Soulful Series Video Chats are 15- to 20-minute pre-recorded interviews with authors who have written a memoir, anthology, or a non-fiction motivational book, and have an uplifting message to share. These chats are introduced on my Instagram page and added here. If you would like to be considered, please fill out and submit the form below. Thank you for your interest.
Zibby Owens
Zibby Owens talks about the award-winning anthology Moms Don’t Have Time To, the upcoming anthology Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids, and her new publishing company, Zibby Books.
Zibby Owens is the creator and host of award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, one of Oprah.com’s favorite book podcasts two years in a row. The CEO and founder of Moms Don’t Have Time To, Zibby has formed a media company that includes multiple podcasts, publications like Moms Don’t Have Time to Write, and other communities designed to help moms. She is the CEO, Reader-in-Chief, and Co-Founder with Leigh Newman of Zibby Books, a publishing home for fiction and memoir. She is the editor of award-winning anthology Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, the upcoming anthology Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids, the upcoming children’s book Princess Charming, and an upcoming memoir. She is a regular contributor to Good Morning America online and also writes for the Washington Post, Parents, Slate, and Medium, where she is a top writer. Zibby regularly recommends books on TV and has been featured on CBS This Morning and Good Morning America. Named “NYC’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York magazine’s Vulture, Zibby currently lives in New York with her husband and four children. She always has a book nearby.
Selimah Nemoy
Selimah Nemoy opens up about her life and her memoir, Since I Lost My Baby. Selimah will tell you that the story of her life and career has been as unexpected as Forrest Gump’s.
In Selimah’s memoir, she writes about how in 1967 she was forced to give up her baby for adoption and told “just go home and pretend it never happened.” Instead, she embarked on a Motown-infused journey to Barcelona, Oakland, and Hawaii to find love, truth, and ultimately her daughter. Their spectacular reunion 24 years later was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show. The video of that interview and more about her book can be found on her website , selimahnemoy.com
Selimah’s story is one of loss and redemption, and the power of soul music that brought her through it.
Jacqui Burnett
Jacqui Burnett opens up about her life and her memoir Life’s Not Yoga, sharing the wisdom of a life with more than nine near-death experiences. Jacqui wrote her memoir to make spiritual sense of her experience with traumatic life events and has a challenge for us all—Dare to Be Love.
Inspired by her discoveries on her life journey, Jacqui created the Dare to Be Love platform, which quickly attracted an audience of over 43,000 followers also seeking answers on how to deal with life’s challenges and trauma.
Jacqui has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa in Industrial Psychology and Economics, and a MBA from the University of Witwatersrand. Jacqui is also a certified Integral Coach through New Ventures West, and trained as a yoga teacher with Yoga Tree.
Joanell Serra
Joanell Serra talks about the anthology (Her)oics: Women’s Lived Experiences During the Coronavirus Pandemic, including the publishing process and what makes this book special. Readers couldn’t put it down. 52 diverse essays written by women from every area of the country recounting their experiences during the pandemic. Many readers related to these stories and felt seen. It has positive insights with a lot of happy endings.
Joanell Serra is an author, freelance writer, and Marriage and Family Therapist in Sonoma, CA. She’s the author of “The Vines We Planted,” a finalist in Multicultural Fiction in the American Book Fest 2018 Best Book Awards, and she co-edited the anthology “(HER)OICS: American Women’s Experiences During Coronavirus.” She has had several short plays produced in festivals and won awards for her essays. Her work is published in numerous literary journals.
Melissa Gould
When her beloved husband died unexpectedly of Multiple Sclerosis and West Nile Virus, writer Melissa Gould started chronicling her grief journey through her personal essays and speaking engagements. In this video chat, Melissa talks about her memoir, love, loss, and the courage to carry on.
Katherine Wintsch
Katherine Wintsch is the author of Slay Like a Mother and the founder and CEO of The Mom Complex. Katherine helps the largest companies in the world such as Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, and Airbnb better support their mom customers and employees. In this video chat, Katherine shares insights about slaying the dragon of self-doubt, so you can confidently become your best self.
Amber Trueblood
Amber Trueblood is a licensed therapist, author, and mother to four sons. She is the author of Stretch Marks: A Self-Development Tool for Mothers Who Are Being Stretched in Every Direction. Amber has contributed to articles in O: The Oprah Magazine, People, Good Housekeeping, Parade, and many more.
In this fun chat, Amber talks about her book, and some simple self-care tips you can implement today.
Elizabeth Nyamayaro
This is the first video chat in the Soulful Series. Elizabeth Nyamayaro is an award-winning humanitarian and best-selling author of I AM A GIRL FROM AFRICA. Elizabeth has changed laws and lives, and has an inspirational message to share.
