Lessons I’ve Learned from the Men in My Life by Celisha J. – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 7, 2024 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lessons I’ve Learned from the Men in My Life
There have been several men who have taught me several lessons of life, especially in the way they treated me. I would like to share some of them here. The first and foremost lesson that I learnt was not to trust anyone especially by looks and appearances. They can be misleading. Rather, get to know the person and then decide whether that person is trustworthy or not.

The second lesson that I learnt was that if men make advances towards you, they sweet-talk and try to seduce you, they are only expecting or “demanding” sexual favours. They can do nothing else. They are not true to their word. The third lesson that I learnt was that the most demanding (of sexual favours) men are hidden in the family. They do not open immediately. They do not show or express their intentions openly. They come up with sudden surprises or rude shocks.

Never trust a man who has left another woman for you. Never trust a man who leaves you for another woman. These men are like scavengers – they only salvage what they want and then move on for their next prey. Be careful and wary of these. Never trust a man who only looks at women through their privates.

Never get so emotionally attached to someone that it becomes difficult to detach. Emotions are good, but they need to be controlled. Do not let your emotions control you. Decisions taken during emotional moments can be very disturbing and disastrous. These are some of the lessons that I have learnt from the various “villains” in my life. To learn more lessons and how I faced them, read my book, “I Survived” on Kindle or order your copy from Amazon today.

In “I Survived” the author’s journey through a life marked by hardship, pain and resilience. From the devastating loss of a mother at a young age to abusive relationships and a harrowing escape, this gripping memoir unveils the story of survival, redemption, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. With unwavering determination, the author overcomes the shadows of her past to forge a path toward self-discovery, healing, and hope.

I Survived is an inspiring testament to the power of resilience and the unwavering belief that no matter the obstacles, one can triumph over adversity and ultimately thrive.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Introduction

My name is Celisha J. I have been through a lot, learned, and am better because of it. I am a firm believer that every lesson is a blessing. God has saved me so many times. I know he did this because he has something bigger planned for me.

My prayer for this book is that it helps women and children who have gone through the same or similar situations to know that they don’t have to allow the traumas of their past to keep them from being successful. I believe that God has a plan for our life, but we did something to alter that plan along the way. He did not intend for us to struggle or have a hard life. He allows us to choose the path we want to go on. The good thing is he is that he is Always there to pick us up when we fall. We were born for greatness.

Hold yourself accountable for your mistakes and forgive yourself and those who hurt you. Forgiveness is for you. I want people to know you can be the best you that you allow. No one says it will be easy, but the main thing to remember is that you are responsible for you. I believe that the only person you can truly believe in life, who won’t let you down, is God and yourself. In order for you to crawl out of the slump of being abused, hurt, let down, controlled, and battered is, your faith in God and the belief that he has better for you. He does not want us to live in our past. He intended for us to learn from it and allow our past to help other people gain strength, but if we tell our stories and we have not grown from what happened to us, then who can we really help?

I have done some things in my past that I am not proud of, and this book tells you my story and how I remember it. No, it is not everything, but the book will tell you the things that stood out the most to me. I have learned a lot and grown from my mistakes, and I have decided not to allow the embarrassment, pain, and struggles from my past to hold me back, so I am releasing it in this book.

This is my Ugly Truth!

About the Author: Born in Michigan now living in Atlanta Celisha J. is an Actress and Author all in one, landing a role in a movie and a lead role on a TV Series.

She currently has a book entitled “I Survived”. It is a chilling story about her life from losing her mom at an early age and all the things that she has endured in her life, that should have broken her but she uses her pain as motivation to continue on her journey to following her dreams of being an actress, author and motivational speaker. She is currently pursuing more roles in acting.

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Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Poetry From My Heart by Paul Guerin – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 9, 2024 By 1 Comment

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul Guerin will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“Poetry: writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.”

“Poetry: a literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm.”

Poetry means different things to different people. For me, it is all about feelings. If it captures the emotions of the reader, a poem will resonate and fill the soul. It can mean everything to one person and not much at all to another. The mood of the reader, and no one else, determines the outcome.

For example, love poems are wonderful when you are in love, and their passion is amazing. If you are facing adversity, however, love poems likely will just annoy you.

In this second book, Poetry from my Heart: The Journey Continues, I have again divided the poems into categories which will fit your mood no matter what you are experiencing at the time you choose to explore them. There should be something for everyone, whether you are in love, out of love, hurt, lonely, angry, abandoned, or facing other challenges in your life.

Poetry has a healing power that nurtures the soul and quietens the mind and so I hope that whatever your situation is in life, you have found something here that helped you safely on your own journey.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Puppy love

I met her in my fifteenth year
And threw caution out the door
I had no doubts, I had no fear
I hoped there would be love and more

Her hair was blond, her eyes were blue
Her smile was sunny bright
I hoped that she would love me too
I felt unsure but thought she might

I spent my summer days with her
Playing on the ocean shore
And there I felt my feelings stir
My heart and soul expecting more

I was enchanted by romance
There was nothing I couldn’t do
I was lost in youthful first love dance
I thought my feelings must be true

Those summer days came to an end
And we went our separate ways
But my longing for her never ceased
Her memory burned throughout my days

And then one day along my way
With another boy she came
There was nothing much that I could say
So I wished her well and hid my shame

It was my first romantic show
Puppy-love filled up my heart
I had to love and let her go
It was my role, I played my part

Back then I thought she broke my heart
But those feelings weren’t real
It was just a youthful small-bit part
That taught me love and how to feel

About the Author:

Paul Guerin is an Irishman. He was born in September 1946 in Castletownroche, a small townland village in County Cork, Eire.

It was there in Castletownroche that his romantic imagination was sparked as he came to love and appreciate the magic of his surroundings. Those early experiences were the genesis of his poetry that emerged in later life.

As a young adult, Paul lived in London, England, where he became a chartered accountant.

At age 25, restless for adventure, Paul moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where he still resides today.

Paul is happily married and is a proud father and grandfather.

Paul writes poetry as the inspiration comes to him. As long as his mind, body and soul are willing companions and his spark of inspiration remains alive, he will continue to write.

This book is Paul’s second publication in his Willing Heart series. His first book was published in the Spring of 2022 and is called Poetry from My Heart: A Journey through Feelings. The book reached #1 on Amazon’s Kindle chart in British Poetry and #2 in Poetry Anthologies November 2023.

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The Joy of Spirit by Tania Kiaizadeh – Spotlight and Giveaway

November 30, 2023 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tania Kiaizadeh will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.”
– Walt Whitman

Care to reclaim your authentic, pure self?
This book will show you how to find your inner balance in life, by connecting to mindful moments to reclaim your true nature.

This book:
– is transformative in nature,
-will teach you to depend on yourself, as you hold a wealth of magic,
-will teach you how to shift perspective,
-is riddled with warm anecdotes to inspire you,
-will teach you how to live mindfully outside of yoga and meditation,
-will remind you that intention setting is key,
-will help you connect to your own spirit guides and the Angelic realm regardless of religious beliefs,
-will show you how to connect to your multidimensional self,
-will remind you that belief is at the core of spiritual realm,
-will have you connect to the frequency of love where actual magic begins.

In essence, shift your perspective to tap into this spiritual realm while on earth.

Quotes

Becoming your own number one choice in life is walking the spiritual path successfully.

It is time to trim your existence from all the self-imposed drama. Your perception plays an important role in releasing yourself from all this commotion.

You are divinity in motion.

Walking this earth with a curious mind, willing to learn, to be challenged and to grow is the purpose of every soul…

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The higher self, some believe it sits a few inches above your mind, while others, refer to it as the third eye. It has been my experience that it does not sit in one place but hovers around you. Your higher self is your all-knowing self. It holds the secrets of your existence in this life and the many lives before you and the many after you. Your higher self is the one constant that wraps around you. There is a reason we are being invited to meditate. With mental illness on the rise, meditation anchors one down. Mindful practices connect you with your heart’s centre, the magical gateway to your consciousness. Meditate, sit in silence, to connect to this wonder, this brilliance that has all the answers we seek, sitting quietly within. Start consulting with yourself. Start connecting with your inner wisdom. Quiet your mind long enough to hear this voice, this intelligent exchange, this insightful chat that will finally awaken the truth you seek.

While I continued using my journal to further discover this new endeavour, a few days later, I discovered my boardroom of helpers, who follow me around throughout this lifetime and assist when necessary. Imagine a boardroom of consultants looking after you, working 24/7 throughout each entire life. That is their assignment, to follow you as you navigate life’s trials and tribulations. My boardroom of helpers or councillors consisted of four. This varies for some. I continue to visualize them sitting around this oval table and looking at me, face to face. Their eyes are on me, as are the eyes of your very personal team of guides. Yes, they see you naked too, and everything in between! It took me a while to get over this one.

About the Author:Tania Kiaizadeh (Kia) was born in Teheran, Iran but in 1977, at the age of nine, she moved to Montreal with her family in order to avoid the political rumblings which gave way to the Iranian Coup d’état. With new beginnings in Montreal, adaptations to be made, she carved a life in North America. She received her Bachelor and Master of Education in Educational and Counselling Psychology, at McGill University. Since 1991, she has been working with her students in classrooms and in private practice, teaching them French as a second language, literature, history, as well executive functioning skills, while reminding them that they are limitless beings with gifts and capabilities that extend far beyond their imagination. It all starts with setting an intention and implicitly believing in yourself. Education, knowledge, self-improvement and self-empowerment paired with curiosity and her favourite aphorism, “leave no stone unturned,” define the fabric of her life. With Spirit nestled in stereo, she now has access to a crisp means of learning, which involves a great deal of hands-on, experiential learning.

She began writing her debut, prescriptive non-fiction, a spiritual self-help, after delving into the study of transformation, spirituality, intuition and manifestation. When she is not busy editing her second novel, a narrative memoir, she can be found walking in nature, connecting to her students, embracing her limitations in yoga, deeply breathing, having insightful exchanges with her family and friends, and just being. Since the summer of 2021, she has been sending free, monthly, distant energy healing to those in need, especially during this worldwide pandemic, where people are suffering in many different ways. Even with energy medicine, she proves to be most effective helping children. She continues to live in Montreal, Canada, and she can be found sharing her insight on Instagram.

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What Would I Tell a New Author? by Sumayyah Rafiq Haider – Guest Blog and Giveaway

November 27, 2023 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will award a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would I tell a new author?

There are a few pieces of advice that I’d give new authors, especially once who aim to self-publish their book.

One, whatever deadline they’ve set as their launch date? Aim to get everything done AT LEAST a whole week before that launch date. Don’t leave things up to the last 48 hours like. “I’ll upload the book on the last day.” It’s a lot better to finalize your draft as early as possible so that you have chances to address issues that come out after you’ve written the book. For example, if there’s any issue with the cover size or the print, you’ll have ample time to correct it. I strongly recommend knocking your writing out as quickly as you can so that you can focus on the things that come after that. The editing, advance readers and beta readers, cover finalization, publishing, etc.

Second, finalize your title and cover as early as possible. If you’re making the cover yourself, that’s awesome. But if you’re going to be working with someone who will make the cover? Best thing you can do is to define your vision and hand that over ASAP. Because it takes time to make a good cover and you’ll most likely go through a couple of different versions before you lock in something you’re happy with. Plus, if you’re going to be publishing on Amazon, there’s chances that there might be some sizing issues. So, you want to leave time in your schedule for those corrections.

Third, do outline things. I don’t mean that you sit down and create a whole roadmap or a bulleted list of “here’s all the things I need to include in my story.” I mean “outline” in the broadest sense of the word, which is to say, define what you want the book to be about. You need to set some boundaries and check points for the story. That way, even if the writing starts going out of bounds, you’ve got a way to evaluate your progress and determine what parts have to be cut.

Accelerate your marketing career by learning concrete strategies to reignite your creative spark and build a compelling case for your promotion to director. From creating a standout project portfolio to evaluating your skills to salary negotiation, networking, and interviewing best practices, this book equips ambitious marketing professionals with the tools necessary for long-term success.

Enjoy an Excerpt

As a marketing leader, you also play a vital role in elevating the standard of living. Thanks to government regulations, marketers cannot make false or misleading claims. This means that you help consumers make informed decisions on the basis of marketing. They can be made aware of major changes in ownership or products, what new features are being developed, and which brands to trust. This comes together to create brand value and loyalty towards trusted companies.

At a company level, organizations cannot survive without marketing. You cannot establish a business and expect people to find you. There is simply too much competition and information bombarding society. For businesses to survive and thrive, they have to develop effective marketing strategies. And for this, they need experienced professionals like you with highly creative mindsets.

But it is difficult to contribute in this way to an organization or society if you feel burned out, uncreative, or feel an inability to work at your full potential.

If you feel the same way then this book is for you.

I’m going to show you how to be at the forefront of driving demand, understanding consumer needs, and providing critical contributions to your career growth. And to get there, this book is going to help you address:

• Being underpaid
• Being dictated to
• Burn out
• Intellectual disengagement
• Uncertainty about what steps to take

About the Authors:Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and a highly sought-after speaker and coach who helps ambitious job seekers find higher-paying, more fulfilling jobs. She’s been helping job seekers since 2010 when she founded CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionals from various industries who specialize in providing professional resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and many more career-related services to help ambitious people land their dream jobs and achieve career goals.She has created free resources that have seen more than 160,000 downloads, helped hundreds of clients increase their pay, and built a network of more than 3000 recruiters.

Sumayyah Rafiq Haider is an experienced author and career mentor with a passion for helping individuals excel professionally. With an MBA in Human Resource Management and SHRM-CP certification, Sumayyah has assisted numerous clients in their job search, providing guidance on resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, cover letters, interview skills, and career direction.

Website | Instagram | Fatemah Mirza Amazon Author Page | Sumayyah Rafiq Haider Amazon Author Page

This book is available to read for free on Kindle Unlimited.

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The Unbred by Oscar Valdez – Spotlight and Giveaway

November 15, 2023 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Oscar Valdez will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Entrepreneurship is considered one of the most ancient professions in human history. So, why then, is entrepreneurship so difficult to break into for minorities? What are the social and economical roadblocks and what can you do to tear them down and make a mark for yourself as a true corporate misfit?

As a managing partner of seven separate multi-million-dollar businesses operating in twenty-three States, I’ve discovered there’s no single formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur – but there are certain rules, especially for minorities, that must be abided by to avoid operational blunders. Any book can tell you it all comes down to planning and having the right mindset, but these gross oversimplifications are precisely why many fail to grasp the true keys to success.

Throughout these nine chapters you’ll learn all aspects of the minority entrepreneur’s journey, from starting a venture to ensuring its success. You’ll break down the balance between structure and flexibility necessary to grow and flourish as a minority entrepreneur. You’ll decode the complexities of the rules and uncover what obstacles stand before you – and how to rise above them, steadfast and unbred.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Entrepreneurship is considered one of the most ancient professions in human history. The first thing man did to survive was find a way to fulfill his daily necessities. Those necessities varied from one individual to another. There was always something someone had that someone else desired or wanted—hence, trading was invented, and eventually, entrepreneurship became one of the most decorated professions with the potential of providing the sort of lifestyle people wanted.

Over the years, entrepreneurial methodologies have evolved, and as we step into the twenty-first century, entrepreneurship has become much more technologically oriented, allowing for more sophistication. This profession is something that’s been debated for years in terms of how to become a successful entrepreneur and what are the do’s and don’ts.

Being a successful entrepreneur is widely considered a privilege and something hard to achieve. But most business analysts fail to realize that, for a certain portion of the population, it isn’t easy, despite following every rule in the book. In modern times, where socialization has become the key aspect of entrepreneurship, there are people for whom this profession and the laws governing it haven’t been very kind. In most countries, people belonging to minority groups aren’t presented with equal opportunities compared to those in the majority.

For a minority entrepreneur, like someone who comes from Mexico or Guatemala, or any other Spanish country, the banking systems are very different in terms of providing ease of doing business and aiding them with sufficient capital to start their venture. They’re not as complying as you would expect them to be, and thus, minorities don’t get loans easily from American banks.

Why? Primarily because immigrants don’t have United States credit histories that prove to the banks that they can pay back the loans they’re requesting. There’s also the additional barrier of the cultural differences between countries, with many not offering financing at all, so the system of such loans can be easily overwhelming for new minority business owners in America.

This often leads to businesses of minority entrepreneurs starting with hard-earned and long-saved personal funds instead. And after a while without sufficient capital to sustain their company, under-capitalization becomes the reason for businesses closing. So, when a Latino business owner opens their business, typically it’s because they’ve saved the money themselves throughout their life, doing whatever they did. They use that to fund their venture, but their businesses often crumble due to initial failures because they don’t have a backup investment to keep their company afloat.

About the Author:Born in Guatemala and raised in Los Angeles, Oscar dreamed of becoming a successful business owner. To become a successful entrepreneur seemed unattainable and a far-out dream. Oscar worked his way up the corporate ladder of successful companies gaining several awards along the way. He started several businesses only to witness those businesses fail.

At the age of 43, Oscar suffered multiple health scares, causing him to retire. With newfound time on his hands, he joined childhood friends to start a business venture. His past business failures were a lesson in finding a successful entrepreneurial path. This new venture resulted in a multi-million-dollar conglomerate, which continues to grow every year.

Oscar still lives in Los Angeles with his family and in his spare time he works towards helping the less fortunate through philanthropy and education.

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Outsider by Monica Buchanan – Spotlight and Giveaway

November 9, 2023 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Monica Buchanan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Monica Buchanan grew up in Jamaica. She revisits her lived experiences of abuse and neglect in early childhood and her younger adult years. Buchanan takes the reader on a palatable path that allows for reflection on one’s own life. She writes about her survival journey, while looking through descriptive lens, she carefully details how exposure to early childhood abuse and neglect within her family helped form patterns, influenced choices, and shaped decisions in her adulthood.

By chronicling familial stories, the roles of parents, siblings, and community, she employs a story-telling and meaning-making approach, that is both painful and entertaining. Even though as a young child I was told I was the problem, I knew intuitively that I did not cause all my problems. I now know that what happened to me within the context of familial (and other) relationships had a name–emotional abuse and neglect.

Growing up I wished there were more people and resources that could help me make sense of my life as I struggled with low self-esteem, insecurities, felt lost, craved attention, and an overall sense of not belonging–I felt like an outsider and desperately wanted to be on the inside.

Buchanan reaffirms that: childhood experiences of abuse and neglect does not mean one has a commutable life sentence of pain and suffering. It does not matter where you are on your healing journey, you can set that stuff aside and reclaim your life. This book is for anyone who grew up in a toxic, abusive, and unhealthy home environment where they felt like they did not belong within the family unit. It is also a book about making changes, forgiveness, and letting go.

 

Enjoy an Excerpt

Emotional Abuse and Neglect
Experience has taught us that we have only one enduring
weapon in our struggle against mental illness: the emotional
discovery and emotional acceptance of the truth in the
individual and unique history of our childhood.
Alice Miller

 

Impact of Early Childhood Emotional Abuse and Neglect

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I do not know when or where I first heard this saying, but these days my life is lemons. Not the ripe, luscious, bright yellow lemons we often notice in the grocery store from afar, but sour, bitter, bad tasting ones—a whole lot of them—and there is no sugar to sweeten the lemonade I am making, so I just must swallow the bad tasting, intolerable concoction. I took the childhood garbage I ingested into adulthood. When and where did I learn to swallow this stuff and keep it down? I did not learn it as an adult; I learnt this behavior as a small, innocent, and unsuspecting child.

For many of us, the traumas and dramas of our early childhood experiences have turned us into survivors. MerriamWebster says a survivor is “A person who continues to live after an accident, illness, war, etc.” A more specific definition is “Someone who can keep living or succeeding despite a lot of problems.” The second definition certainly applies to me (and most other survivors of childhood abuse and neglect). Those earlier events have altered our psychological and emotional state in adulthood. We grow up to be adult-children who are not fully “alive” but rather, we endure an existence where we appear to be living a full life but are just getting by; we are surviving.

About the Author:

MONICA BUCHANAN has a PhD in psychology, as well as a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies. Buchanan is semi-retired, after a long and rewarding career in counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching, she now follows her passion and live a purposeful lifestyle. She continues to be enthusiastic and committed to development of strength-based community resources for adults and youths from marginalized and under-served communities, thus she remains an active volunteer. She focuses on mindfulness and relaxation and loves to read, write, garden, and take long meditative walks.

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The Un-Diet Diet by Dr. Douglas Pooley – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 24, 2023 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dr. Douglas Pooley will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

 

The UN-Diet Diet is a health reclamation strategy. It is designed to give the participant simple and effective tools to aid in improving overall health, effectively deal with weight management issues, and to serve as a guide for empowered aging. The program is aimed at those over the age of 55 with existing health compromise. It examines the true genesis of both health and disease through the lens of our evolutionary footprint, drilling down to the essence of what it means to be alive. It is here within the principles which create and maintain life, that we also find the keys to health and longevity.

Enjoy an Excerpt

One unassailable truth is certain: If you buy into the above negative beliefs about getting older, the likelihood of finding satisfaction in life going forward is slim.

However, if you are genuinely committed to feeling better, the ideas I am about to present in the Un-Diet Diet, may open your mind to a different approach for reclaiming and maintaining health…one that just may potentially help save your life. Proceeding through the book, you are going to be shown a strategy for repair, health maintenance, and creative ageing that is in perfect step with our evolutionary footprint. It is here through man’s continuous adaptation over time that we uncover the roots of health and longevity potential.

The pandemic in 2020 has changed the world forever. It was particularly vicious for those over fifty-five, killing many and leaving even more seriously health compromised. The need for new direction when it comes to the fostering a healthy lifestyle has never been more imperative. I believe that for us to continue to successfully thrive we must reconnect with our inherent health potentials which have continuously adapted and evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.

About the Author:

Dr. Pooley has been in practice over 43 years, and during that time worked with over 20,000 individuals in close to 500,000 clinical encounters. He is married to his soulmate Patti Mugford-Pooley and lives in Lighthouse Cove in Canada. He has served his profession and community in various roles, and lectured nationally and internationally on professionalism as well as the importance of natural approaches to health and wellness. Doug is a former bodybuilding champion and continues to explore new frontiers in health and successful aging.

He is currently in his early seventies going on seventeen.

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Stay Alive by Dr. Min Deng – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 23, 2023 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Min Deng will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In her brave and compassionate non-fiction book “Stay Alive,” Min Deng explores the depths of depression and the ominous specter of suicide. She sheds light on the hidden struggles experienced by those suffering from this silent illness by drawing on personal experiences shaped by childhood mental and emotional abuse.

These pages are filled with moving stories about people battling their own demons, struggling with thoughts of self-destruction, or dealing with the grief of a loved one’s tragic death. Min Deng bravely breaks down the stigmas associated with mental health by exposing the invisible chains that bind.

This succinct yet potent book illuminates the complexities of depression with heartfelt honesty and unwavering empathy, urging readers to understand the silent battles fought behind seemingly unremarkable lives. It serves as a powerful reminder of compassion’s transformative power and that saving lives and healing broken souls requires love, understanding, and empathy.

“Stay Alive” urges us all to work toward cultivating mental health rather than ignoring it. It teaches us that by illuminating the darkness, we can aid in dampening depression’s hold and giving those who are suffering hope.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Taylor came out as trans to their parents on the Saturday following Thanksgiving in 2019 when they’d just turned fifteen. They wished to take testosterone blockers and estrogen right away, before their next birthday to maximize the chances that their transition would be smooth and successful. Their parents were in complete shock and disbelief.

In one of the angry exchanges my husband and I witnessed between Taylor and their dad when we visited them a few weeks later over Christmas, waving a kitchen knife defiantly in Hector’s face, Taylor screamed in rage and condescension, “You want a son?! Well, I’ll make sure you won’t have one!” The bitterness and resentment in Taylor’s thundering voice scared me.

In the hallway on the fifth floor of the psych ward, I finally released Taylor from my embrace. It was time for me to say goodbye and exit the ward.

“Stay alive, Taylor. Get well! Call me once you get your phone back. Stay alive!” I walked away hurriedly and asked the front desk to buzz me out. Once I stepped out of the hospital, I cried uncontrollably on the sidewalk, crouching next to the brick edge of a flower bed, having a complete mental breakdown on the street in Manhattan, keenly aware of the curious looks of passersby. But I didn’t care.

It would likely be the last time I’d ever see Taylor. The eighteen-year-old teenager whom I’ve known for their entire life, whom I’ve loved as my own child. The five- year-old who clung onto me in terror, their sweaty small hand tightly holding onto mine as their father screamed at them in rage, waving his big hand to threaten to slap them on that hot, humid summer morning in Cozumel Mexico in 2009. I was no longer able to be the mental health advocate I wanted to be for Taylor, to help them get the psychic care they desperately needed.

My heart shattered in pieces; I felt utterly helpless and hopeless.

About the Author: Dr. Min Deng was born and raised in Wuhan, China on September 11th, 1973. She earned a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008.

As a developmental psychologist, she is interested in parenting, child development, parent-child relationship, marital relationship, domestic abuse, suicide prevention, gender and sexual identity, etc. This book on raising awareness about suicide and its risks is her first of a series on mental health she plans to write.

She is the founder and CEO of Mental Health CPR (MHCPR), a non-profit organization that serves to improve quality of life by increasing the accessibility to mental health resources. MHCPR does this through education, advocacy, and the creation of mental health
resources available to all.

She lives with her husband and their beloved dog Coco in Charleston, South Carolina. In her spare time, she loves walking on the beach, learning to surf, hiking, traveling, listening to audio books, and fashion.

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Voices of Cancer by Lynda Wolters – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 18, 2023 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lynda Wolters will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“I don’t know what to say” and “I don’t know what to do” are common responses to a life-threatening diagnosis. Voices of Cancer is here to help.

Every cancer story is different, but there is one commonality: both patients and the people supporting them often struggle to properly articulate their wants and needs through particularly challenging and in many cases, uncharted territory. Lynda Wolters knows firsthand: she was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal mantle cell lymphoma in August of 2016.

Voices of Cancer offers a candid look into the world of a cancer patient, informed by Lynda’s own story and conversations had with dozens of patients weighing in on their needs, wants, and dislikes as they navigate the complex world of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. With comprehensive and accessible insight from people who’ve been there, Voices of Cancer helps educate, dispel fears, and start positive conversations about what a cancer diagnosis truly means, while shining a light on how best to support a loved one on their own terms.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Voices on Thoughtless Words

There is no perfect thing to say to someone with a devastating disease, but honest conversation and true statements are better than fluffy words that are best suited for use as a slogan. It’s okay to let the patient know you don’t know what to say. It’s okay to let them know you are afraid of offending them or making them feel sad with your words or your personal fear of what they are going through. And it’s okay to just sit with them, cry with them, listen to them vent, or just share space.

Some of my most comforting times were when people just shared space with me. Every time I was hospitalized, my dear friend Michelle would bring all her “gadgets”—cell phone, laptop, etc.—and work from my hospital room. Sometimes staying an hour or more, often not speaking but just sitting with me and working on her laptop, she shared space and her love.

About the Author:

Lynda was born and raised in a tiny farming community of 400 in northern Idaho. She worked on the family farm, with her first job being picking rocks out of the fields and ultimately graduating up the ladder to driving a grain truck and combine during harvest. Following high school, Lynda continued her education in Las Vegas before she moved back home to Idaho to raise her three sons.

Lynda still resides in Idaho with her husband and their peekapoo, Max.

Lynda has worked in the legal field for 30+ years and enjoys ballroom and swing dancing, horseback riding, kayaking, and river rafting. She has a heart for people and enjoys regularly volunteering. She spends the bulk of her spare time reading and writing.

Lynda was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) in August 2016. She touts herself as being a thriving warrior of the disease.

Lynda has completed two books of nonfiction: Voices of Cancer, released in October 2019, and Voices of LGBTQ+, released in August 2020.

The Placeholder, Lynda’s debut novel, was released in November 2022.

Lynda has published the following articles: Navigating the Workplace with Chemo Brain, February 23, 2020, Elephants and Tea. and When Masks Weren’t Popular, March 24, 2020, Patient Power. She has spoken on several podcasts, been a guest on a local talk show regarding Voices of Cancer, and given interviews for other outlets and print.

Jane Brody wrote up Voices of Cancer in the New York Times, her article entitled What to Say to Someone with Cancer, on January 13, 2020, with a follow-up on January 20, 2020, entitled, When Life Throws You a Curveball, Embrace the New Normal.

The Chinese translation rights of Voices of Cancer have been purchased by a grant to offer the book to medical students in Tawain.

Lynda donates Voices of Cancer books and a portion of its proceeds to Epic Experience, a nonprofit camp for adult survivors and thrivers of cancer located in Colorado.

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An Eye for the Highest and Best by Dr. Nancy-Angel Doetzel- Spotlight and Giveaway

September 12, 2023 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dr. Nancy-Angel Doetzel will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Living in this world of such disruption and uncertainty can result in us facing despair. How can we attune to the rainbow after a storm, and create hope and happiness? How do we develop an eye for the Highest and Best, when faced with what appears to be the worst? What steps should we take to reconnect with our ability to be resilient?

In this book, Dr. Doetzel shares some important insights gained from her own experiences of teaching university, battling cancer, being a journalist, travelling worldwide, dealing with grief, and facing the global pandemic. Along the way, she introduces her readers to fresh ways of viewing their lives, by applying an Appreciative Inquiry lens that inspires the practice of a more conscious way of living, resulting in discovering serenity.

Readers may start to re-examine their own challenges, while discovering their own gems that warrant gratitude. The reflective questions and stories suggest ways of removing blocks to happiness and constructing healthier relationships.

The book is also an ideal tool for educators to apply to teaching Appreciative Inquiry as a qualitative research methodology.

Enjoy an Excerpt

While attending a church service in a Mexican Cathedral, Angel’s phone had fallen out of her purse. Reaching for it later, intending to make a call, she suddenly notices it was missing. Frantically, she rushed to the hotel front desk to inquire how she could contact the Cathedral. When she arrived, the hotel clerk was holding her golden cell phone, while still looking for an identification on it.

After identifying her cell phone, the clerk told her the story of the person who had turned it in. The lady had picked up the phone in the Cathedral, under a bench. She then noticed a hotel key in the phone case slot, which matched her own hotel key. So, when she returned to the hotel after mass, she gave the cell phone to the front desk attendant.

Angel believed having her cell phone returned by someone staying at the same hotel and attending a common church service, was a miracle in action, and she was tempted to share the story with the police officer, after he checked for her phone.

About the Author:

Dr. Nancy-Angel Doetzel has been teaching in the Sociology Faculty of Mount Royal University since 2006, and as a seasonal sessional instructor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary since 2005.

An award-winning scholar, journalist, and musician, she won a Distinguished Dissertation Award for her doctorate dissertation, leading to the publication of her two books: Cultivating Spirituality in Education: Synergizing Heart and Mind and Old Heart Child’s Eyes: A Diary of Miracles.

In 2017, her students at Mount Royal University honoured her with a Teaching Excellence Award. In 2018 her students also acknowledged her for promoting wellbeing and good health within the classroom, and for being a good mentor. She received her MA, HBA, HBSW, and BA degrees from Lakehead University.

She received her PhD from the University of Calgary in 2004. She studied Intuitive Medicine in Vancouver and received a professional certification (I.C.A.D.C) from the Canadian Council of Professional Certification. She also was awarded a Broadcasting Radio and Television diploma from Confederation College. She encourages her students to examine the world through different lenses, exercising altruism, promoting social justice, and learning to be a good sociologist.

Her Mount Royal University blog is titled, Debunking Deceptive Myths. In addition to her recently published books, she has also authored and published eight scholarly articles in her field.

In February 2020, the Calgary Herald, rated one of her books (a pre-amble to this one) as a local best seller. She is currently conducting research about complementary medicine and continuing to teach at Mount Royal University.

Aside from teaching and conducting research, Dr. Doetzel has hosted a radio show “From the Heart,” airing on AM 1140 High River, for the past 10 years. She has recorded four albums of her own original songs.

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