Writing for Immortality

Ever think that you'd like to incorporate meditation into your life but have no idea how? This episode's got you covered as Barbara speaks with Dr. Jenelle Kim,

Tune in as Dr. Kim opens up about her personal journey, how her unique heritage shapes her approach to wellness, and how she approached the writing of this book. Whether you're seeking ways to cultivate a more balanced life, curious about ancient Eastern practices, or interested in hearing how Dr. Kim combined memoir with meditation, this episode has the wisdom and practical tools to transform your daily living.

Buy the Book:

https://jenellekim.com/myung-sung-by-jenelle-kim/

Connect on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drjenellemkim/

The Experts:

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Janelle Kim and 'Myeongseong: The Korean Art of Living Meditation'

03:06 The Essence of Living Meditation: Integrating Ancient Wisdom with Modern Life

05:54 The Universal Applicability of Living Meditation: A Path to Balance and Peace

09:11 Dr. Janelle Kim's Journey: Embodying the Principles of Living Meditation

35:16 Embracing Beauty, Wellness, and Spirituality: Insights from Dr. Janelle Kim

45:12 Incorporating Wisdom: Challenges and Rewards

Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer. It's also a day to remember those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to keep our country safe. Barbara discusses the origins of Memorial Day, why veterans might want to record their own stories, and recommends some books, with some by folks who'll be guests on future episodes!

War memoirs:

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 

With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, Eugene Sledge

Memoirs, General William Sherman

**Know a veteran who wants to write their military history? Give them the gift of DIYBook, a one-stop writing and printing platform that guides authors on every step of the writing process. Includes 7-day free trial.

Connect with Barbara on Instagram!

Bear, Julia Philips https://tinyurl.com/y7mpzjad

Another Land of My Body, by Rodney Leonard https://fourwaybooks.com/site/another-land-of-my-body/

The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789, Robert Darnton https://tinyurl.com/24vdnyrc

In this episode, Barbara talks to Carlin Romano, a renowned critic and champion of intellectual discourse. Romano, a former critic-at-large for the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Philadelphia Inquirer and current critic-at-large for Moment Magazine, offers his sharp insights on the decline of critical thinking in book reviews and the state of literary criticism in America. He laments the shift towards praise and publicity, arguing for the importance of tough critique.

But Romano's intellectual journey extends far beyond literature. He passionately defends his provocative thesis: America, with its diverse perspectives, free expression, and abundance of philosophical resources, boasts the most philosophical culture in history. He even explores the power of provocative statements in igniting philosophical debates.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Romano discusses his controversial departure from the National Book Critics Circle. He clarifies his stance on the organization's anti-racism statement, dispelling misconceptions about his opposition to certain aspects. Romano also raises concerns about the lack of diverse thought and the growing influence of left-leaning politics within the NBCC.

Beyond the world of criticism, Romano reflects on the changing landscape of college campuses, grappling with the challenges of fostering free speech and civil discourse in an increasingly polarized environment.

The episode concludes with a glimpse into Romano's personal reading life, a fitting end to a conversation that celebrates intellectual curiosity and the power of ideas.

Books:

America the Philosophical, Carlin Romano https://tinyurl.com/mr2w8yxj

Night, Elie Wiesel https://tinyurl.com/bddva2t4

Tarzan Edgar Rice Burroughs https://www.edgarriceburroughs.com/series-profiles/the-tarzan-series/

Conceived with Malice https://tinyurl.com/32k3fevr

Palestine 1936, Oren Kessler

Clancy Martin, How Not to Kill Yourself https://tinyurl.com/2et69a7t

1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, Benny Morris https://tinyurl.com/mrxp5hfh

Wit, Margaret Edson https://tinyurl.com/4j4kja8r

Forest Dark, Nicole Kraus https://tinyurl.com/5cykp9cm

Metaphysical Animals https://tinyurl.com/mwzycsbr

Magazine:

Moment Magazine https://momentmag.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:55 Early Days and Education

04:23 Career in Journalism and Literary Criticism

06:15 The Decline of Book Sections and Literary Criticism

09:30 The State of Literary Criticism in America

16:36 Teaching Journalism and the Failure to Communicate

28:03 The Role of Provocative Statements

33:17 Free Speech and the National Book Critics Circle

33:45 Controversy and Misunderstandings: Carlin Romano's Departure from the NBCC

38:39 The Changing Landscape of American Literary Criticism

41:33 Challenges of Fostering Free Speech and Civil Discourse on College Campuses

01:03:51 Reading for Pleasure: Carlin Romano's Current Book List

Writers can learn a lot about structuring a narrative from visual storytellers, and that's what Barbara explores in this episode of Writing for Immortality. She visited the Schoelkopf Gallery this spring to see "Enter Andrew Wyeth," a rare look at 25 works from 1939 to 1994 that examine the emotional resonance of Wyeth's work during his marriage to his wife, Betsy.
 
Wyeth's paintings are in permanent collections in most major American museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Not in the market for a Wyeth original? Head over to Instagram to see art from the show. https://www.instagram.com/writing4immortality

Additionally, Barbara has an update about Jane Goodrich, founder of Picsello and early guest of the pod, as well as news about future guest Kent Saunders!

Jane launched her podcast, "Focus on Business," for photographers looking to grow their businesses. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Cxe8X3TcgVowD6NgUoMfX

Kent Sanders hosts "The Profitable Writer" podcast and invited Barbara to chat about ghostwriting--you can hear their conversation here: https://www.theprofitablewriter.com/blog/the-entrepreneurial-journey-of-a-full-time-writer-ghostwriter-barbara-richter and watch this space for Kent's interview!

Want to write your life story? Head over to DIYBook and get started! https://www.diybook.us/

Today's guest is Brett Barry, a 20+ year veteran of the audiobooks industry. Voiceover artist, educator, and audiobook producer Brett has an ear for books.

Barbara and Brett talk about what goes into creating a great audiobook, where AI fits in, and what Arnold Schwarzenegger has to do with any of this.

If Brett's last name is familiar, it's because his wonderful wife Rebecca appeared on our podcast on March 28 to talk about her critically beloved book, "The Vanishing of Carolyn Wells." https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/writingforimmortality/episodes/The-Vanishing-of-Carolyn-Wells-A-Conversation-with-Author-Rebecca-Rego-Barry-e2hfqfd

Find Brett here:

Brett Barry: https://www.brettsvoice.com/

Silver Hollow Audio https://silverhollowaudio.com/

Kaatscast: https://www.kaatscast.com/

We can't bottle Brook Benten's energy, but speaking to her sure comes close! This was a high-octane episode that combines Barbara's favorite topics: running (and exercise writ large), and storytelling.

Benten has lectured at universities, led presentations at national fitness conferences, and served as an adjunct faculty member. Her 9-hour kettlebell curriculum is used to teach personal trainers and fitness instructors how to safely and effectively train with kettlebells.

In 2023, she published her first book, “Lift Light, Get Lean,” and completed her Professional Life Coach certification through Baylor University.

Benten is the wellness travel writer for Texas Lifestyle Magazine, hosts a podcast honoring self-sovereignty by building emotional and relational boundaries, and continues to inspire women to get moving.

In this episode, Benten emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding balance as a mother and encourages women to prioritize their own well-being. She also opens up about her experiences with trauma, sobriety, and the challenges of facing uncomfortable emotions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Brook Benten and 'Sweat'

01:54 The Journey of Writing 'Sweat'

04:16 The Structure of the Book and Target Audience

07:00 Finding Balance and Including Children in Workouts

10:17 The Importance of Short, Effective Workouts

12:37 Brook Benton's Background in Fitness

15:55 Becoming Known for Kettlebell Workouts

22:26 Navigating Trauma and Sobriety

28:56 Overcoming Alcohol Addiction and Finding Wellness

30:25 The Power of a Morning Routine and Quality Sleep

36:40 The Importance of Social Connections in Well-Being

38:36 Seeking Evidence-Based Information in the Fitness Industry

49:21 Introducing 'Heavy 100': A Holistic Approach to Wellness

56:33 Wellness as a Journey: Consistency and Commitment

Where to find Brook:

Website: https://www.brookbenten.com

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/brookbenten

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmI7X5SgSPIRNbAHY5bfTxg/about?view_as=subscriber

This week's cover art photo is baby Barbara, circa 1999 working down in the basement stacks. Listen to the episode--it'll make sense. Barbara answers a listener's question on interviewing family members for a life story book and shares her experience interviewing her grandfather. She also shares her thoughts on the significance of preserving family history, recommends books she recently read, and talks about a great new exhibit at the Hispanic Society--go to Instagram

**LINKS TO BOOKS AND PRODUCTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE**

Transcription services:

Rev: https://www.rev.com/

Riverside: https://riverside.fm/

Books Barbara read and reviewed (in order of discussion):

Running Red, by NB Conrad

The Obituary Book, by Alden Whitman

Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine, by Tom Jordan

North Woods, by Daniel Mason

We've got ANOTHER great episode for you today! Amanda Samoyloff, founder of Samoyloff PR, shares her journey into the world of public relations and branding. After getting her start promoting rock bands, Amanda launched her firm in 2017 and hasn't looked back, infusing her work with just the right touch of rock and roll swagger. Amanda emphasizes the importance of purposeful storytelling and understanding the client's brand and mission. She also discusses the challenges of PR in a changing media landscape and the need for a collaborative approach between marketing and PR.

So come on, rock stars, you don't want to miss this one!

Where can you find Amanda? Links below:

Samoyloff PR Website(@samoyloffpr)

Facebook

Linkedin

Twitter

TikTok

Instagram photos and videos

Want to write your own life story with confidence? Get started with DIYBook.us for free:

All the links for Writing for Immortality:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Amanda Samoyloff and Samoyloff PR

01:01 Amanda's Journey into PR

09:36 Crafting a Narrative for Clients

20:17 Choosing the Right Social Media Platform

25:15 Staying Ahead of the Pulse: Learning New Practices in Social Media and PR

26:43 Finding and Maintaining a Consistent Brand Voice and Tone

29:46 Experimenting with Captions and Finding Your Voice

34:55 Overcoming Perfectionism and Taking Action

39:16 Discovering Your Story Through Writing and Poetry

44:53 Using Poetry as Inspiration for PR and Storytelling

46:59 Embracing Vulnerability and Sharing Your Story

50:12 Writing with Purpose and Telling Your Story

Summary

In this episode, Barbara discusses whether ChatGPT and similar large language model programs can help people write their life stories. She explains that ChatGPT cannot generate a complete life story because it lacks personal knowledge and cannot retrieve specific information from the internet. However, it can be a helpful tool for generating paragraphs and overcoming writer's block. The quality of the output depends on the quality of the input data. Barbara suggests using Chat GPT as a starting point and then revising and editing the generated text to reflect one's own voice and experiences.

LINKS

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Chat GPT and Writing Your Life Story

01:58 Limitations of Chat GPT in Writing Life Stories

03:54 Using Chat GPT to Create Drafts

05:49 Chat GPT as a Tool for Writing

08:56 Efficiency and Assistance in Writing Life Stories

09:55 Understanding Chat GPT as a Tool

10:53 Continuing the Conversation

11:23 Outro

In this episode, Barbara Basbanes Richter interviews Rebecca Rego Barry about her book, The Vanishing of Carolyn Wells. Carolyn Wells was a mystery author in the early 20th century who has been largely forgotten today. Rebecca discusses Carolyn's life and career, from her late start as a writer to her success in various genres, including poetry, short stories, puzzles, and children's books. Rebecca also explores the challenges of researching Carolyn's life due to the lack of a central archive and the dispersal of her estate after her death.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:58 Rebecca's Expertise in Books and Book History

02:04 Introduction and Background

03:05 Carolyn Wells's Early Life and Career

05:08 Carolyn Wells's Rise to Success

05:29 Little Magazines and Carolyn Wells's Writing

06:24 The Daily Tatler and Carolyn Wells's Letter

07:19 Carolyn Wells' Shift to Writing for Children

08:00 Carolyn Wells's Versatility as a Writer

08:56 Carolyn Wells's Extensive Bibliography

10:24 Challenges in Researching Carolyn Wells

12:15 Discovery of Carolyn Wells's Mermaid Album

14:50 Rebecca's Interest in Carolyn Wells

17:13 Carolyn Wells's Estate and Auction

21:23 Carolyn Wells's Mermaid Album

22:50 Writing Style and Approach in the Book

25:33 Carolyn Wells's Approach to Mystery Novels

30:28 Carolyn Wells's Marriage and Personal Life

33:31 Carolyn Wells's Persona and Popularity

34:59 Critics' Reception and Sales

35:57 Public Libraries' Love for Carolyn Wells

36:56 Carolyn Wells's Parodies and Satire

38:18 Carolyn Wells's Connections with Presidents

40:17 Carolyn Wells' Keynote Speeches and Literary Events

41:17 Carolyn Wells's Wordplay and Puzzle Books

43:44 Carolyn Wells's Collecting Bug

45:16 Carolyn Wells's Collection of Walt Whitman

48:28 Carolyn Wells's Work in Silent Films

50:43 Carolyn Wells's Personality and Hearing Loss

52:20 Carolyn Wells's Childhood Illness and Education

55:02 The Legacy of Carolyn Wells

58:23 The Challenge of Remembering Women Writers

59:42 Future Research on Carolyn Wells

01:00:03 Rebecca Rego Barry's Connection to Carolyn Wells

01:01:49 Outro