ink & peat

Inspired by the teachings of an Indian spiritual master and following a deep desire to find her way in the world, 20-year-old Ceilidh Michelle left home and a fractured family life in Canada for an ashram in Southern California. Accompanied by her acoustic guitar and a few belongings, Ceilidh found herself instead broke, but not broken, living and seeking solace on the streets of Venice Beach.

In ink and peat episode 39, Ceilidh recounts how thankful she is now to her younger self who captured keen observations of life on the streets, the people she met and took shelter with, and how she survived being homeless. Her masterfully written memoir Vagabond – Venice Beach, Slab City and Points In Between recounts her time as a young woman wandering without a place to call home.

Instagram

These are Golden Days for Indie writers. With so many options for self-publishing, however, it can be daunting. To help emerging authors and seasoned writers maneuver through the complexities of crafting a quality finished product, Alexa Nazzaro created Aaxel Author Services.  Alexa's commitment to the authors she works with is summed up aptly in their tagline "We won't let you publish crap". 

Alexa shares with us in ink & peat episode 38 what separates Aaxel Author Services from other self-publishing options, what to look for in vanity press scams, and gives in detail the steps they take to support you in creating a top-shelf book.

Website https://www.aaxelauthorservices.com/

Author Chancellor K. Jackson shares his story of 14 Days in Beijing – what brought him to China, the significance of 14 days, how he sought and received help from his ancestors to overcome the challenges he faced, and the lessons learned along the way. He realized in talking with family and friends after he returned home that there was a book about his experiences waiting for him to write and share.  

In ink & peat episode 37 Chancellor talks about his writing experience, about the ownership self-publishing provides writers, and how he is now committed to using his knowledge of writing and publishing to help others share and own their stories.

Annie Mydla knows good writing when she reads it; she is an impassioned advocate for well-written books and stories in what she refers to as the Golden Age of Literacy. Annie applies her keen sense of what makes a great book to help emerging writers craft manuscripts that transport readers. Along with offering mid-draft critiques to aspiring authors, Annie spends her days reading, reviewing, and judging manuscripts that have been submitted to Winning Writers competitions. In ink & peat episode 36, Annie shares key pitfalls writers should avoid in order to deliver a book that enthralls readers.
[email protected]

https://winningwriters.com/

In 1992, at the age of 28, Martina Clark's life took an unexpected turn: she was diagnosed as HIV positive and told by doctors she had from a few months to a few years to live at best. At the time, Martina knew of no other women who were HIV positive – information and support were scarce. Through her determination, courage, and facing her situation head-on, Martina became an HIV activist, ultimately working for the United Nations and sharing her story on the global stage. In her memoir "My Unexpected Life" Martina shares how her life took a turn, what she did as a result, how she impacted and was impacted by the lives of others, and where she gratefully is now, exceeding all expectations thirty years later.

Website: martina-clark.com

IG/FB: @MartinaClarkWriter

Twitter: @MartinaClarkPen

A career in the fast-paced, cutthroat corporate music industry provided Diane Hatz with the inspiration for her first novel – Rock Gods and Messy Monsters. Diane writes with a masterful blend of satire and absurdism to create fantastical characters in bizarre scenarios that shed light on seamier sides of the star-making music machinery.

Diane shares how writing helped her gain perspective on her music industry stint – the thrills as well as the inequities she experienced there. She also provides us with her take on indie publishing and a few hard-won tips about how to avoid some publishing pitfalls.

www.dianehatz.com

Author of The Lightworker's Guide to Healing Grief, and seven self-published books on Amazon, Tina Erwin is known as a Ghost Helper. Ghosts, she explains, are just souls that - for any number of reasons - did not make the transition from their earthly life to the realm of the afterlife. In ink & peat episode 29, Tina shares with us her insights and enthusiasm about self-publishing, glimpses of her history and the responsibilities she feels as a Ghost Helper, and a few anecdotes about ghosts she's helped to reach the "other side".
https://ghosthelpers.com/

Liza McQuade joins us on ink & peat episode 33 to talk about her book Spontaneous Revolutions – Seeing America One Pedal at a Time, a travel story about biking with her husband cross country on the spur of the moment - out of shape, lacking long haul biking experience and armed with only a basic knowledge of bike mechanics. Instead, they relied on their belief in each other, in the gifts that come with spontaneity and a healthy dose of wild hair. Liza shares with us insights she gained on the road about following dreams, the kindness of strangers, the power of love, and how to succeed one pedal at a time.

It’s estimated that roughly 80% of us would like to write and publish a book, but most of us don’t know where to begin, or what to do to bring it to fruition. Erin Donley is the motivating force behind the book publishing service, Author Now, where she uses her skills as a ghostwriter, author, editor, and book coach to guide people through the process of self-publishing their non-fiction books. In ink & peat episode 32, Erin explains why this is the Golden Age of self-publishing for seasoned writers and first-timers alike, and why now is a great time to be an author.

In the depths of the global pandemic, one of her dear friends gave Delila Olsson a milkweed plant to attract Monarch butterflies to her Portland, OR garden. A keen observer, Delila noticed a tiny caterpillar had hitched a ride on the milkweed and realized she’d been given both a physical and metaphorical gift to lift her spirits. She set about creating a safe haven to support, watch and record the caterpillar’s metamorphosis. A fan club of the little caterpillar emerged through followers of Delila’s posts on Facebook and from this experience, her first book was born: Fred the Monarch -- A Tale of Transformation and Hope. Delila Olsson is a writer, Montessori educator, and is the wise and creative force behind WisdomofNaturePress.com