MH24-49. MH24-49. Gwydhar Gebien, “Enfant Terrible”

December 2, 2024December 1, 2024Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy with Gwydhar Gebien, on air from December 3rd

Gwydhar (Gwed-ruh) Gambien, author of the new energized, character-driven book series, Enfant Terrible,which has been compared to a cross between Shameless and Californication. Diagnosed with depression, ADHD, and ASD being on the ADHD,spectrum, Gwydhar can talk about how she transfers her energies and wandering mind into her art and writing.

Enfant Terrible, a work of rollercoaster literary fiction that took 15 years to complete, got its name after an expression that is normally used to describe a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior, which is appropriate because the story’s main character, Damen Warner, is the front man for a metalcore band.

In this interview, Gwydhar talks about:
Writing about an anti-hero comes with unique challenges, especially when exploring themes like seeking career redemption, mending a broken family, struggling with belonging, and yearning for the unattainable. These narratives often resonate with the allure of rock stars—figures we admire for their brilliance yet see as deeply flawed. Through this lens, Gwydhar draws parallels to her own journey of understanding rejection, pursuing creative dreams, and navigating self-discovery. Diagnosed with depression, ADHD, and being on the ASD spectrum, she channels her energies and wandering mind into her art and writing, turning personal struggles into a source of inspiration.

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Gwydhar may have a hard-to-pronounce name (Gwed-ruh, meaning girl with the red hair) and a book title equally as challenging to say (Ahn-fahnt-the-ree-bleh, which is French), but all of her books present a clear message with a witty voice, sharp observations, and more than a few human confessions. It is an intense, emotional journey, with elements of romance, subversive humor, and insightful commentary on the world of rock star train wrecks seeking redemption and renewal.

Gwydhar Gebien is a writer, artist, and award-winning filmmaker; originally from Chicago now transplanted in Los Angeles in pursuit of a career in film production. She is still *pretty sure* her subversive sense of humor would do well in a television writers’ room.

With a background in theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University (BFA in Fine Arts) and a Master’s Degree in film production from University of Southern California, she has worked for Paramount Animation as a production assistant and a production coordinator at Skydance Animation. She is putting her training to good use at Warner Brothers Animation on adult content that she is not currently at liberty to discuss.

Gwydhar began working at a commercial art studio as a sales representative. Still committed to pursuing filmmaking, she started a small production company called Blue Damen Pictures to make short films on nights and weekends. She has produced five short films, one mumblecore feature and won a Best Feature award for Dark Before Dawn and Best Experimental Short for Persephone.

An eldritch creature of introverted disposition, Gwydhar, lives a quiet life in a pink house with her husband, her cat and a minivan, but can occasionally be coaxed out into the open with music, snacks, or a single-malt whisky. She enjoys attending Renaissance Faires, as well as gardening and making miniatures. Diagnosed with depression, ADHD, and being on the ASD spectrum, Gwydhar transfers her energies and wandering mind into her art and writing.

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GWYDHAR IN ALSO IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY, COME SEE HER LATEST PRODUCT

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www.gwydhar.com

https://www.facebook.com

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RG24-45. Amy Meislin Pollack, The Adventures of Jelly Bean

November 4, 2024November 4, 2024Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Raising Our Gifted Children with Sara Troy and her guest Amy Meislin Pollack, on air from November 9th

Coming-Of-Age Book Series Helps Middle-Graders Navigate The Challenges Of Growing Up

Amy Meislin Pollack, author of The Adventures of Jelly Bean series? Ever since she was in fourth grade – back in 1960 – Amy Meislin Pollack was writing and telling stories about a character named Jelly Bean. She never stopped telling those stories, sharing them with her students over a teaching career that spanned 40+ years. She shared them with her three children when they were younger – and then with her seven grandchildren. Now her stories have been made available to everyone with the recent publishing of two coming-of-age books intended for middle-graders.

“My books touch upon topics of friendship, popularity, death, race, drugs, alcohol, feeling neglected, family issues, and the types of things many kids today are confronting as they look to find their way in an ever-changing world,” says Pollack.

Retired Teacher & Grandparent Amy Meislin Pollack

The Adventures of Jelly Bean and The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean are the stories of a fourth-grader who faces challenges that just about all children her age can recognize. Her parents don’t approve of her favorite friend in the whole world. She has trouble getting along with the brother who is closest in age to her. The uncle she loves so much is about to marry the most awful woman she could ever imagine, and the girl who used to be her best friend has turned on her. Jelly Bean faces these and other stumbling blocks, including: the difficulties in achieving and maintaining popularity and how important having certain friends should be to her; difficulties inherent in relationships with various friends and family members; and learning how to make decisions on her own. In these first two books of my middle-grade series, Jelly Bean comes to understand that much of life is trial and error, and that the only constant in life is that it is always changing.

Coming-of-age stories remain essential for children, offering guidance on friendship, popularity, and navigating life’s challenges. Parents may find helpful insights on managing disagreements with their children, raising healthy and successful kids, and supporting them in facing today’s issues. Grandparents, too, play a role in guiding youth through these formative years. One retired teacher and grandmother of seven recently published her middle-grade fiction, a story developed 60 years ago, aiming to inspire meaningful family dialogues and pass down generational wisdom to today’s young readers.

“Because I was a teacher for 40 years,” says the author, “and because I raised three children and am now an active participant in the lives of my seven grandchildren, I have observed and dealt with many different individuals, a potpourri of whom are depicted (and hopefully immortalized!) in my books.

I have been told my Adventures of Jelly Bean and The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean are reminiscent of Judy Blume’s and S.E. Hinton’s books. Many “middle grade” boys and girls – as well as their parents – have found my stories compelling. I hope others will too.”

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Amy Meislin Pollack was a teacher for over four decades, raised three children, and loves to play with her seven grandchildren. From her own childhood to the classroom and as a parent and grandparent, she is perfectly positioned to pen her coming-of-age book series.

The Adventures of Jelly Bean, followed by The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean, first came into being when the author’s fourth-grade teacher used to ask her to get up in front of the class and tell the stories about this character she would make up as she went along.

Several years later she started writing these stories down, and would work on them periodically in any free time she had during her teaching career and raising her three children.

Now retired from a 40-year career in teaching – spanning a wide range of subjects and grade levels – she has embarked on a lively writing career.
The silver lining of the Covid pandemic for Pollack was that she was more or less forced, after approximately 60 years, to finish her Jelly Bean books.
Her books are about a young girl whose life is always changing and how she adapts to these changes. She tries to work out relationships with her friends, her parents, her older brothers, her uncle. Her parents do not want her best friend, who is of mixed race, to visit. Another friend is anorexic. One brother drops out of school. A grandparent dies.

Pollack earned a BA in English from Goucher College in Baltimore and received her Master’s in English from University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She was certified as a secondary education and reading specialist for grades K-12 and earned a special education teaching degree from NYU, allowing her to teach disabled students.
For six years she was a professor of writing, and a teacher in the tutoring center at Montclair State University in NJ. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband and their dog named Bunny.

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www.amypollack.com

instagram.com/jellybeanthebookseries

facebook.com/Author.AmyMeislinPollack

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linkedin.com/in/amy-pollack-

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TSM24-45. Elizabeth Mehren The Immigrant Story.

November 4, 2024November 3, 2024Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Their Story Matters, with Sara troy and her guest Elizabeth Mehren, on air from November 5th

Elizabeth’s volunteer work with The Immigrant Story, a small nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, inspired her to write I Lived to Tell the World. Through her involvement, she heard powerful stories of resilience and hope from immigrants and refugees who had overcome incredible challenges. These experiences deepened her appreciation for the courage and strength it takes to start anew in a foreign country and motivated her to honor these narratives. Her book serves as a testament to these remarkable individuals, capturing their enduring spirit and the invaluable lessons they impart.

Elizabeth’s mission is to spark a national dialogue on immigration and honor the lessons taught by survivors of the Holocaust, genocide, and war about overcoming unimaginable adversity. Her work celebrates the democracy many take for granted, emphasizing that each survivor in her book, I Lived to Tell the World, treasures every day of freedom. She carefully chose over 50 survivors from diverse global conflicts to capture a broad perspective, and each story resonates with hope, resilience, courage, faith, humor (even dark humor), and a profound gratitude for the opportunities they found in America. Though these individuals now live in the Pacific Northwest, their experiences are universal, reminding us of the enduring impact of hope and resilience. With a growing focus on Holocaust and genocide education and the pressing issues surrounding immigration, racial justice, and refugees, I Lived to Tell the World shines a light on lives shaped by strength and purpose despite painful pasts.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Elizabeth Mehren is a writer, editor, and educator based in Portland, Oregon. After working at The Washington Post, she became a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and later spent a decade on the faculty at Boston University. Mehren earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC Berkeley and has written for national magazines, appeared on television and radio, and received awards for teaching and journalism. I Lived to Tell the World is her fifth book.

Stories from Survivors of Holocaust, Genocide, and the Atrocities of War

“Machetes were for the poor. You had to pay to be shot. Can you imagine paying someone to shoot you?”

Emmanuel Turaturanye, recalling the bloody irony of the genocidal massacres in his native Rwanda

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https://www.elizabethmehren.com

www.theimmigrantstory.org

elizabethmehrenauthor@gmail.com

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AK24-43. Grinelle “Buzz” Desjarlais, Saving KC

October 21, 2024October 20, 2024Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

An Authors Kiss with Sara Troy and her guest Grinelle Desjarlais, on air from October 24th

Grinelle “Buzz” Desjarlais, author of Saving KC (Classic Day Publishing, September 17, 2024), the historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of post-Vietnam America which delves into the complexities of addiction, recovery and redemption. The new re-released edition of Saving KC offers readers a unique experience by presenting two alternate endings, allowing them to choose between a hopeful conclusion and a more somber, thought-provoking one. Saving KC explores the human condition through the lens of addiction and the quest for personal salvation. Desjarlais, who comes from a long line of Native American creatives, brings a deeply personal narrative to life, reflecting his own experiences through fictional storytelling.

Set in post-Vietnam America, Saving KC is a story of addiction, recovery and redemption

New addition with dual endings allows readers to choose their own ending

In an interview, he talks about:

Why he decided to allow the readers to determine the fate of the characters by offering two different endings to the story
Why he decided to set the story in post-Vietnam America
His work as an activist dedicated to supporting Native American communities
Co-founding the NATIVE Project, a non-profit that initially served as an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center for Native youth
How he brought twelve-step meetings to the Washington State prison system for nearly a decade
How his father represented their native culture in the 1939 classic film Susannah of the Mounties alongside Shirley Temple
His great-grandfather, Mountain Chief, was a revered figure in their community

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Born on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in Montana, also known as the Chippewa Cree Reservation, Buzz comes from a lineage steeped in creativity and cultural preservation. His father famously represented their native culture in the 1939 classic film Susannah of the Mounties alongside Shirley Temple, while his great-grandfather, Mountain Chief, was a revered figure in their community.

Beyond his writing, Buzz is an activist dedicated to supporting Native American communities. He co-founded the NATIVE Project, a non-profit organization that initially served as an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center for Native youth, using a combination of traditional Native American healing practices and twelve-step programs. Recognizing the growing substance abuse issues among urban Native youth disconnected from reservation life, the NATIVE Project has since expanded into a full-service clinic under the Indian Health Service (IHS), providing comprehensive care to the urban Indigenous population of eastern Washington. Buzz also brought twelve-step meetings to the Washington State prison system for nearly a decade.

Buzz’s life has been filled with diverse experiences, including his service in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Germany. He has lived in various parts of the world, including California, and now resides south of Seattle with his wife, Loni. His daughter, McKenzie, and her family, including grandsons Cowen and Kaplin also live nearby.

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www.savingkcthestory.com

https://linktr.ee/grinnelldesjarlais

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AK24-43. Lee Lindauer’s Fiction & Facts.

October 21, 2024October 20, 2024Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

An Authors Kiss with Sara Troy ad her guest Lee Lindauer, on air from October 22nd

Colorado native and award-winning author Lee Lindauer is an active member of the International Thriller Writers, has participated on author panels at ThrillerFest, and served as co-editor for The Big Thrill magazine.

In today’s discussion, we delve into his two other books, which, while fictional, are grounded in real-world facts that hold crucial insights for safeguarding our future.

Irrational Fears

After witnessing the horrifying murder of her friend Tom Haley, Mallory Lowe, a cautious university mathematics professor, must emerge from her cocoon to become the gutsy and unpredictable woman she’s always dreamed of being. Running on the guilt of a past family tragedy that she blames on herself, Mallory is determined to find Tom’s now-missing daughter.

Following the clues in a 300-year-old equation left by Tom, Mallory’s search propels her into the tangled threads of a ruthless corporate entity known as Möbius, bent on controlling the world’s most precious resource: fresh water.

The Sava Steps

Twenty-five years after the Srebrenica Massacre, the worst genocide in Europe since World War II, survivor Melika Žbani? encounters two vicious men from her past. Intent on revenge, her plans are derailed by disgraced FBI agent Thorne Hightower, who has personal reasons to involve himself in her affairs.

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Lee Lindauer is an award-winning author known for crafting emotion-packed thrillers that delve deep into the human psyche and the complexities of fear and redemption. With degrees in Architectural and Civil Engineering and a background as a principal in a structural engineering firm, Lindauer brings a unique perspective to his writing. His novels include Irrational Fears, The Sava Steps, and the latest book, The Salvation of Henrey Maxwell, which follows a former Hollywood horror movie star on a transformational journey as he discovers that his wife did not die of a drug overdose but was murdered. A member of the International Thriller Writers, Lindauer has participated in Thriller Fest panels and co-edited Big Thrill magazine. He divides his time between Colorado and Nevada with his wife, Teri. Explore Lee Lindauer’s thrilling world of literature and his journey from engineering to authorship.