The Author Pitch

I introduce Mia Hanks’s book I've Made Plans, which chronicles her rebuilding of life after a 29‑year marriage to a narcissistic partner. I state that the book is a raw, firsthand account of starting over after prolonged emotional abuse and divorce. We explain that it is aimed at readers facing major life shifts and seeking proof that renewal is possible, even later in life. I describe how Mia employs vivid analogies, notably the shopping cart, to illustrate how small harms accumulate until a breaking point is reached. We emphasize that the work offers practical truths about self‑worth, boundaries, and healing rather than clinical instruction. I encourage listeners to locate the book on Amazon, follow Mia on social media, and support survivors by leaving thoughtful reviews. I introduce Mia Hanks’s book I've Made Plans, which chronicles her rebuilding of life after a 29‑year marriage to a narcissistic partner. I state that the book is a raw, firsthand account of starting over after prolonged emotional abuse and divorce. We explain that it is aimed at readers facing major life shifts and seeking proof that renewal is possible, even later in life. I describe how Mia employs vivid analogies, notably the shopping cart, to illustrate how small harms accumulate until a breaking point is reached. We emphasize that the work offers practical truths about self‑worth, boundaries, and healing rather than clinical instruction. I encourage listeners to locate the book on Amazon, follow Mia on social media, and support survivors by leaving thoughtful reviews. I speak as the author and I describe the arc of my life that led to this work. I was married for twenty-nine years to a man I later named a narcissist. I thought I had a clear map for my future. That map burned. I recount the slow build of harm with a plain image: a shopping cart that fills until it overturns. I explain why I stayed, how I rationalized small harms, and how those small harms became the weight that finally broke me. I made the choice to leave and to begin again. I write not as an expert, but as a survivor who rebuilt life from the ground up. Each chapter opens with a quote and centers on truths I learned: boundaries, worth, self care, the value of faith, and the ability to start over. My aim is to offer hope and practical perspective for anyone facing a major life shift. The book follows my first memoir, Bride Made, and is available on Amazon in paperback and ebook, and on Kindle Unlimited. Takeaways: I rebuilt my life after a twenty nine year marriage marked by narcissistic abuse. I describe the slow buildup of abuse with a shopping cart analogy that many will understand. I offer a raw first hand narrative rather than clinical advice, which can feel more real to survivors. I list practical truths like boundaries, self care, and worthiness as foundations for rebuilding a new life. I want readers to know it is not too late to start over and find hope and freedom. I make resources available: both my books are on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, my website, and social media for support. Links referenced in this episode: harfordsheart.com miajhanks.com Companies mentioned in this episode: Harford's Heart Amazon Kindle Unlimited TikTok Facebook Goodreads Barnes & Noble I speak as the author and I describe the arc of my life that led to this work. I was married for twenty-nine years to a man I later named a narcissist. I thought I had a clear map for my future. That map burned. I recount the slow build of harm with a plain image: a shopping cart that fills until it overturns. I explain why I stayed, how I rationalized small harms, and how those small harms became the weight that finally broke me. I made the choice to leave and to begin again. I write not as an expert, but as a survivor who rebuilt life from the ground up. Each chapter opens with a quote and centers on truths I learned: boundaries, worth, self care, the value of faith, and the ability to start over. My aim is to offer hope and practical perspective for anyone facing a major life shift. The book follows my first memoir, Bride Made, and is available on Amazon in paperback and ebook, and on Kindle Unlimited.

I introduce Yamabushi, a historical novel set in Japan circa 1200 that follows a small clan of mountain warriors who endeavour to sustain a code of spiritual devotion and martial proficiency amid pervasive violence and upheaval. I interview Steven R. Brill, who explicates his creative impetus, the etymology and cultural resonance of the Yamabushi, and his intent to render quotidian life and resiliency as vividly as martial engagement. We present a compelling excerpt that situates General Toshiro Shoda on patrol, establishes the camaraderie and rituals of his troop, and introduces an assassination thread that propels narrative tension. I elucidate that the work is grounded in historical research yet remains a work of fiction, thereby offering readers both verisimilitude and narrative invention. We emphasize the book’s appeal to readers seeking samurai-era realities beyond cinematic cliché, including depictions of social stratification, survival practices, and lesser-known groups such as the Ama pearl divers. I note that the author has completed subsequent volumes, that the book is available on Amazon under Steven R. Brill, and that we encourage readers to procure the text and record substantive reviews. I welcome listeners to a focused conversation with Steven R. Brill about his novel Yamabushi. I describe the book as a meticulously researched historical narrative set in Japan circa 1200. I outline the central figures, especially General Toshiro Shoda, and I summarize the excerpt we hear: a winter patrol that shifts from calm ritual and comradeship to sudden violence when an assassin’s arrow strikes the camp. I emphasize the book’s balance of vivid action and careful attention to quotidian detail — food, medicine, training — and I note how the work resists cinematic cliché by grounding its mystical threads in lived reality. I explain why the story matters to readers who seek authenticity beyond stylized depictions of samurai life. I also relay the practical information Steven provided: Yamabushi is available on major retail platforms under his name, and readers who wish to follow his work may find the title on Amazon. I close by urging readers to consider the book for its layered portrayal of resilience in an unforgiving world, and I invite them to leave reviews and to engage with the author through the channels he maintains. Takeaways: I describe Yamabushi as a novel set in Japan circa 1200 that balances nature, warfare, and spiritual practice for mountain warriors. We emphasize that the book focuses on ordinary people as well as warriors and shows daily life details beyond cinematic samurai tropes. I highlight the excerpt which introduces General Toshiro Shoda, his patrol, and the underlying assassination threat that creates narrative tension. We indicate that the novel is historically grounded but fictional, drawing on groups like ronin and Ama pearl divers to enrich authenticity. I note the author has completed a sequel and intends a generational series, and the book is available on Amazon for purchase. Links referenced in this episode: harfordsheart.com https://link.amazon/B04dd4s6W

Simplicity by the Sea is Jennifer Vito’s concluding Gull Island novel, and I present it as a heartfelt coastal romance about love, second chances, and finding one’s way home. I emphasize that it is the third and final volume in an award-winning low country trilogy set on Fripp Island, South Carolina, with a strong sense of place. We include an excerpt that opens with Delaney Huger rushing through traffic to attend the wedding of the season, a scene that establishes her character and key relationships. I describe the book as a Hallmark-style, slow-burn, sweet romance that offers readers a gentle escape and a satisfying happily ever after. I also note Jennifer’s discussion of her life as a writer, her active promotion of the book, and her forthcoming Christmas-set Nashville novel, and I invite listeners to find her work at major booksellers and online. We engage in a measured conversation about Simplicity by the Sea, the culminating volume of an award-winning low country romance trilogy. I describe the novel’s coastal milieu and its provenance in thirty-five years of family visits to the South Carolina shore. We recount the opening excerpt in which Delaney Huger arrives late to a high-profile island wedding, slips into the reception tent, and confronts a complex mix of guilt and belonging beneath the lighthouse’s beacon. The passage furnishes immediate character insight and establishes the narrative arc of second chances and emotional reconciliation. We note recurring figures from earlier volumes, including Kate and Knox, and the presence of a small-town custodian figure, Old Man Henry, who functions as communal anchor. I emphasize the book’s Hallmark-like tonal qualities: gentle pacing, wholesome intimacy, and a dependable happily-ever-after. Practical details are also provided: the author balances a full-time professional role with disciplined evening writing, maintains an active reader presence via social media, and undertakes an ongoing book tour. We conclude by situating the novel as an escapist offering that privileges place, steady characterization, and emotional warmth, inviting readers who seek comforting romantic narratives and vivid coastal settings. Takeaways: I designed the Gull Island series to offer readers calm, heartfelt romance and nostalgic coastal escape. I highlighted the lighthouse and shrimp shack imagery to convey a strong sense of place and community. I balance my full-time work with disciplined nightly writing routines, producing multiple books and planning a new Nashville holiday series. We encourage readers to pre-order and leave reviews because I know honest reader endorsements drive discoverability and author success. Links referenced in this episode: harfordsheart.com jennifervido.com freshfiction.com Companies mentioned in this episode: Harford's Heart Harford County Public Library Hoopla Hallmark Channel jennifervido.com Amazon Goodreads Instagram TikTok Facebook Threads X Harford County Bar Foundation FreshFiction.com McIntosh Bookshop Indigo Books Springtide Market Vanderbilt University

I present Repurposed Rising by Michelle Taylor, a guided healing and self-reflection journal created to help women come back to themselves through inner child work and the repurposing of past pain. I explain that the book uses prompts, affirmations, quotes, and structured exercises to guide readers through recognizing, addressing, releasing, and forgiving emotional wounds. I note that the material is drawn from Michelle’s own healing journey and that the journal is intended to be a safe space for honest reflection. I describe Michelle’s supporting work, including clarity and intention workshops, vision board sessions, coaching, and speaking engagements. I inform listeners that the book is available on Amazon and that Michelle can be reached via Repurposed Rising on social media, by phone at 410-499-3760, or by email. I urge readers to move through the work one step at a time, to be honest with themselves, and to give themselves grace. I present Repurposed Rising as a guided healing and self-reflection journal authored from my lived experience. I wrote this work for women who have carried burdens while appearing to function, for those who have shown up despite exhaustion and self-doubt. I state plainly that the book is not a memoir but a deliberate tool created from my heart, mind, and soul. The journal instructs the reader to move with care, to breathe, and to meet the inner child with gentleness. I emphasize that the reader is not broken and that healing commences through honest awareness and steady practice. I describe a defined four-part healing framework that undergirds the journal: recognize, address, release, and forgive. I guide readers through prompts that recover early memories of feeling unseen and trace how unresolved inner wounds shape present relationships and decisions. I provide concrete features—affirmations, quotes, closing sections, and daily reflections—that reinforce sustained change. The tone throughout is sober and resolute. I invite readers to show up without pretense, to be patient, and to observe patterns without self-reproach, because awareness is the first substantive step toward reclamation. Takeaways: I wrote Repurposed Rising as a guided journal to help women reconnect with themselves. I describe a four part inner child healing process: recognize, address, release, and forgive, step by step. I lead vision board and clarity workshops and coaching, emphasizing daily practice and visible reminders to shape intentions and focus. I emphasize the importance of honest reflection, gentle self compassion, and consistent presence with the journal, instructing readers to show up daily without judgment and patience in the healing journey. I share that the journal originates from my lived experience and that users should attend to their inner child, acknowledge long held patterns, and use prompts, affirmations, and reflections to gradually repurpose pain into purpose for serving others. Links referenced in this episode: ecocoolhvac.com Repurposed Rising https://stan.store/RepurposedRising Companies mentioned in this episode: EcoKool HVAC TikTok Facebook Instagram Snapchat YouTube Amazon Alexa

I introduce a mythic memoir that centers on reclaiming self‑trust and healing family lineage. I host Nicolette Halliday, author of The Golden Thread and the Lineage of the Light, who explains that much of the book was written in real time and was channeled through visions. She tells us the book is for people who have lost themselves in relationships and who seek a path back to wholeness. We hear an excerpt in which the narrator recognizes her role as a healer and describes how steady presence helped transform a troubled family. I note that the book is available on Amazon, will appear in other retailers, and I urge listeners to support authors by purchasing and leaving reviews. I describe my book as a mythic memoir that traces the recovery of self after living inside a confusing and toxic relationship. I explain who the book is for: people who have lost themselves in partnership, those who doubt their intuition, and anyone navigating a difficult life transition. I detail the spiritual element that threads through the narrative and emphasize the need for an open mind to receive the messages embedded in the text. I describe the book's origin as largely written in real time, often channeled, and I show how that immediacy created raw honesty. I outline the central concern of trusting inner guidance, and I invite readers to find empowerment in the process of unraveling and becoming. I also mention practical matters: the book is currently available on Amazon and will expand to other retailers. I ask readers to support authors by leaving reviews and sharing images of their purchase. The summary conveys the book's purpose, its tone of spiritual reflection, and its promise to guide readers back to wholeness. Takeaways: I wrote the book for people who have lost themselves in relationships and need to trust themselves again. I wrote much of the book in real time while I was leaving a toxic relationship, which shaped its honesty. I call the work a mythic memoir because it mixes my real story with spiritual visions and channeled material. I show how healing can be a lineage work where one person's recovery helps transform an entire family over time. We ask readers to support authors by buying the book, leaving reviews, and sharing photos to help reach more people. Links referenced in this episode: ecocoolhvac.com offer.inspiredhearts.co/home Companies mentioned in this episode: Eco-Cool HVAC Amazon Barnes & Noble Target Walmart