Inside Scoop Live!

Calvin James was promoted to DAD in 2017. After the birth of his son he tried to thing of ways to educate him about life and the ever-changing world. Out of this desire his company, CALVIN JAMES CREATES was born.

The mission statement of CALVIN JAMES CREATES is to share children’s stories, novels, and music that promote the values of truth, kindness, friendship, love, and hope. 

His first book, The Colored Water Fountain was released in December 2021. The second book in his children’s book series, Christmas Sunrise will be released in December 2022.

To learn more about Calvin James and his work visit calvinjamescreates.com.

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About Christmas Sunrise and writing a holiday book

CHRISTMAS SUNRISE

As the holidays approach, a grandmother recalls her youth and all that she loves about the holidays. Hoping that it will snow for a White Christmas, the excitement she feels on Christmas Eve, and her favorite part, having her family and loved ones with her on Christmas Day.

 CONNECT WITH DR. CALVIN JAMES!

 Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CalvinJamesCreates

Twitter @CalJamesCreates

 YouTube Channel: Calvin James Creates

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calvinjamescreates/

Vik Azeem grew up in the Northern Virginia area and currently resides in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He's been writing stories since the age of twelve and has a deep love for stories and movies in general. Ice Dance is his 4th novel. He's previously published the books Soul Half Empty, Algebra and Demons, and Quixotic.

When he's not writing, he's working on his movie review podcast, The Movie Fellas, which is also available on all podcast platforms.

For more information about Vik and his work visit his website at www.vikazeem.com

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• The author's journey

ICE DANCE

Hassan is a Pakistani-American conflicted between pursuing his creative passions and fitting in with his culture. He's also unemployed and days away from being evicted. Then he meets Yasmine, a mysterious bar-hopper with a keen interest in psychology. As enigmatic as she is, Hassan is enthralled with her.

CONNECT WITH VIK AZEEM!

Website:  www.vikazeem.com

Shelah Johnson is the recipient of 9 awards from The Society for Technical Communication and is also a published photographer and has produced and directed more than 40 lifestyle broadcast segments focused on eco and small space living. She directed, produced, and is the co-creator of the documentary series, Where Small Business Grows (Amazon Prime). Shelah lives a life of voluntary simplicity, where she makes a mid-century modern Airstream her home on an island in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys kayaking and traveling across the country and around the world.

J R Santana is an award-winning Screenwriter and Producer. With over three decades of experience working in Hollywood and Europe, JR has been involved in productions ranging from $1m - $25m, all with an A-list cast. As a Screenwriter, he has won the Kodak Award for Outstanding Cinematic Achievement, the Turner Classic Movies Prize, Best Film at the Interfilm Berlin Film Festival as well as being nominated for two consecutive BAFTA Awards. He also holds a Master’s degree from Cambridge University. When not working, JR spends his free time riding his vintage British motorcycle, competing in International Long Range Match Rifle competitions and penning his debut novel.

For more information about Shelah Johnson, JR Santana and their work visit www.theboloneytrail.com 

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• About The Boloney Trail Trilogy and the historical era

PERPETUAL GLOOM

Based on true events, Perpetual Gloom is the first installation of The Boloney Trail trilogy. The story begins in the eye of the Great Depression, which left thousands dead or destitute, one family, the Hornbecks, finds a way to survive the storm by serving both the Devil and the Lord in a nomadic life along a perilous trail leading them out of their beloved South and into the dank logging camps of the Pacific Northwest.

CONNECT WITH SHELAH JOHNSON AND JR SANTANA

WEBSITE: https://theboloneytrail.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheBoloneyTrail/ 

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theboloneytrailofficial/ 

Jacqueline Greer Graham is a Canadian citizen who was born in Montserrat, British West Indies. She has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from York University, and a Medical Office and Laboratory Assisting Diploma from Career Canada College. Jacqueline is a former manager at the Canadian Institute for Health Information. She is now a business owner, pursuing her passion for telling stories. Almost Full Circle is her debut book. Jacqueline also enjoys singing and dancing, and is a health and fitness enthusiast. She lives in Ontario, Canada, and has two children. 

To learn more about Jacqueline and her work visit her website at https://jacquelinegreergraham.com/ 

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• About Almost Full Circle and the inspiration behind the book.

ALMOST FULL CIRCLE: FROM MONTSERRAT TO CANADA AND BACK-ISH

Where do you call home? It’s likely a number of places over time, but there’s probably something special about your first home. For Jacqueline Greer Graham, it was Harris, Montserrat, British West Indies, where her experiences were rich and defining; it is where she navigated both the pleasant and unpleasant situations that shaped her identity. Jacqueline immigrated to Canada and continued to be shaped by her experiences. She took for granted that she could go home anytime, but a sleeping giant had other plans. The Soufrière Hills volcano, which was dormant for almost 400 years, awoke on July 18, 1995, and changed Montserrat catastrophically. When the ashes cleared, Jacqueline’s journey home would prove to be challenging, albeit transformative.

CONNECT WITH JACQUELINE GREER GRAHAM

Daniel Santos is a twenty-one-year young adult author, born in Manila, Philippines, and immigrated to the U.S. at a very young age. He’s spent most of his life living in the West while occasionally flying home to visit his family. When he’s not listening to music, playing video games or just doing things people of his age engage in, he’s writing. Daniel’s writing usually consists of fantasy fiction that delves into the paranormal. He likes to focus on characterization and letting the reader get to know his characters. He genuinely believes that we often learn more from fictional characters than we do from real ones. Life is Inevitable is his debut novel.

To learn more about Daniel Santos and his work visit www.dantheauthor.com.

• Daniel’s writing journey

A story about trauma, abuse and mental health, Life is Inevitable is about Eighteen-year-old boy Brennan, and seventeen-year-old girl Olivia, who have their entire lives and worldview changed when they commit suicide on the same day. In this world, the dead are brought to a train station where they receive tickets that send them to heaven or hell. However, Olivia and Brennan are given a second chance. An angel gives them train tickets that will send them back to their bodies, but a new problem emerges when they accidentally switch their tickets. In the world of the living, they wake up in each other's bodies and are now forced to undo the mistake they just made while living the other person's life.

Website: https://www.dantheauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniel_the_author/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfkXBo7G6Um6y4HVz43y5zQ

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carlosdanielsa96

Subscribe for Updates from Daniel Santos

Nancy Stohlman's book Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction, won a 2021 Reader Views Gold Award and was re-released as an audiobook in 2022. Her other books include After the Rapture, (forthcoming 2023), Madam Velvet's Cabaret of Oddities, and The Vixen Scream and Other Bible Stories, among others. Her work has appeared in the Norton anthology New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction and The Best Small Fictions 2019, as well as adapted for both the stage and screen. She teaches at the University of Colorado Boulder and around the world.

To learn more about Nancy Stohlman and her work, visit https://nancystohlman.com/

Topics of Conversation:

• About Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction

GOING SHORT: AN INVITATION TO FLASH FICTION

Flash fiction is changing the way we tell stories. Carving away the excess, eliminating all but the most essential, flash fiction is putting the story through a literary dehydrator, leaving the meat without the fat. And it only looks easy.

Enter Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction. In this, her treatise on the form, veteran writer Nancy Stohlman takes us on a flash fiction journey: from creating, sculpting, revisioning and collecting stories to best practices for writers in any genre. It is both instructive and conversational, witty and practical, and presented in flash fiction chapters that demonstrate the form as they discuss it. If you’re already a flash fiction lover, this book will be a dose of inspiration. If you teach flash fiction, you’ll want it as part of your repertoire. And if you’re new to the form, you might just find yourself ready to begin.

PRE-ORDER NANCY'S UPCOMING FLASH NOVEL: AFTER THE RAPTURE

CONNECT WITH NANCY STOHLMAN

Website: https://nancystohlman.com/

Paul Sturm actually started writing poems as a teenager, attempting to impress young ladies, though to no avail except for a smile or two. Many years later, the author worked in a high pressure career prompting him to escape by reading and writing for the fun of it. The author's amusing sense of humor provided the perfect backdrop for his hilarious books.

Another important aspect of his writing could be gleaned from an episode of 'The Twilight Zone' titled "Walking the Distance." In that episode, a traveling executive has car trouble on a country road. The man walks to the small town nearby where he was born and discovers himself as a boy once more. The author, in a manner, revels in writing amusing tales of his youth growing up in a small town, allowing him to be a spirited boy once more.

Paul has a B.S. degree from the College of William and Mary, an M.B.A. degree from the University of South Florida, and is a Certified Public Accountant, a CPA. The author spent 2 years at the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, Inc., before accepting an offer from Computer Sciences Corporation, where he became a Vice President of Finance in 1986. The author enjoyed 37 exciting and adventurous years at Computer Sciences Corporation, including several overseas assignments in Malaysia, India, and Europe.

The author has written 3 amusing, entertaining, and fun-loving books, including 'My Favorite Girlfriend,' 'Golfing Adventures with Frankie, the Witty Caddie,' and 'More Golfing Adventures with Frankie, the Witty Caddie.'

Paul is married and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren, and lives just outside of Washington, D.C., in a Virginia suburb.

You can learn more about Paul Sturm and his work at https://www.paulsturmauthor.com/ 

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About his books

CONNECT WITH PAUL STURM!

Website is http://www.paulsturmauthor.com.

Facebook URL is: https://www.facebook.com/paulsturmauthor/

LinkedIn URL is; http://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sturm-a41487190

Instagram URL is: https://www.instagram.com/paulsturmauthor/

Amazon URL for "My Favorite Girlfriend" is:  https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08DBZPM1W

Amazon URL for "Golfing Adventures with Frankie, the Witty Caddie" is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DG2XMH9/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2

Amazon URL for "More Golfing Adventures with Frankie, the Witty Caddie" is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08S3HLYJT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

Mark Shaiken lives with his wife Loren and their dog Emily in Denver, CO. He schooled at Haverford College and Washburn University, and practiced commercial bankruptcy law for several decades before moving on in 2019 to write, volunteer and play music.

In addition to his latest legal thriller, "Automatic Stay," he is the author of "And . . Just Like That - essays on a life before, during, and after the law" and "Fresh Start," a legal mystery.  Mark is currently working on his book, "Unfair Discrimination." 

You can learn more about mark and his work at markshaikenauthor.com

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• Mark's author journey

AUTOMATIC STAY

In Automatic Stay, 3J and Pascale are back and file bankruptcy cases for six Kansas City jazz clubs that have somehow managed to survive the Covid pandemic. Now they must battle an unknown enemy who runs an anonymous disinformation campaign on social media to try to put the clubs out of business. Will they be able to stop the campaign in time to save the clubs and keep jazz alive in the city?

CONNECT WITH MARK SHAIKEN!

Website: https://youtu.be/KyJSXZNCRaY

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mark-shaiken-author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Shaiken-Author/100070831924501/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkShaiken    

Books have been a part of Marilynn Wood’s world for as long as she can remember. She was influenced by her maternal grandmother, a teacher, who exposed her to reading and writing at an early age. She wrote her first story in first grade and caught the literary bug, though it would be many years later for her dream to become an author was realized. 

What started as a book about the socio-economic problems on our planet took a turn to SciFi when a UFO experience caused her to wonder about beings from another planet and how they would regard us and the way we treat one another. During the creation of her debut novel, Exit to Morvana, Wood realized her deepest wish was for our planet to achieve Utopia, claiming victory over all the upheavals we’ve been through. Marilynn believes we have all the potential to succeed, but it’s up to us to choose the right path.

Marilynn Wood resides in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, where she is currently working on her second novel.

To learn more about Marilynn Wood and her work visit www.morvana.ca.

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• The author's writing journey and her decision to become an author.

EXIT TO MORVANA

Do the painful disappointments in life make you wonder "Where is the exit door on this planet? Consider the tale of over worked, lonely Samantha who one day meets a mysterious Alien while visiting a metaphysical book store. He offers to take her to Morvana, a planet in the Andromeda galaxy where the people have such long life spans they are virtually immortal. The Morvanian civilization has suffered through all the trials and tribulations that planet Earth has and overcome them. This has resulted in a near perfect Utopian planet. The only catch is, Samantha must agree to leave Earth and everything she knows -- forever. If you had such an opportunity, would you go?

In his role as President of Propheta Lucro Management Consultants, Paul Sacco develops and delivers leadership development programs that enable people to create, verify and decide ideas for strategy, innovation, and complex problem-solving. He is also the author of Strategy Quest – The Executive Guide for Finding Business Opportunities.

Paul is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where he earned both a B.A.Sc. and an MBA. He is also a certified MBTI Practitioner. Paul's volunteer experience includes mentoring MBA students and participating as a director on non-profit boards.

Residing in Calgary, Alberta, Paul, and his wife Juli enjoy golf, music, tropical vacations, theatre and hiking with their dog, Kali.

To learn more about Paul Sacco and his work visit https://paul-sacco.com/ and https://prophetalucro.com/

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About Strategy Quest and the inspiration for writing the book.

Strategy Quest: The Executive Guide to Finding Business Opportunities

Are you a business executive in need of strategic opportunities? Using an entirely new method, Strategy Quest will guide you every step of the way. With Strategy Quest you will learn to set strategic goals, create an original vision, and judge whether it represents a strategic opportunity.

Stop copying your competitors or following trends. The only way to beat the competition is to find unique strategic opportunities. Get started on your Strategy Quest today. Combining knowledge from leadership, business, strategy, psychology, philosophy, art, neuroscience and history, Strategy Quest will pave your way to competitive success. Whether your business is B2C or B2B and your customers are internal or external, Strategy Quest will help your business win!

CONNECT WITH PAUL SACCO

www.prophetalucro.com

www.paul-sacco.com

Paul-Sacco.com

https://www.facebook.com/paulsaccoauthor

https://www.facebook.com/PLIdeas

linkedin.com/in/paulsacco

https://www.linkedin.com/company/propheta-lucro-management-consulting

https://twitter.com/prophetalucro