Relentless Times
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One Year Later:
How the 2025 LA Fires Strengthened a City’s Resolve A little over a year ago, the skies over Los Angeles turned an eerie orange, and its residents faced a catastrophe that would become etched in their collective memory. The great fires of 2025 swept through neighborhoods, leaving thousands displaced, countless homes destroyed, and a city…
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No Heart & No Soul on Bourbon Street
The Day SiriusXM’s Heart & Soul Host, Michelle Wright, Sold Me a Pound of BS at Essence Festival Bourbon Street is more than a stretch of road; it’s a living, breathing experience. It’s where the rhythm of music intertwines with the pulse of life, and for me, it’s where ambition and opportunity once converged. On…
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Never Giving Up:
A Universal Lesson from Cher’s Wisdom” LaTonya was watching Cher receive her flowers at an older Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event when I caught the moment. The iconic artist, radiating grace and triumph, said something that hit like a thunderclap. “I’ve been through so many ups and downs, but I never gave up.…
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Taking Control of Your Story:
Empowering Authors to Thrive Beyond the Publishing Deal The publishing world can be unpredictable. One day, your publisher is your partner in bringing your work to the masses; the next, they might cease operations, leaving authors scrambling to reclaim control of their stories. A recent example involves Infinity Publishing and Fast Pencil abruptly halting book…
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The Impostor’s Journey: From Doubt to Dominance
In the journey of life, many of us begin feeling like impostors—outsiders looking in, questioning our worth, and doubting whether we belong. For some, this feeling fades with time. For others, it becomes the driving force behind transformation. My journey has evolved through three distinct stages: starting as an impostor trying to find my way,…
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Old School Hustle in a New School World:
As an old-school novelist whose roots stretch back to the gritty grind of the 90s and early 2000s, my journey has been anything but linear. I’ve seen the literary world transform from a place where books were sold hand-to-hand on the streets to a digital marketplace that thrives on algorithms, social media trends, and viral…
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The Two Sides of Christmas:
My Gentle Hug and a Raised Fist For some, Christmas is a magical time. It’s a season of Santa and Rudolph, of sparkling lights and warm traditions that transport us to a world where joy reigns supreme and anything seems possible. We set out cookies for Santa, write lists for gifts we hope to find…
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Finding Focus
Lessons from A Year with Purpose Life is a series of choices, and each one either aligns us with our purpose or takes us further away from it. In A Year with Purpose, we are guided through a year-long journey of insight, discipline, and fulfillment. Today, let’s focus on three quotes from the book that…
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Prison of the Mind
Let’s Dive In… The cell was a cramped box of concrete and steel, its cold walls closing in like a vice. Bars sliced through the space, a constant reminder that freedom wasn’t mine—it was just an idea, floating somewhere out of reach. The air was thick, sour—a mix of sweat, stale cigarette smoke, and that…
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Storytelling in the Digital Age
Why Publishing is Easier Than Ever, But Selling is the Real Challenge In today’s rapidly evolving world, storytelling has become more accessible than ever before. Technology, social media, and AI have broken down barriers that once limited who could tell their story, how they could tell it, and how quickly it could be shared with…