Publishing, Healthcare and Ghosts

Author Elizabeth Splaine has had several lives: hospital administrator, opera singer, vocal coach, audiobook narrator and writer. As a guest on my podcast Embark, we talked about her latest novel Devil’s Grace, the healthcare system, unexplained phenomenon and the power of forgiveness. If you’re looking for a summer read, check out Devil’s Grace. In the meantime, get to know Elizabeth a little better as I pose five questions following our recorded conversation.  (more…)

Brands Stuck in Adolescence

Evelyn Starr,  founder of E. Starr Associates helps Brands in Adolescence. Her fascination with why people buy and the problems that brands encounter as they struggle to grow give her a unique perspective helping people overcome marketing problems. The following is an excerpt from our recorded conversation on my podcast, Embark. (more…)

Creativity, Opera and Bodice Ripping: A Conversation with Singer Maren Montalbano

Marian Montalbano, opera singer, business coach and writer whose voice appears on not one, not two, but three Grammy Award-winning albums. When her one-woman show got sidelined during Covid-19, Maren created a podcast based on the show called the Bodice Ripper Project. The podcast of the same name is an exploration of sexuality, feminism and the journey to self-empowerment. through the lens of romance novels. Maren has sung at Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, multiple theaters in Europe and even performed on stage with the Rolling Stones. Here’s an excerpt of our conversation, previously recorded on my Embark podcast. (more…)

Revising A Dream When Adversity Hits: A Conversation with DIYMFA’s Gabriela Pereira

Gabriella Pereira is the founder of DIYMFA, an online writing community and a virtual alternative to the traditional MFA creative writing program. When she was 24, Gabriela received the life-changing diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Last week on my podcast Embark, she shared her story in the hope this conversation sparks more conversations about the stigma we attach to mental illness, and how we can change the language around it. The following is an excerpt of that conversation. (more…)