Author News

Readers & Book Reviewers Are Sharing Some Love For, “My Dog Is More Enlightened Than I Am” by Award-Winning Author & Pet Lover, Maureen Scanlon While Garnishing Top Reviews.

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer Author News, Book Review, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More , , , , , , , , ,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maureen Scanlon a Popular Life Coach, Empowerment Speaker, and Award-winning Author of her self-help book titled “My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am”…

“I’m a spiritual, confidence, and relationship coach with a passion for helping you be your Best Self.”

Maureen Scanlon is the founder and CEO of Maureen Scanlon Life Coaching. She is an award-winning author, relationship expert, motivational speaker, positive change integrator, and spiritual coach who has successfully helped many people, from experienced professionals to young adults and couples. She focuses her tools and techniques on overcoming past negative experiences and making positive changes in our thoughts and lives.

Maureen has been featured on 3TV Good Morning Arizona, 3TV Your Life Az, ABC15 Sonoran Living, Voyage Phoenix Magazine, appeared on the cover and featured in Ultimate Women International magazine, USA daily times, as well interviews on radio shows like Mind Body Radio, Business Talk Radio, and Networking Arizona.

Her book “My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am “ has now won a silver award from Author Shout and Top 12 book pick list from Spirited Woman, with a 5 Star rating on Amazon.

When Maureen is not working to change the world, you can find her at home relaxing in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband, Dennis. She enjoys scrapbooking, painting, traveling, and time with her furry baby doggies, Jade and Brodie.

She is also the mother of three adult children and grandmother to three grandchildren whom she adores.

You may learn more on her Official Website at https://lifecoachmaureen.com/ as she shares with you “how to unlock your purpose and build your best life the way you meant IT!”

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Buy on Amazon

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MY DOG IS MORE ENLIGHTENED THAT I AM

Maureen Scanlon
Outskirts Press (2019)
ISBN 9781977210531
Reviewed by: Susan Violante for Reader Views (01/2020)


“I’ve lived with dogs my entire life and currently have three furry kids as part of our family, so when I came across “My Dog is More Enlightened That I Am” by Maureen Scanlon I jumped on it. In it, I found a self-help guide to experiencing life through our puppies’ eyes. The premise is not about living like dogs, it is about applying the wisdom that exists in their simplicity to our complicated lives. The author’s point is founded on how most of us go through life, but life doesn’t go through us.

We all race each day without stopping to take in what surrounds us. We just go through routines step by step from sunrise to sunset, focusing on a future that we can’t grasp yet, oblivious of what really matters. Scanlon’s ideas are organized into 20 Chapters which consist of certain aspects of how our dogs live their lives, which we should adapt to our lives. From: ‘Relax Whenever You Can, ‘Take Care of Each Other’ and ‘No Regrets’, to ‘Transitioning.’

This book takes readers by the hand and guides them through the author’s own realization of what matters in life. Her voice is comforting and motivating enough to allow the reader to relax and open their minds to imagine living in the moment. To pause and to appreciate the beauty around us. To dare to be true to ourselves and consider, “What if I was spontaneous, what if I took a minute to relax just when I need to, what if I embraced simplicity when looking at the world around me and how I live?”

The author, in my opinion, did a great job presenting to readers her “out of the box” ideas on how our dogs can guide us to a better quality of life, as her voice is clear, her words flow, and the book’s format makes sense. As a lifelong dog owner and lover, I had been lucky enough to have looked up to them also as my mentors in life and enjoyed seeing their lessons presented to the world to discover.

“My Dog is More Enlightened That I Am” by Maureen Scanlon is a great simple little book that shares big, awesome ideas for a better life for all readers. A guide filled with expert advice based on our puppy’s wisdom! LOVED IT!”

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MORE EDITORIALS & REVIEWS:

“The wisdom courtesy of Maureen Scanlon laced throughout My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am is sensational and actually awe-worthy. As I read Scanlon’s book, I was engrossed and wanting to know more…

The information and knowledge laced throughout “My Dog Is More Enlightened Than I Am” is impeccable, and I am impressed by just how much knowledge there is.

…a wealth of information, all the information is useful as well as relevant to the topics explored so do not worry readers that you will be bombarded with information as this does not happen in this book!

As My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am is a book laced with incredible wisdom, it is also laced with phenomenal literature courtesy of the wonderful Maureen Scanlon; Scanlon’s words are incredible, and they will flow flawlessly from beginning to end.”

-Aimee Ann of Redheadedbooklover.com
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“I enjoyed how she wrote and laid out just “How” to accomplish each task. It is a unique personal growth book I have read while the author shares techniques involving our pets and her own life challenges. I have not read such an uplifting and motivational book like this one until now”

~Catherine Lyon of “Lyon Media Services.com and Cat’s Reading and Writing Den”

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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful lessons we can learn from our beloved 4 legged companions.

January 18, 2020
Format: Kindle Edition

How Can You Benefit From a Life, Relationtion, and Spiritual Coach? Award-Winning Author, Maureen Scanlon Shares How and Through Her Book Too!

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More , , , , , ,

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LIFE COACHING

What is a Lifecoach and Why Do I Need One?


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POSTED  MAUREEN SCANLON
Lifecoach

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The most common question I am asked is, “What is a Life coach?”

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As a fairly new career “title”, there is much speculation about the effectiveness of Life Coaching. To add to the confusion, there are so many different niches in this category: Health, Business, Spiritual.

In our everyday lives, we encounter much of the same things as everyone around us. We are all trying to “do something” or “overcome” something.

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Here are the most common phrases I hear when clients contact me:  
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“I haven’t accomplished what I want”
“I’m just not happy with my life and need to find joy”
“Something happened and it’s affecting everything in my life”
“I feel stuck”
“I’m overwhelmed and can’t focus”
“Everyone tells me I should…”
“I want to make a change but I don’t know where to start”

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Do any of these sound familiar? 

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What I have discovered is that no matter what a client brings as an issue, there are so many more behind it. They think it’s just one thing and then discover through their coaching sessions, that it is deeper.

Many of my clients have been to Counselors and Therapists for years but just can’t seem to get to the goals and feelings they want. Finding the inner reasons are good, but I take it to the future rather than staying in the past.

A Life Coach brings more than psychological know-how, they bring empathy and their own life experiences to assist. To sit in front of someone who says, “I know how you feel, I’ve been there too” makes a much larger impact on the person trying to learn and change.

A good Life Coach will assist you in finding out the “why’s” and then give you the “hows”. Almost every person who has come to me says, “I know what I need to do, I just don’t know how”.

We are surrounded by friends and family who know us. When they give us advice or suggestions, we sort of tune them out. It’s old news, they don’t understand, I’ve changed, etc.

By going to a Life Coach, you get an objective, outside, emotionally detached person looking at what you are experiencing and feeling. The tools and methods that are used are “outside the box”.  At least my coaching is… I am currently remote coaching a client via video,  and after our session (which she does in her car between tasks), I asked her to roll down her window and yell “I am amazing”!  She was SOOOOO uncomfortable but she did it and I could see the joy she got from doing that.

“Just a simple affirmation in an unconventional way.
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I have found that the two most sought out emotions all of us are needing and wanting: Acceptance and Validation.

This is why we struggle so hard with others in our lives because we don’t get those often enough. Our well-meaning family and friends think that advice and lectures will help us to be better, but they don’t understand the wiring of our brains. We do not need to hear the same programming we’ve received over and over, we need new beliefs and ideas in order to succeed.

If the old ones worked, we wouldn’t be feeling negative about our lives.
I give my clients the acceptance they desire,(there is nothing I judge or criticize), with understanding and affirmations to have patience with themselves, and to take things one step at a time. I see the relief on their faces when this happens like they’ve been waiting for someone to just say, “it’s ok, you’re doing great”.
Today’s society puts so much pressure on achievement and action. The older generations are trying to keep up and the younger generations are constantly comparing themselves to one another.

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My goal is to bring everyone back to a place of joy, satisfaction, empowerment, and peace about their lives and their purpose. This life is to be enjoyed and experienced in every way possible so we learn and grow.

And this, my friends …. is Life Coaching

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Love and blessings, 
Lifecoach Maureen

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BIOGRAPHY of Maureen Scanlon 

Award-winning author, Maureen Scanlon is a Popular Life and Relationship Coach of her self-help book titled “My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am”…

“I’m a spiritual, confidence, and relationship coach with a passion for helping you be your Best Self.”

Maureen Scanlon is the founder and CEO of Maureen Scanlon Life Coaching. She is an award-winning author, relationship expert, motivational speaker, positive change integrator, and spiritual coach who has successfully helped many people, from experienced professionals to young adults and couples. She focuses her tools and techniques on overcoming past negative experiences and making positive changes in our thoughts and lives.

Maureen has been featured on 3TV Good Morning Arizona, 3TV Your Life Az, ABC15 Sonoran Living, Voyage Phoenix Magazine, appeared on the cover and featured in Ultimate Women International magazine, USA daily times, as well interviews on radio shows like Mind Body Radio, Business Talk Radio, and Networking Arizona.

Her book “My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am “ has now won a silver award from Author Shout and Top 12 book pick list from Spirited Woman, with a 5 Star rating on Amazon.

When Maureen is not working to change the world, you can find her at home relaxing in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband, Dennis. She enjoys scrapbooking, painting, traveling, and time with her furry baby doggies, Jade and Brodie. She is also the mother of three adult children and grandmother to three grandchildren whom she adores.

Come and Connect With Maureen on Social Media!

Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon, Linkedin, Buy on Amazon!

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Cat Welcomes Multi-Award-Winning Christian Author and Writer Amy L. Bovaird To The Reading Den and Our Author Family.

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts , , , , , , , ,

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WELCOME READERS and FRIENDS! ✨📚😺

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I am so happy and honored to be working with and welcoming a new amazing author and prolific writer to our reading den family!  Please meet Ms. Amy L. Bovaird.  Amy is an exceptional author, writer, advocate, speaker, and coach who resides in PA.  And since this Cat is a bit speechless, I will let Amy share a little of her story in her words with all of you!

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Amy-Speaking

“When I was 28, doctors diagnosed me with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)–a degenerative eye-disease resulting in blindness.  Later, I learned that diagnosis was part of an even rarer disorder called Usher Syndrome, the leading cause of deafblindness. I was losing both.

Always drawn to foreign cultures, I taught English as a Second Language (ESL). I also wrote avidly about my experiences in Latin America, the Far East, and the Middle East. I never dreamed God was honing my skills and preparing me to educate others about vision loss when I could no longer teach in the classroom.

Today I am an author, blogger, speaker, and continue to educate others through my books and talks in spite of my vision and hearing loss.  I’m a Low Vision Motivator with High Expectations. While I feature other cultures in my writing, I also focus on how God has taken my life on adventures of faith through my losses right here at home. I speak about a bright future no matter how dark it physically becomes.”


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promotional copy of three booksAMY

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MORE ABOUT AMY BOVAIRD ~ STEADFAST IN HER FAITH

I am a born-again Christian delighting in and claiming God’s promises!

I grew up worshiping in a non-denominational church in Erie, Pennsylvania. At age 12, I was baptized. Every summer, my sister and I attended Camp Agape, a wonderful church camp in New York.  Even with all this exposure to Jesus, my relationship with Him wasn’t an integral part of my identity. In other words, my faith was still only part of who I was.

But it was a big enough part that I chose to study in a Christian environment–Ohio Valley University. In my junior year, I transferred to a sister college, Oklahoma Christian University. There I found my calling, to teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). My plan was to support myself as a teacher so I could enter the mission field.

After three years of living abroad, I came back to the United States and went to the eye doctor. My intention was to get a stronger prescription for my glasses. Instead,  I learned I had an incurable hereditary vision disorder called Retinitis Pigmentosa and was told I would go blind. After intense communication with God, my faith began to deepen and I chose to continue to teach abroad.

God blessed me for several years.  My teaching career took me to Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Japan, Egypt, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. I was thrilled to live and travel in such diverse cultures, to learn new languages and also share God’s word.

I taught in private schools,  language institutes, colleges, and military language programs and worked with churches in the area. I cherished the variety of people I worshiped with around the world and the churches that helped me grow.

After the loss of twins and an unsuccessful marriage, I clung even more to God’s word. In 2006, I noticed difficulty in my hearing.  In 2009, in addition to learning how to use a white cane, I discovered I could have Usher Syndrome, the leading cause of deaf-blindness in the world.  Coping with hearing loss is challenging but God remains faithful.  As I lose more physical vision, God heightens my spiritual vision. He ministers to me all the time.

I’m proud to be the woman I am today–adventuresome, optimistic and passionate about God’s love.

God has such a sense of humor! It always makes me laugh when I think about how He let me–a map-challenged young woman losing her vision–loose on the world.  In Sept 2012, I  gave up my 25-year teaching career. I took up full-time writing and speaking ministry to educate others about vision and hearing loss, and to encourage those coping with blindness and deafness.

To be able to be a successful author of three memoirs and to speak regularly at churches, civic groups, senior centers, and schools, it reminds me how God’s always looking out for me and how blessed I am.

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Amy and I actually met through another mutual friend who also is known around the world as “The Blind Blogger” and also is an amazing blind author, speaker, and coach, Mr. Maxwell Ivey.  I then had read a lot about Amy and the advocacy work and speaking she does as Max is always sharing!  And one day I got a Facebook message from her asking if I could help market her books and help with her social media.  As I began doing my research and learning more and more about her I thought?

Even with her disabilities, this girl is on fire! She doesn’t let anything get in her way.  She is an empowering, caring, and very humorous woman.  She is a true professional, is inspiring me and many others. I am very honored to be working with and for her. I am also just starting to listen to her newest book, a Christian Devotional titled, “Seeking Solace: Finding Joy After Loss” and is the audiobook to listen to when you struggle with any loss.

I look forward to reading all her books and know all my readers will too! Amy resides in PA., and the rest of her time, she fights to stay on track with her writing, finding time to go to the gym or run outdoors, and bemoaning she is at the beck and call of her bossy cat! (I knew we had a lot in common as we both are CAT LOVERS!)

Here is more about “Seeking Solace” as all her books are now in Audible format and readers can listen with a free trial from Amazon Audible Today!

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77548-95Amy

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ABOUT Seeking Solace on Amazon

Life in the United Arab Emirates brings many ups and downs. Amy, an American, married to an Arab, is pregnant with twins. But during her twenty-week check-up, Amy learns she has lost one of her precious babies. Suddenly she is hospitalized with pre-eclampsia and fighting for her and her second twin’s life. She learns the fate of that baby while she is alone—more loss.

Just as life settles down, her beloved father is diagnosed with two stage-four cancers. Will she make it home in time to see her father one last time? How does Amy cope with these fears and devastating losses in the United Arab Emirates? This memoir, written in a devotional format, testifies to a loving Father who never once abandons His daughter to cope alone in a foreign country.

Seeking Solace centers on relationships and the complex and often messy emotions that accompany the many facets of loss. Discover truth, gratitude, and a growing awareness of God’s presence. Then wrap yourself in the solace of God’s reassuring comfort.

Where can you find more about Amy and learn more about all her books? Visit her Official Amazon Author Page!

Amy invites you to connect with her throughout social media and her official website listed below! I hear she working on another new book, so CAT will have updates of events and new books when they release. So come back soon, readers!

Connect With Amy on FACEBOOK  ~  Author Website & Blog  ~ TWITTER
LINKEDIN  ~ Official Amazon Page & Books!

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BOOK POST PRESENTED By LYON MEDIA SERVICES and BLOG HOME of CAT LYON’S READING and WRITING DEN

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New Interview With Writer and Award-Winning Author, Cynthia Ulmer. Our Carolina Southern Belle …

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Featured Guest, Posts, Updates and More , , , , , , , , ,

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An In-depth New Interview With Award-Winning Author, Cynthia Ulmer

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About Cynthia Ulmer:

Cynthia lives in Navassa, NC, and has the gift of storytelling and writing.

Her father, Roy Faulk was originally from Nakina, NC When he graduated from high school, there was no work nearby, so he went to live with his older sister and brother-in-law in Newport News Va. He got work as a pipe-fitter in the Shipyard and met Katie Smith. They married and had Cynthia and her little sister, Laura. The tidewater area was home, but North Carolina was a part of their lives.

In fact, it was a big part of many people’s lives in that area. Some joked that there should be a sign at the state line that read, “Welcome to Virginia, settled by North Carolina.” One day, a little friend of Cynthia’s was crying uncontrollably. When she finally calmed down enough to talk she sobbed loudly to her mother, “Everyone has a grandma or granddaddy from North Carolina but me!” Her family was from New Mexico, and the other children on the block had North Carolina roots.

According to Cynthia, “At night, my daddy would sit with my sister and me on each side of him and show us a map of North Carolina. He would point out Nakina, and the little place where he really grew up, Burghill. Then he would show us Whiteville and Wilmington. It was like storytime. We often poured over the map, dreaming of the day we would move to North Carolina because he never lost his love of home.”

When she was eight, they moved to Leland. She grew up in Leland, went to Brunswick county schools, and graduated from North Brunswick in 1980. She then attended Miller-Motte Business College in Wilmington, graduating in 1983. She married Jerry Ulmer in 1984 and made the move from Leland to Navassa.

She comes from a family of storytellers. As she says, “My Grandma Ellen, used to tell stories to entertain my father and his brothers and sisters. I grew up listening to my family talk, to hear the stories they made up, and to the tales, they told of everyday life. I always wanted to be a writer. I used to make up stories in my head to help myself go to sleep.”

She has written and published a series of six novels based on her imagination and the stories she heard growing up. The Cedar Cove Chronicles is a wonderful series in great need of recognition. It’s a wholesome set of books, full of inspiration, drama, laughter, true to life characters and interesting plot lines. Her books will keep you guessing, wanting to read more.

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What inspires you to write?
Life inspires me to write. I’ve always wanted to write, and life events, my family, and my imagination inspire me.

What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Betty Smith, Harper Lee, Steven King, and Mark Edwards are among them.
I read lots of authors. My kindle stays on my nightstand and I don’t go to sleep without reading.

Tell us about your writing process.
I don’t have a set process. I write when I can, taking advantage of free moments when I get them. Life is busy but I manage to find the time. I’ve written early in the morning and late at night. I have outlined, but mostly my stories are character-driven. I’ve planned characters, but they’ve also introduced themselves to me out of the blue and changed the whole direction of the story. Luda and Karen did that in Mark, The Cedar Cove Chronicles, Book Five.

I hadn’t planned on either one of them being in the story, but they made it better. Sometimes my characters take me on adventures that weren’t in my original plan. Mark did in Trudy, The Cedar Cove Chronicles Book Four. I had his character outlined, but he let me know his true nature. I keep most stuff in my head until I get a chance to write it.
As for the actual process, I do the original draft, and then many rewrites.

For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters talk to me. They come to me at the strangest times. Luda introduced herself as I was taking a bath one night and Karen came while I was on the treadmill. It’s not unusual for one of my characters to wake me in the middle of the night. My inspiration for the first book in my Cedar Cove Chronicles was a vision I had one night.

I woke up and could see a young boy walking down the dirt road of a farm. Way off in the background, small and deceptively innocent-looking was the old fashioned water well that is on the cover of Todd, The Cedar Cove Chronicles, Book One. I knew right away who the young boy was, his family’s situation and that their story had to be told.

What advice would you give other writers?
Don’t give up and be yourself. Don’t worry if you don’t write like others, or if you don’t write every day. I don’t write every day. I’ve tried and what comes is pure junk. I have to be inspired to write. But don’t stop. If you have the desire to write, find a way to do it somehow.

How did you decide how to publish your books?
I had a bad start to my publishing journey.  I was a victim of the Deering Literary Agency/Sovereign Publishing scam.  Afterward, two other companies who had agreed to work with me went bankrupt and out of business.  This was very discouraging and I didn’t write for years.

Then I found a self-publishing company called I-Proclaim. I published Todd with them but had no control over the price of my work and lots of people complained about that fact. I then did a google search and found Createspace. I moved to Createspace and even today publish through Amazon.

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I hope the future is good. There are so many more options now than there used to be. The quality of self-published books is much better than in the past. I do think there is a great need for affordable editing. I use a combination of ginger and Grammarly to edit. A professional editor can cost thousands and out of the financial range for so many writers.

What genres do you write?: Christian, historical, southern literature

What formats are your books in?:  Both eBook and Print


Where Can Readers Visit and Connect With You?

My Website(s)
Cynthia Ulmer Home Page Link
Link To Cynthia Ulmer Page On Amazon


My Social Media Links
Books & Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

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Todd (The Cedar Cove Chronicles Book 1)       Mark: The Cedar Cove Chronicles, Book Five      Trudy: The Cedar Cove Chronicles, Book Four (The Cedar Cove Chronicles 4)

New Year Literary Interview With Storyteller Author, Joe Siccardi.

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer Author News, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More , , , , , , , ,

Intimate Author Interview Courtesy of Liz at MY BOOK PLACE Where Writers and Readers Meet …

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Tell us about yourself and your books.:
I am a prolific storyteller of inspirational wisdom-filled books about life. His latest offering is “My Name Is Sam … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through.” It is a novelization of my March 2018 debut release of the novella “Heaven Shining Through” which has been claiming rave reviews by book reviewers and book bloggers alike.
I released my second book in November 2018 titled “Wisdom From A Father: One dad’s thoughts about life,” a collection of essays about love, life, marriage and raising my children with a dash of wit and fatherly life lessons. I just released my first fictional memoir and follow-up to “Heaven Shining Through” titled; “My Name Is Sam …and Heaven Is Still Shining Through.” All the books are available on Amazon Books, Amazon Kindle, and many fine online bookstores.

I am a graduate of Dominican College of Blauvelt (NY) and hold a BA degree in Liberal Arts. I began my career with the Paterson (NJ) News and continued for the next 52 years in a variety of positions as an editorial writer, editor, and publisher. I now write and publish as a new Indie author. I also author a blog at wisdomfromafather.wordpress.com where I share posts about life and fatherhood.

The storyteller says it well. Joe states, “I’m the ordinary Joe walking along this journey called life and sharing it with you.” And he has the life experience to back this statement as a proud father of five children, 18 grandchildren, three great-granddaughters, and a fourth great-granddaughter expected in the fall.

He has gathered all his life and work experiences from living in many places on East Coast and Midwest like Paterson, Totowa, Newton and Ogdensburg, NJ; Belvidere, IL; Toledo, OH; Washington, DC; Laurel, MD; and Seneca Falls and Willard (Romulus), NY.

When not writing Joe enjoys travel, cooking, and spending time with all his grown children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He also enjoys pleasure reading some of his favorite authors and writers like James Patterson, Tom Clancy, and his literary wish is a meeting with icon author Mr. Stephen King … Joe Siccardi is currently traveling and visiting all his children in many states.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to procrastinate, then write at longer periods of time. I also need to have background noise to be effective (music, outside noise, water flowing over the dam).

What authors have influenced you?
Charles Dickens, although I also like James Patterson and Tom Clancy.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t expect to get rich, but recognize everyone has a story to tell – why not you?

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Image may contain: 8 people       *** “Some of my memoir inspiration for my book “Wisdom From a Father”***

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What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be true to yourself. Write about what you know. If you don’t understand your subject, your readers never will.

What are you reading now?
The Secret in the Cliffs by Kristin Tucker

What’s your biggest weakness?
I don’t read enough.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Nicholas Nickleby

What has inspired you and your writing style?
I’ve always enjoyed writing. I preferred essays to multiple-choice or one-word answers because they gave me an opportunity to expand my thoughts. Since I spent so many years in the newspaper industry, I learned how to be concise. After retiring I’ve had the pleasure of writing for fun, which has been freeing. My style tends to be down to earth and often blends genres.

What are you working on now?
I just published “My Name Is Sam … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through” so I’ve been heavily promoting that. I am thinking about a volume 2 for my nonfiction “Wisdom From a Father … one dad’s thoughts on life.”

What is your method for promoting your work?
I work closely with a marketing expert. Generally, promotion is through social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), although I have participated in book launches, book signings, and presentations. I welcome them. Especially now that I’ve been traveling. I have had a couple of book events along the way.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to pay it forward by highlighting new authors through a podcast interview process. I would like to schedule more speaking appearances and would love to do a book tour/podcast along Route 1/Atlantic Coast. And of course, I will continue to scribble down thoughts for my blog and who knows … another book or two.

How well do you work under pressure?
I think I work well under pressure. I had to deal with deadlines all my professional life.

How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
It depends on the piece and content. I went with a first-person account for “My Name Is Sam,” as it is my newest book release and may be purchased from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, my website and many online book sites.

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CONNECT WITH JOE SICCARDI! 

Author Websites and Profiles
Joe Siccardi Website
Joe Siccardi Amazon Profile
Joe Siccardi Goodreads Profile

Joe Siccardi’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account


Changing Poor Habits & Behaviors Now! Guest Author Interview With Life Coach Maureen Scanlon Shares How…

Catherine Lyon Author/Writer A Writer's Thoughts, Author News, Book Award News, Featured Guest, News Around The Web, Posts, Updates and More , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Guest Author Interview By Voyage Phoenix

Voyage Phoenix we’d like to introduce you to Life Coach and Author, Maureen Scanlon.

 

Maureen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

Just like everyone else, I’ve made some bad choices and decisions that I now know were learning lessons to allow me to be who I am today. I was married at 18, a mother at 19 and found myself in another country away from friends and family. I had chosen a difficult path as I was then alone with a husband in the military and in a domestic violence marriage with an alcoholic. I figured I had “no choice” but to stick it out. I was raised by parents who believe, “You made your bed, now lie in it.” Through the difficult times, I always knew I was worth more, but I didn’t believe it based on my day to day circumstances.
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One day, I finally got the courage to divorce my husband and raise three children on my own. Two of my children had struggles, one with ADHD and one with Bipolar Disorder. I had financial struggles, emotional stress, and health issues as I tried to parent alone. I continued to be in relationships that served someone else’s needs and allowed the abuse to continue. I had two bouts of cancer (Cervical and Skin), and I was walking with a cane at one point! Through it all, I would always talk to people about their problems. I loved helping people in spite of my own strife. My children used to call me the “counselor” and send all of their friends to me if they needed some encouragement or help.

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As my children were finally growing into adults, I decided to take my life back! I realized I needed healing from childhood, marriage, and all of the negative experiences I had incurred. It took two years to figure out my worth and realize I had dreams! I met my twin flame, now husband, Dennis and realized what unconditional love looked like for the first time in my life. While on our honeymoon, I noticed people would always come up and talk to me. I love talking to people, sharing their stories and finding similarities in our lives. This is where I had my epiphany… I would become a Life Coach and help people learn to love themselves as I finally discovered I could!

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Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

We all have programming from our childhoods and past hurts. The human brain is wired to protect us from pain. The hardest part of beginning this dream was getting out of the comfort zone I had created. I had to fight the fear of the unknown and all of the past beliefs that I’d developed throughout my life. Believing in ourselves is the most challenging thing to do! Am I good enough? Will people want to come to me? Am I too old to start a business? Every day is a new endeavor and I have learned to take baby steps and give myself the mercy and compassion I have for others.
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I learn from those I coach and teach from the experiences I have had. Sometimes, all they need to hear is “You are amazing, and you are enough!” Life coaching is a new concept, so this is how I explain it when asked what I do. Life coaching is a new approach to figuring out who we are and why we act and react the way we do. I don’t dwell on a client’s past, we touch on it, then move forward with positivity, tools, techniques, and goals to help you achieve happiness and peace.

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Maureen Scanlon Life Coaching – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
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As I started growing my coaching business, Maureen Scanlon Life Coaching, I took photos for the website. One day, I showed my best friend and she said, “I see this picture on the cover of a book.” I have never aspired to be an author, in fact, I always felt my verbal was much better. But… in following where I was being led in my new journey, I simply said, “I guess I’m writing a book than!”
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And I did… in eight weeks to be exact and I had published within four months. “My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am” came to life as I watched my dogs daily and realized what a beautiful and uncomplicated way they live. They love, have fun, and show compassion in amounts far greater than humans. The book is an inspirational and fun guide to teaching us to live from the example of the unconditional furry friends we share the planet with.
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The most rewarding part of my business is the feedback and responses I receive. I also create retreats, group coaching, and women’s events. From these events and personal coaching, hearing clients say that I’ve changed their life, they are living their dreams, finding their worth, and breaking lifetime habits is such an incredible feeling!
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My mission and purpose in this lifetime are the moral behind the Starfish Story. A little boy is walking along the beach throwing starfish into the ocean that had washed ashore. An old man tells the child, there are thousands of them, you’re not going to make much of a difference. To which the little boy tosses another starfish and says to the man, “It mattered to that one.”

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Tell us about your childhood, what were you like growing up?
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I always felt like I was different from everyone else. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I remember swinging on the swings at 6yrs old and pondering about what my life would be like. I felt I didn’t belong in my family, and that no one really “got me.” I always felt like I was a lot of trouble, and honestly, I sometimes was… I was very aware of how everyone felt and would say or do something funny to make everyone laugh.

“I always felt life should be fun.”

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Maureen’s Coach Pricing:

  • Life Coaching Sessions – $120 per session with package deals for 5 or more
  • My Book- My Dog is More Enlightened Than I Am is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Outskirts Press
  • Motivational Speaking and Group Coaching also available

 

Contact Info:

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EXCITING NEWS!!
Maureen will be featured in all Anytime Fitness Centers throughout Arizona!
As you work on the outside for a healthy lifestyle, now work on the inside with Life Coach Maureen for a happier well-balanced LIFE! Even if you don’t live in Arizona, she helps clients nationwide …