History, Non Fiction, Women's Issues

May 31: The Dark Queens with Shelley Puhak

Incredible True Story of Two Powerful Women & their Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World

The Dark Queens with author Shelley Puhak

Shelley Puhak joins us with a remarkable true tale that few people know of. It’s about two trailblazing Queens from the Early Middle Ages who wielded enough power to shape early Europe, only to be vilified for daring to rule.

We discuss how they formed coalitions, and broke them. Mothered children and lost them. Fought a decades-long civil war—against each other. And we look at why, after the queens’ deaths—one gentle, the other horrific—they were written out of history, their names consigned to slander and legend.

About Shelley Puhak

Shelley Puhak is a critically acclaimed poet and writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, Teen Vogue,  and elsewhere. Her essays have been included in Best American Travel Writing and selected as Notables in four consecutive editions of Best American Essays. She is the author of two books of poetry, a winner of the Anthony Hecht Prize. Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World is Shelley Puhak’s debut nonfiction book.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Self-help, Spirituality

May 24: Shamanic Healing with Dr. Sharon Martin

Maximize Your Healing Power & Overcome Health Challenges

Shamanic Healing with author Dr. Sharon Martin

Dr. Sharon Martin blends allopathic medicine with ancient shamanic knowledge to help her patients heal and increase vitality.

Today we discuss aspects of Dr. Martin’s new book Maximize Your Healing Power: Shamanic Healing Techniques to Overcome Your Health Challenges including how she blends five medicine wheels; her proprietary matrix of mind qualities; how to set intention. Why we need to lose the story. And how to identify and work with our Power Animals to bring about positive change.

About Sharon E. Martin, M.D., PhD

Dr. Sharon Martin holds a doctorate in Physiology, and worked as faculty and research scientist at Emory University School of Medicine. She graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, completing a medical residency in Internal Medicine. During the last year of residency, Dr Martin served as Chief Resident.  She is currently the Medical Director of a Rural Health Clinic in south central Pennsylvania.

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Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Self-help

May 17: How to Rekindle Your Child’s Motivation with Dr. Ellen Braaten

Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less

Bright Kids with author Dr. Ellen Braaten

If you’re confused by a child in your life who has lost interest in things they once enjoyed and doesn’t seem to care about anything, you’re not alone. In today’s post-pandemic world, we’re seeing children and adults struggle to regain the motivation they once had. This is particularly challenging for anyone with learning differences, as they try to catch up.

From Dr. Ellen Braaten’s new book, Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: How to Rekindle Your Child’s Motivation, we discuss how stress and anxiety can play into this. Why ADHD is more common than you may think. How a formula that Dr. Braaten terms the Parenting App can help focus recovery. How to meet your child exactly where they are today. And how to find more help if you need it.

About Dr. Ellen Braaten

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is widely recognized for her expertise in pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. Dr. Braaten is Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and Visiting Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She has been affiliated with MGH and HMS since 1998.

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Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Self-help

May 10: Free Your Mind of Angst & Live Worry-Free

Emotional Freedom through Deliberate Thinking with Thomas Sterner

Podcast with Thomas Sterner, Author of It’s Just a Thought

We hear a lot about being mindful, living mindfully, and being present. But what does that really mean? And what’s the different between “being mindful” and “thinking vs being thought”?

Thomas Sterner has devoted much of his career to helping people understand that we’re more than the thoughts that run through our head … especially in today’s digital world where we’re exposed to constant messaging that tells us we’re not doing enough, we don’t have enough, we’re not being enough.

Sterner tells us how to connect to the essence of who we truly are. How to deprogram ourselves from patterns not serving us. And we explore how our conscious vs subconscious minds interact.

About Thomas M. Sterner

Thomas Sterner is an expert in Present Moment Functioning, PMF™ and the founder and CEO of the Practicing Mind Institute. He works with high-performance industry groups and individuals, including athletes, coaches, and CEOs. The author of The Practicing Mind and Fully Engaged, Tom’s new book is It’s Just A Thought: Emotional Freedom through Deliberate Thinking.

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Memoir, Non Fiction, Women's Issues

May 03: The Fruit You’ll Never See – A Memoir of Overcoming Shame

Born into Addiction & Sex Trafficking, Gail Brenner Nastasia Has Learned to Embrace Her History

The Fruit You’ll Never See with author Gail Brenner Nastasia

Growing up the daughter of a of a heroin addict is one thing. Gail Brenner Nastasia was also the niece of a woman who brokered deals for men who liked sex with young girls – including the author as a young child.

We discuss the search for Gail’s identity and sense of belonging, as a child and adult, and what kept her going. How she pushed through law school and went on to become a successful criminal defense attorney. And talking of that, why a defense attorney and not a prosecutor, considering all she’d endured as a child? The answer might surprise you.

About Gail Brenner Nastasia

Gail Brenner Nastasia received her MFA from Emerson college and is currently working on her second book, while continuing to practice law.

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Non Fiction, Personal Development

Apr 26: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry with Marjorie Ingall

The Case for Good Apologies

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry with author Marjorie Ingall

If you’ve ever received an apology that felt more like an insult, or maybe given an apology that wasn’t well received, coauthor Marjorie Ingall joins us to share how we can do better in Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, The Case for Good Apologies.

We explore why apologies matter and their remarkable healing power. We look at a couple of really bad apologies that went viral, and examine how they could have been more effectively communicated. We also look at what you should never say in an apology. How to deliver a genuine apology in six (and a half) very simple steps. How to teach kids to apologize, and more.

About Coauthors Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy

Marjorie Ingall is the author of Mamaleh Knows Best and writes about Jewish topics and children’s literature. Susan McCarthy, coauthor of When Elephants Weep, often writes about wildlife and animal behavior. Together they have studied and analyzed apologies in the news, pop culture, literature, and politics since 2012, at their watchdog site, SorryWatch.com.

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Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Apr 19: Elle Marr with The Family Bones

#1 Amazon Charts Bestselling Novelist + A Family of Psychopaths with Dark Family Secrets = A Suspenseful New Thriller

The Family Bones with author Elle Marr

Elle Marr‘s fourth thriller takes us on a wild ride with a mysterious murder and a chilling climax. Protagonist, Olivia, has spent most of her life questioning if her family legacy of psychopathy, spanning many generations, “is nature or nurture?”

Today Elle Marr shares how she developed her key characters for The Family Bones – a psychology student and a true crime podcaster. What she learned during her research about psychopaths. How she creates credible dialogue, and why and how Elle uses multimedia to tell her story. Elle also shares her point of view on “nature or nurture.”

About Elle Marr

Elle Marr is the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know, Lies We Bury, and The Missing Sister. She graduated from UC San Diego, before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. The author now lives and writes in Oregon with her family. 

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Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Self-help

Apr 12: Heal Your Ancestral Roots – Release the Family Patterns That Hold You Back

Anuradha Dayal-Gulati Shares How to Get Unstuck & Live the Life You Want

Heal Your Ancestral Roots with author Anuradha Dayal-Gulati

If you’re feeling stuck in life, and the same problems keep showing up in your professional, personal, and love life, it could mean your ancestral energy is blocking you.

Anuradha Dayal-Gulati says examining your family energy field allows you to identify the changes you need to live the life you truly want.

In Heal Your Ancestral Roots Anu shares how and why why coming home to family roots can free us of anxiety and limiting beliefs. How learning about Family Constellations can help identify transgenerational patterns. What the 4 Pillars are. And how the Vedic ritual of Tarpanam and Flower Essences can help us grow.

About Anuradha Dayal-Gulati

Anuradha (Anu) Dayal-Gulati is a certified energy practitioner specializing in ancestral and emotional healing. Anu came to the US to earn her Ph.D. in economics. After15 years in finance and academia, she left to help people create the life they want. Her training in ancestral healing work helps individuals release the past and reclaim their power.

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Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Apr 05: Seattle Author Robert Dugoni with Her Deadly Game

Her Deadly Game with Author Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan, Seattle defense attorney is prepared to play. But is she a pawn in a master’s deadly match?

We welcome Robert Dugoni back to the show with his latest twisting novel of suspense and a new protagonist. Keera Duggan has built a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, when she makes a life-changing move, and is immediately thrown into the middle of … well, you’ll have to join us to find out!

We discuss why and how Robert developed a host of new characters for Her Deadly Game. How he approached research for this courtroom drama to ensure realism. How and when he writes dialogue to keep the story moving, his favorite scenes to write, and why he keeps sex scenes to a minimum. Robert also shares his elixir for managing stress and keeping life balanced in these crazy times.

About Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 8 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest.

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Mar 29: NYT Bestselling Author Steve Berry with The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom with author Steve Berry

Cotton Malone Returns in a Thrill Race around Bavaria

After a brief hiatus Cotton Malone returns, along with his creator, author Steve Berry. As always, Berry found a little-known story in history, and spun his new thriller around that — in this case, the hunt for The Last Kingdom.

We discuss the real life person behind the historical search for The Last Kingdom, King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Berry shares his love of Bavaria and why he waited so long to write an adventure set there, some of the history of Bavaria, and how he separated fact from fiction in his storytelling. We also learn what’s coming next from this prolific author, and we won’t have to wait long!

About Steve Berry

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of 22 novels, which include: The Last Kingdom, The Omega Factor, and The Kaiser’s Web. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

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