John DeDakis (pronounced dee-DAY-kiss) is a former editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis is the author of six novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. In his most recent novel, Enemies Domestic, Lark is a pregnant White House press secretary forced to make an abort-or-not-to-abort decision in a highly toxic and polarized fishbowl while dealing with an attack on the presidency. DeDakis, a former White House correspondent, is also a writing coach, manuscript editor, and podcaster.

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CNN

Prolific Writers Life

PodMatch

Diandra Ford-Wing is a passionate storyteller and dynamic Sales Director who discovered the healing power of writing during a period of profound grief. Growing up as an Army Brat, Diandra’s formative years were spent in culturally diverse settings, including Germany, which shaped her unique narrative style.

After the loss of her mother, Sandra, Diandra embarked on a transformative journey that inspired her debut memoir, Red Bird. Through this work, she shares her personal reflections on love, loss, and resilience, hoping to inspire others facing life’s trials. Diandra lives with her husband, Ben, and their two cherished doodles, CoCo and XuXa. When not writing, she enjoys the simple joys of life and continues to explore storytelling as a path to connection and healing.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/diandrafordwing

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/diandrafordwing

Website: booksbydiandra.com

Celeste is a certified massage therapist for 30 years mostly working with people who have been injured in some way. But before that she loved stories of all kinds beginning with the family movie nights instituted by the parents she shares with Lucinda. Celeste got hooked on reading in 7th grade.

Lucinda is a retired theatre instructor at the college level and teacher at the high school level. She was a late bloomer to becoming an avid reader. During her Senior year in high school, she fell in love with Classic British Literature. But the love of stories sustained both Celeste and Lucinda and taught them valuable lessons, as they explain in this fifth year anniversary of Story-Power.

THE Podcaster Nation, Rory Paquette

Story-Power on WordPress

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters on YouTube, Facebook

Barbara Cartland, (9 July 1901 - 21 May 2000) British author of contemporary and historical romance novels publishing 173 book over 72 years

Centennial, James Michener, novel, (1978) TV Mini-Series

The Kent Family Chronicles, John Jakes

Sports Illustrated,(1954 - present)

Wooden: A lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court, John Wooden

Barbie (2023), Greta Gerwig, Director

The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare

Good Will Hunting(1997), Gus Van Sant, Director

Dead Poets Society (1989) Peter Weir, Director

A Summer Place (1959) Delmer Daves, Director

Films for Writers, a free once a month movie club on Prolific Writers Life

Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC graphic novels and movies

Virginia Pfau Thompson, Cochise College instructor, Story-Power episode 18

Disney Studios

Medea, Euripides

Les Misérables, Victor Hugo

Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

Pedro Pascal, Actor

Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, Creator

Star Wars, George Lucas, Creator

Comic Cons, Renaissance Festivals

Ted Lasso, (2020 - ) Developed by, Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence

Andy Campbell is a resilient survivor and inspirational author who has overcome numerous life-altering challenges - a victim of childhood sexual abuse and bullying, the loss of his mother at an early age and the eventual estrangement from his father, his battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and the loss of his youngest son to suicide. Despite enduring multiple surgeries, grueling chemotherapy treatments, and the tragic loss of his youngest child, Andy has demonstrated remarkable strength and perseverance. Through his experiences, he has developed a unique perspective on resilience and the power of his 15 core beliefs.

Andy lives with his wife and remains actively engaged in the lives of his three remaining adult children as he continues to support his family while managing his own health challenges. His book “Overcoming Life’s Toughest Setbacks” shares the principles that have helped him navigate life’s darkest moments, offering hope and guidance to others facing adversity.

You’re not alone, so let’s redefine your journey. Overcoming Life’s Toughest Setbacks: 15 Breakthrough Core Beliefs to Transform Challenges into Opportunities! is your practical guide to resilience, peace of mind, and unshackling your potential.

Website

Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl

King Solomon, Biblical Figure

Lisa is a dedicated creative professional committed to helping individuals uncover their soul purpose through therapeutic art practices. With a keen interest in the transformative power of color, she utilizes creative wellness to guide clients on their unique life paths. As an accomplished artist, Lisa passionately engages with her community, fostering connections that inspire creativity and personal growth. She studied wellness counseling at Cornell University in 2021. In the fall of 2024, she presented her Color Affirmation Method to educators in Minnesota at their fall conference, MNSAA (Minnesota Nonpublic School Accreditation Association) speaking on the impact of SEL through creativity. Her recent book, the Color Affirmation Workbook and Journal is the perfect partner to her Color Affirmation Deck, which reflects her expertise and enthusiasm in this field. Kindle has been asked to teach two classes at the Sea Cliff Arts Council in June of 2025 in Long Island, NY. She will also be co-hosting a women’s retreat where she will be teaching her method and leading a guided labyrinth event also in Long Island.

I wrote the book, the Color Affirmation Workbook (2024) and Journal and have published an inspirational product, the Color Affirmation Deck that combines color and affirmations to promote well-being and spark creativity.

More info and photos on my website www.lisakindle.com

Solquest Retreat Center Facebook Group

World Labyrinth Day: Walk for Peace

Sanctuary Cove, Tucson, Arizona

The Course in Miracles Experiment , Pam Grout

Sync Steven Strogratz

Constance Scharff, Story-Power Ep. 123 "Breaking Up Obsessive Thinking"

Gregg Braden, Bridging Science and Spirituality

Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth in France

Grace Cathedral Labyrinth in San Francisco with a World Wide Labyrinth locator

Classical or Cretan Labyrinth, Other Labyrinth types

Veridtas Labyrinth Facilitator

Sandra Schnakenburg is a dual American/Australian citizen. Sandy earned a BS in

finance and international business at Arizona State University and an MBA specializing in

finance and accounting at the University of Southern California. She left a career in

corporate finance in 2010 to study creative nonfiction. She has completed writing

courses at Rice University, Writespace, and The Writers University in Houston. When not

writing, you will find Sandra enjoying her family, nature, hiking, skiing, biking, cooking,

yoga and walking her dogs. She and her husband, Karl, currently split their time

between Houston, Texas and Park City, Utah.

About The Housekeeper’s Secret

Secrets. We all have them. We all love to discover them. We all turn the pages until that secret is revealed. For Sandra Schnakenburg, the secrets she found out about her beloved housekeeper, Lee, were overwhelming. Driven by Lee’s dying wish, Sandy’s simple investigative journey intensifies when she serendipitously discovers Lee’s past and true identity, a gut-wrenching truth hidden for three decades from her family.

On her deathbed, Lee asks Sandy to write her story— a story Lee would often bellow over the years “no one would ever believe!” No word from the story was spoken, even after decades of pestering Lee to the point of anger for details about her past. Years later, Lee’s request sends the author on a deeply emotional journey to find the truth, unearthing shocking secrets about her cherished housekeeper’s past and revelations about her own childhood.Ultimately, The Housekeeper's Secret is a poignant testament to love and survival, revealing the resilience of the human spirit.

Sandra’s Website

Melrose Plantation, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Manteno State Mental Hospital Manteno Township in Kankakee County, Illinois

About the bio, I have this here, hope it fits your needs:

"Christian Schu is a dedicated filmmaker who sees filmmaking and advertising as storytelling arts. Since starting commercial filmmaking in 2015, he has focused on creating narratives that deeply engage viewers through emotion. His career includes work in virtual studios, sports events like the WTA Mallorca Open, and collaborations with German business speakers. Since 2019, he has been producing visually stunning content for top hi-fi brands including Focal Naim, Bowers & Wilkins, and Bang & Olufsen. Christian's passion for storytelling began with childhood Lego play, now translating into impactful, award-winning cinematic work.“

Web: https://christian-schu.com

https://instagram.com/christian_schu_film

https://www.facebook.com/christianschu.official

https://linkedin.com/company/christianschu

Seconds in Eternity Short Feature looking for a Film Festival. Watch the trailer at secondsineternity.com

WTA - Women’s Tennis Association

Tribeca Film Festival

Over the course of his writing and producing career, Alan Katz has written movies and TV shows like HBO's iconic Tales From The Crypt. Entertainment Weekly called the first season of his "The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast" the "Best Film Podcast of 2022". He realized at that point that he'd become the thing he always wanted to be when he grew up: a podcaster.

Website, LinkedIn, Patreon

NOTE: My conversation with Alan was so extensive that I have chosen to publish only the most important people, agencies, and entertainment in these show notes.

William Morris Agency

Gilbert Adler, Director, Producer

HBO productions Gil and Alan worked on: Tales from the Crypt, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, Bordello of Blood

Joel Silver, Producer

Walter Hill, Producer, Writer, Director

Robert Zemeckis, Producer, Director

Richard Donner, Director, Producer, Actor

Kevin Yagher, Special Effects makeup

John Kassir, voice of the Crypt Keeper

William (Bill) Gaines, EC Comics, Mad (Magazine)

Lauren Shuler Donner, Producer, Actor

The Outer Limits (1995 - 2002)

“Dads from the Crypt”, podcast

Entertainment Weekly

“How NOT to Make a Movie”, podcast with Alan Katz

“The Donor” by Costard & Touchstone Productions, Inc.

“The Hall Closet” podcast, Hallcloset.com, Costard & Touchstone Productions, Inc.

“Sage Wellness Within” podcast with Dr. Andrea Thorpe

Karen L. Moran, Story-Power episode 111, October 9, 2024, Book, Forever Tourmaline

Barry Josephson, an Executive Producer of Bones

TCM, (Turner Classic Movies)

Singing in the Rain, Donald O’Connor

Coming podcasts, *A Secret War” with Manilla Chan, “Just the Photographer”, with David Swanson