Inside Scoop Live!

Julie Broad, founder of the self-publishing services firm Book Launchers and Amazon Overall #1 Best-Selling Author, knows what it takes to successfully self-publish a book. Her popular YouTube channel, BookLaunchers.TV, embodies the hashtag of #noboringbooks helping nonfiction authors write and market books people want to read.

Julie’s titles include More than Cashflow, which topped Amazon, The New Brand You, and her latest book, Self-Publish & Succeed. A recognized real estate investor, successful entrepreneur, and notable speaker, Julie also received the Top 20 under 40 Award for her business and community contributions. She’s been speaking on stages across Canada and the US since 2009, sharing her strategies to write a book that builds your business and have more impact and influence with your brand. 

An expert on writing a book with marketing in mind, Julie teaches the best approaches to get results, make an impact, and ultimately, make more money. Julie always leaves people inspired, excited, and with clear steps to take action immediately. Her advice for authors and investors has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur.com, Yahoo! Business, CTV, the Toronto Sun, Medium.com and many local and national TV shows. 

Born and raised in Canada, Julie currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. When she’s not busy with Book Launchers or her family, you’ll find her at CrossFit or playing poker.

To learn more about Julie and her work, visit https://juliebroad.com/ and https://booklaunchers.com/

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• Writing a book people will want to read using the Self-Publish and Succeed method.

SELF-PUBLISH & SUCCEED

You can write a book—anyone can. But if you want to write a book that people will want or even need to read, it’s not as simple as sitting down to write. In fact, that’s one of the biggest mistakes unsuccessful authors make.

CONNECT WITH JULIE BROAD AND BOOK LAUNCHERS!

https://www.facebook.com/booklaunchers/

Jessica Wohlgemuth is a country prairie girl who grew up on a little hobby farm passionate about animals. Her two favorite bunnies were named Flip and Flop. Oh, how she loved her soft fluffy pets! Now with nieces and nephew spending hours chasing their own bunnies, she couldn’t help but imagine what life would be like if bunnies lived in a sort of people world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about Jessica Wohlgemuth and her work visit her Etsy shop: The Hidden Pine Tree

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About Bop-It and No More Covid and the inspiration behind the story

BOP-IT AND NO MORE COVID

Are you tired of living the COVID life? Find hope and cheer in this little book about a fuzzy little grey bunny named Bop-It. Read about how he and his friends learn to cope through the pandemic, finding fun in the new normal.

Daniel Lassell is the author of Spit (Wheelbarrow Books / Michigan State University Press, 2021), winner of the 2020 Wheelbarrow Books Emerging Poetry Prize selected by Gabrielle Calvocoressi, and winner of the 2021-22 Reader Views Gold Award for Poetry and the Inside Scoop Live Award for the Most Innovative Poetry Book. He is also the author of a chapbook, Ad Spot (Ethel Zine and Micro Press, 2021), and his poems have appeared in the Colorado Review, Cherry Tree, and Prairie Schooner, among others. He grew up in Kentucky, and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

To learn more about Daniel Lassell and his work, visit his website at http://www.daniel-lassell.com/

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• What sparked his initial interest in poetry

SPIT

he first-ever poetry book set on a llama farm, Daniel Lassell’s debut collection, Spit, examines the roles we play in the act of belonging. It is a portrait of a boy living on a farm populated with chickens sung to sleep by lullaby,  captive wolves next door that attack a child, and a herd of llamas learning to survive despite coyotes and a chaotic family. The collection in part explores the role of the body in health and illness and one’s treatment of the earth and others. A theme of spirituality also weaves throughout the collection as the speaker treks into adulthood, yearning for peace amid the decline of his parents’ marriage. Driven by a “wish to visit / some landless landscape,” the  speaker eventually leaves his family’s farm, only to find that return is impossible. After losing the farm and the llama herd to his parents’ divorce, the speaker wrestles with the role of presence as it relates to healing, remarking, “I wish enough, / to have only // these memories I have.” Unflinching at every turn, the collection pushes the boundaries of “home” to arrive upon new meaning, definition, and purpose.

Julian Tryst is a fiction author from Canada who likes to observe the messed-up aspects of human nature and make stories out of them.

For more information about Julian and his work, visit his website at https://juliantryst.com/

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

GARVEY FEINSTEIN: HOLLYWOOD PREDATOR

The story of the rise and fall of a lecherous and uncouth Hollywood mogul named Garvey. A man who sought clout and influence to remedy his past frustrations, and who ended up using and abusing those things mainly on members of the opposite sex.

As an attorney and civil justice advocate, author Mark M. Bello draws upon over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series.

A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.

Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients, but captivating novels to his readers.

When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. Mark and his wife, Tobye, have four children and 8 grandchildren.

To learn more about Mark and his work visit www.markmbello.com

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• About Happy Jack Sad Jack and His Social Justice/Safety Series for Kids

HAPPY JACK SAD JACK

Jack has always been a very happy little boy.

But when he starts kindergarten, he discovers he is different than the others. For the very first time, he is bullied—Happy Jack suddenly becomes Sad Jack.

What should Jack do? Should he tell an adult? His parents? Would his teacher or principal understand? What can they do to help?

As parents, we want certain things for our kids. Mainly, we want them to be happy. Can today’s kids celebrate their differences, or are they doomed to fight over them like generations before?

Jack’s school community learns an important lesson as attorney/author Mark M. Bello presents Jack’s compelling story in rhyme, beautifully and dramatically illustrated by Melinda Falgoust:

“People are different in color, shape, size.

Kristin Bloch first began rhyming words together at a very young age. Soon these words expanded into poems and stories that enchanted family and friends. A compilation of those writings was recently released in her first book, Walk Through a Field of Flowers. Kristin works full time and has earned an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix. Kristin is also a certified personal trainer and certified Pilates instructor, teaching several classes each week. Scatter Seeds of Kindness is her second book.

You can Learn more about Kristin Bloch and her work on her website at KABlochauthor.com

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:

• About Scatter Seeds of Kindness and the inspiration behind the story.

SCATTER SEEDS OF KINDNESS

Scatter Seeds of Kindness presents a new collection of poetry from K. A. Bloch, the author of Walk through a Field of Flowers. Her poetry explores a wide variety of themes, such as memories and how they impact our life, the passage of time, stereotypes within society, and bullying. She also includes fun and lighthearted poems designed to bring a smile to your face and shares her struggles with trying to practice kindness and not always succeeding. Sometimes raw and vulnerable, sometimes light and humorous, these verses encourage you to be kind not only to others but also to yourself. This poetry collection presents personal life experiences and thoughts set in verses and provides the inspiration or motivation behind each poem. Scatter seeds of kindness Wherever you may go. Reach deep inside your heart And scatter them to and fro. Scatter seeds of kindness And bring a few to share. You never know when you'll find the chance To show someone you care.

CONNECT WITH KRISTIN BLOCH:

WEBSITE: https://www.kablochauthor.com/

As an attorney and civil justice advocate, author Mark M. Bello draws upon over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series.

A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.

Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients, but captivating novels to his readers.

When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. Mark and his wife, Tobye, have four children and 8 grandchildren.

To learn more about Mark and his work visit www.markmbello.com

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About You Have the Right to Remain Silent and the inspiration behind the story.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT

Expect the unexpected in this whodunit legal crime thriller, the 8th installment of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, featuring all your favorite series characters and one brash, exciting newcomer who gives Blake all he can handle.

THE BLAKE-LEWIN FAMILY COOKBOOK OF TRADITIONAL JEWISH RECIPES

Hi folks, Mark M. Bello, author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series here. Family, ethnic identity, holidays, and food are vital components of the Jewish experience. The delightful family recipes contained in this book have been handed down, l'dor v'dor—from generation to generation by precious family members from both sides of my family, some still with us, others of blessed memory. Somehow, despite tremendous adversity and tragedy, the Jews and Jewish family traditions have survived. Mitch pacha is important to me—I am who I am because of the influence and contributions of my family. My Jewish identity is also why I am so passionate about social justice—as you may have noticed, most Jewish holidays celebrate events in history when those in power tried to kill or harm the Jews. They failed, hence, holiday celebrations. Hopefully, these recipes will now endure, a lasting tribute to cherished family members and memories. I hope you enjoy this book, the delightful family stories woven between the delightful recipes, and the recipes themselves. If you happen to be Jewish, you will, no doubt, recognize many of these dishes. Perhaps your own family has created a special version of one or many. If you are not Jewish, hopefully the stories and recipes will, in some small way, help provide an better understanding of or connection to the Jewish experience. Either way, thanks for indulging my family memories as transmitted through my fictional character, Zachary Blake, Detroit's King of Justice. L'Chaim—To Life! Let's Eat!

CONNECT WITH MARK BELLO!

Website: https://www.markmbello.com

Recently awarded a Gold Medal by Reader Views 2021-22 Literary Awards in the Mystery/Thriller category, writing started for Gary D. McGugan after a 40-year career in the world of business. He’s worked in supermarkets, sold appliances, distributed motorcycles, launched an automobile dealer network, and provided financing to help businesses grow. Every industry was very different from the other. Each company had a distinctive culture and character, but all were units of large corporations with operations around the globe. Travel has always been a large component of his business roles and he’s now visited more than 650 towns and cities in more than fifty countries for either business or leisure. Experts say we should write about things we know best. In Gary’s case, those subjects are business, travel, and people. As an author, his goal is to entertain readers around the world — one at a time.

For more information about Gary D. McGugan and his work visit https://www.garydmcguganbooks.com.

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About A Slippery Shadow and the inspiration behind the story

A SLIPPERY SHADOW

Snatched from her private jet, crime-boss Fidelia Morales barely escapes with her life. Now she wants revenge. But her gang of criminals is thrown into chaos as dozens of key operatives suddenly disappear.

CONNECT WITH GARY MCGUGAN!

Website:                     https://www.garydmcguganbooks.com

I grew up in Barnegat NJ, and had a Huck Finn childhood, surrounded by woods, streams, and meadows. In the 1950s, 1200 people lived there. I have two younger sisters, Laura and Liza, both now professionally accomplished, with kids and husbands. Our Dad, a merchant seaman for most of his life, had a small business raising lab mice for companies like Squibbs and Merck. He was an amazing story teller, a great little league coach, and a town character. Mom was from the mountain region of North Carolina. She graduated from college, was a teacher and taught us kids to read early.

Dad lost the business and returned to sea and we moved from Barnegat to a North Jersey suburb when I was 13.  I ran track and cross country at Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale. In 1969, I attended the University of Kansas on a small track scholarship, where I studied and graduated with a double major BA in Economics and History (and also met Liz, my ex-wife and now friend.)

We moved from Kansas to Salt Lake City, then to Eugene Oregon, where Liz and separated and divorced. During that time, I worked as a laborer, a forklift driver, landscaper, and other jobs while I wrote quite a few short stories, a couple of plays, and began my first novel about college life, (from which I incorporated large chunks into my SwiftPad Trilogy).  I taught myself land surveying and associated Civil Engineering, then worked in the field and in the office for Eugene Public Works.

I met Mary, and began to study Chinese at the University of Oregon, and then was invited by my language instructor and friend Qi Xinghua to teach English in Xian China.  After six months, Mary joined me. In 1986, we moved to Beijing where Mary studied Chinese and worked at the US Embassy's school and I taught at the Foreign Language Institute. Two years later, we returned to the US, broke, with son Zach on the way. I got a job in a Florida strip mall computer store.  On the job, and with self-study, I learned computer hardware, software, networking, IT security, ‘hacking’, and other associated technologies.

I changed jobs every few years, and wrote intermittently, mostly on my China novel “Farewell the Dragon”. Thirty years later I retired from IBM, and wrote “The SwiftPad Trilogy.”

For more information on Lee Barckmann and his work, visit www.barckwords.com. 

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About Farewell the Dragon and the inspiration behind the story

FAREWELL THE DRAGON

In Farewell the Dragon, Nate Scheutt, American, 35, is pulled into a politically charged murder investigation when he stumbles onto the bodies of two young Europeans on a prestigious Beijing university campus. Gradually Nate discovers the case is entwined with an international quest for a small stone tablet, (a stele) that might contain the key to ancient China's long-lost link with the West.

In the 1980's, old Beijing's walls and hutong alleyways were disappearing, victims of Deng Xiaoping's proclamation 致富光 荣!(To get rich is glorious!). While juggling teaching English, his business, (and women), Nate seeks refuge at the bar on the roof of the Friendship Hotel with a legation of self-imposed exiles from the both sides of the Cold War. There he enters a netherworld of sex, spies, strange religion and the hidden history of China's Cultural Revolution.

Jan Phillips' quest has taken her into and out of a religious convent, across the country on a Honda motorcycle, and around the world on a one-woman peace pilgrimage. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Livingkindness Foundation, which created a Learning Center in Nigeria and supports anti-racist creative projects by black women in the U.S.

Jan is the author of eleven award-winning books and a thought leader who bridges spiritual intelligence, evolutionary creativity, and social transformation. She has taught in over 25 countries, and has published work in the New York Times, Ms., Newsday, People, Parade Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Spirituality and Health, Science of Mind, National Catholic Reporter, Sun Magazine. Still on Fire: Field Notes from a Queer Mystic is her first memoir.

For more information about Jan Phillips and her work visit her website at www.janphillips.com.

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• About the book and her inspiration for writing it.

STILL ON FIRE: FIELD NOTES FROM A QUEER MYSTIC

Jan Phillips was a devoted Catholic who wanted nothing more than to be a nun and who joyously entered the convent at 18. Two years later, she was dismissed for “a disposition unsuited to religious life, with excessive and exclusive friendships.” She was lesbian. She had always known it. “It was being homosexual that made me want to kill myself [at 12]. As far as I knew, there was nothing worse than being queer. They were perverts, sinners, hated by God, hated by just about everyone. Lezzies, bull dykes, fags, queers, lesbos―all damned, and there I was, one of them.”

Still on Fire is a memoir of religious wounding and spiritual healing, of judgment and forgiveness, and of social activism in a world that is in our hands. Phillips traveled the globe on a one-woman peace pilgrimage, raised the consciousness of women, faced her privilege on a trip to India, and is working to dismantle structural racism. Her The Livingkindness Foundation supports schoolchildren in Nigeria. “Any spirituality that does not bring about more justice, more social awareness, more right action in the world is a lame and impotent excuse for faith … My action for justice is my spirituality.” Over the years, Phillips created a life of love, service, community, and prayer. She evolved her understanding of God and came to see herself―and all of us―as the light of the world. “Had I not been born gay … my heart would not have broken in half, would not have opened itself to Love Supreme, would not have been tenderized by life’s bitter pounding.” She tells the story of her life with humor and compassion, sharing her poetry, songs, and photos along the way.