Ballast Book Launch

Check out the conversation between Scott Bloom, author and comedic keynote speaker, and Andy Symonds, president of Ballast Books, about Scott’s upcoming book, The Atomic Morning Miracle. A mixture of comedy, wisdom, and quantum physics, The Atomic Morning Miracle, a satire of productivity culture and the self-help industry, is a book like no other! It pokes fun at the relentless pressure to optimize every minute of the day, all while offering readers genuine insights beneath the humor Scott Bloom is a comedic keynote speaker, podcaster, author, and pioneer of Quantomic Productivity Science who has spent his career making people laugh while accidentally discovering profound truths.  Purchase your copy here.

In this episode, Judy Torres talks her brave and bold memoir, No Reason to Cry, with Andy Symonds, president of Ballast Books. Judy Torres is a Bronx legend, a freestyle music icon, and a voice that helped define a generation. Known as the Queen of Freestyle, Judy rose to fame in the late 1980s with club staples like “No Reason to Cry,” “Come Into My Arms,” and “Love You, Will You Love Me.” In her memoir, No Reason to Cry, Judy traces her path from a Bronx childhood to a record deal during the explosion of the freestyle phenomenon—and, for the first time in print, she bravely exposes the behind-the-scenes battles she fought along the way.   Get your copy of her memoir here.

In this episode, hear Janielle Lucas, a wellness innovator, and Andy Symonds, Ballast Books president, discuss her new memoir, Taking Heat. After decades of chronic illness, Janielle was desperate for relief. Finally, an unexpected invitation to hot yoga changed everything. For the first time in years, Janielle felt alive in her body. Convinced she had found a path to healing, she immersed herself in hot yoga, experimenting with escalating heat and humidity. The more intense the room became, the more her symptoms disappeared.  Eventually, she opened her own studio in Philadelphia. But just as her studio began gaining momentum, her dream unraveled. A crooked landlord, escalating harassment, and a disturbing series of legal battles pulled Janielle into a world she never expected. As the pressure mounted, so did her determination to survive—and to understand why this practice was transforming not only her body but her entire sense of self.  Get your copy of Taking Heat here.

Take a listen as Chad Jensen, former California police officer, discusses his new book, Badge Under Fire, with Ballast Books president Andy Symonds. Get your copy here! When Officer Jensen was falsely accused of excessive force during a lawful arrest, he trusted the justice system would protect him—until he became the target of what he alleges was a fraudulent FBI investigation and prosecution. With the support of his friends and family, Chad fought to uncover the truth, resolving to never give up the job he’d dreamt of as a little boy. Chad Jensen proudly served the citizens of the City of Pomona, California, as a police officer for twenty-four years. As a corporal in 2015, Chad was involved in a low-level use of force arrest that was within policy and the law. In 2017, the FBI began a witch-hunt investigation that resulted in a fraudulent grand jury indictment. 

Check out this episode as Zoë Gregory, author and former Playboy Bunny, talks her book, From Britain to Bunny, with Ballast Books president Andy Symonds. Get your copy here! What does it take to get from the tough streets of London to the glitz and glamour of the Playboy Mansion? Author Zoë Gregory takes readers on a journey through the rave scene of her rebellious youth to the stark reality of young motherhood and the economic pressures that drove her to reimagine her future. Join her through her life’s greatest turning points, including, of course, her relationship with the iconic Hugh Hefner. Zoë Gregory started her career in modeling at age seven, appearing in TV commercials and print media. Zoë later became a personal Playboy Bunny to Hugh Hefner, which offered her a unique glimpse into the Playboy Mansion. With her passion for storytelling, she evolved into a talented writer and author.