Interviews

For author Gin Coleman, the Desert Born series is the culmination of a story that has lived in her imagination for nearly four decades. What began as a romantic fantasy and a personal escape eventually evolved into a sweeping saga exploring love, family, identity, cultural discovery, survival, and the choices that shape who we become. Set against the mystery and beauty of the Arabian desert, the series blends romance, adventure, archaeology, horses, and historical elements wh

George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess is one of America’s most celebrated operas, but the story behind the woman who first brought the character of Bess to life is far less familiar. In her historical fiction novel Gershwin’s Bess, author Lisa K. Winkler shines a light on soprano Anne Wiggins Brown, an ambitious young Black woman who defied expectations and broke barriers to pursue a career in opera. Inspired by Brown’s remarkable journey, Winkler blends extensive historical resea

What happens when a passion for children, public health, nutrition, and storytelling come together? You get the wonderfully engaging world of Birdie. We’re excited to welcome Jessica McAnelly, RD, RS, an award-winning children’s author and public health professional whose work makes important lessons about nutrition, food safety, movement, and healthy living accessible and fun for young readers. With nearly three decades of experience in food safety and public health, Jessica

Education shapes the future, but the way we think about schools, students, and learning continues to evolve. Across the world, educators are exploring new ways to support students—not only academically, but socially, emotionally, and personally. Dr. Whitney Hegseth is joining that important conversation with her forthcoming book, Just Talk to Us Normally: A Leader’s Guide to Organizing Schools That Elevate Students (Oxford University Press). Drawing from years of research and

Search isn’t disappearing. But the way people discover organizations is changing. For years, businesses have measured digital success by familiar benchmarks: higher rankings, stronger keyword performance and increased website traffic. Those metrics still matter. According to Ruan Masuret and Juanita Martinaglia, however, they’re no longer the only indicators of whether an organization will be discovered in an AI-driven world. “One of the biggest changes we’ve noticed is that

Family stories often carry as much silence as they do memories. In her powerful memoir, Who Stole My Pork Belly?, author Huey Choi invites readers on an intimate journey through family history, cultural identity, loss, resilience, and the complicated relationships that shape who we become. Through vivid storytelling and deeply personal reflections, Choi explores what it means to reconcile the past while forging a path toward healing. More than a memoir, Who Stole My Pork Bell

David Mura is an award-winning Japanese American author. His last book was The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself: Racial Myths and Our American Narratives. His two memoirs are Where the Body Meets Memory and Turning Japanese (a NY Times Notable Book). His poetry books are After We Lost Our Way (National Poetry Contest winner), The Colors of Desire (Carl Sandburg Award), Angels for the Burning, The Last Incantations. His book, A Stranger’s Journey: Race, Identity and Narrative Cr

For decades, acclaimed musician, filmmaker, photographer, and author Yale Strom has dedicated his life to preserving the stories, music, and cultural traditions of Eastern European Jewish communities. Through extensive travels across Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, and the Balkans, he has documented disappearing worlds, interviewed Holocaust survivors, and collected the melodies and memories that continue to shape Jewish identity today. His work—whether on stage, behind th

Bola Sokunbi did not come to financial confidence through a clean, linear path. The founder and CEO of Clever Girl Finance grew up watching her immigrant parents work hard to build a life in a country whose systems they had to learn as they went. That experience shaped both her understanding of money and her patience with the women who come to personal finance feeling late, overwhelmed, or ashamed. In her sixth book, Clever Girl Millionaire, Sokunbi argues for a different sta

Chef Jairus Raston There’s a difference between working in the kitchen… and becoming the reason it runs. Not every chef is built for the culinary grind. The hours are demanding, the expectations are relentless, and the margin for error is slim. But for those who stay, who push, and who evolve—the kitchen becomes more than a workplace. It becomes a proving ground. For Chef Jairus Raston, the kitchen shaped more than his skill—it shaped his mindset. But Chef Raston’s story goes

Meet Marie Kuipers—self-proclaimed “Grammar Hammer,” fearless truth-teller, and the unapologetic voice behind We’re All Mad Here . With a sharp editorial eye and an even sharper wit, Kuipers transforms life’s messiest moments into biting, laugh-out-loud reflections on family, trauma, and survival. Rooted in her New Jersey upbringing and shaped by a lifetime of chaos, her work doesn’t just toe the line—it bulldozes it. In this conversation, Kuipers invites us into her wildly u

Alicia Rice Haynes is a multi-genre author, leadership development strategist, and speaker whose work explores power, resilience, and the human condition. In her dystopian novel Historian of the Wasteland: Beyond the Veil of Decay , she introduces readers to Elara, a determined historian navigating a post-apocalyptic world where knowledge has become both humanity’s greatest weapon and its most dangerous secret. Influenced by her lifelong love of storytelling and the encourage

Anne Riley, MBA, has worked in various industries, including technology, manufacturing, finance, banking, and business systems. Influenced by Michael Rothschild's Bionomics-Economy as Ecosystem , Riley developed a theory known as the Ideasphere, exploring the parallels between human and ecological systems. Her theory is articulated in the non-fiction book The Human Idea, Nature's Newest Ecosystem . Riley's writing, characterized by humor and depth, aims to engage and improve

Best-selling author Gene Walden spent more than two years creating the story and illustrations for Matchup at Adventure Land Golf: The Epic Quest of Two Fearless Boys . It is his first children’s book after writing about 30 non-fiction books. He has been an award-winning writer, reporter, and columnist, and a contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Investor’s Business Daily. A graduate of Indiana University, Gene makes his home in Minnesota. A competitive golfer, he wanted

Zimbabwe-born, multi-award-winning entrepreneur and international business executive Chiedza Kambasha —widely known as “The Pitbull” —has carved out a formidable reputation as one of the continent’s highest-paid consultants and most strategic global investors. With interests spanning international real estate, agriculture, technology, healthcare, mining, retail, and the beauty sector, she represents a rare blend of calculated precision and visionary expansion. Rooted in legac

Sarah Deschamps was a teacher and administrator for many years in the United States and Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, she embarked on a career in development, raising millions of dollars for multiple non-profit organizations. Her debut memoir , Journey to Japan: A Life-Saving Memoir , sold in seven countries around the world. It is a powerful story about helplessness meeting determination, and details the lengths she went to for her daughter so she could have the best chance in th

Life rarely follows a straight path, and for this author, the unexpected turns have been the most defining. From growing up in central Ohio to traveling the world as a flight attendant, her journey has been shaped by movement, curiosity, and chance encounters that felt anything but accidental. A real-life road trip taken with her sister in her twenties, complete with breakdowns, detours, and unlikely connections, became a pivotal moment, altering the course of her future and

Krystle Hickman is a National Geographic Explorer and community scientist based in Los Angeles whose work bridges conservation, science, and visual storytelling. With a deep passion for nature and an artist’s eye for photography, Hickman is dedicated to raising awareness about the decline of native bee species while revealing the complexity and beauty of the ecosystems they sustain. Her work takes her across the globe, where she documents rare and often overlooked native bees

Few authors bring the discipline of a decorated military career and the curiosity of a lifelong investigator together quite like C.V. Pratt. A retired Air Force Colonel with more than thirty-five years of service, Pratt has transformed decades of operational planning, historical study, and real-world leadership into a powerful new voice in the world of treasure hunting and American history. His newest book, If I Were You: A Treasure Hunter’s Guide to America’s Lost & Hidden T

Todd Graves is widely recognized as the world's foremost authority on Moe Norman's Single Plane Golf Swing and the only person officially taught by the legendary ball-striker himself. Known as "Little Moe" for his ability to replicate Norman's technique, Graves enjoyed a unique 10-year mentorship that shaped his life's work. A former collegiate golfer at the University of Oklahoma and assistant coach for their 1989 National Championship team, Graves competed professionally on