Showing posts with label inspirational. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspirational. Show all posts

Monday, June 9, 2014

Interview with Kellie Lane - When God Is Silent Book Tour & Giveaway

By  at 7:00 AM  , , , , , , , , , ,  2 comments



Author Bio:

Kellie Lane, a native of Lexington, MS is a passionate orator and writer of God's spoken word. She is an author, motivational speaker, and professional life coach. Kellie has dedicated her life to the work of encouraging others to reach their maximum potential in Christ. Her message to the world is " Don't give up, push, pray, and persist " until you reach the point of breakthrough. In addition to writing and speaking, Kellie serves our nation's veterans a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Author Links - The link for any or all of the following...

Website


Amazon

Twitter: @kellieelane


Linkedin:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kellie-lane/90/361/315



Interview 

Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today.

BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place? Not the neatest or the messiest, somewhere in between. I love sticky notes with little messages. I have them everywhere! 

BK: What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write? For some reason, my thoughts flow better with my desktop computer, laptop is second choice. So I really need my desktop! 

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise? Silence ..shh! 

BK: Tell us a bit about your hero.
Bishop T.D. Jakes is the person that I think I look up to the most. He is an awesome Man of God. His message delivery is phenomenal and I feel like I already know him although as of yet I only get to interact with him on YouTube. I would so love to meet him in person! 

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it? I have to pay attention to fine details. Sometimes I will walk in the park or just get all by myself and say “ Okay. Lord, I need you to speak to me right now!”. 

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...My book encourages you to:  
K-eep the faith, God will do just what he has promised
E-expect only the best 
L-Learn to embrace your waiting period 
L-ive with the expectancy of a miracle every day
I-invest time with God
E-ven if God is not talking, He’s listening. Don’t give up! 

BK: How did your writing journey begin?
As a result of my own suffering with the agony of enduring God’s silence 

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life that readers would be most surprised to know.---My mother passed away 7 days before I gave birth to twins –the book is dedicated to her although she did not live to see the finished product. 

BK: What can we expect from you in the future? Many speaking engagements, many more books, many more words of life declared over every one of you! 


This or That...

Coke or Pepsi? Coke (diet)

Night Owl or Early Bird? Early bird 

Fantasy or Mystery? Fantasy 

Pen/Paper or Computer? Computer 

Pizza or Burger? Depends on which day you ask me 

Rock or Country? Country 

Chocolate or Vanilla? How about a swirl 

Beach or Mountains? Beach 


Thank you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the best of success!










Book Genre: self- help/inspirational,spiritual growth
Publisher: Creation House
Release Date: March 4, 2014

 Buy: Amazon | Christian Books | BN | BooksAMillion


Book trailer:




Book Description: "When God is Silent” confirms through scripture that God indeed hears the cries of
his elect and the broken hearted. The book explains to the reader why he or she may be waiting on the answers to their prayers and how to endure in a season of silence. It also reveals how to recognize "God's answer" if he chooses to answer differently than what we anticipate. The take home message is “ Never Give up! Even if God is not talking he’s still listening”. We must learn to “push, pray, and persist” until we reach the point of breakthrough. God desires to give only the best to his children. We must understand this.


Excerpt:

Introduction

I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You yourself are the answer.
—C. S. Lewis

If you’re reading this book, more than likely you are in what is called a pressed place; a place of waiting. Does it seem as if God has forgotten about you? Has everyone else around you begun to celebrate their miracles, yet you are still crying yourself to sleep at night? Are you feeling a
sense of weariness and emptiness? Have you been praying and crying out to God day in and out and still you see no change? Have you found yourself wondering if God has gone on vacation? Have you been contemplating that perhaps what you are believing God for is not in His will? Well if this describes you, congratulations! You are next in line for a miracle. I decree and declare defeat is not your portion; victory is your portion. Receive it, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

What the enemy wants us to believe is that God will never answer our prayers. The kingdom of darkness works overtime as we get closer to our breakthroughs. Satan and
His generals know that if he can get us to lose our focus, we will not be in position when the fullness of time comes and we will miss the blessing. We must know without a doubt that God is faithful and never fails. We must be certain that even if God is not talking, He’s still listening.

For it is written:

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
—Psalm 66:19





Follow Tour Here





Friday, July 26, 2013

An Organized Mess! Interview & Giveaway with Yolonda Tonette Sanders - In Times of Trouble

By  at 2:00 AM  , , , , , , ,  1 comment

In Times of Trouble
by Yolonda Tonette Sanders
Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today.

BK: Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see.

I see trees gently blowing in the wind. Squirrels are running up and down the trees and eating the peanuts my husband throws out to them each morning.

BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place?

Ha! I would categorize my space as an organized mess. My desk has papers all over the place and yet I still know where everything is. The desk is pretty much the messiest part of the room.

BK: I love it - "Organized Mess", I'll have to remember that one :). What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write?

I must have water and scrap paper. The water is definitely needed as I drink at least 6-8 glasses each day. When I am writing, I often find myself talking out loud, repeating character lines and so my mouth sometimes get dry. The scrap paper is for me to jot down ideas when I am not ready to pursue them at that particular time. Usually these ideas are about something that will occur later in the story on which I am currently working.

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise?

Most of the time, I write in silence. I turn off the television and silence my phone. If I cannot silence my phone because I need to be available for kids or my husband should one of them call, I am generally pretty good at ignoring other calls. I have special ringtones programmed in my phone for several people, thus I don’t need to look at my screen to know who is calling. There are times when I cannot avoid having background noises because other people are in the house. In those instances, I have learned how to black out things around me in order to focus.


BK: Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.

In the beginning, Lisa is very self-righteous. She seems to have a motto of “once guilty, always guilty” because she is unmerciful to anyone who has made a mistake in life. As the story progresses, I really like the way she develops a sense of compassion and humility. Unfortunately, it takes a crisis for her to get there, but she does.

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it?

I move on and begin working another scene. I often find that this helps me connect the dots to other parts of the story. Or, I realize that the part on which I was stuck will not work and I come up with a completely new idea. The bottom line is that I keep going. I never completely stop. I press my way through until something works out.

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...

Yummy
Organized
Loveable
Outstanding
Natural
Different
Admirable

BK: How did your writing journey begin?

It began with one single idea that would not leave me alone until I made a commitment to pursue it. My first novel, Soul Matters, was the start of my officially becoming an author.

BK: Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family describe you?

Smart
Unique
Motivating
Multi-dimensional
Endearing
Reliable

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got published or not?

I don’t think I have ever written about anything truly crazy as my writings have all been purposeful. Now, if you include the chronicles of my personal journal, that might be a different story as I have used it to vent from time-to-time. In that case, I am sure there are plenty of crazy things documented, which will never be published! I would tell you what I wrote, but I have sworn myself to secrecy. lol

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most surprised to know.

Sometimes I act silly and make up raps about random things for absolutely no reason at all. No record company will be offering me a contract for any of my raps. I know that I am horrible (so does my familyJ)! It’s just for fun.

BK: What can we expect from you in the future?

My next release in April 2014 will begin a mystery/suspense series. I also have a young adult story that my agent is currently shopping.


This or That...

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi

Night Owl or Early Bird? Both at times, but most often early bird.

Fantasy or Mystery? Mystery

Pen/Paper or Computer? Computer

Pizza or Burger? Pizza

Rock or Country? Country

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Beach or Mountains? Beach


Thank you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the best of success!

Thank you for being a wonderful host. This has been fun.

BK Walker

About The Author:

Yolonda Tonette Sanders took a leap of faith in 2004 when she resigned from her job with the State of Ohio after only three and a half years to focus more on writing. It was a leap that she has never regretted. In 2005, her debut novel, Soul Matters, was published by Walk Worthy Press and Time Warner (now Hachette Book Group). In 2008, her second book, Secrets of a Sinner, was published by Harlequin/Kimani Press. That same year Yolonda started Yo Productions, LLC, a Christian based literary services and theatrical entertainment company, which she used to launch and create her first stage production. The theatrical version of Soul Matters debuted successfully in September 2009 at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Since then, Strebor Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, is planning to release four of Yolonda’s titles by April 2015. Currently, Yolonda resides in Columbus, Ohio and is the loving wife of David, proud mother of Tre and Tia, and joyful caregiver of her mother, Wilene.


Genre: Christian | Contemporary | Inspirational
Publisher: Simon and Schuster/Strebor Books
Release Date: April 23, 2013

Book Description:

Divorced, single mother Lisa Hampton is grateful for a fresh start after a humiliating scandal forced her to relocate from Maryland to Ohio. Her biggest issue nowadays is dealing with her rebellious teenage daughter, Chanelle, who is one smart comment away from being toothless!

Other than the stress of dealing with Chanelle, life is perfect. Lisa has a new beau and a steady job that allows her the opportunity to rub shoulders with very wealthy and influential people. She is best friends with Isaac and Olivia Scott, an extremely rich and powerful couple.

When Chanelle accuses the Scotts’ son of rape, Lisa learns how quickly her friends become enemies as Olivia and Isaac use their wealth and power to manipulate justice. The Scotts prove that they are willing to go to extreme lengths to protect their son, even if it means destroying both Lisa and Chanelle in the process.

Excerpt 

Hearing the sound of her mother's footsteps descending the hardwood stairs, Lisa leaned back on the sofa so as not to appear overly anxious.
"Chanelle still hasn’t made it home?” Her mother’s wire-framed glasses rested at the tip of her nose while a large green robe concealed her body.
  "Nope. . ."
  "Did you call Jareeka’s?”
“Yes; her father said that she and her mother are away for the weekend.” She felt herself tensing with every word.
“What about RJ? Have you called him?”
“He hasn’t seen her either.”
“Well, don’t come down too hard on her. Maybe she didn't know Jareeka was out of town and when she found out, she decided to hang with one of her other friends instead. Now she should’ve at least called and told you, but she was probably so happy to get out the house that she forgot. Poor thing; it seems like she’s always on punishment. Sometimes I think you’re too hard on that girl. I don't want to meddle—"
  "Then please don't," the thirty-eight-year-old interjected in the most respectful tone that she could conjure up with a clenched jaw.
"All right. I'll keep my opinion to myself, but I was merely going to say that you may want to consider extending Chanelle's curfew. She’s practically an adult and it’s time you start treating her like one. Maybe then you’d be less likely to run into this problem."
 An electrifying jolt shot through Lisa’s body. The way she disciplined Chanelle had become a constant point of contention between her and her mother. Thank goodness Hattie would soon be moving into her own apartment! Lisa could not wait!
“That makes absolutely no sense!” she fired back. “What she is, is irresponsible. Why should I reward her for not being able to honor her curfew? And anyhow, she wouldn’t have been on punishment recently had she not been so smart at the mouth.”
“I wonder where she got it from . . .” her mother replied cynically, quickly disappearing into the kitchen and returning moments later. “Good night."
  "The same to you,” Lisa replied, continuing to stew as the clock read 1:21 a.m. The only other noise she heard was the emptying of the automatic ice machine until ten minutes or so later when a car pulled into the driveway. Lisa’s heart began racing when she saw flashing blue and red lights from the window. It wasn’t her car as she had thought, but a police cruiser. A gut-wrenching fear fell over her. Had something horrible happened to Chanelle? She felt guilty about being so angry and the missed curfew was now a minor issue compared to the concern that her baby might be lying in the hospital somewhere. Lisa was horrified by the unlimited possibilities of things that could’ve happened to her daughter. The pit of her stomach knotted as she sprang from the couch and raced to the front door.





Monday, April 29, 2013

Book Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway: Changing Gears by Nancy Sathre-Vogel

By  at 6:00 AM  , , , , , , , , ,  3 comments

My very first bike tour: A comedy of errors

I was curled up in my chair, watching the flames flicker in our wood stove, and I got lost in my thoughts. As the flames flickered, I drifted back through the years and I started thinking about my very first bike tour.
cycling in nepal
After my first tour, it took me several years head back out for another tour – that time I rode from Norfolk, Virginia to New Orleans. A few years later, I took off to spend a year cycling in Asia. This photo is me in southern Nepal.
That first tour I took – I hesitate to even call it a tour – it was really more of a comedy of errors than anything else – but it was start, and I was so proud!
Way back in the early 1980s, I came up with the cockananny idea of traveling on my bike. I had no gear other than a bike and a sleeping bag, but that didn’t stop me. A quick trip to my local K-Mart solved the problem of no rack to put things on and an hour later I was beaming. My mechanical prowess had paid off! I had somehow managed to mount that contraption on my bike.
My gear found its way into a myriad of plastic bags which then were tied and bungeed onto the rack and I was off. Off on a grand adventure! I must have looked like the quintessential bag lady.
My destination was simple – a dam 100 miles from Boise. It sounded like a good idea at the time. The way I figured it, I would pedal fifty miles per day, making a four-day trip. Sounded perfect for the novice I was. I kissed my mom goodbye, promised to call home every day, and set off to find my rainbow.
Five miles from home I almost crashed; something was throwing my bike terribly off. Maybe my mechanical prowess wasn’t as good as I had imagined it to be… It didn’t take long before I discovered a screw had fallen out of my $5 rack.
I found a stick to fit through the holes and continued on my way. Three miles later my stick broke and the rack wobbled dangerously. I replaced it with another. And then another. And another….
Fifty miles went by quickly – fifty miles of sugar beet fields. And cornfields. And onion fields. And broken screw-sticks. I started looking for a place to sleep, but sleeping in some farmer’s field wasn’t an option I considered at the time. Ten more miles went by – ten miles of sugar beets. And another ten miles of onions. I was getting tired. I wanted to stop, but the farms showed no signs of letting up.
98 miles from home (and countless broken sticks) I finally found a spot. In retrospect, it was perfect – a flat grassy spot right next to a meandering creek.
How young and naive I was! I know now that nobody knew I was there. And even if they had known, nobody would have cared.
But at the time, all I could think was, “What if?” What if someone saw me come back off the road? What if someone knew I was camped there? What if someone came back here in the middle of the night? I wasn’t the least bit concerned about being attacked. Or robbed. Or raped.
My greatest nightmare was that someone would come and tell me I couldn’t camp there, and I would be forced to climb back on that god-forsaken bicycle again. I lay there all night long, sure that every passing car was bringing that person who would kick me out. And I didn’t sleep a wink.
I was up and out as the first rays of the sun graced the earth with their presence – eager to escape my torture chamber. I pedaled away … and found a wonderful little campground with a hot spring-fed pool a mere two miles down the road. If only I had consulted my map I would have known that.
I still marvel at the fact that I made it back home in one piece and that I’ve toured many miles since that day, but I learned a lot from that trip. I learned that a good rack is essential. I learned that panniers are a better option than plastic bags. And I learned that it is helpful to consult a map every once in a while.
In many ways things haven’t changed at all. I am still footloose and fancy free. I’m still out chasing rainbows. And the magic of bicycling hasn’t diminished one bit.



Changing Gears:
A Family Odyssey to the End of the World
by Nancy Sathre-Vogel



Nancy Sathre-Vogel is a 21-year classroom veteran who made the decision to leave her teaching career behind to travel the world on a bicycle. Together with her husband and twin sons, she cycled 27,000 miles throughout the Americas, including traveling from Alaska to Argentina. Now she lives in Idaho, pursuing her passions of writing and beadwork.






Follow The Tour Here

 Giveaway: 5 ecopies of the book




Genre: Travel memoir/Cycling
Publisher: Old Stone Publishing
Release date: March 21

Changing Gears: A Family Odyssey to the End of the World by Nancy Sathre-Vogel

What would you do if you were not afraid?


Changing Gears is the true story of one woman asking herself that very question. What followed was a family journey of epic proportions – a journey ofphysical challenge, emotional endurance, teamwork, perseverance, and tremendous learning opportunities. It was a discovery of self, of priorities, of accepting hardships, of appreciating blessings, and of contrasting a comfortable past life with the extreme hardship and poverty of those they met.

Would the journey be a dream come true – or a mother’s worst nightmare?

Excerpt:

Highs and lows in Costa Rica

“Congratulations Daryl,” I said. “You’ve just entered your eighth country.”
My son turned to me and said, “What difference does it make, Mom? Crossing a border doesn’t change anything. A border is just a line on a map.”
As I passed through the border formalities, I thought about Daryl’s words. He was right. We were still in the Central American jungle. People on Costa Rica looked exactly like those in Nicaragua. They spoke the same language and worshiped the same god. Nothing changed as we crossed that border except that we spent a different currency.
After spending so many years of my life poring over maps and dreaming of visiting far-flung places, I had developed a bit of a “map syndrome.” I saw a very distinct, physical line at that border. I saw a new country with a new government. In my mind, each country was a separate, unique entity and, of course, the people belonging to that country were unique and different from those from neighboring countries.
Daryl’s words brought me back to reality. There was no line at the border. The people who lived on one side of the border were no different from those who lived on the other. Once we strip away all the wrappers we tend to wrap around people – when we look beyond the language they speak, the clothes they wear, the god they worship, and the food they eat – we are all more alike than we are different. Underneath it all, there isn’t any difference between us at all.
My sons, at age eleven, understood that. I, at 48, was still working on it.
cycling Costa Rica
For miles on end, we cycled through a tunnel of green.
I was pedaling along the Costa Rican road and was quite bored. It was just another day in paradise. Nothing in particular to look at. No villages to keep me entertained. Just mile after mile of lush green jungle.
Then I thought, “This is crazy! Here you are in Costa Rica – COSTA RICA – and you’re bored? Costa Rica is paradise on earth! It’s a traveler’s utopia! Costa Rica is one of the premier vacation destinations in the world! And you’re bored?”
beach costa ricaI feared I had become jaded. I was so accustomed to fabulous scenery and people that I zoned out when I only had tropical jungle to look at. We were pedaling through a lovely area and I wanted to fall in love with the jungle and the green all around and the monkeys swinging in the trees.
Yet I wasn’t quite there. I was so focused on getting out of the blasted heat that I wasn’t paying attention to the small details surrounding me like I generally did.  My mind was so centered on getting to the next town and away from the interminable heat that I missed everything else.
For the first time ever I started to wonder if it was all worth it. Cycling through the jungle was miserable; there’s no other word for it. We awoke in the middle of the night and packed up as sweat poured out of our pores. By first light we were on the road, but it was still blazing hot and the humidity level made it hard to breathe.
I mentally drew a map in my head and figured we still had 800 miles of jungle. 800 miles of being covered with layer upon layer of sweat, sunscreen, and road grime. 800 miles of nothing but lush green jungle on either side of the road. Was it worth it?
I wasn’t quite ready to give up yet – that would come later – but I knew I wasn’t enjoying the journey.
The following day I sunk even lower. We had been amply warned by other cyclists about two things: the hills and the truck drivers in Costa Rica. By all account the hills were the steepest in Central America and the drivers were the worst. In our short time in the country, I had to agree.
We slowly ground up hill after hill while sweat fell like a river from beneath our helmets. At one point, John even took his helmet off and strapped it onto his trailer – he figured he was safer without the helmet than blinded by sweat.
traffic jam in costa ricaAnd the truck drivers did their thing. Their Costa Rican thing. Regardless of whether the far lane was open or not, each and every truck driver that passed by held his ground and refused to budge an inch. It seemed like the attitude was that the lane belonged to them and us cyclists hugging the edge of the road were nothing more than pests.
The third time a truck cut me so close my knuckles actually scraped the side as it whizzed past, I lost it. “What the hell is with this country?” I screamed to nobody in particular. John and Davy were too intent on controlling their own bikes on the narrow road to pay any attention. “This is crazy!” I hollered into the jungle.
All I wanted was to get safely through the country and out the tail end. Was that too much to ask?




Thursday, April 25, 2013

Promotional Tour & #Giveaway: The Equation by James Tarrantin

By  at 12:00 AM  , , , , , , , , , ,  3 comments

The Equation

by James Tarrantin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Spirituality, Personal Growth & Inspiration
Publisher: Tarantin Ent.
Release Date: November 22, 2012

Book Description:

The Legendary Larry King writes “The Equation is a Cross-Cultural Odyssey, an asset that will inspire in people the science of accomplishment.”

The Equation Book tells a true, cross-cultural saga that spans over 58 Years and explores exciting adventures on 4 continents.

The Story of a young lad named Omer, born to a wealthy family and shackled on an island of battling hierarchies.

The youth leaves his home, and meets great dangers and tragedies as he seeks to discover Time’s Silent Secret.

At the turn of the Millennium, the mission was to track historic clues and discover an Equation that was lost through the times … hidden in the margins. An Equation that whoever finds it will be Transformed. And with its 4 Rings of Power … design destiny.

A Revolution is inspired! Time Stops!

Will the lad transform or bite from the forbidden power and be carried to the brink of Death?

Excerpt One:

Over 13 billion years ago ...when the universe sparked to life ... the spiritual Big Bang accelerated fluctuations of light that swept the void of space with galaxies and dark energy.
Within this creation, a promise was made. In its heart lies the greatest light. The watchmaker watched the creation, as the universe was endowed with the freedom to move on its own.

One infinite garden, yet many trees of life. One humanity, yet many stories. This book is a small story from the inner light: a story that shall explore the Physical World and the Spiritual World. The body of the story shall embark upon exotic adventures across the lands of Planet Earth: from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe, and from the ancient civilizations of the Middle East to the continent of America.

The mind of the story will travel from a little roof to the vastness of the stars, from the fires of the valleys to spiritual summits, from War to Peace, and from the sorrows of a heart to the pursuit of a dream.

There is a treasure. Yes! There is a treasure. A treasure that had been lost for millennia, hidden in the margins of History. A force beyond Time and Space – the source of all innovations. The myth tells that whoever discovers this treasure shall be bestowed 4 Rings of Power: The Fountain of Youth – Water, Designing Destinies – Wind, The Moment – Earth, and Cosmic Energy – Fire. So let us light the torch of the future and sail towards the unseen!

An exchange of energy always occurs among all living things. Within this circle, within this network of energy ... a small family once lived. But in order for the family to be here today, past generations decided to design the sands of time.
With no fuel or oil, every day, 7 days a week, Planet Earth orbits the sun. Every dawn, when the morning star shines high above, a new hope is born. A long time ago, in a far away holy land, on one of these mornings, an old man named Mati decided to transform.

About The Author:

“I believe that success is indivisible; the success of anyone anywhere is the success of all of us everywhere.”

James Tarantin is a Philosopher, Game Architect, Author, the Executive Chairman of Tarantin Ent LLC and the Creator of 4=T²D².

An American Citizen who immigrated to the United States alone with no family, money or any formal education … as a Philosopher, James studied  5 Chief avenues; The Mind, Pragmatism & Enterprises, Morality, Metaphysics and Aesthetics.  These avenues are explored in his written works, such as The Equation.

After several months of deep research and traveling to Rome, James saw the Equation in a dream at age 16. From 9/22/10 – 12/25/10 he handwrote the entire book.

James believes that each person is just around the corner at accomplishing their mountain top. And though he was a poor young man at the time, James was the first immigrant to America, and one of the youngest spiritual thinkers in history, to write a memoir at the age of 25, in a language that isn’t his mother tongue and with no training in writing whatsoever. The first memoir to present a new philosophical theory and explores a rich array of issues: Family Life, History, Mystical Science, Philosophy, Human Evolution, Personal Success, Enterprises, Spirituality, Beauty, The Universe and Cultures on 4 Continents.

At the age of 22, the legendary broadcaster Larry King took James under his wing, and he founded Tarantin Ent LLC … A company to be structured after a 50 page model that includes international business classes, classified strategy science, culture and values, and long-term Life-Cycle vision.

As the company’s Executive Chairman, James has 5 responsibilities: Content Creation, Global Strategy, Legislation, Balancing the Budget, and Transparency.

Before the age of 26, with fierce belief, James created, almost single-handedly: complete screen manuscripts, a library of stories, animated superheroes, a trading card game, the mobile game design script, a technical design document, goods and services, distribution channels, and the platform for a new social network.

“You go anywhere in the world, from The Big Apple to Paris and from Brazil to Berlin … the borderline between success and failure is blurred. In this new century, people want something fundamentally different.”

“The Equation is the answer spoken by the hearts of young and old, rich and poor.”



Monday, April 22, 2013

Book Tour Interview & #Giveaway: Changing Gears: A Family Odyssey to the End of the World by Nancy Sathre-Vogel

By  at 12:00 AM  , , , , , , , , ,  No comments

Changing Gears:
A Family Odyssey to the End of the World
by Nancy Sathre-Vogel


Welcome to my humble corner of the blogoshphere Nancy. Thank you so much for taking time to chat today.

BK: When I read the premise of your book, I have to say that I was in awe. What sparks such a family odyssey?

NSV: I wish I knew! I think it comes down to time – my husband and I (both schoolteachers) were spending more time with other people’s kids than we were with our own. We wanted time together as a family and… well, the idea just kind of exploded.

BK: What was it like to travel across the world with your family?

NSV: What was it like? Which day? Some days were perfect. We had springtime temperatures and the wind on our backs. The sun hung in the clear blue sky and snow-capped mountains loomed off in the distance as eye candy for the soul. But other days were really, really hard. So hard that I wondered if I could possibly take another step, but I knew I had to because I couldn’t collapse right there on the side of the road.

Overall, the journey was wonderful in so many ways. It might not have been easy, but it was always wonderful.

BK: Has this brought your family closer?

NSV: For sure! After spending so much time together, working toward a common goal, we are definitely a tight-knit family.

BK: What did the kids think of this journey?

NSV: They were all in. Once they made the decision that they wanted to ride their bikes from Alaska to Argentina, they never wavered in their determination. Toward the end, we were all getting tired, but there was no way we were going to call it quits before we reached the end of the world.

BK: What did you have to do to prepare for this type of journey?

NSV: For us, because we had done quite a bit of bike touring earlier, there wasn’t that much preparation for the journey itself. What took oodles of time, however, was doing all the other stuff that needed to be done. We planned to rent out our house, but it needed to be cleaned up and slightly remodeled. We would be storing our stuff in a barn, but the barn needed fixing up before we could do that. And then there was all the sorting and packing and selling…

BK: Would you do it again?

NSV: In a heartbeat. Now that I’ve already done it, I wouldn’t do this particular journey a second time, but I would get back on my bike and go somewhere else. If we do head out again, I want to just wander around, going where the wind blows me.

BK: What inspired you to write this book about your journey?

NSV: Two reasons. 1) To get it down for my children, so they have a record of it. 2) To show others what’s possible and inspire them to get out and live their own dream, whatever it might be.

BK: Most memorable happening during your family venture?

NSV: There were so many! Overall, I would have to say the most memorable parts were meeting all the wonderful people. Nearly every single day, people went out of their way to help us out. Sometimes they let us sleep on their floor, other times they gave us food or water. It was absolutely incredible to see the amazing generosity of people.

BK: Scariest moment during your venture?

NSV: Being chased by a bear, for sure. The whole story is here: http://familyonbikes.org/blog/2011/09/chased-by-a-bear/

BK: If someone else were to come to you and say, I want to do what you did. What would you tell them?

NSV: I’d say, “Go for it. Know that it’ll be the hardest, but most rewarding thing you’ve ever done. It will test your will and stretch you further than you thought possible, but will also be the best thing ever. Do it.”

BK: After quite an awesome odyssey, what's next for you and your family?

NSV: We are now living in Boise, Idaho, so that our sons can have the chance to put down roots and be part of a greater community. They are involved with FIRST Robotics and Boy Scouts. They are still homeschooled, but are taking a few math and science classes through the schools. Daryl is on the swim team, Davy enjoys running with track and cross country.

I have written my book and am now developing my public speaking. I’m diving back into beadwork, which I neglected during our years on the road.

John made a documentary film about our journey and is doing all kinds of fix-up projects around the house.

BK: Where can readers connect with you Nancy?

NSV: They can find me at www.familyonbikes.org. I’m on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyonBikes.org and Twitter here: https://twitter.com/familyonbikes

BK: I thank you again for chatting with me today. It's been such a pleasure, I can't wait to read your book. I wish you the best of success in the future :).



Nancy Sathre-Vogel is a 21-year classroom veteran who made the decision to leave her teaching career behind to travel the world on a bicycle. Together with her husband and twin sons, she cycled 27,000 miles throughout the Americas, including traveling from Alaska to Argentina. Now she lives in Idaho, pursuing her passions of writing and beadwork.






Follow The Tour Here

 Giveaway: 5 ecopies of the book




Genre: Travel memoir/Cycling
Publisher: Old Stone Publishing
Release date: March 21

Changing Gears: A Family Odyssey to the End of the World by Nancy Sathre-Vogel

What would you do if you were not afraid?


Changing Gears is the true story of one woman asking herself that very question. What followed was a family journey of epic proportions – a journey ofphysical challenge, emotional endurance, teamwork, perseverance, and tremendous learning opportunities. It was a discovery of self, of priorities, of accepting hardships, of appreciating blessings, and of contrasting a comfortable past life with the extreme hardship and poverty of those they met.

Would the journey be a dream come true – or a mother’s worst nightmare?

Excerpt:

Highs and lows in Costa Rica

“Congratulations Daryl,” I said. “You’ve just entered your eighth country.”
My son turned to me and said, “What difference does it make, Mom? Crossing a border doesn’t change anything. A border is just a line on a map.”
As I passed through the border formalities, I thought about Daryl’s words. He was right. We were still in the Central American jungle. People on Costa Rica looked exactly like those in Nicaragua. They spoke the same language and worshiped the same god. Nothing changed as we crossed that border except that we spent a different currency.
After spending so many years of my life poring over maps and dreaming of visiting far-flung places, I had developed a bit of a “map syndrome.” I saw a very distinct, physical line at that border. I saw a new country with a new government. In my mind, each country was a separate, unique entity and, of course, the people belonging to that country were unique and different from those from neighboring countries.
Daryl’s words brought me back to reality. There was no line at the border. The people who lived on one side of the border were no different from those who lived on the other. Once we strip away all the wrappers we tend to wrap around people – when we look beyond the language they speak, the clothes they wear, the god they worship, and the food they eat – we are all more alike than we are different. Underneath it all, there isn’t any difference between us at all.
My sons, at age eleven, understood that. I, at 48, was still working on it.
cycling Costa Rica
For miles on end, we cycled through a tunnel of green.
I was pedaling along the Costa Rican road and was quite bored. It was just another day in paradise. Nothing in particular to look at. No villages to keep me entertained. Just mile after mile of lush green jungle.
Then I thought, “This is crazy! Here you are in Costa Rica – COSTA RICA – and you’re bored? Costa Rica is paradise on earth! It’s a traveler’s utopia! Costa Rica is one of the premier vacation destinations in the world! And you’re bored?”
beach costa ricaI feared I had become jaded. I was so accustomed to fabulous scenery and people that I zoned out when I only had tropical jungle to look at. We were pedaling through a lovely area and I wanted to fall in love with the jungle and the green all around and the monkeys swinging in the trees.
Yet I wasn’t quite there. I was so focused on getting out of the blasted heat that I wasn’t paying attention to the small details surrounding me like I generally did.  My mind was so centered on getting to the next town and away from the interminable heat that I missed everything else.
For the first time ever I started to wonder if it was all worth it. Cycling through the jungle was miserable; there’s no other word for it. We awoke in the middle of the night and packed up as sweat poured out of our pores. By first light we were on the road, but it was still blazing hot and the humidity level made it hard to breathe.
I mentally drew a map in my head and figured we still had 800 miles of jungle. 800 miles of being covered with layer upon layer of sweat, sunscreen, and road grime. 800 miles of nothing but lush green jungle on either side of the road. Was it worth it?
I wasn’t quite ready to give up yet – that would come later – but I knew I wasn’t enjoying the journey.
The following day I sunk even lower. We had been amply warned by other cyclists about two things: the hills and the truck drivers in Costa Rica. By all account the hills were the steepest in Central America and the drivers were the worst. In our short time in the country, I had to agree.
We slowly ground up hill after hill while sweat fell like a river from beneath our helmets. At one point, John even took his helmet off and strapped it onto his trailer – he figured he was safer without the helmet than blinded by sweat.
traffic jam in costa ricaAnd the truck drivers did their thing. Their Costa Rican thing. Regardless of whether the far lane was open or not, each and every truck driver that passed by held his ground and refused to budge an inch. It seemed like the attitude was that the lane belonged to them and us cyclists hugging the edge of the road were nothing more than pests.
The third time a truck cut me so close my knuckles actually scraped the side as it whizzed past, I lost it. “What the hell is with this country?” I screamed to nobody in particular. John and Davy were too intent on controlling their own bikes on the narrow road to pay any attention. “This is crazy!” I hollered into the jungle.
All I wanted was to get safely through the country and out the tail end. Was that too much to ask?