The Published Pearl with Dr. Carolyn Wiley

Are you tired of the diet rollercoaster? Ken Kleinberg, founder of Mastery Weight Loss, unpacks the hidden truths behind the diet industry that keeps you trapped in a cycle of failure. With over 65 pounds lost and maintained for seven years, Ken reveals how he broke free from the yo-yo dieting trap and transformed his health journey into a sustainable lifestyle.  

In this episode, Dr. Carolyn Wiley engages Ken in a candid conversation about overcoming the diet mentality and embracing a new approach to health mastery. Together, they explore the business model of dieting and how it preys on our insecurities, leading us to repeat the same patterns. Ken shares his powerful framework for health mastery, emphasizing that it’s not about strict diets or temporary solutions—it's about owning your journey and making lasting changes.  

You'll discover:

- The shocking truth about why diets are designed to fail—Ken exposes the industry's profit-driven motives.

- Practical strategies to shift your mindset from temporary weight loss to permanent health mastery.

- How small, sustainable changes can lead to big results, without sacrificing the lifestyle you love.

- The importance of identity in the weight loss journey and how embracing your true self can lead to lasting transformations.  

Why does this matter? Because the consequences of falling for diet culture can affect your physical and mental well-being. Ken's insights provide a beacon of hope for anyone who has lost hope in their weight loss journey. He emphasizes that it’s never too late to reclaim your health and rewrite your story.  

This episode is essential listening for anyone feeling trapped by diet culture, looking for inspiration and practical solutions to achieve lasting health. Tune in and start your journey toward true health mastery!  

Ken Kleinberg is the founder and CEO of Mastery Weight Loss, known for helping individuals break free from diets and embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Connect with him at https://masteryweightloss.com/connect

Book a call to write your own book at https://roseandpearl.net/booking

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Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

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🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

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It's launch day for Crowned in Beauty — and we're marking it with the story behind the book.

Everyone knows Esther for one line: "for such a time as this." Almost no one talks about the 12 months before it — a beauty regimen she didn't choose, that prepared her not to lead her people, but for the chance to. In this episode, Michelle Rose — beauty strategist and host of Making Life Beautiful Again — joins Dr. Carolyn Wiley to unpack what that year actually means, and why she'd argue beauty was never meant to be vanity.

Michelle shares the pastor's-kid upbringing that taught her beauty was something to hide, the beauty pageant that broke her heart wide open, and the 8 beauty pillars — body, mind, and spirit — that became the framework behind her debut book, Crowned in Beauty: Esther's Secret to Stewarding Your Beauty and Stepping Into Purpose.

📖 Get Crowned in Beauty (Kindle on sale for launch week) — available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold

🎉 Join the all-day launch party (trivia, bingo, giveaways) — Making Life Beautiful Again on Facebook

💌 Take the free Beauty Assessment + get your 7-day reset — MichelleDayRose.com

📲 Follow Michelle — Making Life Beautiful Again on Facebook

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 – Do you remember the last time you twirled?

00:18 – Welcome to launch day for Crowned in Beauty

03:07 – The girl who twirled: why the book starts there

05:48 – Growing up a pastor's kid and the "crown of glory" hair story

09:52 – Who was Hadassah before she became Esther?

14:13 – Why Esther's 12 months of prep shaped Michelle's whole framework

18:59 – Michelle's own pageant story — and her sister's

30:40 – Beauty as spiritual warfare

36:59 – Inside the book: the 8 beauty pillars and the beauty treatments

42:58 – What's next: the sequel, Crowned in Purpose

44:12 – Launch day party details

46:26 – Take the free Beauty Assessment quiz

54:09 – Where to find Michelle

55:12 – Closing

This is The Published Pearl Podcast — conversations with Christian authors turning their message into a book. New episodes weekly.

#CrownedInBeauty #QueenEsther #ChristianWomen #BeautyStrategist #BookLaunch

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

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🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

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Unlock the hidden potential of LinkedIn for your Christian business with Sandy Zeisler, a LinkedIn strategist who’s been transforming connections into clients for over 15 years. In this enlightening discussion with host Dr. Carolyn Wiley, discover why overlooking your LinkedIn presence could mean missing out on your ideal audience.  

Sandy shares her journey from the corporate world to becoming a sought-after expert in leveraging LinkedIn for business growth. With her motto that "the fortune is in the follow-up," you’ll learn how to turn casual connections into meaningful relationships that lead to opportunities. Sandy provides actionable insights on maintaining your network, emphasizing the importance of consistent follow-ups and authentic engagement.  

You'll discover:  

- The simple systems that can replace expensive software for managing your connections.  

- How to craft a LinkedIn profile that speaks directly to your ideal client.  

- Strategies for reaching out without sounding salesy or transactional, ensuring genuine conversations.  

- The key to utilizing Excel as a powerful tool for tracking your follow-up efforts.  

This episode isn’t just for seasoned entrepreneurs; it’s essential listening for anyone looking to tap into the power of LinkedIn to grow their influence and client base. If you’re a Christian founder wondering how to navigate this platform effectively, you’ll find invaluable tips to elevate your outreach game.  

Join us for this transformative conversation that could reshape your approach to networking. Perfect for Christian entrepreneurs ready to take their LinkedIn strategy to the next level!

Connect with Sandy at mozyclicks.com or on LinkedIN at https://www.linkedin.com/in/szeiszler/

Apply for the 90-Day Book Accelerator by booking a call at https://roseandpearl.net/booking

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

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✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

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🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

Most of the time on this podcast we talk strategy — writing, publishing, growing a business. But none of that matters if it's built on shaky spiritual ground. Today Dr. Carolyn Wiley sits down with Kathy, founder of Watered by the Word, to talk about the foundation everything else has to be built on: a real, day-in-day-out relationship with Jesus.

Kathy equips Christian women to grow in spiritual maturity and live out their calling in Christ. She's a Bible teacher, devotional writer, and worship musician who helps women move beyond spiritual complacency into consistent time in Scripture — including using scripture-based music to help you memorize God's word.

In this conversation, Kathy and Carolyn talk about:

What spiritual complacency actually looks like (even when you're "doing all the right things")

Why checking boxes — church, a quick devotional, a Bible study — isn't the same as being nourished

How to start small: five minutes, three minutes, even thirty seconds with the Lord

Why "I don't have time" is really "I'm not prioritizing this right now"

Why high-achieving women are especially prone to building on shaky spiritual ground

How scripture memorization (and music) hides God's word in your heart for the long haul

What it looks like to guard your own spiritual foundation in a busy season

Kathy's anchor passage, Matthew 28:19-20, and the call to be a disciple who makes disciples

⏱️ Chapters 0:00 – Why foundation matters before strategy 2:29 – Kathy's story: from a 9-to-5 to Watered by the Word 4:10 – Where the name "Watered by the Word" came from 5:38 – What spiritual complacency really looks like 8:13 – What it means to actually be watered by the word 11:16 – "I don't have time" vs. what we're really prioritizing 12:12 – Why it's easy to build on shaky spiritual ground (especially for high achievers) 14:21 – Your walk with God and your ability to sustain a calling 15:46 – Using music to hide scripture in your heart 18:50 – A simple first step when you're running spiritually empty 20:08 – Bringing scripture music into your everyday life 21:31 – How Kathy guards her own foundation in busy seasons 25:37 – Kathy's anchor scripture: Matthew 28:19-20 29:08 – If this stirred something in you, start here 30:39 – Where to find Kathy and get plugged in

🔗 Connect with Kathy / Watered by the Word Website: https://wateredbytheword.com Substack: @wateredbytheword YouTube: search "Watered by the Word" for scripture songs and teaching Podcast: Wake Up My Daughters

🔗 Connect with Dr. Carolyn Wiley / The Published Pearl Rose & Pearl Publishing: https://roseandpearl.net

Before you build the next thing — make sure you're watered first. Let God's word be the foundation everything else gets built on.

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe for new episodes of The Published Pearl and leave a review — it helps other faith-driven writers and entrepreneurs find the show.

#ThePublishedPearl #WateredByTheWord #ChristianPodcast #SpiritualFoundation #ChristianWomen

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

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🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

What if the messy, chaotic process of writing a book could be your secret weapon? Join Dr. Carolyn Wiley as she pulls back the curtain on her unique approach to crafting her upcoming book, *Authority Unlocked*, designed specifically for Christian entrepreneurs ready to showcase their expertise. This episode invites you into the clarity stage of writing—a step most authors overlook—where real transformation begins.

Dr. Carolyn Wiley is not just talking about the final product; she’s sharing her raw, unfiltered journey of building a book from scratch. In this revealing session, you’ll discover how to navigate the clarity stage, the importance of mind mapping, and why your outline should be a living document that evolves with your ideas. Carolyn emphasizes the critical questions you must answer before you even start writing: Who is your book for? What beliefs do you want to challenge? What tangible transformation do you want your readers to experience?

You'll learn about:

- The clarity stage and why it's vital for a coherent manuscript.

- How to brainstorm effectively using mind maps to capture your ideas.

- The role of outlines in guiding your writing process without stifling creativity.

- Real-life examples from Carolyn’s own writing journey that illustrate the chaos—and beauty—of creating a book.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in writing purgatory, unsure how to shape your ideas, this episode is a must-listen. Carolyn’s insights will not only inspire you to embrace the messiness of the creative process but also equip you with actionable strategies to transform your thoughts into a compelling manuscript.

Perfect for aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to unlock their voice and authority—this episode shows you that clarity doesn’t come before action; it comes through it. Dive into the chaos with Carolyn and learn how to turn your ideas into a book only you can write. Don’t miss this chance to transform your writing journey!

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

Furry Mic Cover for Noise Reduction: https://amzn.to/43vMBXR

🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

You finished your book. It's live. You celebrated. And now... what?

In this episode of The Published Pearl, Dr. Carolyn Wiley sits down with Jeanette Peterson — prophetic strategist, Air Force veteran, and former military cybersecurity and corporate operations leader who now equips spirit-led women to turn their businesses into kingdom-building systems. Jeanette brings the same operational precision she used running seven-figure businesses to the question every author faces after launch day: how do I actually sell this book?

Together, Carolyn and Jeanette break down the seven systems every growing business needs, exactly where a book fits into that picture, and how a simple five-question quiz can qualify readers into clients on autopilot — without you having to be in it every day.

• Why so many authors go quiet after launch day — and what happens in the gap between the celebration and the day-to-day work of selling
• How Jeanette built a quiz-based system to sell her husband's book after watching him give copies away with no strategy behind them
• Why quizzes outperform other lead magnets: low pressure, high engagement, and built for how people actually scroll
• How an AI-built quiz can take your book's framework (even from a memoir) and turn it into a scoring system that tells you exactly who's ready for the next step
• The five-question rule — why shorter, more specific quizzes convert better than long ones
• Jeanette's Seven Figure Systems: visibility, team development, sales, client management, relationship, offer management, and operations — and what breaks at each revenue stage (100K, 250K, 500K)
• Why your book is part of both your visibility system and your sales system, not something that just sits on a shelf
• Why Carolyn and Jeanette both run their businesses on a white-labeled version of Go High Level, and how one platform replaces the need for Calendly, Kajabi, and a dozen other tools
• The Holy Spirit Blueprint — how Jeanette brings God into business strategy and platform decisions
• Jeanette's own story of resisting YouTube for a year, then going from stalled to 30,000 monthly views in two months once she obeyed
• The Queen Bee content system Carolyn uses to repurpose one piece of content across YouTube, Substack, Facebook, Instagram, and reels
• What qualifies an author for Jeanette's quiz-building workshop — and who it's not the right fit for
• How to relaunch an older book and use short-window sales volume to land it on a bestseller list again

Jeanette's live build-out workshop is best suited for authors and business owners who:

• Are on Go High Level (or willing to get it)
• Have a nonfiction or business book with a clear backend offer
• Want a working quiz funnel built live, in real time, by the end of the session

It's not designed for fiction authors, or memoirists without a backend offer — if that's you, Jeanette and Carolyn both note there are other paths better suited to your work.

"A book is legacy. A book is a product that is unchanged once it's in print. And when you have that book, go do what God's asking you to do, which is multiply the kingdom, help people get changed, change lives with it." — Jeanette Peterson

📅 Jeanette's next live quiz-building workshop: August 19th at 1 PM PST 🔗 https://7figsys.com/f2f-author?am_id=carolyn6351

🔗 Book a call with Dr. Carolyn to build a book that grows your business: https://roseandpearl.net/booking

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

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🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

On March 4th, 2021, Jessica Ellington's life split into a before and after. In a single morning, she lost her husband Matt and her two children, Evangeline and Lincoln, in a car accident. This episode is the conversation behind her new memoir, From We to Me: Let Me Paint You My Story — and it holds grief and joy in the same breath, exactly like her life does.

We talk about the turquoise Bible found at the scene, the phrase "it's okay to not be okay" that she came to hate, what widow's brain actually feels like, and why the most random things (an MMA fight, a picture of an apple) can trigger a wave of grief years later. We also talk about her cat Darcy, acorns mysteriously stuffed in a dryer vent, and how she turned grief into a full-blown art business.

If you've ever walked through loss, or you're trying to figure out how to show up for someone who has, this one will change how you show up.

Get the book: https://a.co/d/00QaVyTm

Follow Jessica's art: instagram.com/poured_out_art

Jessica's website: www.pouredout.art

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Meet Jessica Ellington

01:58 – Who Jessica was before

02:53 – Meeting Matt: "our weirds matched"

03:55 – An ordinary Tuesday with Matt, Evangeline, and Lincoln

05:22 – The memory she keeps replaying

06:14 – March 4th, 2021 and the turquoise Bible

09:11 – "It's okay to just be okay"

10:34 – The support system that carried her

11:32 – How grief actually behaves

15:26 – Acorns in a dryer vent

17:10 – Why it's hard to let people in

18:55 – What NOT to say to someone who's grieving

20:15 – What is "widow's brain"

22:00 – Darcy the cat and keeping the book a secret

23:31 – Poured Out Art and painting as therapy

24:47 – The symbolism behind the book cover

26:06 – The biggest unexpected contrasts

27:24 – A new season of travel and adventure

28:05 – On getting remarried someday

29:27 – What teenage Jessica would think now

30:57 – What to tell someone deep in grief

31:12 – How to actually support someone who's grieving

31:54 – Rapid fire questions

#Grief #Memoir #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndGrief #Widow #FromWeToMe

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

Furry Mic Cover for Noise Reduction: https://amzn.to/43vMBXR

🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

In this conversation, Dr. Carolyn Wiley interviews Danette Kirshner about her book 'Root Bound: Breaking Free from Safe Christianity to Grow Where God Plants You.' They explore the metaphor of being 'root bound' in faith, the journey of writing the book, the concept of safe Christianity, the costs of obedience, personal stories of uprooting and replanting, and the importance of community and action in spiritual growth. Danette shares her experiences and insights, encouraging women to break free from the constraints of safe Christianity and to embrace their faith fully.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Root Bound and Its Metaphor

05:02 The Journey of Writing Root Bound

11:48 Defining Safe Christianity

14:53 Obedience and Its Costs

19:05 Uprooting and Replanting: Personal Stories

23:47 The Writing Process and Challenges

26:56 30-Day Challenge for Growth

29:59 Conclusion and Call to Action

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

Furry Mic Cover for Noise Reduction: https://amzn.to/43vMBXR

🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing

Writing your book was never the hard part. Six months of staring at a blank page, seventeen outline rearrangements, chapter one deleted and rewritten three times — none of that is the hard part. The hard part is what happens after: convincing a total stranger who owes you nothing to stop, buy, read, and tell someone else. That's the conversation this episode is built around.

JD Barker spent 20+ years as a chief compliance officer at an investment banking firm before he became a New York Times and International Bestselling Author. He watched companies go from idea to IPO and realized publishing runs on the exact same formula — whether you're selling bananas, boats, or books, you're selling a widget. That finance background is why he doesn't talk about his career like an artist. He talks about it like an entrepreneur who happens to write.

In this episode we get into:

- Why "the perfect book" is table stakes, not the finish line — and why word of mouth is still the only marketing that reliably works

- The hybrid deal JD structured with Simon & Schuster — retaining his own imprint and control while getting big-box store distribution most indie authors can't touch

- Why doing what everyone else does in your marketing guarantees you never rise above them

- The haunted house book giveaway that generated national press coverage for free, because it could only work once and he got there first

- How he balances co-writing with names like James Patterson using the "two people cooking breakfast" rule — divide and conquer before you ever start writing

- His autism diagnosis at 22, and why he calls it his creative superpower — including how it shaped his ability to mimic voice on the page (which is exactly why Bram Stoker's family trusted him with the Dracula prequel)

- How he plots multiple book worlds at once using different physical formats — typewriter, notepad, Scrivener — to keep his voice distinct in each one

- Why he deliberately writes across genres instead of getting boxed into one, and how he uses each new book to pull in a new reader demographic

- His closing advice: ten years ago he had zero people on his email list and no publishing deal. The overnight success everyone sees is just the ten years nobody was watching.

Connect with JD Barker: JDBarker.com, or @JDBarker on social. His new book, The First Scarlet Door — a prequel to the 4MK series — releases this September.

If you're a faith-driven entrepreneur who knows a book is inside you but you're not sure how to make it work for your business, that's exactly what we do inside Christian Writers Arise and Rose & Pearl Publishing. https://roseandpearl.net/booking

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

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Erica Kingsbury, author of the Juniper Creek series (Girl in the Barn, Road Home, Uprooted) and Not Alone: God's Presence on the Path of the Special Needs Mom

On July 2nd, Erica Kingsbury did something most authors never attempt — she released three books at once. Two of them hit #1 New Release in their categories on launch day. In this episode, Erica and Carolyn pull back the curtain on how a summer typing project with her nine-year-old son turned into a full middle-grade fiction series, why they made the "absolutely crazy" decision to launch all three books simultaneously instead of staggering them, and what it actually cost — late nights, tangled edits across three manuscripts, and a promise to her husband that she'd never do it again. They also talk beta reader reactions, favorite characters, what's coming in book four, and why no author should be building alone.

What You'll Hear In This Episode

How Juniper Creek was born from a mother-son typing project during summer break

Why Erica thought she was called to write nonfiction for moms — and what changed her mind

The real reasoning behind releasing three books at once (and the editing nightmare that followed)

What it felt like to wake up to a #1 New Release ranking on launch morning

Beta reader reactions to that book two cliffhanger (a parental preparedness warning is issued)

Erica and Carolyn's favorite books in the series

What's next for Juniper Creek in book four and beyond

Erica's advice for any author sitting on a series idea that feels too big to start

Quotable

"Your book is not just a story — it's the infrastructure for a movement you're already building." — Dr. Carolyn Wiley

"You don't eat an elephant all at once. You eat it one bite at a time." — Erica Kingsbury, on tackling a series that feels too big

Parental Preparedness Warning

No spoilers here, but book two ends on a cliffhanger. Buy book three at the same time — you'll want it.

Links Mentioned

Erica Kingsbury's website: https://ericakingsbury.com

Not Alone: God's Presence on the Path of the Special Needs Mom: https://amzn.to/4h35ZCc

The Juniper Creek Series: Girl in the Barn, Road Home, Uprooted — available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/44OIndk

Free downloadable parent guides for each book: https://ericakingsbury.com

Christian Writers Arise — https://roseandpearl.net/booking

Connect

If you're sitting on a series idea and don't know where to start, don't do it alone. Reach out to Dr. Carolyn Wiley to talk through what it would take to bring it to life. https://roseandpearl.net/booking

✨ Subscribe for more Spirit-led strategies on writing, publishing, and building your legacy.

Join Christian Writers Arise: 90-Day Book Accelerator and finally write the book God has placed on your heart. Learn more here: https://roseandpearl.net

💡 Grab Your Free Guide: 5 Steps to Start Writing Your Book → https://roseandpearl.net/getstarted

📲 Let’s Connect!

Instagram: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

Facebook: @carolynwileywrites, @roseandpearlpublishing

TikTok: @carolynwileywrites

💬 Let’s Talk Writing!

Are you ready for a book coach, or are you still figuring things out? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

🚀 Don’t Forget to:

✅ Subscribe for more Christian writing tips

✅ Like this video if it helped you!

✅ Share it with a fellow writer who needs encouragement.

✅ Ask your questions in the comments—I’d love to help!

🖊️ Tools I Recommend for Writers: (Affiliate Links)

Scrivener (My go-to writing software): https://partners.kit.com/roseandpearl

Kit.com (Email lists for authors): https://www.literatureandlatte.com/sc...

🎤 Curious About My Setup? (Affiliate Links)

Mic I Use: Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone https://amzn.to/3F5qLQM

Furry Mic Cover for Noise Reduction: https://amzn.to/43vMBXR

🎉 Your Story Matters. Let’s make 2026 the year you finally write your book!

#WritingTips #ChristianAuthor #BookWriting #FaithBasedBusiness #ContentWriting #AuthorTips #WritingSkills #RoseAndPearlPublishing