K.K.  Weakley was born and reared in Wexford Ireland. She has written 11 books and plays for stage. K.K. loves to read historical fiction and a good love story kind of book and writes tales of castles, warriors, hell demons, witches and whatever else comes to her mind. Her latest series is Sekhet Saga which includes three books and one on the way.  Key Topics: How K.K.’s fascination with Irish Folklore influenced her fantasy and horror writing Her fascination with the 17th century Finding an agent and getting a book deal The importance of working collaboratively with your agent, editor, and publisher The importance for writers to have a strong support system Buy the Sekhet Saga: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FRosgO Connect with K.K. Weakley Website: http://www.kweakley.com Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3PLpXlg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kkweakley/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkkweakley/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKKWeakley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-k-weakley-b7550928/ TikToc: https://www.tiktok.com/@kkweakley Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tori Whitaker is a bestselling author who also belongs to the Bourbon Women Association and the Historical Novel Society. Her work has appeared in the Historical Novels Review and Bookmarks magazine. She graduated from Indiana University, is an alum of the Yale Writers' Workshop, and is recently retired from a national law firm where she served as chief marketing officer. She joins me today on Uncorking a Story to talk about her career and latest book, A Matter of Happiness. Key Topics: Finding her voice as an author later in life Achieving success with her third manuscript Finding an agent and getting published The inspiration behind A Matter of Happiness How writing and publishing has stoked Tori’s confidence  You can do more than you think is possible Buy A Matter of Happiness Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hn98At Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781542038072 Connect with Tori: Website: https://toriwhitaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tori.whitaker.37/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToriWhitakerAuthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToriLWhitaker Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s wrong with being a little weird? I am fortunate in my career to meet new people every week through the work that I do and let me tell you, I definitely get a chance to see a good cross-section of humanity. Who do I remember the most? The ones who are, shall I say, a little off kilter. Who experience the world just a little bit (and sometimes a lot) differently than those in the center of the normal curve of distribution. To answer my own question, there’s nothing wrong with being a little weird; in fact, we should celebrate weirdness. I know that my guest today, Eric G. Wilson agrees with me. After all, he wrote a book on how to be weird! Meet Eric Wilson Eric is the Thomas H. Pritchard Professor of English at Wake Forest University, where he teaches creative writing and British Romantic poetry. He is author of Against Happiness, Everyone Loves a Good Train Wreck, and Dream-Child: A life of Charles Lamb. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about his career and latest book, How to Be Weird: An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-of-a-Kind Life. Key Topics: How advice from a therapist encouraged Eric to change his goals as a parent. How Bill Murray changed his life. How he was able to pivot from academic writing to more creative writing. Why it’s important to let our inner weirdness out. Exercises for enhancing our creativity. Buy How to Be Weird: An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-of-a-Kind Life Amazon: https://amzn.to/3V0fZxz Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780143136576 Connect with Eric Website: http://www.ericgwilson.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericgwilson777/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.g.wilson.3 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericgwilson Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I like to tell people that I started Uncorking a Story as a way to give authors a platform for promoting their books, but the reality is that I had an ulterior motive behind starting the show—I wanted the opportunity to pick the brains of successful authors so that I could learn from them. As an author myself, what better way to learn from masters of the craft than having the chance to chat with them for an hour or so? Well, my worlds collided recently when I had the opportunity to interview Mark Thompson about his radio career and memoir, Don’t Bump the Record Kid: My adventures with Mark and Brian. I mean, what better way to become a better podcaster than by having the chance to interview an inductee of the radio hall of fame? Meet Mark Thompson: Mark is world-renowned radio host and one half of the infamous Mark and Brian, which was heard every morning for twenty-five years on the nationally syndicated Mark and Brian Show originating from KLOS Radio in LA. Mark joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his career and memoir Don’t Bump the Record, Kid: My Adventures with Mark and Brian. 100% of the books proceeds will go to saving the lives of puppies and kittens in Southern California Key Topics: How the light from his radio brought Mark comfort during his childhood nights in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. How his decision to leave home after high school and pursue a career in radio impacted the relationship Mark had with his father. Mark’s rise to fame in the radio industry. Why, when his successful radio gig went from being a joy to a job, Mark decided to call it quits with his longtime partner. The story behind the charity Mark is supporting with the book Buy Don’t Bump the Record Kid Website: https://myadventureswithmarkandbrian.com/ Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GiDEWf Connect with Mark: Website: https://myadventureswithmarkandbrian.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@markandlyndapodcast Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the course of my career I can point to three people who were excellent mentors for me—people who really helped shape who I am not only as a qualitative researcher, but as a person. They are Susanne Heincke, Liz Moore, and Paul Jacobson. Each helped to inspire me and prepare me for one of the most non-traditional careers in marketing and I am grateful for all the time they spent teaching, advising and even consoling me over the years. I bring this up because today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Michelle Renaldo Ferguson, knows a thing or two about mentoring and that’s quite the understatement since she wrote a book on it and joined me to talk about it. Meet Michelle Renaldo Ferguson: Michelle Renaldo Ferguson is a global transformational executive,  self-proclaimed serial mentor and strategic advisor.  She spent most of her career at S&P Global/McGraw where she co-founded a global mentoring program which ignited her passion for mentoring.  She was acknowledged as an advocate for women and is a proud founding member of Chief, the only private network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders. She joined me on Uncorking a story to discuss her book, Women Mentoring Women, which came out of Michelle's passion for mentoring. Key Topics: The importance of mentoring, particularly for women, in corporate America. Michelle’s motivation for writing a book on mentoring. The importance of having a supportive network during the writing process. Michelle’s belief that everyone has a book in them. Why sometimes good enough is good enough. Buy Women Mentoring Women Amazon: https://amzn.to/3V2i78c Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798885041263 Connect with Michelle: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleferguson17/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.r.ferguson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleferguson1/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My eighty-nine year old mother has a catch phrase. When she doesn’t know what to say, she’ll typically belt on, “It’s all good.” Even though her age has robbed her of her short-term memory, she remains very optimistic and, in general, happy. Growing up, if I was ever anxious about something, she’d frequently say to me, “Things will happen on their own time.” I was reminded of that during my conversation with today’s guest, Sarah McCraw Crow, who talked about having a number of manuscripts “In the jar,” before one was finally selected for publication. Sometimes being in a different stage of life, and the experience that comes with it, infuses our writing with the wisdom and insights that are required to make a manuscript really stand out in the eyes of an agent and/or publisher.  Meet Sarah McCraw Crow: When it comes to fiction writing (and reading), Sarah is obsessed with women's lives and the drama of family life. She also loves the Seventies. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Stanford University, and Vermont College of Fine Arts, Sarah lives with her family on an old farm in New Hampshire. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her debut novel, The Wrong Kind of Woman. Key Topics: The story behind the title of her debut novel. Why Sarah likes writing about the 70s. Why it’s so important to give yourself permission to keep writing. The importance of starting a new project when your existing manuscript is out for submission. The importance of thinking of yourself as a writer and creative person. Buy The Wrong Kind of Woman Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TxpUKa Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780778312314 Connect with Sarah: Website: https://sarahmccrawcrow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmccrawcrow/ Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/sarahmccrawcrow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahmcrow Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is going to sound funny coming from the author of eight novels, but there was a time I didn’t consider myself to be creative. Growing up, I dreaded art class because I can’t draw to save my life and I always linked creativity with the ability to draw. On top of that, I was somewhat good at math and science while my twin brother excelled at English (and, aside from being 3 inches taller than me, he could draw!). Why am I bringing this up? Well, my conversation with today’s guest, Steven Kowalski, had me taking a walk down memory lane after hearing how he defines creativity as something that isn’t an ability but rather a process. Meet Steven Kowalski: Steven is a leading voice in the global movement for conscious creativity. He has more than 25 years of experience as an organizational development expert facilitating the creativity of scientists, engineers, business leaders, and professionals across industries to blaze new trails, catalyze creative potential, and deliver real-world innovation. He joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about his career and book, Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World of Work. Key Topics: How Steven let this book come through him. How changing roles inside his company helped fuel the creative impetus for his book. The relationship between creativity and purpose. Why it is important to define creativity broadly vs. narrowly. Why Steven defines creativity as our natural potential to invent solutions, new approaches to the opportunities we face, or we design for ourselves. Buy Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World of Work Amazon: https://amzn.to/3G2KnDC Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781774581629 Connect with Steven: Website: https://www.stevenkowalski.com/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkowalski/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Karen Winnick, reminds me so much of my mother. Both are from Brooklyn and are animal lovers who would rather set a spider free than squish it. But unless my mother has been hiding the fact that she is a successful children’s book author searching to teach children about compassion for animals through her writing, that’s where the similarities may end. Meet Karen Winnick: Karen is the author of more than a dozen picture books for children, most of which she illustrated. An animal lover, she serves on several boards devoted to the well-being of animals. She joins me today to talk about her life and latest book, Can You Spot the Leopard?: An African Safari, which was inspired by a real Safari Karen went on before the pandemic. Key Topics: How a friend’s eccentric pair of shoes inspired her first attempt at writing an animated children’s book entitled Happy Soles. Why she wants to teach children compassion for animals through her picture books. The importance of her work giving children a voice. How she stayed connected to her passion of reading to children throughout the pandemic, and the new opportunities it brought her. What we can learn from disabled animals. Buy Can You Spot the Leopard?: An African Safari:  Amazon: https://amzn.to/3U0quRM Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781626349759 Connect with Karen: Website: https://karenbwinnick.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenbwinnick/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/171244.Karen_B_Winnick Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was a kid there were a few things I thought would be more of big deal in adulthood including quicksand, killer bees, and satanists. Now I am not saying these things don’t exist, just not at the level we were scared into believing as children. Dr. Richard Gallagher, though, might argue about the last item on my list as he’s spent the past quarter of a century investigating cases of demonic possession from a medical expert’s point of view—but that is his story to share! Meet Richard Gallagher, MD: A board-certified psychiatrist and highly experienced clinician and teacher, Dr. Gallagher  is a professor of psychiatry at NY Medical College and a psychoanalyst on the faculty of Columbia University. In addition, he is the longest-standing member of the International Association of Exorcists since the early 1990's, serving for a time as a scientific adviser on its governing board. He has devoted many years to distinguishing the rare cases of overt demonic attacks from the much more common conditions of medical and psychiatric disorders. He joined me on Uncorking a Story about his career and book Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal.  Key Topics: How he got invited to investigate suspected cases of demonic possession. The numerous criteria he uses to differentiate between mental illnesses such as dissociative disorder and demonic possession. Why staying involved in the work relates to why he became a physician in the first place. Being approached by A-List Hollywood filmmakers to make a movie inspired by his book and experience. What Hollywood gets right about demonic possession and what it gets wrong. Buy Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UhemM8 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780062876478 Connect with Dr. Richard Gallagher: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18483110.Richard_Gallagher Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today, Nathanael Garret Novosel, was just six years old when he started questioning the meaning of life. When I was younger, I questioned it as well, but we went about it in different ways. For example, Nate asked big existential questions whereas yours truly watched Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. It’s no surprise, then, that Nate grew up to write a book on finding purpose and meaning in life, and I’m on the other side of the microphone asking him questions. Meet Nathanael Garrett Novosel: Nathanael is a professional researcher and advisor with over 20 years of experience studying individual and group behavior. Over that time, he has researched psychology, evolutionary biology, organizational best practices, leadership decision making, business, technology, finance, and philosophy to understand how the world as we know it works and why. He spent much of his career using the insights from this research to help the world’s leading executives solve their most pressing organizational challenges and create their strategic plans. Noticing the common drivers of success in all areas of life, he decided to devote his research, problem-solving, and advisory skills to helping people live the best lives possible. He joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his new book The Meaning of Life: A guide to finding your life's purpose.  Key Topics: The impact his father leaving the home when he was 5 years old had on his choice to write this book. Why growth is so important  in finding meaning and purpose in life. Identifying the influencers on our emotions and how we can change them. The importance of taking action. Why having faith, not necessarily religious faith, can lead us to a more successful life. Buy The Meaning of Life: A guide to finding your life's purpose: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sPhdjC Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781948220019 Connect with Nathanael: Website: https://yourmeaninginlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themeaningoflifebook/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lifethebook Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifetheBook/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDu5IsEGvKXLZefdTBbmaA Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I believe that, no matter how old we are, we never stop trying to secure the approval of one or both of our parents. While my twin brother was always searching for our father’s affections, I was always trying to vie for my mother’s approval in everything I did. Today’s guest, Brian O’Hare can relate. Imagine having a larger than life character as a father—someone who casts so wide a shadow, you might lose yourself in it. Well, that’s where Brian’s story begins! Meet Brian O’Hare: Brian  is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and former US Marine Corps officer. His storytelling career began in a Baltimore bar, the legendary Club Charles, where director John Waters cast him to appear in his film Cry Baby. Currently, Brian an award-winning writer and filmmaker living in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in War, Literature and the Arts; Santa Fe Writers Project; Hobart; and other journals, and he has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes. He was named a Writing Fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and recently served as Visiting Writer at CUNY/Kingsborough. He joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his career and new book, Surrender.  Key Topics: Feeling as if we have to constantly search for the approval of a parent. The danger of denying parts of self to appease another person. How writing Surrender was Brian’s way of breaking the cycle of constantly searching for approval in his life for his own benefit and for the benefit of his children. Why, in Brian’s case, the notion of surrender ironically equates to freedom. Buy Surrender: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WjrodF Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780815611509 Connect with Brian: Website: https://brianohare.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bohare13x/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohare13x Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people who now make their living as authors had a day job at some point. It is common for me to interview former teachers, professors, journalists and, interestingly, lawyers, but today was the first time I got to interview a former theoretical physicist—and there was nothing theoretical about this conversation! Meet Dilani Kahawala: Dilani earned her Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Harvard and began her career by working on extra dimensions. She figured out pretty quickly that there weren’t many people who wanted to read her work as a theoretical physicist, so she began exploring new dimensions in fantasy fiction. Many of the characters in her stories are inspired by the various cultures she grew up in. Born in Sri Lanka, she has lived in New Zealand and Australia and now lives in the United States and joins me today to talk about her debut novel, Blood Moon Prophecy. Key Topics: Why Dilani was attracted to studying theoretical physics and why she ultimately left the field. How growing up on three continents has impacted her writing. The backstory to her debut novel, Blood Moon Prophecy. What Dilani has learned about character development. Dilani’s point of view on whether time travel is possible. Buy Blood Moon Prophecy Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FywhK8 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798986443706 Connect with Dilani Website: https://dilaniwrites.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dilaniwrites/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dilaniwrites/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DilaniWrites Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For so many of us writers, the actual act of writing is a solitary process. We write alone and maybe, after a while we will share something with a confidant or perhaps our agent. Of course, at the end of the first draft it will go to an editor and, at that point, writing becomes more of a collaborative process. Well, today’s guests do things a little bit differently—Alli Frank and Asha Youmans met while teaching at the same school. One day, Alli approached Asha with the idea to co-write a novel and the rest is history. They joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about their career and latest novel Never Meant to Meet You. Meet Alli and Asha: Alli Frank has worked in education for more than twenty years, from boisterous public high schools to small, progressive private schools. A graduate of Cornell and Stanford University, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters.  Asha Youmans spent two decades teaching elementary school students. A graduate of University of California, Berkeley, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons.  Key Topics: How working at a small, progressive private school influenced Alli and Asha’s first, and subsequent, novels. What it is like to write collaboratively. How humor can be a vehicle for bigger life lessons. Why we can learn important lessons through fiction as well as non fiction. What it means to write from the human perspective. Buy Never Meant to Meet You Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UdqHAI Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781542034104 Connect with Ali and Asha Website:https://alliandasha.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlliandAsha/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliandasha/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliandasha Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How well do you remember high school? Chances are you are more likely to remember the big events that happened—prom, the homecoming dance where you spilled spiked fruit punch all over your crisp white shirt*, and graduation, but would you remember something as random as someone coming up to you and saying something off beat? Probably not, right? Well, my guest today not only remembered a random (and creepy) comment in crisp detail, it inspired her to craft a novel about it!  *That totally didn’t happen to me. Meet Lygia Day Peñaflor: Lygia Day Peñaflor is the author of ALL OF THIS IS TRUE, and UNSCRIPTED JOSS BYRD. She also teaches young Hollywood stars on television and movie sets. Her students have included cast members of Gossip Girl, Boardwalk Empire, Spielberg's West Side Story, and others. She recently joined me to talk about her career and latest novel CREEP: A LOVE STORY. Key Topics: How she found her passion for writing and storytelling at a young age. The impact she’s had on the lives of her students. What it’s like teaching child actors on set. Her path to publishing and the ups and downs along the way. The real life inspiration behind her latest novel Creep: A Love Story. Buy Creep: A Love Story Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SUDKa9 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780358692928 Connect with Lygia Website: https://www.lygiadaypenaflor.com/ Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/lygiaday/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lygiaday Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parenting is supposed to come naturally to us, right? Especially moms! After the baby (or babies in my case) arrives, those motherhood instincts are supposed to kick in and you are supposed to know exactly what to do, right? Wrong! Postpartum depression is real, and many mothers don’t realize they are living with it. This leads to feelings of shame, guilt, and oftentimes resentment. Now you may be asking yourself, “Mike is not a mother, why is he talking about postpartum depression?” Well, my guest today, Suzanne Yatim Aslam, was living with postpartum depression and turned to writing to help manage her way through it. This ultimately led to a book called Post Pardon Me, which she came on Uncorking a Story to chat about. Meet Suzanne Yatim Aslam: Suzanne is a former actor and Miss Arab USA turned writer. Her personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety left her feeling alone and confused. In her book Post Pardon Me, she addresses the dark thoughts that so many mothers have but are too scared to say out loud. She's thrilled to get this book into the hands of mothers who may be struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety. Key Topics: How Suzanne’s mental health changed after becoming a mother. How she turned to writing and visualization to help process and manage her postpartum depression. How telling her story not only helped her address her feelings, but how her story has been therapeutic to other women who saw themselves on Suzanne’s pages. Why Suzanne felt as if she had imposter syndrome when going through the publishing process. Why she’d tell her younger self to not take things so seriously and to play more. Buy Post Pardon Me: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EQk4jF Connect with Suzanne  Website: https://www.suzanneyatimaslam.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzyatimaslam/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my opinion, werewolves don’t get enough attention in the horror genre. Vampires are a bit higher on the food chain as are traditional slashers, but when was the last time you could point to a good werewolf character in a horror novel? Well, the wait is over with Rachel Harrison’s Such Sharp Teeth! Meet Rachel Harrison: Rachel Harrison took the horror genre by storm with debut novel The Return, which was praised by readers and reviewers and called marvelous by the New York Times. Then, in her highly anticipated sophomore novel, Cackle, she delivered a clever and splendidly witchy look at women’s relationships and self-empowerment that was hailed a must-read by USA Today, Elle, Bustle, Buzzfeed and more. She’s back with a new novel to get you into the Halloween spirit. SUCH SHARP TEETH is a wild, witty and razor-sharp horror novel about a young woman in need of a transformation who finds herself in touch with the animal inside. Key Topics: Why authors shouldn’t move the goalposts when celebrating their successes. Why Rachel chose to write in the horror genre. Rachel’s belief that monsters help create tension easier than other antagonists. How she used Twitter successfully to find an agent. Words of advice she’d offer to aspiring authors. Buy Such Sharp Teeth Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Voa1rU Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593545829 Connect with Rachel Harrison Website: https://www.rachel-harrison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelharrisonsghost/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachfacelogic Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After interviewing almost two hundred authors on Uncorking a Story I’ve come to believe that the real superpower authors wield isn’t their ability to string words together, but to find stories simply by paying attention to everyday occurrences and being very curious about them. I was reminded of this while interviewing the celestial Barbara Linn Probst. Meet Barbara Linn Probst: Barbara Linn Probst is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction living. Her acclaimed novels Queen of the Owls (2020) and The Sound Between the Notes (2021) were gold and silver medalists for prestigious national awards, including the Sarton and Nautilus Book Awards. The Sound Between the Notes was also selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the Best Indie Books of 2021. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her careers and latest novel, The Color of Ice. Key Topics: The important role the subconscious mind plays in sparking all of Barbra’s story ideas. Barbara’s technique of imagining having a conversation with her protagonists as a way of getting to know them (and fueling her creativity). Barbara’s seemingly contradictory advice to forget everything you know about writing and to trust that you’ve learned some things about what makes a clean sentence when making the leap from writing non-fiction to writing fiction. Her belief that it will all work out in the end. Buy The Color of Ice Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EgH0rT Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647422592 Connect with Barbara Linn Probst Website: https://www.barbaralinnprobst.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011410511548 Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/barbara_linn_probst/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT4f95REYKgYJPFzpU_84g Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest, Clare Pooley, and I share a few things in common. We both have backgrounds in advertising, we were both bloggers before becoming authors, and we both appreciate the music of Abba, which my inner heavy metal loving teenager would never admit. She recently joined me to talk about her latest novel, Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting. Meet Clare Pooley: Clare spent twenty years in the world of advertising before becoming a full-time writer. Her memoir - The Sober Diaries - has helped thousands of people worldwide to quit drinking. Her first novel - The Authenticity Project - was a BBC Radio 2 Bookclub pick, a New York Times Bestseller and the winner of the RNA debut novel award. Her latest book is Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting. Key Topics: How Clare went from advertising executive to blogger to published author. How writing a memoir helped Clare find her voice for writing fiction. Clare’s process of visualizing scenes before writing them. Her belief that movement unsticks creativity. Why she’d tell her younger self to be less afraid of making mistakes and failing. “I spent most of my life being fearful of making mistakes and failing. Part of the reason I didn’t write a novel until I was fifty was because I didn’t think I’d be able to do it or, if I did it, that no one would read it.”  Buy Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SZrZ1L Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781984878649 Connect with Clare Website: www.clarepooley.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clare_pooley/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cpooleywriter Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember being called home from school during my senior year in High School because my grandmother, who lived with us at the time, had slipped into a coma. When I got home, I wanted to see her but my cousin said not to get my hopes up as she had been unresponsive for some time. Undeterred, I climbed up the stairs and sat by her bedside. As if on cue, her eyes opened and said, “My Michael, I’ve been waiting for you.” I won’t mention what else was said between us, but after our chat, she closed her eyes again and never woke up. She slipped away later that night. I share this personal story because today’s guest, Jeannée Sacken, shared a similar experience with her father—but you will have to listen in for that beautiful story. Meet Jeannée Sacken: A former English professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, Jeannée is now a photojournalist who travels the world documenting the lives of women and children. She also photographs wildlife and is deeply committed to the conservation of endangered species. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her career and latest book, Double Exposure. Key Topics: How complex stories made for Barbie and Ken and putting on plays in neighborhood backyards planted the seed that one day Jeannée might be a storyteller. How encouragement from a strict teacher blew some wind in Jeannée’s sails and encouraged her to write more. How her father’s dying wish for her to not die with regrets changed her life forever. How a Twilight Zone experience with a Seer in Zimbabwe put her on the path to pursuing a career as a photojournalist. Why she’d tell her younger self to experience it all and to not be afraid. “I was sitting in the ICU at my father's bedside and it was clear he was dying. He took my hand and he said, “Don't die with regrets.” And that was the last thing he said because he went into a coma after that. And it took me a while to figure out exactly what that meant.” — Jeannée Sacken Buy: Double Exposure Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e5v2Xd Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781645383703 Connect with Jeannée Website: https://jeanneesacken.com/home/index.html Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjeanneesacken/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannee.sacken Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U2’s seminal album Achtung Baby was released during my senior year in high school. At the time, I was a huge fan and didn’t know what to make of this new release as it was so different from their earlier work. Once I heard the song Mysterious Ways, though, I really started to dig what I was hearing. I can honestly say I love that album even more today than I did back then. What’s the connection between U2’s Mysterious Ways and today’s guest Kamila Shamsie, well, you will just have to listen to find out! Meet Kamila Shamsie: Kamila Shamsie is the author of several novels, including Home Fire, which won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, was longlisted for the Booker Prize, and was a finalist for the International Dublin Literary Award, among other honors. She recently joined me to talk about her career and latest novel, Best of Friends. Key Topics: How she pursued writing as a career even though it took five books before she could earn a living by being an author. Why she was inspired to write about childhood friendships in her latest novel, Best of Friends. How the America she envisioned while growing up in Pakistan did not live up to the expectations she had watching pirated videotapes as a child. Why would she tell her younger self to take more risks.  “Having complete control over what you are writing also means having complete responsibility. And that can be terrifying.” — Kamila Shamise Buy Best of Friends Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SFpTE4 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593421826 Connect with Kamila Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kshamsie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kamilashamsie Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I spent most of my corporate career working in the area of market research. In short, I talk to consumers for a living and then turn their stories into narratives my clients can use for better decision making. When I think about it, Robert Kerbeck did something with the same intentions, but went about it in a completely different manner—and I was delighted to uncork his story. Meet Robert Kerbeck: Robert Kerbeck is the founder of the Malibu Writers Circle and a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. His essays and short stories have been featured in numerous magazines and literary journals, including Narratively, Los Angeles Magazine, and Shondaland. One of his stories was adapted into the award-winning film, Reconnected, which has appeared at film festivals worldwide. A lifetime member of The Actors Studio, Robert has worked extensively in theater, film, and television, appearing in lead roles in major shows and earning several awards. He joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about his career and memoir RU$E: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street, which provides a look into his career as a secret corporate spy.  Key Topics: How an English professor at Drexel set him on the path of becoming a writer and actor (and encouraged him to switch schools to UPenn). His decision to leave his father’s successful automotive business and pursue a career as an actor. Why and how he turned to corporate spying to make ends meet while pursuing his dream of becoming an actor. How he started his own successful firm and how he wound up being targeted by the government. What it was like to work with OJ Simpson and know that Al Pacino was in the audience watching him on stage. How a suicide note led to this memoir, which is now being developed as a TV series. How his artistic ambitions came full circle. Buy Ruse: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eQUTCD Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593545829 Connect with Robert: Website: https://www.robertkerbeck.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertkerbeck/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/robertkerbeck/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008371966485 Connect with Mike: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As writers, we are eager for feedback and validation that something we’ve birthed has value and waiting for it, to paraphrase the late Tom Petty, is sometimes the hardest part. Today’s guest, Ali Michael, Ph.D. echoed that in something she said during our conversation, but make no mistake, this really isn’t a conversation about the writing process. It’s a conversation about her path to working towards racial equity through her writing. I really enjoyed this conversation and learned so much from Ali, and I hope you do too. Meet Ali Michael, Ph.D.: Ali Michael works with schools and organizations across the country to help make research on race, Whiteness, and education more accessible and relevant to educators. She is the author of Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry and Education, which won the 2017 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest book, Our Problem, Our Path: Collective Antiracism for White People, which she co authored with Elenora Bartoli.  Key Topics: Why, even though she has multiple books published, Ali does not identify as an author. How Ali’s experience in an African American Literature class helped her talk about race without freezing up. Her path to working towards racial equity. How we can have better, more productive conversations about race without “knocking people out.” Why sometimes the waiting is the hardest part of the writing process. “I guess, because right now I'm just sitting around waiting for people to read what I wrote and I'm not writing anything right now, so I feel very adrift. I'm just sitting around waiting to hear the response. I don't feel like a writer right now, I just feel like I'm just in this writer's purgatory waiting for feedback.” — Ali Michael, Ph.D. Buy: Our Problem, Our Path Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xJ2Obk Bookshop.org:https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781071851326 Corwin.com: https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/our-problem-our-path/book278155 Connect with Ali Website: https://www.alimichael.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ali.michael.3726 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimichaelphd/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alimichaelphd?lang=en Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember being a kid never rushing away after big holiday dinners as I enjoyed listening to the adults tell stories. My twin brother was always bored by such things, but I loved hearing the stories of my grandmother coming to America from Italy and what it was like not being able to speak the language. She told me how the Italians would mime out the things they needed at the grocery store and my favorite story was how she once saw someone clucking like a chicken in an attempt to locate eggs. Why take this walk down memory lane? Well, my guest today, Ellen Nichols, shared a memory of how, as a little girl, she used to sneak downstairs after her bedtime and hide behind the couch listening to her grandparents tell stories. She was captivated by these tales of old, and that is really where her story as an author began; as a little girl hiding behind a sofa. Meet Ellen Nichols: Ellen grew up in the American Deep South, but with a spirit of adventure, she went up to Toronto, Canada, for graduate school, and stayed fifty years. She has been writing for a living for years, but always for someone else. Her grant proposals, direct-marketing letters, and especially her thank-you letters are legendary and her persuasive writing skills raised millions of dollars. Those Canadians loved her tales about her Southern life so much, she decided to write them down and they became her memoir, Remember Whose Little Girl You Are, which she joined me on Uncorking a Story to Discuss. Key Topics: Ellen’s motivation for writing her memoir. How she moved around every three or four years as her father was a Methodist minister. How moving around so much helped Ellen develop stronger communication skills. The significance behind the title of her book. The story behind the Teddy Bear in the frame of her video and the significance of the man who gave it to her. I wanted people to know that not everybody who was white and living in the Deep South in the 40s, and 50s, and 60s, were all racist. Some of us were quite liberal and I wanted people to know that because I don't think history made a big deal about that. And that was one of the reasons I wanted to publish it.” — Ellen Nichols. Buy: Remember Whose Little Girl You Are Amazon:https://amzn.to/3qnnT79 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781646635146 Connect with Ellen Website: https://ellennichols.com Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I love connecting with fellow marketers. I love it even more when those fellow marketers are also fellow podcasters! I’m not ashamed to admit it, when today’s guest, Sarah Panus, started talking about upper funnel content strategies and how data is one of the three pillars of a brand storytelling framework, my heart started to race a bit more! If you are seeking a successful career in marketing, and don’t smell what Sarah is cooking, you need to listen to this episode! Meet Sarah Panus: Sarah has over 20 years’ experience helping billion-dollar brands attract upper-funnel leads that drive lower-funnel results through storytelling. Sarah is a content strategist, podcast host of Marketing With Empathy®, and owner of Kindred Speak®. She’s on a mission to humanize brands, help content marketers reduce overwhelm/confusion, and raise money to fund child trafficking rescue missions. Listeners to Uncorking a Story can enjoy a freebie from Sarah: 3 Ways to Improve Your Content Strategy This Year https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6161f93cc71e8685f183c63e Key Topics: How her passion for storytelling began while growing up as a small town Minnesota farm girl. How a side hustle turned into self-employment after being furloughed during the pandemic. How she builds her client base through personal connections and LinkedIn. Her focus on upper funnel content and why storytelling is so critical to brand building. Why every brand storytelling framework needs three things; focus, empathy, and data. Dove Beauty Self-Esteem Project brand storytelling AI example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF3iRZtkyAQ Sleep Number Sleep30 storytelling site example: www.sleep30.com Connect with Sarah Website: https://www.kindredspeak.com/ Marketing with Empathy Podcast: https://marketingpodcasts.net/show/marketing-with-empathy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsarahpanus/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpanus/ Sked.Link: https://sked.link/iamsarahpanus Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way back in 1985, my sister Mia took my twin brother Jimmy and me to see Back to the Future. Shortly after leaving the theater, her car ran out of gas and my brother started balling his eyes out as he thought we’d be left for dead on the side of the road. Fortunately, we were only in Darien, Connecticut and a block away from a gas station so disaster was averted. I bring this up for two reasons; 1. Today’s guest, Kelley Holland, had a similar experience while driving to her first job and 2. I simply can’t resist taking a jab at my brother. Meet Kelley Holland: Kelley is the founder and CEO of Own Your Destiny, which provides financial coaching and empowerment programs to help women gain the confidence and knowledge they need to achieve well-being and live life on their terms. She blends her knowledge of finance with communications expertise developed over two decades as an award-winning business and personal finance journalist with The New York Times, BusinessWeek, and CNBC. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her book, You Are Worthy: Change Your Money Mindset, Build Your Wealth, and Fund Your Future. Key Topics: How the one-two punch of having a mother who worked for decades on women’s empowerment and a father who was an English professor put her on the path of becoming a coach and writer focused on helping women gain financial freedom. How her own experience literally running on fumes while driving to her first job taught her a valuable life lesson. How Kelley helps women change their mindset around money and build the skills to take charge of their financial life. Why Kelley doesn’t refer to mistakes with regards to poor financial decisions and prefers the term hurdles. Why it is important for her to donate a portion of her book sales to CAMFED, the campaign for female education.  “You can do this. You know more than you think you do. You deserve this, and it’s within your reach. Trust yourself, take your time, and you can get to a better place.” — Kelley Holland Buy You are Worthy Amazon:https://amzn.to/3Mn4qhj Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647422394 Connect with Kelley Website: https://ownyourdestinycoaching.com/ Instagram: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OYDFinanceCoach Twitter: https://twitter.com/OYDFinanceCoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/own-your-destiny/ Learn more about CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education: https://camfed.org/us/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember the days before our triplets could read and I’d spend at least an hour between the three of them reading stories every night. By the time I got to my son, who always wanted to be last so he could get “more daddy time,” my eyes would be so heavy that I’d fall asleep with a book over my nose (usually it was Harold and the Purple Crayon). Today’s guest, Maya Smart, reminded me of the importance of reading to your kids when they are young (maybe it’s my fault that I have three avid readers!). Meet Maya Smart: Maya is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate who has served on the boards of numerous library and literacy organizations. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her book, Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six, in which she provides a clear, step-by-step guide to helping your child thrive as a reader and a learner. Key Topics: The iconic literary figure she was named after. The importance of encouragement when learning to read. Her path from investment banking to writing. How her daughter inspired her to write Reading for our Lives to fill a gap Maya identified in reading development. Why it is so important to join writing groups for both personal development and networking purposes. Buy Reading for Our Lives Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cfWgK7 Bookshop.org:https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593332177 Connect with Maya Website: https://mayasmart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayasmarty/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayasmart Twitter: https://twitter.com/MayaSmart Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing stayed with me after my conversation with Joy Jordan Lake. She opened up to me about how a fear of failure as a writer prevented her from fully embracing it as a career. Don’t get me wrong, most authors have a challenging time making ends meet solely by their writing, but there’s a difference between having a day job and treating writing as a hobby vs. treating writing as a passion. It’s only after we really treat it as a passion that we have the possibility of finding any success as writers. Meet Joy Jordan Lake: Joy’s varied professional experience has included working as a college professor, author, journalist, waitress, director of a program for homeless families, university chaplain, horseback riding instructor, freelance photographer, and the job title that remains her personal favorite--head sailing instructor. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest novel, A Bend of Light. Key Topics: How her love of reading fueled her career as a writer. Why elementary school teachers are the ones who “rock the world.” How investing in herself, by going to a writer’s conference when she had very little money in the bank, was a turning point in Joy Jordan’s life. The importance of vulnerability in the writing process. The importance of persistence and having thick skin while going through the agent querying process. “I would tell myself to not build so many safety nets under myself. I had an embarrassing list of long jobs…part of that was because I was scared to fail as a writer. I wish I’d taken writing more seriously earlier.” — Joy Jordan Lake Buy A Bend of Light Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AFU33P Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781542037907 Connect with Joy Website: https://www.joyjordanlake.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyjordanlake_books/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyjordanlakeauthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyjordanlake Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prior to meeting Nobel Prize winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah a few weeks ago, the only thing I knew about his home country of Zanzibar was that Freddie Mercury was born there and Billy Joel wrote a song by that name, though I’m pretty sure it was about a nightclub in New York City. I was unaware of the Zanzibar Revolution and the dangerous living conditions that caused Abdulrazak to flee his home country and seek asylum in the UK. Meet Abdulrazak Gurnah: Abdulrazak Gurnah is the 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his many novels are Paradise, By the Sea, and Desertion. Born and raised in Zanzibar, he is Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story me today to talk about his new novel, Afterlives.  Key Topics: His decision to leave Zanzibar in the 1960s to seek asylum in the UK. How he was treated living as a refugee in the UK. Why, after studying engineering, Abdulrazak decided to start writing. How he weaves his life’s experiences into the story lines of his novels. Important words of advice he would share with aspiring authors looking to write their first book. “What I write about is what I see. And if what I see is unjust, then I will write about it.” — Abdulrazak Gurnah. Buy After Lives Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KjQRy6 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593541883 Connect with Abdulrazak Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/44089.Abdulrazak_Gurnah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addulrazak_gurnah/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you wonder why bad things always seem to happen to good people? Do you want to know how to overcome adversity and become successful despite terrible odds? Would you like to know what a parkway on Long Island has to do with two evil dictators? Well, today’s Guest, Steve Borys, has been struggling with these questions all his life and graciously let me uncork his story. Meet Steve Borys: Steve Grew up in Sayville, NY on the east end of Long Island. He Attended Fordham University, where he earned a BA in History and an MAT in Social Studies. At Fordham, Steve played football and was a team captain, 2 time all patriot league and an honorable mention All American. After college, Steve has been teaching and coaching for the last 25 years and just wrote his first book called, ‘How to beat Stalin, Hitler, and the Southern State Parkway’. Key Topics: The important role that joining a football team played in Steve’s life. How Steve got through the darkest times of his life. The impact losing his mother and sister had on his life. Why Steve believes that the answers to most of our problems are love and community. Why he believes that his story can help people who are struggling through these chaotic times. Buy How to Beat Stalin, Hilter and the Southern State Parkway Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ql2C9s Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781662445316   Connect with Steve e-mail: mailto:[email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveborys/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.borys YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCERbpmmk0_4qPTbZ3YT3mhA Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many years ago I was taking guitar lessons with a great teacher named Ken Volpe, or Master Ken as I liked to call him. When shooting the breeze over a song one day, I said to him, “I don’t like the solo. I would do something differently.” He said, “Oh really. Well, put those minor pentatonic scales to use and come up with something different.” I simply couldn’t do it. Why am I sharing this embarrassing story? Well, my guest today, Rhys Bowen, tells a similar tale, but with a more favorable outcome. While working in Drama for the BBC, she decided that she didn’t like the ending to a play they were running so decided to write her own. With the confidence that only a twenty-two year old amateur playwright could have, she walked down the hall and put it on the head of Drama’s desk. A week later she got the call that the BBC was going to do it. Rhys has been a working writer ever since. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her career and latest novel, Where the Sky Begins.  Meet Rhys Bowen Rhys is the New York Times bestselling author of two historical mystery series as well as the #1Kindle bestseller In Farleigh Field and the international bestseller The Tuscan Child. Key Topics The importance of letting your brain rest and percolate in between projects. Why World War Two provides fertile ground for storytelling. The importance of play to feed one’s inner child. How writing was therapy for Rhys during the early days of the pandemic. Rhys' creative trick for preventing writer’s block. Buy Where the Sky Begins Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zlnSF3 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781542028868 Connect with Rhys Website: https://rhysbowen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorrhysbowen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhysBowenAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhysbowen Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was eighteen, I was very clear on what I wanted to be when I grew up—a psychologist. Two people are to blame for my fascination in this social science; Mr. Michael Roper, who taught Intro to Psychology at my high school and Thomas Harris, who wrote Silence of the Lambs. The former was an amazing teacher who brought the subject to life in such a way that I was captivated to read everything I could on the topic. Which led me to the latter— Harris’ Silence of the Lambs led me to his first book featuring Hannibal Lecter, The Red Dragon, and I thought working as an FBI profiler would be a lot more interesting than sitting at a desk all day. Spoiler alert, I never became a psychologist or a profiler, but that’s a story for another time. I mention all of this because my guest today, Alicia Thompson, and I share a love of psychology, reading and writing, and I had a lot of fun uncorking her story. Meet Alicia Thompson: Alicia is a writer who wrote her debut novel between pulling all-nighters on her senior thesis. Her short stories have appeared in Girls’ Life magazine and, as a teen, she appeared in an episode of 48 hours in the audience of a local murder trial, where she broke the fourth wall by looking directly into the camera. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest book, Love in the Time of Serial Killers. Key Topics: What it’s like having success at such a young age. How to maintain your confidence and persevere while waiting 10 years between books. Transitioning from Young Adult fiction to Adult Fiction. The importance of having a writer community. Buy Love in the Time of Serial Killers: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vw0DH6 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593438657   Connect with Alicia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciabooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aliciabooks Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ll admit it, I became a subscriber to Sirius XM when Howard Stern left terrestrial radio for satellite. One evening, though, on a long drive from Boston to Connecticut, I came across The Catholic Channel and listened to a program called The Busted Halo show, in which the host, Fr. Dave Dwyer, took calls from the audience who posed questions of faith. The host had a very relaxed and very humorous approach to answering all of the questions posed to him and I thought to myself, “There’s no way this guy is a priest.” I became a loyal listener, dare I say a fan, and made it a personal mission to meet the one and only Fr. Dave Dwyer, who had such an interesting backstory that, after coming up with the idea for Uncorking a Story, I asked him to be my first guest. Meet Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP: Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP, is Executive Director of Busted Halo, a media ministry of the Paulist Fathers that helps Catholics share their faith joyfully. He’s also the award-winning host of The Busted Halo Show weeknights on SiriusXM radio. He is a popular speaker, mission preacher, and television commentator, having appeared on CNN, Fox News, EWTN, The History Channel, NBC, Entertainment Tonight, and The Daily Show . The Catholic Media Association bestowed on Father Dave its inaugural Gabriel Award for Personal Achievement in 2021. He has worked in campus ministry at the Universities of Colorado and Texas, and has developed ministry programs for the Military Archdiocese. Prior to ordination, he directed television for MTV and Comedy Central. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his latest book, Mass Class: Your Questions Answered. Key Topics: The origin story of his book, Mass Class: Your Questions Answered. How answering questions posed to him by college students as a young seminarian inspired Fr. Dave to embrace answering questions of faith. What Fr. Dave does when someone stumps him with a question. Why writing the book was not the fun part of the publishing process for Fr. Dave. How the book is not just a resource for Catholics, but anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. Buy Mass Class: Your Questions Answered Paulist Press: https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/0666-0/mass-class.aspx Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CtMDl4 Connect with Fr. Dave Website: https://bustedhalo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatherdavedwyer/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/fatherdavedwyer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatherdave YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/bustedhalovideo Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes when I’m writing I get into what I call "the zone." Time seems to stop and I’m only pulled out of it when my presence is missed, which is a nice way of saying someone is yelling at me to rejoin the family. Lauren Forsythe calls this catching a wave, and I’m totally stealing that metaphor. Meet Lauren Forsythe: By day, Lauren is a content marketing manager, finding ways to get writing into people’s eagerly waiting eye-holes, and by night…well it’s the same thing, but with more wine. Lauren writes books about strong women, men with pretty eyelashes, and friends that save your life. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her career and latest book, the Fixer Upper.  Key Topics: The path to publishing her debut novel, including collaborating with her agent. How the imbalance of labor she noticed between men and women working from home during the pandemic inspired the ideas behind her debut. How being silly and joyful are great ways of feeding one’s inner child and (fueling one’s creativity). Why we should stop wasting time on fear and doubt when it comes to writing and simply write what we love to read regardless of what other people tell us. Buy The Fixer Upper Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Qa5wgV Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593422519 Connect with Lauren Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenforsythe_author/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenf_writer Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ve interviewed a lot of lawyers turned authors on Uncorking a Story but who I haven’t interviewed is a lawyer turned author who received a call from former President Bill Clinton to shoot the breeze about his work. That all changed the day I interviewed David Pepper Meet David Pepper: David Pepper is the author of The Voter File, The People's House, and The Wingman, all of which feature Jack Sharpe. He earned his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. He has clerked for a judge on the United States Court of Appeals, served in local elected office in Ohio, worked for major law firms, and taught election and voting rights law. Prior to law school, Pepper worked in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2015, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Democratic Party of Ohio. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his latest novel, A Simple Plan. Key Topics: The similarities between being an author and being a lawyer. How writing an authentic story that gets momentum can help overcome the challenges posed by not having an agent or a publisher. How a harsh rejection from an agent led to David’s writing what became the 2016 sleeper thriller of the year, per the Wall Street Journal. How timing is everything when it comes to publishing. The importance of maintaining your connections throughout life. “Even before I had an agent and even before I had a publisher, thousands of people had read The People’s House and got a lot out of it. And that itself was great for me.” — David Pepper Buy: A Simple Choice Amazon: https://amzn.to/3DuXqfK Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593419731 Connect with David Website: https://davidpepper.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidpepperOH/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_davidpepper/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/DavidPepper Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past twenty years, I’ve been the father of triplets and so much of my identity is tied to my role as father. But what happens when they fly the nest and begin living independently? I’ll admit it, I had a bit of an identity crisis when they went off to college and it took me some time to identify with other parts of my identity that I had suppressed or even forgotten. Today’s guest, Giovanni Ruscitti, only discovered a significant part of his identity later in adulthood upon visiting his father’s ancestral town in Italy. His father fled Italy in 1943 after the Nazis came in and, after surviving in the mountains for a while, managed to immigrate to the United States where he worked a series of odd jobs while beginning and raising a family. Meet Giovanni Ruscitti: Giovanni is a first generation Italian-American who grew up in Frederick, Colorado, a small coal mining town that his parents and grandparents immigrated to in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is a nationally recognized attorney, arbitrator, and mediator, as well as a frequent speaker at national legal events and was named as one of the most influential business leaders in Colorado, and has served on numerous non-profit boards. Giovanni joined me today to talk about his memoir, Cobblestones, Conversations, and Corks: A Son's Discovery of His Italian Heritage. Topics Covered: Learning empathy for one’s parents after seeing firsthand the circumstances in which they were raised. How outrage towards the death of George Floyd and the spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement encouraged Giovanni to tell his father’s story.  The Importance of not judging others so quickly and recognizing that everyone has a backstory of which we are unaware. Why Giovanni believes that forgiveness is freedom and how forgiving his father led to having a closer personal relationship with him. “Forgiveness is freedom. Most people are doing the best they can under the circumstances with the tools that they have. I learned that from my father and was able to forgive the things that put us apart for a period of time. I’ve learned you have to try to understand why someone is doing what they're doing and who they are. Don’t be so quick to judge.” — Giovanni Ruscitti Buy: Cobblestones, Conversations, and Corks: A Son's Discovery of His Italian Heritage Amazon: https://amzn.to/3d1X9q0 Connect with Giovanni  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovanni-ruscitti-5070835/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gio_1966/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1120740796 Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/rusc66 Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Sangu Mandanna Sangu was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. She joins me today to talk about her latest novel, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. In this episode, Mike and Sangu discuss:  Sangu’s lifelong love of writing and her path to being a novelist.  The timing of writing a book and getting it published.  The importance of persistence and encouragement.  Embracing the lessons from children’s books and movies as an adult.  Key Takeaways:  You don’t need to have a degree to be a writer. Books are written and reflect who you, as an author, are at that point in time.  Encouragement and critique do not need to come from someone in the industry, they could be from a trusted friend or family member.  Let your imposter syndrome work for you. You have made it to where you are by pushing through, and you will make it to where you are going by pushing through.  “No matter how blank the page is, it never stays blank.” – Sangu Mandanna  Buy The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OO5dXZ Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593439357 Connect with Sangu Mandanna:  Website: https://sangumandanna.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/SanguMandanna  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sangumandanna/    Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Allison Gilbert:  Allison is an award-winning journalist and author of numerous books including Passed and Present and Parentless Parents. Her forthcoming book, Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, is the inspiring story of a timeless maverick, capturing what it means to take a gamble on self-fulfillment and find freedom along the way. In this episode, Mike and Allison discuss:  Allison’s journey from journalist to book author (including her near death on September 11th).  Writing as catharsis and therapy.  How our education system keeps us from learning about the impact of women and where we can learn more. Stories to bring you into another family and world.  Key Takeaways:  The practical skills that you learn in other careers can often be applied to your writing.  Writing can be a form of therapy, for authors of both fiction and non-fiction. It is a way of getting lost in a world that you have control over.  When you downplay the role of women in the creation of your country and current culture, then we learn fewer histories.  When you get stuck on a project, do more work. Having a good outline to start can help, but if you don’t know what to write, you just need more information.  "If you are so passionate about your topic, do not give up. Ultimately, it just took one editor to say ‘yes.’" – Allison Gilbert  Buy Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman Amazon: https://amzn.to/3P6xklR Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781541674356 Connect with Allison Website: https://www.allisongilbert.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agilbertwriter/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agilbertwriter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/agilbertwriter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agilbertwriter/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNUhHAyA9RBL3sav6W2qo8Q Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ll admit it, I love watching The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Here’s the thing, though, I can’t draw to save my life, but I am drawn to that show the way some people are drawn to watching fish swim in a tank. He was a talented artist, no doubt, but what I appreciated more than his talent was his calm and serene demeanor which complimented the naturescapes he was fond of painting. One phrase he used often when he may have made unanticipated brush strokes was “Happy little accidents.” And a happy little accident is where author Katherine Linn Caire’s story begins. About Katherine Linn Caire Kathe was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she swam for the Mustangs and received her BBA (Finance), with Minors in Art History and Economics. Although her career has spanned the gamut from commercial banking lender to advertising account executive, from calligrapher/artist to tennis official, she has found her true delight in putting pen to paper. She recently joined me to discuss her memoir Accidental Sisters: The Story of My 52-Year Wait to Meet My Biological Sibling. The happy little accident that set the events of this memoir into motion was when her birth mother’s full name was not redacted in a file including her birth parents’ health history. Curiosity got the better of her and Kathe did some Googling to try and find her birth mother, but kept hitting wall after wall. One year, for Mother’s Day, her daughters gave her a birth mother search as a gift. While it turned out her birth mother had died years earlier, it did reveal something Kathe didn’t anticipate—she had a sister. In our conversation, Kathe and I discuss: Her belief that divine intervention was at play, bringing her together with her sister. Why the best gifts are the ones you never anticipated asking for. What it was like talking and meeting her sister for the first time. Why your book is never 95% done when you hand it over to your editor. The importance of collaborating with your content editor to make your book as good as it can be. “Don't be so sure that you know what you want until you're faced with the situation. I think for many years, I was very sure that having my mom and my dad, my brother, and my grandmother and my grandfather, was all I needed. And that there wasn't really anything more to my life than the family that I had.I did not have any idea whatsoever that I felt the way that I did, until I was actually faced with the situation.” — Kathe Caire Buy: Accidental Sisters:The Story of My 52-Year Wait to Meet My Biological Sibling.  Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BAbUK8 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781953865571 Connect with Katherine Website: https://klcairebooks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skilletfam910/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klcairebooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/klcairebooks Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Ava Glass: Ava Glass is a former civil servant and journalist who once worked closely with spies. She lives in the same town in the south of England as Christopher Steele. But this is, of course, a coincidence. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her career and latest novel, Alias Emma. In this episode, Mike and Ava discuss:  Being captured by writing while living on the careening train of life.  Your first published book not being your first attempt at writing a book.  Surprises in the publishing industry.  Worrying too much and living the advice you would tell your younger self.  Key Takeaways:  Reading is not necessarily the path to being a writer, but it does help cultivate an active imagination.  Story ideas can come from anywhere - careers, television, news articles, travel, and so many more places. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will become inspired. You can learn a lot about yourself as you write fiction.  No chapter gets more rewritten than chapter one. You don’t have to worry if it is awful, because it is just going to be rewritten.  "Making things up for a living is the ultimate indulgence of your inner child. I make up people; I make up stories. I tell stories to myself constantly. I feel like, in every book, I'm going to be telling stories to people. So that is the ultimate gift I could give my inner kid." – Ava Glass Buy Alias Emma Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PtYFhW Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593496794 Connect with Ava Website: https://www.avaglass.uk/  Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/avaglassbooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AvaGlassBooks Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every now and then I uncork a story that just won’t leave me and Annette Libeskind Berkovits’ story is exactly one of those. While this is a story about a person growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust, I want to be clear, as does Annette, that this is not a tragedy. In fact, it is a story about overcoming trauma and learning how to adapt when the winds of change are blowing in your face. In our rich and emotional conversation centered around her latest memoir, Aftermath: Coming-of-Age on Three Continents, Annette and I cover: Why, when growing up in post-war Poland, Annette felt she did not see in color, only black and white. How she felt when moving to the fledgling state of Israel, the challenges of learning a new language, Hebrew, and how she began seeing in color during this time. The heartbreak she felt when her father left Israel for America. How Annette adjusted to life in America after settling in the Bronx, all the while not knowing the language with her only frame of reference of the United States being the propaganda the Soviets taught her about America when she was in Poland. Why learning from the past is important and how it does not have to define what the future holds for us. “My father populated my entire childhood with people who were murdered, not just his family, but also his friends and his teachers and and I just feel a responsibility to pass it on. And recently, my daughter wrote a story about the impact of anti-semitism that she just had published in the Jewish Writing Project. So that history, as you say, gets passed down the generations, and when it doesn't it's a real problem.” — Annette Libeskind Berkovits Annette’s story is really one of overcoming hardship, adversity, and the trauma of the past. I know you will be inspired by our conversation and ask that you take the time to listen to this in its entirety. Buy: Aftermath: Coming-of-Age on Three Continents Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qFBVRX Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9789493276390 Connect with Annette Website: https://annetteberkovits.com Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3eUZmEh Facebook:https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013598386903 Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Jim Young: Jim is on a personal mission to help men defeat burnout. He does this through his coaching business where he is known as The Centered Coach, and is also doing it through his new book entitled Expansive Intimacy: How Tough Guys Defeat Burnout. In this episode, Mike and Jim discuss:  Staking a claim to who you are.  The multiple paths we take in life.  Taking a risk to open yourself to vulnerability.  Embracing the youness.  Key Takeaways:  You don’t have to know what you want to do at 18. That’s crazy! You will find yourself as you live your life and learn who you are.  Burnout can feel different to everyone. Listen to your body and your mental health and be willing to take the actions needed to help yourself, even if it is terrifying.  You cannot connect with everybody. Be honest, be authentic, and be yourself and you will connect with those who you are meant to be around.  You have something nobody else has and that is all that you need.  "If there's a secret weapon, it's dealing with the really uncomfortable feelings of shame." – Jim Young Buy Expansive Intimacy: How Tough Guys Defeat Burnout Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BtcSI2 Connect with Jim Young:  Website: https://www.thecenteredcoach.com/  Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Carrington Smith: Carrington Smith is a single mom, attorney, business owner, and executive search professional. Despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, life gave her a hard kick in the tail. She has survived sexual assault, two divorces, piles of debt, abuse, religious mind games, the death of loved ones, and the loss of close friends. In her debut memoir, Blooming: Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life, Carrington combines wit and wisdom to share her journey through the shit, with a positive attitude and a shift of mindset, into a life bursting with joy, opportunity, and purpose. A graduate of UT Austin and Tulane Law School, Carrington resides in Austin, Texas, with her two teenage boys. In this episode, Mike and Carrington discuss:  How changing your mindset can change your life Why it's better to stand out than to fit in How sometimes we don’t really discover who we are until later in life Why being given everything isn’t necessarily a blessing “I like to say that we spend most of our life trying to fit in, and what God really intended us to do was to stand out. And so it's really our differences that we need to celebrate, not our similarities.” — Carrington Smith Buy Blooming: Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life Amazon:https://amzn.to/3CQ0T8v Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781544523781 Connect with Carrington Smith Website: https://www.carrington-smith.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carringtonatx/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarringtonATX Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarringtonATX LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriesmithtrabue/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5HWX6jTM_F-nZAaShyx8SQ Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About David Bell: David is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, and LAYOVER. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, recently his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award.  In this episode, Mike and David discuss:  Why David blames his parents for becoming a bestselling author.  Reading as the best teacher of the craft of writing.  How David’s career influenced his latest book, The Finalists.  The impact of childhood stories on other stories in our lives.  Key Takeaways:  Not all authors are dead! Many are attempting to make a living doing it now, and you can too.  Succeeding young in writing is rare. Many publish their first books, and become accomplished writers, in their 30s or 40s or even later.  While writing itself is a solitary process, the book and the publishing of that book is a team effort to get that book out in the world.  It is going to take time - you don’t play an instrument perfectly when you first pick it up, and you also won’t write the perfect novel the first time you pick up a pen.  "Enjoy the day-to-day process of writing the book. Enjoy the day-to-day process of a book coming out. Yes, you're responsible for a lot of what happens and you can't just abdicate responsibility to publishing for promoting the book, but try to enjoy the ride." – David Bell Buy The Finalists Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yQWA9r Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593198698 Connect with David Bell: Website: https://davidbellnovels.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidbellnovels/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBellNovels Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidBellNovels Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Sophie Irwin: Sophie has spent years immersed in the study of historical fiction, from a dissertation on why Georgette Heyer helped win World War Two, to time spent in dusty stacks and old tomes doing detailed period research when writing this book.  Her love and passion for historical fiction bring a breath of fresh air and a contemporary energy to the genre. Her debut novel is A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting and joining me today to talk about that, and so much more, is author Sophie Irwin.  In this episode, Mike and Sophie discuss:  Why her writing starts with consuming stories across multiple genres and media platforms.  The draw of historical fiction (and how it is similar to fantasy).  Building an immersive world without overwhelming your readers.  Embracing and feeding your inner selves - past, present, and future.  Finding a community within the solitary process of writing.  Key Takeaways:  Historical fiction has a texture that is rich and gorgeous in a way that is different from modern reality.  Turn the trope on its head and consider giving your protagonist a reason that isn’t altruistic and is honest about their drive.  For your character to break the rules, you have to establish what they are. In historical fiction, there’s different rules depending on the time and location of your setting. Tell the story you want to tell and the rest will work itself out.  Your first draft is going to be bad and you’re going to hate it (and maybe hate yourself). Push through that. The second draft is for making the writing better.  "You have to try and retain some of that childlike ability to try and fail and carry on anyway." – Sophie Irwin Buy A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AI8aWW Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593491348 Connect with Sophie Irwin:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophie.irwin/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieHIrwin  Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Annabel Monaghan: Annabel is the author of two Young Adult novels: A Girl Named Digit, optioned by the Disney Channel, and the sequel, Double Digit. She is also the author of Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, The Week, and The Rye Record. She joins me today to talk about Nora Goes Off Script, which is her adult debut novel.    In this episode, Mike and Annabel discuss:  Annabel’s path to publishing What she learned during the writing process How Annabel crafted Nora's character and why she chose to make Nora a mother How writing is therapy for Annabel Key Takeaways:  Learn how to embrace and create opportunities for success yourself. Be vulnerable. By having the courage to be vulnerable in your writing, you enhance your characters and give them a sense of life, which could help you connect with your readers. It's not an easy job being a mom–raising a child while accomplishing other responsibilities every single day.  Taking the time to write down what is going through your mind is an effective way of expressing yourself, as well as processing your life. "You're going to be okay, just keep going. It’s not going to work out right away, but it's going to be okay." – Annabel Monaghan  Buy Nora Goes Off Script: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3w4elBi Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593420034 Connect with Annabel Monaghan:  Website: http://annabelmonaghan.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnabelMonaghan Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnabelMonaghan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/annabel-monaghan/79/b1a/2a7 Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/annabel-monaghan/79/b1a/2a7 Email: [email protected] Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Ashleigh Renard: As a figure skating coach and choreographer, Ashleigh Renard spent two decades building trust and fostering teamwork, growing her synchronized skating organization to one of the biggest in the world. Now she offers support and encouragement to millions of couples every week through her lifestyle blog and coaching practice. She also co-hosts a podcast for content creators looking to grow their platform. She's here with us today to discuss her newest book, Keeping it Hot: The Workbook. In this episode, Mike and Ashleigh discuss:  The motivation behind writing Keeping it Hot, the Workbook The role uncovering your own needs plays in building intimacy How intimacy outside the bedroom can lead to intimacy inside the bedroom How to speak openly and honestly about your needs Key Takeaways:  Bringing the spark back to the relationship should be fun, not a fight. Self-awareness, or knowing what you want from yourself and a partner, is crucial in every relationship. The first step to finding out what you want is to allow yourself to listen to your inner voice and then practice self-care. There's nothing wrong with discussing your sexual desires with your partner. You can’t expect them to know what you want unless you tell them. Sharing your true feelings gives them permission to do the same. Being a parent doesn't mean you can't have intimate time with your partner or yourself. Planning is everything—take the time to continually invest in your relationship and your kids will grow up with a better understanding of romantic love.  "Both people in the partnership need time to themselves. They need time to be in their body, they need time to laugh with friends, they need time to really do the things that they love. They need some time for that or else they're not going to have any empathy for the other person who also needs something." – Ashleigh Renard  Buy Keeping it Hot: The Workbook Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zZmY2B Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781736596807 Connect with Ashleigh  Website: https://ashleighrenard.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleighrenard/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleighrenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleigh.renard/ Email: [email protected] Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You’re the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every now and then I uncork a story that simply inspires the hell out of me—and this is one of those stories. As Founder and CEO of Encourage LLC, Johnny Sirpilla specializes in leadership development. Every year he addresses organizations with his message of the importance of managing and reframing thoughts, modeling healthy thinking, and searching for positive meaning. Developing meaningful professional and personal relationships that genuinely reflect the personal brand of the individual and organization create synergies that drive growth for all stakeholders. I didn’t know it going into my interview with Johnny, but he and I have a lot in common. We are both Italian (well, I’m only half, but that’s the half I identify with), we both have written books, and we both have fathered triplets. He and his wife, however, lost Nicholas, Mary, and Peter not long after they were born. More tragedies would follow Johnny and his wife as they attempted to start their family and you might assume that so much loss would lead to a dark place and maybe even the dissolution of their marriage, but the opposite was true. Yes, Johnny and his wife grieved hard together, but they were also able to reframe their experiences into something positive. The loss of their babies led to a ripple effect of positivity in the lives they have touched. Johnny decided to document his experiences and beliefs in a memoir entitled, Life is Hard but I'll Be OK: The Power of Hope Emerging through Pain and Learning to Live with Gratitude and joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about it. During our conversation we touch on: How he and his wife dealt with so much loss and the importance of grieving together. How he was able to hang onto his faith and not hate God in the face of so much tragedy. How he and his family celebrate and honor Nicholas, Mary, and Peter every year. How an empty nest can lead to a rediscovery of one’s relationship with their partner. Quote from Johnny: A young man asked me, what do you wish you knew when you were sitting in our seats that would prepare you for the life you're going to live? The answer came to me quickly. I said, I wish I knew that life will be hard, but I'll be okay. And that's where the title of my book came from. As a young guy I think you set goals, you reach them, you set the next goal, and life just keeps going in that great trajectory. And you almost don't prepare yourself for those unexplained situations that happen. A child passing, an illness, adoption nightmares. So you know, I wish I knew that life will be hard, but I'll be okay. Buy Life is Hard but I’ll Be Ok. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PPT5qX Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781956642872 Connect with Johnny Website: https://www.encourage33.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnysirpilla/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.sirpilla Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnnySirpilla Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Sandra Butler: Sandra is the author of several books, each designed to identify something unspoken and move those issues into the public conversation. Over the past three decades, Sandra has written dozens of articles, reviews, and essays that have appeared in a range of periodicals and anthologies. She has facilitated workshops for community activist social workers and psychologists on violence against women and has lectured on women's issues nationally and internationally. She joins us today to talk about her latest book, The Kitchen Is Closed: And Other Benefits of Being Old.  In this episode, Mike and Sandra discuss:  The motivation behind Sandra’s latest book Why it is important to listen to your inner voices Defining love in its truest sense The truth about keeping secrets Key Takeaways:  Your story may have the potential to spark conversations about important issues, so go ahead and let the world hear your story. Be the change you want to see in the world. Listen to the voices in your head, but remember to silence the negative ones. Listening to and trusting your inner voice can help you make wise decisions and make significant changes in your life. Love should satisfy both parties' needs and desires. If a relationship no longer fulfills you, it may be time to move on. Setting boundaries is fine, but keeping secrets may hurt you in the long run.  "Your job is to leave the world better than you found it." – Sandra Butler Buy The Kitchen Is Closed: And Other Benefits of Being Old Amazon: https://amzn.to/3c5QAla Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798985756005 Connect with Sandra Website: https://sandrabutler.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraButlerWrites/ Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You’re the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices