Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read

E196 - Alan Black - From Song Writer to Author, Start With a Blank Canvas and Share The Story You Create

Our Guest:
Alan was raised and grew up in the United Methodist Church. While I do proudly embrace my background and personal history within the United Methodist Church, I do feel that ultimately what is important is not the denomination that you are a part of. What matters most is the relationship that you have with the Lord. Part and parcel to any relationship is the level of commitment that one makes to it. With any and all relationships they are going to take time to grow.

​Through the years, if I were to describe my relationship with the Lord using one word it would be “transformation.” Continuing to grow daily in my walk with the Lord, and as well continue to display the fruits of his Spirit daily is for me what my life is all about.

AlantBlack.com
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EPISODE 195 - James MacDonald Author of First Time Dad and Host of Dad Mind Matters - Parenting, Marriage & Mental Health For Men

About James Macdonald
I am James Macdonald and 5 years ago, I was stressed and overwhelmed at my role as a husband and (exhausted) father of 3, not really knowing how to be the best man I could be.

Many years, pitfalls and enough flat whites to sink a battleship later, I’m a lot happier and confident and on a mission to help other dads be the best family man they can be without losing their minds.

First Time Dad is for the new(ish) dads who feel totally overwhelmed at their new responsibility and feel like their mental health is on a slow and silent decline.

Book: First Time Dad: The 42-Week Guide For Men To Help Your Partner Have A Calm & Confident Pregnancy

If you want to effectively support your partner during pregnancy, and strengthen your relationship and mental health, keep reading...

If you're going to be a dad, congratulations, that's awesome!

That said, if you worry about this life-changing experience negatively affecting your mental health, you'd be right to. Recent statistics show that up to 50% of all new dads experience depression if their partner gets postnatal depression.

Are you concerned your little blessing might drive a baby-shaped wedge between you? Then your spidey senses are on the money because studies show that dads are three times more likely to die after a relationship breakdown than women.

Are you anxious that the general stress of family life might damage your mental health? This is a justified concern as suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. If any of these concerns resonate with you, don't worry; you're in safe, albeit slightly weathered, hands. James Macdonald is a happy and mostly calm dad of three.

In First Time Dad you’ll learn:

Week-to-week explanations of what’s happening for your baby and inside your partner
How to be a big help, not a major hindrance, during the delivery
How to help your partner get physically fit and ready for birth
What to expect at your 12 and 20-week scans
How to keep her & your sense of humor during those high-pressure moments
How to mentally prepare for the birth if you're squeamish
What to do when you need reassurance but don't want to burden her
Advice on having sex and maintaining intimacy throughout pregnancy
How to keep calm when all hell is breaking loose
What a birth plan is and how to prepare one
What nesting is and how to use it to your advantage
What you can do to develop, strengthen and prepare your mental health for the big day and beyond it
What you need to do & say to ensure everyone’s mental health remains intact
Road-tested survival tips for dads to ensure you don't continue to put your foot in it
If you're ready to start the journey from knee-trembling novice to a contender for dad of the year and maybe prove your mother-in-law massively wrong
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EPISODE 194 - Cori Sykes - Author and Publisher Provides A Master Class for New Authors on Working With a Publisher

Meet Cori Sykes | Author & Owner of Write and Vibe Publishing

Write and Vibe (Vibes) is an independent publishing company in Cleveland, Ohio, founded in 2020 by Cori Sykes. Vibes was originally slated to open as a writer’s only co-working location in Cleveland, Ohio, but due to COVID-19, plans were halted, adjusted, and changed to allow Vibes to press forward.

As an independent publisher, Vibes is a proud member of the Independent Book Publishers Association and follows the strict guidelines set by them in order to publish quality works that authors can be proud of. Our flexible packages allow authors to find an affordable plan that will bring their manuscript to life.

When you work with us, regardless of whether you select an a-la-carte service or a full service package, you can rest assured knowing that we strive to make sure that your books can compete in the marketplace right next to those that have been traditionally published. After all, whether you’re a debut or seasoned author, you should only have to worry about writing. Let’s get lit!

Website: https://writeandvibe.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/writeandvibe

Facebook: https://facebook.com/writeandvibe

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRi0g0oKQ4ZaCugmP9xzyCg

Other: https://instagram.com/corieverafter

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EPISODE 193 - Tess Scott - battling boys in adolescence, breast cancer and the loneliness of an extrovert working from home

More About Tess Scott
Tess Scott is a Christian speaker, an award-winning author, and a former black sheep turned “Jesus Girl.”  With humour and vulnerability, this Canadian mom of 8 is on mission to help other women with messy stories to shed their shame by teaching them who they are in Christ, so they will embrace the power of God in their imperfect lives. 

Tess has lived through multiple divorces, married her husband twice, and watched in awe as God has guided her through breast cancer, bathroom renovations and menopausal hormones. Her redeemed life screams of the prodigal daughter unmistakably chosen, and it’s this hope, this story of redemption and God’s indisputable faithfulness that Tess brings to encourage women. Her first book “Listen, Sister! Finding Hope in The Freakshow of Life” (Morgan James Publishers) launched June 2022.  When she’s not on the road spreading hope and laughter, Tess continues the next phase of hilariously awkward moments in Sarnia Ontario to the ongoing embarrassment of her family.

https://tessscott.com/
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EPISODE 192 - Jane Frkovich - Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction and a New Podcast To Support Her Writings

Welcome to the urban fantasy and science fiction world of author Jane Frkovich

Goddess of Rain, Part 1 in the Lost Gods Series - Available Now!
Since Zoe leaving high school, Zoe’s life has been going nowhere. She spends her days working at the grocery store, being friend-zoned by her fellow grocery worker Brandon Chan, and obsessively crushing on handsome and rich Colton Chase, who sometimes visits the store.

One day in line for frozen yogurt, she bumps into Colton Chase and she is thrilled to find out he knows her name. Then, she goes to the park and finds her long dead mom alive and well. It turns out her mom didn’t die but was travelling the universe with the Greek god Zeus.  If her mom’s boyfriend is Zeus, then who is her mom?  Zoe’s not sure if her mom was kidnapped or if she abandoned her.  Her mom has returned to whisk Zoe away in Zeus’s space ship because the earth is falling apart and will soon be uninhabitable. Suddenly, Zoe is plunged into the world of lost gods.

Underworld Rising
When Zoe stood on the edge of a volcano and chose between two loves, one a god and one a man, she may have sealed the fate of the earth. And the earth is in trouble.

The Lost Gods Series continues with Underworld Rising. Earth’s climate is under attack because of Hephaestus’ curse. On top of that, the world is on the verge of war with the Underworld because the goddess Hera has stirred up the ancient hatred between Cyclopes and humans. Hera will stop at nothing, even the destruction of the earth’s people, to destroy Zoe, the daughter of the woman who stole Zeus’s heart. It may all come down to the choices Zoe makes with her own heart. She has an important destiny and it will determine the fate of the world.

https://www.instagram.com/janefrkovich/
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EPISODE 191 - Helen Zee - fertility, intimacy and menstrual health practitioner for women and men who wish to enhance their relationship

Helen Zee is passionate about creating a future world of conscious relationships and parenting by firstly exploring intimacy of thyself. As a Fertility  Intimacy and Menstrual Health Practitioner she helps open the pathway of higher expression of our truest nature. Supporting the emergence of satisfying relationships, optimizing lifestyle and using conscious conception for optimizing fertility. Helen challenges the status quo of “stuckness and stagnation” to create newness and flow. Helen engages with couples and singles, and welcomes invitations from private and the public health sector. People call her “all heart and presence”. She has an innate ability to listen beyond the primary layers and offer insights into behavioural change. Helen offering includes workshops, private consulting, retreats and welcomes speaking opportunities on sexuality, transforming relationships and fertility. Helen is an author, speaker and here to transform the fertility sector into an empowered birth space of choice and radical growth.

Book: Consciously Conceive Your Baby: Inner Secrets to Boost Your Fertility and Getting Pregnant

Do you wish to birth your baby and relish a deep love and intimate connection reserved for sacred conception? Whether you are trying to conceive for the first time or you simply wish to explore the sacredness and mystery of conception, pregnancy, and relationships on a deeper level, Consciously Conceive Your Baby offers a unique opportunity to awaken your natural intuition and regain trust in your body's natural ability to conceive.

This groundbreaking book will empower you to get back in touch with your sensuality and nourish your relationship, strengthening your bond as future parents as you create your baby from the inside out. Once you know, you cannot un-know.

As you awaken the sacred process of conscious conception, you will discover ways to fine-tune your body, reconnect with nature, and make behavioral changes that will open your life up to conception.

https://helenzee.com/
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EPISODE 190 - Holly Curby - Author of Face Lift - Embracing Hope Through Your Heartaches

Book Info
In Face-Lift, Holly Curby provides insight into using social media as a positive outlet, showing how it helped her focus on her faith while overcoming her fears as she persevered through trials in her life. Face-Lift will equip you for your own personal growth, reminding you that no matter the challenges, you can embrace hope through your heartaches as you have a total Face-Lift.

Holly Curby is a contributing writer to the devotional magazine Journey, is a local life reporter for the City Journals in Utah, and has been interviewed by the New York Times, local network affiliates, and the Salt Lake Tribune, among others. Holly has received the Inspirational Award from the Chick-fil-A Foundation and served in many areas of ministry. Her twenty-five plus years in marketing, a master's degree in leadership and management, and serving in executive leadership roles have provided a platform for her to provide leadership coaching and host Holly's Highlights podcast. She currently serves as the director of community and culture at two Chick-fil-A franchises in Utah. Holly enjoys being with her family, traveling, and showing love and encouragement to those she meets.

Website: https://www.hollycurby.com/

Holly's Highlights Podcast:
https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1444210.rss
https://www.hollycurby.com/hollyshighlightspodcast

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EPISODE 189 - Andy and Kayla Izard from The Raft Project - Building a Safe Community Where you Can Be REAL

This movement is a place
to let our walls down.
No hidden agendas. No pitches, preachers, or pledges. Just supporting others and allowing them to support us. We're building relationships with people who know us and genuinely care about us.

Our goal is to make connection a little easier – a tad less scary.

The Book: Good, and You?
Why is connection, vulnerability, and support so damn hard sometimes? How can we have more access to each other than ever, and still be so lonely? What will it take for us to open up about the things that actually matter?

In this lively manifesto/guidebook on connection, we'll talk about:
How to find safe people
If anyone even wants to support us
Why self-care isn't enough
How to protect ourselves and connect
How to start those deep conversations

If you’re ready to start working towards a new normal, this may be the book for you. Build your raft. We'd love for you to be a part of ours.

https://www.theraftproject.com/
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EPISODE 188 - Rick Cua - Musician and Author of What Are You Known For - A Thirty One Day Journal Around Legacy

In a society that seeks fame and fortune above all, Rick Cua’s simple mission – to share the love of God through music – is a cool drink of water in a dry land. Add to that wide-ranging experience and wisdom gained from over thirty nine years in music ministry and business, along with a gift of encouragement and you have the components of an artist, teacher and speaker with a passion for helping others find their fullness in Christ.

Currently, Rick focuses his time on front-line ministry at Grace Chapel in Franklin, TN. He stays active in music through speaking, writing and publishing along with playing and recording with his long time band, Blues Counsel and recently releasing his 3rd book, What Are You Known For? 31-Day Devotional & Journal. All this to support his personal mission of sharing the power of God’s Word through music, the written and spoken word and hands on ministry.

Rick’s career as a musician has always carried the hallmark of an artist who passionately holds on to his Biblical convictions and communicates uplifting and straightforward messages to his audience. All of his songs are written with the intent to ultimately point to Christ.

“Music is such a motivator. When you put the truth in music, and you hit that emotional nerve, it works,” explains Rick. “I feel called to build people up. My goal is to take the Word and Godly principles and attach it to music that is going to get them excited, and want to sing along and want to believe in what they are hearing and what they are singing…as an artist, that’s what it’s all about.”

To that end, Rick continues to write and record new songs that have been born out of a progressive artistic vision. His involvement in the burgeoning praise and worship community over the years is definitely having an impact.

“Many of the songs I write are anthemic in nature; big choruses and a message that's motivating and uplifting. My hope has always been that after listening or singing along people will feel better about life, themselves and about the power of God working in and through them”

Originally from Syracuse, New York, Rick’s Italian heritage is apparent in his first instrument—as a young boy, he started on the accordion. He eventually moved on to the piano, trumpet, clarinet, guitar, and eventually settled on the bass—and rock music. Membership in early bands fed his musical obsession, and led to paying gigs by age 14 and an inevitable career choice.

What Are You Known For? Building Your Legacy One Brick At A Time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Cua
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EPISODE 187 - Trish Michael - Author of Children's Books that Teach Us To Love Ourselves and Her Mission to Be A Happy Mom

Written for her own kids at difficult times in their lives, Trish’s books empower, uplift and impart a positive message of self love, helping kids (and adults) to thrive through trauma, hardships and just daily life.

Three uplifting and empowering books; Find Your Happy, LIGHT and The Sorry Monster.

Find Your Happy - Finding happiness despite difficult circumstances

LIGHT - developing confidence in decision making, even when it’s hard

The Sorry Monster - creating self-worth and more meaningful communication

From young children coping with trauma, to troubled teens who might need a nudge towards owning their behavior, to adults who may have forgotten a bit of themselves along their way, these books make the perfect gift for any age!

https://www.trishmichael.com/
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