C.J. Ives Lopez's Blog, page 16
November 23, 2021
Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew
Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers is the first in her cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. She also writes the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series set in Virginia. Her short stories appear in, The Virginia is four Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series. Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
Why Do you write?I have always loved writing and reading. I love mysteries and puzzles, and writing gives me an opportunity to plot and add all kinds of twists and turns to my cozy mysteries. It’s also a fun, creative outlet.
What genre do you write and Why did you pick this genre?I write mysteries (traditional and cozy).
http://mazon.com/dp/B09GGBFWT5Tell us about your bookThere is nothing like finding a dead body, clad only in a red satin thong, on your property to jolt you from a quiet routine. Jules Keene, the owner of the posh Fern Valley Camping Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is thrust into the world of the Dark Web when one of her guests, Ira Perkins, is found murdered in the woods near her vintage trailers. Jules quickly discovers that the man who claimed to be on a writing retreat was not what he seemed, and someone will go to any length to find what he left at her resort. Jules, along with her Jack Russell Terrier sidekick Bijou, has to put the rest of the missing pieces of a blackmailing scheme together before her business is ruined. Jules’s resort, set in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville in the quaint town of Fern Valley, offers guests a unique vacation in refurbished and upcycled vintage trailers. Hoping to expand her offerings, she partners with her maintenance/security guy to create a village of tiny houses, the latest home DIY craze, but the second murder of a reporter interrupts Jules’s expansion plans. Curiosity gets the best of her, and she steps up her sleuthing to find out what Ira Perkins was really up to and what he was really hiding at her resort.
How much time do you dedicate to your author career?I still have a day gig, but in the last few years, my writing hobby has turned into a second job, and I love it. I write from 5 AM until work starts at 7:30. I also use my lunch hours and weekends, and if I don’t hit my word count, I log on in the evenings.
How long on average does it take you to write your books?I am getting much faster. My first book took about 5 years to write and another two to get published. I try to write every day, and I can usually do two novels and a novella a year now.
What is the best money you have ever spent on your author career?Joining author groups. I have learned so much from Sisters in Crime.
What is the most difficult part of being an author?I really don’t like the editing parts. I really have to stay focused when it’s time to edit and revise.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/What is the best piece of advice you have for other authors?Be persistent. If you want to be a published author, you need to put in the time to hone your craft and build your platform.
What is your favorite book?There are soooooo many. I love everything Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. I also love THE GREAT GATSBY and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Provide direct book link for purchaseAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GGBFWT5
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Traile...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/vint...
Social media siteshttps://www.facebook.com/HeatherWeidn...
https://www.instagram.com/heather_mys...
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Authors: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HOYR0MQ
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-w...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heath...
Website
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 17, 2021
Romance with a Twist
My name is J.R. Byers, and I am aI write romance with a twist.
Why Do you write?Because I’ve always had a love of books.
What genre do you write and Why did you pick this genre?Romance. I’ve been reading romance novels since I was 12 years old.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BGF92ZZTell us about your book This is book 1 of a three-part series. It’s a Historical/Paranormal/ Romance novel separated into two parts, about a woman, antique dealer Emily Snow, who received a painting from 1744.
Part One is set in 2021. After finding an inscription on the back of the painting, she decides to contact the former owner, handsome Scotsman, Kane Blackwood. Realizing the painting had been donated by mistake, Emily volunteers to return the painting to the mysterious Mr. Blackwood.
Curious about Emily’s intentions, Kane decides to find out all he can about the charming Ms. Snow.
Part Two is set in 1744. After receiving a photo of Emily Snow from a private detective, Kane Blackwood finds Emily Snow is the mirror image of the woman he married in 1744.
Part two follows the life they had together almost three hundred years ago.
How much time do you dedicate to your author career?Practically 24/7
https://www.mastertalk.ca/How long on average does it take you to write your books? First book took 7 years to write.
What is the best money you have ever spent on your author career?Publishing and printing.
What is the most difficult part of being an author?Staying focused on my work.
What is the best piece of advice you have for other authors?STAY FOCUSED. Life gets in the way, but you have to stay focused on your goals, and your dreams.
What is your favorite book?The Rouge by Arnette Lamb.
Provide direct book link for purchase Social media sites Websitehttps://www.authorjrbyers.com/
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 16, 2021
This Too Shall Pass
Marisa Billions is a high school English teacher in Southern California. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminology. She is the author of the fiction novel, This Too Shall Pass and is working on her upcoming second novel. She lives in Southern California with her wife, Stephanie, and son Alexander and two Boxer Dogs, Max and Ruby.
Why Do you write?Why does a dog bark? I’m compelled to do it. From a young age, I loved to tell stories. Writing, though I have only just started my journey as an author was something I was compelled to do.
What genre do you write and Why did you pick this genre?I blend genres when I write. Contemporary, LGBTQ/Supernatural-Horror. Contemporary and LGBTQ because I like to write what I know. Supernatural/Horror because I’ve always been drawn to the macabre. You can probably blame my dad for that.
Tell us about your bookLike I mentioned above, it’s a blend of genres. It’s one part coming of age, one part coming out of the closet, two parts family drama, one part lesbian romance, and one part ghost story.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1914965027 How much time do you dedicate to your author career? Not enough time, honestly. I wish I could do it full-time. Writing is an every spare minute thing for me right now. I’m a full-time high school English teacher, a wife, and a mom. So if there are a few minutes here or there, I’m trying to push out a few thousand words.
How long on average does it take you to write your books?I’ve only completed and published the one so far, and that took almost a full year. The second one is looking like it will be about the same. I think if I had more time, maybe half the time?
What is the best money you have ever spent on your author career?Marketing. Although I’m just trying to figure that piece out wholly still. But honestly, this has become an expensive hobby.
What is the most difficult part of being an author?Marketing. And just finding the time. Once a character comes to life in my head I just want to take the time to put them onto the page and breath life into them. When you are juggling as many plates as I am, you don’t always get to do it when the inspiration strikes, and I am stuck making notes and hoping I have the time to go back and flesh it out later.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/What is the best piece of advice you have for other authors? Read a lot. Read voraciously. You cannot be a good writer if you do not read. You need to read good books, classics, new books, bad books. You have to know the different styles and what flows and what does not.
What is your favorite book?I have a few, which is probably why I blend genres. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis; The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley; Interview with a Vampire, Anne Rice; Middlesex, Jeffrey Euganides. All of these books in some way shape or form have influenced me or inspired me at some point in my life.
Provide direct book link for purchaseSocial media sites
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdPpbHj8/
Facebook.com/authormarisabillions
Instagram.com/authormarisabillions
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 11, 2021
The Cosmic Corner
The Cosmic Corner is a column written by Rev. Joanne Angel Barry Colon
Do you have a favorite month?
I do!
Mine is October because the leaves change to so many beautiful colors, the temperature is perfect where I live, and my mom’s birthday is on October 24th.
My mother is now one of my spirit guides and one of her favorite holidays was Halloween. I have become very fond of Halloween since she’s helped me activate the “witch” within me. It’s a day of rituals, magic, readings, and healing.
Trick or Treat! As we move into October, there is so much cosmic energy flowing backward, as there are now seven planets in retrograde.
http://www.wholisticfitnessny.com· Pluto (endings/new beginnings) Capricorn (opposition sign Cancer) April 27 – October 6, 2021
· Saturn (structure/determination) Aquarius (opposition sign Leo)
May 23 – October 10, 2021
· Neptune (illusion/spirituality) Pisces (opposition sign Virgo)
June 25 – December 1, 2021
· Jupiter (expansion/gifts)
Pisces (opposition sign Virgo)
June 20 – July 28, 20201
· Jupiter (expansion/gifts)
Aquarius (opposition sign Leo)
July 28 – October 18, 2021
· Chiron (wounded healer) Aries (opposition sign Libra)
July 15 – December 19, 2021
· Uranus (awakener)
Taurus (opposition sign Scorpio) August 19 – January 18, 2022
· Mercury (communication/technology)
Libra (opposition sign Aries) September 27 – October 18, 2021
With the help of the seven planets in retrograde, we will all experience a Spiritual Awakening, whether we’re conscious of it or not.
Now, let’s take a look at Numerology. October is the 10th month of the year. The number 10 carries the meaning of vibration and frequency of new beginnings, leadership, independence, new opportunities, choices, and potential.
According to Numerology, October 2021 (1+0+2+0+2+1=6), is a 6 Universal Month. The number 6 holds a vibration and frequency to heal, healer, nurturer, karmic lessons, and caretaker.
In Numerology, each calendar year is reduced to a single-digit number, which carries a unique vibration and is called Universal Year Number.
Everyone feels this unique vibration, whether consciously or unconsciously, throughout the entire year beginning in January and ending in December.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/To get the current Universal Year Number, just calculate all the numbers until you arrive at a single-digit number. The only number that does not get added to a single digit is the number 11, which is known as a Master Number.
To get the Universal Year Number, add up all the numbers of the current year 2021 (2+0+2+1= 5). The Universal Year Number for 2021 is 5. What does the 5 Universal Year mean? The 5 Universal Year holds the frequency and vibration of change, freedom, adventure, fun, courage, and unpredictability.
Now, let’s bring this all together. During the month of August with the Lions Gate Activation, everyone will experience – conscious of it or not – the desire to build a new foundation, create harmony and balance as they achieve karmic lessons while exploring freedom, having fun, and being open for some unpredictability.
Everyone experiences a Personal Energy Year Number, this number represents the theme for the current year and what you may experience, learn, and heal about themselves.
This number changes every year, just like the Universal Year Number. To find your Personal Energy Year Number, calculate the month you’re born and the date you’re born on and add to the current year.
For example, on October 24, 2021: 1+0+2+4+2+0+2+1= 12 (1+2=3), the number three carries the vibration and frequency of communication, teach, learn, listen, express, truth and creativity.
Below are the meanings to the numbers from 1 to 9, 11 and 22
1 – New Beginnings, New Opportunities, New Possibilities, Independence, Leadership
2 – Partnerships, Relationships, Contracts, Marriage
3 – Communication, Creator, Teacher, Student, Listen, Truth, Creativity
4 – Building New Foundations, Balance, Stability, Hard Worker
5 – Change, Freedom, Unpredictability
6 – Healing, Healer, Caretaker, Family, Harmony, Home
7 – Seeker, Spiritual Awakening, Going Within, Meditation, Quiet Time, Evolving
8 – Abundance, Harmony, Balance, Infinity
9 – Completion, Let Go, Declutter, Transformation
11 – Master Teacher and Healer of Relationships
22 – Master Builder – Create, Build and Take Action
For me, I believe when you combine Astrology and Numerology together and apply both into your daily plan, you live your best life.
This Libra season has seven planets in retrograde, you’re not only living your best life, but you’re also becoming the best version of yourself.
Will October give you a Trick or Treat?
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 10, 2021
Freelance Photographer Turned author
Lieve Snellings is a Freelance Photographer Turned author. As a multi Award-winning Author who lives in Leuven (Belgium) and Quebec (Canada) her series of picture books/children’s books have been featured with whimsical photo illustrations of wildlife, ‘Margot the Groundhog and Her North-American Squirrel Family’. The series consists of four books, available in Dutch, English, and French.
Lieve Snellings is a Multi-Awarded children’s book author of
‘Why We Wear a Mask’ – Winner of the Gold Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Book Award 2021, category Children’s non-fiction – Winner Kidlit World Book Award 2021 in the category children’s non-fiction
‘Time for Margot to Go to Bed’ has been honored as – A Book Excellence Awards Finalist 2020 in the Animals/Pets category – Honorable Mention Readers’ Favorite Book Award 2020 – Finalist IAN Book of the Year Award 2020
‘Groundhog Secrets – Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Woodchucks’ – The winner of the TopShelf Book Award 2020 in the category Children / Animals. – IAN (The Independent Author Network) Book of the Year Award 2018: – Reader’s Favorite Book Award 2018
‘Margot Gets an Unexpected Visit‘ – BookGoSocial Top Voted Children’s Author 2017 – Readers Review Room Author of the month of October 2017 Since 2008.
After meeting up with her partner who lives in Quebec, you can find her for about five months a year in Canada. There she became a passionate nature photographer. She spent hours, weeks, observing wildlife, and searched every info she could find. The nature photographs she took in Quebec made her publish four children’s books in which photos are as important as words. Her stories take the traditional picture book experience and transform it by replacing illustrations with her own nature photography. The books are written in her mother tongue Dutch and translated into English and French.
http://smarturl.it/x1gr9vWhy Do you write?I worked for forty years in the University Clinic Gasthuisberg in Leuven (Belgium) at the Emergency Department. When the second wave of Covid-19 had started, I was convinced I had to do something to support children, and people, to cope and get rid of the virus. With humor, I bring a story about the coronavirus that doesn’t frighten the children but puts a smile on their faces.
What genre do you write and Why did you pick this genre?Picture books illustrated with my nature photography. Two of my books are short fiction stories. Two of them are Children’s non-fiction in a narrative way.
Tell us about your book.It is a fascinating story told in simple words and photographs. The perfect guide to inform your kids without scaring them.
Book Award Winner: – Readers’ Favorite Book Award 2021 (Gold Medal), category children’s non-fiction – Kidlit World Book Award 2021, category children’s non-fiction
What you can learn:
Some symptoms of Covid
How doctors and healthcare professionals try to provide care
Protecting oneself and the most vulnerable
The importance of washing our hands
The distance from each other
The need to wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose
What types of masks are available
What does ‘ pandemic ‘ mean?
Reasons, why to wear a mask.
http://smarturl.it/x1gr9vHow much time, do you dedicate to your author career?That depends on the book I’m writing and illustrating with my photography. During the process of making the book, that is quite a lot of time.
How long on average does it take you to write your books?It took me about three years to write and illustrate my first book ‘Margot Gets an Unexpected Visit’.
The second book, ‘Groundhog Secrets’ is written in the same schedule as the first one, as I worked on it simultaneously.
‘Time for Margot to Go to Bed’ took me a couple of months.
And ‘Why We Wear a Mask’ was born in about one month.
I was so convinced that I had to make this. It felt like my duty to copple my experience working at the Emergency Department of the clinic with my photographic work Doing so was a way for me to help inform about what we can do against Covid-19.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/What is the best money you have ever spent on your author career?When I started as an author, it was necessary to buy some books about ‘how to publish a children’s book. That helped a lot.
Once published, I believe it is important to take care of the promo of your book. So investing in Ads and learning how to make Ads is a needed spend too. And of course, as a photographer, I have to continue training and have the needed camera facilities.
What is the most difficult part of being an author?I am an author because I was a photographer. So, in the beginning, the writing part was the most difficult. And then your book gets out. But how can people find it?
I would love everybody in the world could see the book because I think it is good, funny, entertaining, and needed. To show my book to the world, at this moment, is the most difficult part.
http://smarturl.it/x1gr9vWhat is the best piece of advice you have for other authors?
The best advice I can give an author is to keep on going and believe in yourself.
It is also important to get proofreaders and a good editor. Errors in your spelling are not allowed, so correct them when they tell you. Listen well to advisers, but in the end, it is your book, you decide.
What is your favorite book?I like all four of my books. But because of the pandemic, I believe ‘Why We Wear a Mask’ has a special place in my heart.
While putting a smile on the reader’s face, this story helps to discuss the difficult issue of Covid-19 without scaring. That’s why it is my favorite for now.
http://smarturl.it/x1gr9vDirect book link for purchaseSocial media siteshttps://www.amazon.com/author/snellings
http://www.facebook.com/FotoBoekLieve...
https://www.instagram.com/lievesnellings
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.youtube.com/c/LieveSnellings
Website:https://lievesnellings.wordpress.com/
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 9, 2021
The Entrepreneur’s Identity
Entrepreneurship was a way for Niurka to find her identity after transitioning from the military and building a brand out of a HEART-shaped, bright red umbrella combining her military skills, education, experience, and innovation with her dreams of traveling. The Entrepreneur’s Identity is one that many find themselves struggling to find.
Along her own journey as a female veteran entrepreneur, she realized that her story could help others that are facing the same kind of issues. Because she understands the difficulty of transitioning out of the military as a female, she is able to talk through the steps, make a plan and offer resources in order to fulfill your passion as a veteran entrepreneur.
She focuses on guiding others through the startup process of building their own dream business by helping them build the frameworks and systems needed to build a solid foundation from the beginning. During her journey as a veteran entrepreneur, she found that misinformation of available resources was an issue for our community. Veterans are often in the dark of where to go get help.
Niurka Castaneda grew up in Cuba and comes from a family of entrepreneurs and artists. Her grandfather was a poet and her parent were Cuban entrepreneurs. They were very resourceful people and why she believes she has always been enterprising and artistic. She felt the call to serve her new home, and a year after arriving in the US, she joined the Army to serve this great country.
The military offered her many new experiences, and she learned skills like resilience, flexibility, self-motivation, determination, self-discipline, goal setting, and risk tolerance. Her life experiences as a mom, writer, enthusiastic traveler, and her Supply chain management knowledge of more than 25+ years were combined together to create a technical expert in multiple fields. It was only natural to transition from the military to become an entrepreneur.
She founded AMOR Umbrella in Miami, FL which initially started as a class project in college but quickly became a life-changing endeavor. It lit the fire of entrepreneurship and sparked a journey of creativity, problem-solving, and personal empowerment.
https://niurkacastaneda.com/Along the way, she became an author, podcaster, store owner, TV producer, host, and director of AMOR Umbrella TV on a mission of “Giving and restoring HOPE One Story at a Time.”
AMOR Umbrella TV highlights organizations and individuals that give back to our military and veteran communities with a HEART and hand instead of just saying thanks. We want to recognize those that help heal and empower our military and veteran families, with a voice and a mission to live in alignment with who they are and who they can be.
Her podcast Founders Time Podcast, her books, and video courses (a new series: Start lean and Smart “New Business Launch Guide”) all aim to inform, and inspire entrepreneurs that are starting their own entrepreneurial journey by offering actionable business advice from Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs.
Why Do you write?I want to tell stories, stories that inspire and inform others.
I want to share with them the life, and travel experiences I had, the good and the bad.
What genre do you write and Why did you pick this genre?I write short travel stories and business books. I write travel because I picked one of the first books I remembered ever reading when I was 9 years old and it was life-changing. it opened a world of possibilities that I had never imagined before.
https://amzn.to/3bebdrRI started my traveling journeys while reading these books, from titans like Jules Verne, Alejandro Dumas, Emilio Salgari, other classics like the odyssey and so many more. That is also when I started writing and it was the best way to express myself at that time, small poems, romance novels, short stories, even songs lírics.
A lot of these works were left behind and almost forgotten but nevertheless, I really enjoy doing them.
I write Business books because my experiences, education, and military training have opened the door to make my business viable. They guide me in my learning journey and I believe it will help a lot of small businesses in their own journey. A lot of them Don’t have that and that is why they face such a high rate of failure. And every business that fails because of a lack of awareness of resources or education is more than a business that fails, It is a dream that dies.
Tell us about your book.
https://amzn.to/3bebdrRThe new business launch guide helps you launch your business quickly by guiding you thru the process and helping you minimize the overwhelming guesswork of what you are supposed to do next.
A visit to the Everglades tells the story of really seeing the Everglades for the first time, the benefits and the magic of that adventure, and how it left a lasting and unforgettable impression in my heart, my dream, and in my soul.
How much time do you dedicate to your author career?*No as much as I would like
How long on average does it take you to write your books?From a whole day to a year. it depends on the theme and the time I have
https://www.mastertalk.ca/What is the best money you have ever spent on your author career?Proofreading my work
What is the most difficult part of being an author?It is a costly affair and you might not make a lot of money with it
What is the best piece of advice you have for other authors?Write about what you know, what you have experienced, what feeds your soul
What is your favorite book?Un hombre de Verdad
Provide direct book link for purchasesocial media sitesWebsite
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be on The Authors Porch Blog? It’s easy, just fill out the form on our Homepage and we will get you up and going. We sent the blog out to thousands of our followers, we want to shine the spotlight on you. Can’t find the services you need as an author? Let us help you, we have you covered!
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November 8, 2021
The Knock and Talk Show
I am a deep-rooted southern native and my podcast is the Knock and Talk Show. I’ve lived in FL, TN, MD, AL, TX, and been in GA since 1995.
After graduating from high school, I moved to Birmingham to live with my grandfather to help him after my grandmother passed away. It took just 6 months listening to his stories from WWII before I joined the USAF.
I was an F16 Avionics Specialist; super fancy way saying I pulled broken parts out of the jet and installed new ones. I was stationed at Moody AFB in “Valdumpster” GA, where I did two rotations to the desert.
The first one was Jordan in 1996 and the second one was Bahrain in 1997.
After completing my 4-year enlistment, I separated from the AF and moved to Atlanta, and started my law enforcement career. I spent the next 16 years policing in metro Atlanta at 4 different police departments before injuring my rotator cuff off duty. That injury ended my LEO career.
https://fegroup.io/Since then (7 years later), I have struggled to find myself and reinvent myself to reclaim my position in life. I have started 6 different businesses since 2006; some more successful than others. My lasted business is my start-up consulting company, “The Faulkner Endeavor Group,” which is also the parent organization to my podcast, “The Knock and Talk Show.”
2. What is your passion
As cliché as it might sound, my passion is actually helping people.
I am driven to help others be successful in life overall, not just in business. I really enjoy making people laugh.
Sarcasm is my second language; which really helps me drive comic value.
While policing, I helped thousands of people; and always came home feeling like I accomplished something. These days, my podcast has re-ignited that passion, and I feel more mentally and emotionally fulfilled than I have in nearly a decade.
3. What would you say is your favorite podcast and why
Two Cops One Donut is my favorite podcast outside of my own.
In fact, 2C1D lead me to start my podcast. In 2C1D, the host is trying to educate the general public on ALL aspects of law enforcement. His goal is to help shed light on why cops do what they do and how they are actually the public alley and not their enemy.
His guests come from all different sections of police work; to include defense lawyers, judges, supervisors, etc. Not just the street cops.
https://knockandtalk.com/4. Who inspires you
My father was a huge inspiration in my life, all the way up to his battle with Brain cancer. The man had the patience of Job and was always able to share a teachable moment in every situation.
He found the good in everyone and was the bedrock and foundation of our family. If I am able to measure up to just half the man he was, I would be proud of that accomplishment.
5. What did you want to be when you grew up
That is a funny question.
Apparently, according to my mom, I wanted to be a Blue Angel pilot and a fireman.
In high school, I decided I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist.
But I was not a good student and hated studying. Also in high school, I remember coming home after getting a speeding ticket telling my parents that cops were jerks.
I never really had a desire to get into law enforcement. And to be honest, it wasn’t until I started my podcast that I found my calling and what I wanted to do when I grew up.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/6. What have you spent most of your life doing
Looking back… wasting time.
So many opportunities passed me by and I just stood on the side of the road and waved at them.
For the majority of my adult life, I have been in some sort of military or para-military organization and just following orders.
I hope this podcast grabs more traction and grows to the point where I can make a living laughing with others as we all listen to their stories while forever preserving those stories for other generations to enjoy.
7. If you could do one thing to change the world what would it be?
Put fresh and clean drinking water in every home, village, or community around the globe.
8. How do you give back
I try to seize every opportunity to put a smile on someone’s face; smiles and laughter are infectious.
I also try to “pay things forward” and help those coming up behind me with the lessons I learned so they don’t make the same mistakes, or do things the hard way.
I bring people into my network to help them make new connections and create new collaborations. I also serve on a not-for-profit board centered around helping the families of fallen law enforcement officers.
9. Tell us one thing you want us to know the most about who you are
I’m just a guy.
I have never been anything more than an average Joe.
Average people have the propensity of doing something great. I am still waiting on my shot at greatness.
10. Where can people reach you?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlespatrickfaulkner/
https://www.facebook.com/KnockandTalkShow
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBCuT05dk5uiEWCK7xGLY8g
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/knock-and-talk-show/id1589492648
https://www.instagram.com/knockandtalkshow/
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/Want to be featured on The Authors Porch Blog Head to our Homepage if you’re an author, if you’re another professional, shoot us an email and we will make sure you’re taken care of.
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November 5, 2021
Homeless to Standing on Stages
AnTonia Jackson went from homeless to standing on stage.
She is a native of Atlanta, Ga., and is married to Richard Jackson, an Army soldier.
https://www.antoniamfwilliams.comShe became a 2x published author at the age of sixteen and a youth advocate at twelve, where she spoke out on issues in the community. Antonia later became known as Awoken Voice, the Spoken Word Artist.
She has won several competitions: Hank Stewart Foundation, Omega Psi Phi, Therrell High Talent Show, SCLC Youth Oratorical Contest, RTB Virtual Talent Show, etc.
She has also performed on Juneteenth, ATL Back to School Bash, More Than Music ATL, Kwanzaa events, etc.
Her first children’s book, I’m Flawsome, was released in June 2020, and she published her 4th book shortly after, titled SISTA Gurl: Soul Conversations Self Help Guide.
She has been interviewed on several radio broadcasts and featured in the Bold Favor Magazine.
AnTonia is currently enrolled at Penn Foster College to pursue her career as a Pharmacy Technician while also working as a Pre-K paraeducator.
As a freelancer, she does Website Design and Photography.
LEARNING FROM THE PASTGrowing up, I didn’t have much, but the main thing I had was love.
My mom, siblings, and I were homeless for roughly four years. It was tough, and the better days seemed further away. I grew up on the values “self-love” and “serving others.”
At twelve years old, my mother entered me in the SCLC youth oratorical contest where I spoke about youth violence in the community in which I won first place.
From that point on, my love for public speaking grew. Seeing my mother fight for herself and her six kids made me want to become a better leader.
https://www.antoniamfwilliams.com/With that being said, I was inspired by my mother to write and publish my first book at 15 years old titled “Answers from God.”
A year later wrote and published my second book, “Call on Me,” while winning speaking competitions and doing volunteer work in between.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/I couldn’t stop there with a creative mind, so I wrote two more books within the next three years and became an entrepreneur.
LESSONS LEARNEDThe main thing I’ve learned about becoming an Author is that it takes discipline and focus. It also takes patience because sometimes writer’s block will get in the way. When that happens, it’s best to step away from the pen and relax your mind because one thing you don’t want to do is rush a story.
As far as the entrepreneurial side its definitely something you need to be passionate about. Not only that, but it takes dedication and consistency. Entrepreneurial success doesn’t happen overnight, referring back to the sentence before this as to why. If this is a journey you are honestly willing to embark on, I say do it because the reward from all the hard work, late nights, endless cries, etc. is all worth it! Remember, don’t let the bad days make you think you have a bad life.
https://gofund.me/3541f1a0You can take a break, change careers, find other things that interest you, switch majors, etc. BUT DO NOT GIVE UP!
My books are available on Amazon, and my services are listed on my website at www.antoniamfwilliams.com
Accountability Money Box now teaches children:How To Think Positive About Yourself2. How To Invest
3. How To Give Back
The new and improved Accountability Money Box game helps boost and promote financial literacy, self-love & the meaning of giving back!
The reason behind me creating this GoFundMe is to raise start-up costs to get new illustrations and designs done and order prototypes. My goal is for this campaign to be funded by mid-November to present the latest version of Accountability Money Box right before Christmas!
I would genuinely love your support. Thank you all in advance! #THEGAMECHANGERFORYOUTHTODAY
https://gofund.me/3541f1a0
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/You can read about more fantastic authors in The Authors Porch Magazine. We host a quarterly magazine lifting authors and their beautiful pieces of work. When we think of words, we think of the written, spoken and lyrical words. If you have a piece to submit to our magazine, don’t hesitate to reach out and submit it.
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November 3, 2021
Words from a Master Communicator
On my first day of school, I was as nervous as any 4-year-old would be. I wondered; Will I make new friends? Will my mom still get me ice cream if my grades are bad? Then I found out that I would need to translate these difficult questions…IN FRENCH! I didn’t even know how to spell it, let alone speak it. I pleaded and I yelled, but it didn’t matter. My parents did as any immigrant parents would and invested in a better future for me, by obligating me to learn the French language and its culture.
Years later, French is one of the best gifts I’ve been given.
Communication and the ability to do so effectively is critical. There’s no point in having a great idea if you can’t share it with others. When I began my university studies,
I seized the opportunity to refine my communication skills through business competitions.
Throughout my journey, I came across students who reminded me of my old self, the non-native speakers being asked to give presentations.
I met individuals with great ideas that were too encumbered to present and communicate with others.
I felt their anguish, and I wanted to help them reach their full potential.
I launched MasterTalk, a YouTube channel dedicated to providing those aspiring individuals every tool they need to know in order to communicate effectively.
I believe that anyone who learns to master their talk will become a better version of themselves in all aspects of life.
Here are some words from a Master Communicator and some tips to help you along the way. I would love to give you a few tips. Here are three public speaking lessons that can help you master your talk.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/1. Master SilencesWhen you pause in a presentation, do you worry the audience thinks you don’t know your subject, and you start to panic?
Don’t. Exceptional public speakers use moments of silence to enhance their presentations, rather than seeing them as a sign of weakness.
Great speakers in the world (think TED Talk speaker level) use silence as a tool to give audience members time to think about their key presentation points, and draw them in.
2. Master Ums & AhsHow do you get rid of them?
Exceptional speakers replace their ums and ahs with SILENCES!
When you practice this, you’ll have trouble completing full sentences without breaking in between them, but trust me, it is crucial that you keep at it.
3. Master Your AudienceThe quality of your presentation is directly related to the number of people in the audience that remember and share your ideas.
Therefore, the starting point of any presentation is crafting it in a way that your audience will love.
Think about the ultimate goal of your presentation. Who is your audience and what are their needs and expectations from your presentation?
How do you address those needs and expectations in a way that will get them excited to share your message with the world?
Mastering public speaking isn’t child’s play. It’s like trying to learn a new language in a foreign school. However, if you keep at it and improve, you will WOW yourself and your audience.
While practicing your speech, don’t forget to grab you a cup of coffee from Third Day Coffee Seguin a Christ Lead, Veteran Owned Company.
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/If your looking for services you can trust, check us out on The Authors Porch.
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November 2, 2021
Moving On A Review
J.L. Caban, born Jose Luis Caban IV, is a Puerto Rican-American writer who was born at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York, on October 18, 1972, to his father, Jose ‘Joe’ Luis Caban III, and mother, Lisa Calladine, and was raised in the borough of the Bronx.
In his youth, J.L. Caban attended public schools in the Bronx, New York, which included the Walt Disney School (P.S. 160), Dr. Daniel Hale Williams School (I.S. 180), and Harry S. Truman High School, where he became an honor’s English student, in addition to joining the Roman-Greco wrestling team, as well as the baseball team; both of which saw much success during the years of his participation.
He then enrolled at Lehman College, where he not only became a peer counselor, but also a disc jockey for his college radio station (WHLC), as well as a Brother of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, before earning both a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, as well as a Master of Science in Education.
He subsequently went on to teach English at an inner-city school in the South Bronx before joining the New York City Police Department, ultimately achieving the rank of Sergeant.
From a very young age, Caban has always had an interest in writing, having penned a multitude of short stories; one of which being his previous novella, entitled ‘Moving On,’ his first published work that, incidentally, achieved Amazon Best Seller status.
J.L. Caban has four children whose names are Ashley Angelique, Jesiah Manuel, Jose ‘Joey’ Luis (V), and Julia
https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Quintessential-Coming-Age-Story-ebook/dp/B08LG6PYFJSYNOPSISMoving On is a quintessential coming of age story that takes place in the early 1990s, in which an eighteen-year-old young man named Justin breaks free from a world of drugs and alcohol and attempts to make a better life for himself.
With the help of his friends and family members, he initially begins to successfully climb the rungs of the ladder to this new life of achievement and prosperity; however, his life’s trials, tribulations, and extreme self-doubt intervene, sending Justin into a whirlwind of confusion, insecurity and, ultimately, a relapse into despair.
Will he be able to lift himself back up and rise to the challenges put forth to him or will he falter and regress into despondency? Follow Justin on his journey as he endeavors, like all adolescents before him, to solve the enigma of his little world and finally move on to a better and brighter future.
https://www.mastertalk.ca/A Review by Mary Dean
This was a captivating story that I felt was being told personally to me.
This is an author’s account of a time in his life where he had to overcome himself standing in the way of a successful future.
The narration shared his inner thoughts and confessions. I felt that I could relate to a lot of his thoughts. And he admitted stuff that we normally don’t admit, but we do feel. I found myself sympathizing and really understanding the narrator. It didn’t feel like just a book I was reading.
I felt like it was a personal account being told to me. This is a book I think so many will relate to even in a way they may not think.
I didn’t deal with some of the situations and choices he did, but I still understood. And I loved going along the journey of him discovering himself, how his actions affect those around him, and becoming the person he wants to be.
I have major respect for the narrator. His childhood wasn’t ideal. But he overcame the choices he made.
I’d love to read more from this author. His storytelling is raw and real. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
https://www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com/If you would like to have your book reviewed, please reach out to The Authors Porch today.
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