Bestselling author Gregory E. Lang—writer of Why a Daughter Needs a Dad and more than fifty books—joins host Rico Figliolini for a heartfelt, inspiring conversation on turning life into literature. Greg opens up about the cardboard box of memories that sparked his first book, the four-year grind and sixty-two rejections that preceded his breakthrough, and the simple business lesson that reframed his career: build income that isn’t tied to hours. From royalties to resilience, he shares how a father’s love became a perennial gift-book phenomenon and why storytelling can carry a family’s legacy across generations.

We also dig into the craft and the business: the shift from traditional publishing to self-publishing, how faith and counseling experience shape his work, and why writing for his grandchildren now drives his pace. Greg talks candidly about criticism, creative freedom, and his novel To Echo and Remain—plus what’s next. Resources mentioned: gregoryelang.com, Gregory E. Lang on Amazon, and his Goodreads page. If you need a shot of purpose (and a few practical playbooks for creative careers), this one’s for you.

Key takeaways

• The “box factory” mindset: create assets that earn beyond your time.
  
  
• Why a Daughter Needs a Dad started as a box of mementos—and became a perennial bestseller.
  
  
• Four years, 62 rejections: how persistence and the right publisher changed everything.
  
  
• Gift books as “seasonal perennials” (Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.) keep selling for years.
  
  
• Psychology and counseling informed Greg’s voice: compassionate, non-preachy, resonant.
  
  
• Social era reality: authors need platform; publishers expect a digital footprint.
  
  
• Why Greg self-publishes select Christian and children’s titles (speed, message fit, control).
  
  
• Royalties = “mailbox money”: not instant wealth, but genuine lifestyle freedom.
  
  
• Handling criticism without losing your center—and writing for the readers who love you.
  
  
• Legacy lens: writing now for grandchildren and future readers.

Timestamp: 
(00:00:01) Introductions and about Greg. 
(00:02:26) The inspiration—and necessity—behind his first book idea. 
(00:07:10) Turning personal moments into a global phenomenon. 
(00:10:12) From seasonal gift books to twenty-one appearances on The New York Times list. (00:15:02) How his psychology background shapes his storytelling. 
(00:17:03) Four years, sixty-two rejections, and the publisher who finally said yes. (00:19:16) The changing face of publishing and social media’s impact.
(00:22:24) Why he turned to self-publishing and faith-driven storytelling. 
(00:27:15) Navigating criticism and maintaining perspective. 
(00:31:22) Creating To Echo and Remain and the real events that inspired it. (00:37:32) Challenges of genre-shifting and modern publishing expectations. (00:39:56) Lessons from rejection and future projects in development. 
(00:44:39) Where to find Gregory E. Lang online and connect with his work. 


Resources:

Gregory E. Lang Website: gregoryelang.com
Amazon Author Page: Gregory E. Lang on Amazon 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/105758.Gregory_E_Lang