Each one of us can spread a little love in the world with just a smile or a kind word. And when we join together with other like-minded individuals, our positive influence grows exponentially. That's the effect that Impact100 has in communities throughout the U.S. and in England, Australia and New Zealand. You can learn about Impact100 in this interview with Brooke Potrzeba, who first got involved with the nonprofit organization in Pensacola, Florida, before moving to Ohio in 2024. Brooke is ...
"THE LIGHT" is an 18-page illustrated board book designed to empower youngsters with themes of self-connection, self-trust and self-love. Author Scarlett Lam and illustrator Mindy Lee have found that adults also are moved by the book's uplifting message. This short excerpt is from an interview that Scarlett and I recorded in early 2024 not long after the book was published. I highly recommend "THE LIGHT" and have revisited the interview more than once. So far, I've purchased four copies of th...
This is the sixth and last excerpt from a longer conversation (Episode 121) with philanthropist and author Iris November and two of her daughters: the Rev. Rachel Hollander, also an author, and Anita Hollander, an actress, singer and songwriter who joined us on Zoom from New York City. In previous excerpts, we talked about Iris' two books; Anita's long professional career as well as her activism on behalf of performers with disabilities; and Rachel's book about living (and thriving) with depr...
In this fifth excerpt from a longer conversation, Iris November and daughters Anita Hollander and Rev. Rachel Hollander, talk about how the family struggled in the aftermath of the sudden passing of Iris' husband, Bernard "Bud" Hollander. Father of Anita, Rachel and their sisters, Celia Hollander Lewis and Lisa Hollander, he was the "cornerstone of our family," Rachel says. Iris was 42 at the time of her husband's fatal heart attack, and she quickly had to shoulder household responsibilities ...
In this fourth excerpt from a longer interview with Iris November and daughters Anita Hollander and Rev. Rachel Hollander, the conversation revolves around lost loved ones and how they can be remembered in positive and joyful ways. Iris envisions her two late husbands helping her out when she needs something; Rachel performs personalized songs for those who have passed. What could have been a somber discussion instead gravitates toward joy. If you have a few minutes, please join us. And if yo...
Rachel Hollander is an InterFaith/InterSpiritual minister and the author of "From There to Here: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Darkness," a captivating book about living with depression. Rachel also is a performer who is skilled in American Sign Language, and she has a great podcast that you can access from her website. If you love dogs, you may want to check out the specific show about Maddie, her late canine companion. It's mystical and quite lovely. Also on Rachel's website, y...
Anita Hollander, a multi-talented performer and advocate, says she was born to be a performer, following in the footsteps (and footlights) of her grandmother. In this excerpt from a longer conversation, Anita talks about her performing career, which began when she was 8 years old. Anita also is a passionate advocate for performers with disabilities, and she is one herself. While still in college, she was diagnosed with cancer in her leg and eventually had to have the leg amputated. That...
This is the first of six excerpts from an extraordinarily candid conversation with philanthropist and author Iris November and two of her daughters: the Rev. Rachel Hollander, also an author, and Anita Hollander, an actress and composer. All three are accomplished and delightful. This episode focuses primarily on Iris' book "Goodnight, Shoebox," designed to help children get to know people who don't live close to them. It can be useful for adults with memory issues as well. The book is...
Losing a loved one and losing a leg; picking up the pieces of a fractured life; creating beautiful things that serve others. These are only a few of the themes that emerged from this extraordinarily candid (and often funny) conversation with three members of a talented and accomplished family. In this episode, you'll hear from: - Iris November, a philanthropist and former librarian with two books to her name: "The Fine Art of Schnorring: The A to Z's of Fundraising and Philanthropy" and...
Patricia Falvey left a successful and financially rewarding career in accounting to do what she always wanted: write full time. She made this her second act and encourages others who have a dream to do all they can to pursue it. This episode is an excerpt from my full interview with Falvey titled "Author Patricia Falvey on Being Brave, Resilient, and Focused on Your Dream." There are also three other excerpts: "Five Books and Counting: the Novels of Patricia Falvey," "Always a Wri...
This episode is an excerpt from a longer interview with the novelist Patricia Falvey, a former accountant who now writes historical fiction. Here, we talk specifically about her latest book, "The Famine Orphans," which sounds like downer of a story but isn't because the focus is on the characters' resilience and their resistance to being victims of circumstance. We also comment in general how we all have the power to spread more kindness and joy in the world. To hear more, go to the full inte...
Patricia Falvey had a successful 30-year career in accounting, yet what she really wanted was to become a full-time writer. After taking a leap of faith to pursue her dream, she's happier and already has had five books published: "The Yellow House," "The Linen Queen," "The Girls of Ennismore," "The Titanic Sisters," and her latest, "The Famine Orphans." All five novels have a connection to Ireland, where she lived with her grandmother until she was about 8. This episode is an excerpt fr...
Hello, I'm the host of Everyday Creation. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing author Patricia Falvey. She and I covered a lot of territory in the full episode, including her successful 30-year career in accounting before she took a leap of faith to become a full-time writer. In this excerpt, Patricia talks about each one of her five books. All are historical fiction with a connection to Ireland, where she lived until she was about 8 years old. To listen to "Orphan Girl,...
Patricia Falvey is the author of five historical novels that focus on Irish history and ordinary characters living through major historical events, blending fact with fiction. Her latest, "The Famine Orphans," follows six characters — "orphan girls" — who take part in a real-life effort by the British government to decrease the number of orphans in Irish workhouses and boost the population of Australia. In this episode, Falvey shares her own experience of immigrating to a foreign land. ...
Sugar Pie DeSanto was just under 5 feet tall, yet she had a powerful voice and a daring stage presence. She'd do back flips, splits, and stunts that included jumping off pianos. Signing with Chess Records led to DeSanto collaborating with major R&B and soul artists, including Etta James and James Brown. She toured with The James Brown Revue for two years. Her original name was Peylia Marsema Balinton, but Johnny Otis gave her a new name that was easier to pronounce. DeSanto also was a pro...
Mike Brewer began his music career writing songs and playing in coffee houses, eventually meeting Tom Shipley in Cleveland. They recorded their first album in 1968 and played mostly in Midwest college towns. Their song "One Toke Over the Line" was inspired by a backstage experience involving hashish. They wrote it in an hour and never thought to include it in a concert until one time they did it as an encore. The audience loved it, so they put it on their "Tarkio" album. The song reached #10 ...
Tyka Nelson, Prince's younger sister, began writing songs at age 10. She and her brother wrote together when they were young, but later on, Nelson chose to establish her own identity. She released four solo albums with moderate success on the R&B charts but was primarily a songwriter. She enjoyed singing, she said, but did not consider herself a singer. Her most successful single was "Marc Anthony's Tune" from her "Royal Blue" album, released in 1988. The song reached #33 on Billboa...
At age 11, Quincy Jones found his purpose when he felt compelled to touch the piano at a local recreation center. It was a small gesture that set him on his way to a hugely successful music career. The first instrument he learned was the trumpet, and it didn't take him long to be good enough to play in jazz bands. From there, he went on to: - Collaborate with Frank Sinatra; - Compose film scores for movies and TV shows; - Produce hit songs for Lesley Gore; - Work with Michae...
Phil Lesh originally played the trumpet and the violin. He learned to play the bass when he joined the Grateful Dead (then the Warlocks) in 1964. Jerry Garcia taught him how to play the instrument during one long lesson. Lesh's musical background in jazz and classical music influenced his bass playing. He also co-wrote several Grateful Dead songs, including "Truckin'," "Unbroken Chain" and "Box of Rain." He wrote "Box of Rain" for his dying father. You can watch Lesh and the Grateful Dead ...
Liam Payne was a member of the English boy band One Direction, which was formed on Britain's "The X Factor" and became one of the world's hottest musical acts by 2011. The band achieved several historic chart milestones in the U.S., including multiple number one albums. Along with success, members faced personal struggles; Payne battled alcohol and drug addiction. He co-wrote many One Direction songs, including "Little Black Dress" from the "Midnight Memories" album. To hear the song, you ca...