Author

Vicki

Creativity, Journalism, Non Fiction, Science

Jun 15: Inspired–Understanding Creativity with Matt Richtel

June 15, 2022

A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul

How do we define creativity? How does it work? Where does inspiration spark? How can we optimize our own creative potential? And what do great creators have to share with us?

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Matt Richtel takes a deep dive into the new science behind creativity and creative minds, and blends it with insight from great creators, and stories of his own. We talk about The Muse and Hope. Why intelligence doesn’t always factor into creativity.  How anyone can become more creative. And more delicious insight from  Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

About Matt Richtel

An American writer, narrative storyteller, and New York Times Science reporter Matt Richtel was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving. He’s the author of three narrative nonfiction books, several novels, and a daily comic strip. His latest book is Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

Catch our previous podcast with Matt Richtel right here A Deadly Wandering.

 

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Arts, Creativity, Essays, History, Non Fiction

JUN 08: Movie Historian John DiLeo – There Are No Small Parts

June 8, 2022

100 Outstanding Film Performances with Screen Time of 10 Minutes or Less

Today we dive into a few of the stories in John DiLeo‘s fascinating new book There Are No Small Parts.  And that means we’re heading to the movies – vicariously, through John’s book.

In There Are No Small Parts, film expert DiLeo focuses on 100 amazing performances where actors – including some very big names at the top of their game – were on screen for just 10 minutes or less. Why would big names appear in a film for less than 10 minutes? Tune in to find out!

About John DiLeo

Movie historian John DiLeo is the author of six previous books about classic movies. He has been a frequent participant in the Black Bear Film Festival in Pennsylvania, has conducted onstage interviews with many named actors, and is often heard on Sirius XM radio. As a book reviewer, John DiLeo has contributed frequently to the Washington Post.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Professional Development, Psychology, Self-help

Jun 01: The Human Herd with Beth Anstandig

June 1, 2022

Awaken Your Natural Leadership & Become a Human Whisperer

Part guidebook, part manifesto, part wakeup call, Beth Anstandig wrote The Human Herd during what she calls The Great Pause — aka COVID lockdown — when so many people around the world felt isolated and disconnected.

Even in today’s techno world where we are constantly connected to our devices, and self-sufficiency is the norm, people still want and need human connection.  As a species, we’ve lived in herds for centuries, and need the support and connection of others to thrive. Today we discuss the 4 channels of awareness. How to look beyond project scope, and consider life scope. What horses can teach us about radical selfcare, anxiety, and giving and receiving feedback.

About Beth Anstandig

Beth Anstandig owns Take a Chance Ranch in CA where she provides leadership, culture, and wellbeing programs through The Circle Up Experience. She is a lifelong cowgirl, writer, professor, and licensed psychotherapist. For the past 25 years she’s trained and developed people using “natural leadership” —  a model that she created. Her work has been featured on BBC WORLD, PBS, and in FORBES.

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Environment, Journalism, Nature, Non Fiction

May 25: Greenpeace Captain on the Health of the Bering Sea & Why Fish Farming is No Solution

May 25, 2022
Vicki St. Clair onboard Greenpeace's the Rainbow Warrior, Seattle.

Onboard the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace, Vicki St. Clair

Onboard the Rainbow Warrior

Almost 9 years ago, Vicki took a field trip to meet with Captain Joel Stewart and Senior Campaigns Manager Jackie Dragon onboard Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior.

So, why are we sharing this again in 2022? Because despite best efforts, the Bering Sea is still in a precarious position. Because if we understand the science, we can clearly understand where we need to course-correct. And because these people, on board the Rainbow Warrior, are not only experts in their field, they really care about their work and the legacy we’re leaving for your children.

Vicki’s brother was visiting from England and tagged along as photographer. Both said touring the ship and meeting the crew was an awesome experience … from chef to communications specialist, scientist, and Captain “Rarely” said Vicki, “have I met people so genuinely invested in the work they do … ”

About the Crew

Captain Stewart shares why marine preserves and the health of the Bering Sea is so important to our ecology. He discusses why fish farming is not a good solution for ecosystems or feeding humans — and why that won’t even matter unless we get climate change and CO2 under control.

Scientist and campaigns manager, Jackie Dragon, shares details of a new species, more on the science of the Bering Sea, and why it’s critical to the survival of Native Alaskan communities.

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Inspirational, Memoir, Non Fiction

May 18: Forever Boy with Kate Swenson

May 18, 2022

A Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy

Every parent dreams of having the perfect child, the perfect healthy happy family. But sometimes life throws out challenges that test us. And that was true for Kate Swenson when her first born son was diagnosed with Autism.

Kate joins us today to talk about her inspiring, sometimes challenging, always loving journey to help her son live well in a world that often overlooks special needs and care. She says this journey has shown her that no matter what, life can be joyful, and that she’s exactly who she’s supposed to be … her son Cooper, is exactly who he’s meant to be.

About Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson’s work is all about helping to ease other families journey’s as they live with autism. She’s the founder of a popular blog called Finding Coopers Voice and is a frequent contributor to publications on autism, parenting, and motherhood. Her new memoir is  FOREVER BOY: A Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy.

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Fiction, Humor

May 11: Unlikely Animals with Annie Hartnett

May 11, 2022

Spirits narrate. Animals talk. Humor, heartache,  love, & a missing girl … a magical tragicom filled with the messiness of family life and death.

Author Annie Hartnett‘s second novel wasn’t going too well. She wasn’t enjoying authoring it and wondered if all second novels were this difficult to write. But as she took a drive through New Hampshire, Annie spotted something that changed the direction of her story and brought Unlikely Animals to life … or raised it from the dead … because the folks in the cemetery narrate the story.

About Annie Hartnett

Annie Hartnett‘s first book, Rabbit Cake, was listed as one of Kirkus Review’s Best Books of 2017 and was a New England Book Award finalist. Annie was awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She holds degrees from the MFA program at the University of Alabama. Information for Book Clubs.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

APR 20: Sylvain Neuvel’s Take Them to the Stars Trilogy

April 20, 2022

Until the Last of Me

Author Sylvain Neuvel sold the movie rights to his first book before it was even a book. How did that happen? We share that and much more about Sylvain’s road to literary success in today’s conversation.

We discuss the origins of his Take Them to the Stars Trilogy and how his ideas developed.  We look at book one A History of What Comes Next. And the latest in the trilogy, book two, Until the Last of Me. Sylvain shares how he plots. How he writes from female points of view. And some of the intense research he did to build a believable, yet speculative, world for his characters.

About Sylvain Neuvel

Sylvain Neuvel taught linguistics in India and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. His debut novel Sleeping Giants was described BY NPR as one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory. Until the Last of Me is the second and latest book in his Take Them to the Stars trilogy.

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Journalism, Non Fiction

APR 06: Author Michelle Black Exposes Military Cover Up in Sacrifice

April 6, 2022

A Gold Star Widow’s Fight for the Truth

Michelle Black went from wife and mom to investigative journalist when her Green Beret husband Bryan Black was ambushed and killed in Niger. She was met with a flood of military disinformation, where they blamed and shamed Black and his team for going rogue. The media blindly repeated the military’s version of the ambush, and that ignited widow Michelle Black‘s search for the truth — no matter what.

We discuss the Black’s life before the military, before the fatal mission. How leadership ignored the advice to abort, and the many challenges Michelle faced  interviewing survivors to get to the heart of the truth. But she never gave up trying to restore Bryan’s reputation, and eventually exposed the military cover up that left her children fatherless.

About Michelle Black

Michelle Black is mom to two boys, a Gold Star widow, and author. She has a degree in environmental sciences and horticulture. She’s been published in the New York Times, The Daily Beast, and Task & Purpose. Sacrifice: A Gold Star Widow’s Fight for the Truth is her debut book.

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Fiction, Suspense, Writers on Writing

MAR 23: Girl in Ice with Erica Ferencik

March 23, 2022

The ice caps of Greenland, a suspicious death, a frozen child who speaks a language no one’s heard of …

When linguist Val Chesterfield receives an urgent email asking for help, she reluctantly leaves the shelter of her books and studies, to head north.

Award-winning author Erica Ferencik spent a month in Greenland developing the backdrop for Girl In Ice. Today she shares highlights from the exciting boots on the ground, butt-in-the-kayak research expedition that informed her story. We also discuss character development, why she wrote the first draft before traveling to Greenland, and the inspiration behind Girl in Ice.

About Erica Ferencik

Erica Ferencik considers her MA in Creative Writing from Boston University just the beginning of her literary education. Her 35 years of writing — novels, short stories, essays, ghostwriting, 10 years of standup and sketch comedy, as well as dozens of screenplays, and a brief filmmaking stint — was her boots-on-the-ground training. Erica’s work has appeared in Salon and the Boston Globe, as well as on National Public Radio. Other novels include Into the Jungle and The River at Night.

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Health & Wellness, Personal Development, Self-help

Feb 23: Realign Your Energy & Prioritize Wellbeing in the Digital Age with Christina Crook

February 23, 2022

Good Burdens: How to Live Joyfully in the Digital Age

Forget #FOMO and aim for #JOMO with the Marie Kondo of Digital. Christina Crook offers concrete solutions for thriving with tech. She shares why the internet was making her lazy as a thinker, writer, and friend – and why seeing a priest bless an old Blackberry was her tipping point.

From her book Good Burdens we discuss the elements of joy, the importance of commitment, the immense power of being brave. And what it takes to realign your energy and prioritize your wellbeing so that tech works for you versus the other way around.

About Christina Crook

Christina Crook is a pioneer and leading voice in the field of digital wellbeing. As the author of the award-winning book The Joy of Missing Out: Finding Balance in a Wired World and the leader of a global #JOMO movement, she regularly shares her insights in outlets including The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and the BBC.  Christina Crook’s latest book is Good Burdens: How to Live Joyfully in the Digital Age.

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