, she finds solace in simple pleasures such as baking, drinking more coffee, and singing karaoke on a night out. Her story is a testament to resilience, inviting readers to explore the complex interplay of grief, loss, and hope in the human experience.

You can connect with her on Instagram @Danielle0125.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast. 

Interview with bestselling anthology author Melissa Smith, who contributed the chapter titled "Warrior" to Volume III Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood can be found on Amazon or any online book retailer.

Melissa considers herself to be a slow-living Midwestern wife and mother who spends her moments taking early morning runs, enjoying the outdoors with her family, and then a warming herself by a fire at night, stargazing. God provided Melissa with an extra gift, her son, who is on the spectrum. Living a life filled with challenges, Melissa is learning to navigate creating a fulfilling life for her family, one that she never pictured, but loves. Photography is her creative outlet because it helps her learn how to slow down and breathe easy. She loves to capture the small moments and raw emotions in life with her lens.

You can connect with Melissa on Instagram @mel.s.smith.

See more about The Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies and Soul Speak Press at www.soulspeakpress.com

Find out more about Jessica Buchanan: www.jessbuchanan.com

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.