MARCUS G. MILLER

Marcus Miller wants to spread curiosity, imagination, and beauty through his work in music, mathematics and other fields of interest.

He began studying saxophone at age nine and, with the help of world renown saxophonist Bruce Williams (Roy Hargrove, Juilliard, World Saxophone Quartet), developed a passion that put him on stage at 13. With gifts extending beyond music, he graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Mathematics. After a short stint at a major hedge fund he moved to New York City to pursue music. He soon developed a reputation as a versatile and virtuosic player, while studying music production and engineering under Grammy-Winning Engineer “Bassy” Bob Brockman (Notorious B.I.G, Herbie Hancock, D’Angelo).

Marcus has performed at the Obama White House, Madison Square Garden, The World Economic Forum at Davos, The Montreux Jazz Festival, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert alongside Jon Batiste, and Carnegie Hall. In addition, he has worked with musical giants ELEW and Jazzmeia Horn, and is a regular at Daybreaker NYC, touring with them on Oprah’s 2020 vision tour. He works as a teaching artist at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and was noted as an Artist of Distinction by the state of New Jersey.

Marcus maintains his interest in mathematics and physics by giving talks and performances that combine Math and Music. He has been featured at the Falling Walls 2020 Virtual Conference for Berlin Science Week, TEDSummit 2019, TEDxOttawa 2019, Brown University, University of Georgia, University of Michigan, and venues in Istanbul, Hong Kong. He has also held a 2 year residency at the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City called Quadrivium: Math Plus Music. He hopes to encourage people to become more aware of the potential for mathematics and music to serve as routes to personal, spiritual, and community development.

JONATHAN MASTERS

Jonathan grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. For Masters, the backdrop of history was never far away, as Concord was home to the start of the American Revolution, Walden Pond, David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson. His family enjoyed a semi-rural life and a dramatic changing of the seasons. From the backyard, Jonathan, his Dad and his telescope could often be found there gazing at the clear night sky.

His physicist dad played Dixieland music, and loved of classic and contemporary cars. One of Jonathan’s early memories was seeing the first ruby laser – (which filled a room) – shoot a coherent beam of red light onto a piece of paper. For Jonathan, it sparked a life-long quest to understand the nature of life and the universe.

After graduating with an MBA from Northwestern and a stint in NYC in consulting, Jonathan lived in a spiritual community in Fairfield, Iowa for several years, and meditated in the golden domes twice a day. There, he worked with a master healer – who carried the vibration of Madhu-chhandas, or embodiment of bliss. As he began working with her and with the principles of Right Use of Will, Masters says “My understanding and experience of reality was expanding quickly – and limiting, mostly unconscious beliefs, or samskaras, were being dissolved. This included beliefs that; we couldn’t be or live as we want, we limit ourselves for a reason, and we really don’t deserve or know how to use our power. My experience was that essential elements of myself were brought back, including learning how to bring them back. These experiences gave me a sense of integrated, expanding wholeness that really is the basis for the book.”

God Has Infinite Frequency: Aphorisms for Our Fractured Age has also had its own process of evolution and refinement, finally arriving in the current form. Blending art and insight, this beautifully crafted book takes us on a tour of many of our dearly held beliefs – challenging them, and giving us the precious opportunity to reconsider, feel, and to see things anew. Jonathan says of the book:

I feel like the steward of this book as much as its author, and although I am a fairly private person, let me share a perspective. We all have inward and outward journeys, and for me, the book is a meeting point between the two. The markers of my inward journey include learning and teaching meditation, being under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Right Use of Will, and working with other people and guides to expand awareness and develop inner light and stability. My outward journey is perhaps more traditional; husband, father, entrepreneur, inventor, amateur musician, professional consultant. But I also want to tell you, dear reader, that the story of me is deeply embedded in the story of us. The beginning of Earth as a crystal planet – from light and rocks to flowing life – and the long journey to now. And of course, the many times we tried. Tried to heal, tried to find balance and connection with ourselves and with love – tried to come to the point of silence and knowing within ourselves and our community. And how we seemed, so often, to be set back by our own limitations and fragmentation. And yet – how we emerged each time – maybe more condensed, but also more humble and grounded and wise, and knowing we belong to the vast totality – our small individualities like so many spots on the leopard, vanishing in the grass, hidden in the Savannah on Earth, rounding the Milky Way, in our tiny corner of space – and an integral part of the whole cosmos.

Jonathan lives with his wife in Zurich, Switzerland near a forest with great trails where he loves his daily bike ride. They also enjoy trips to the Alps, and when possible, an annual sojourn to the azure Mediterranean Sea.

AMANDA GUNNELS aka MY DEAR WENDY

Born and raised in an Atlanta suburb, Amanda Gunnels always had a passion for music. She began taking classical piano lessons in elementary school, and quickly evolved into a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter by the end of high school. Though piano is still her main instrument, Amanda is proficient on bass guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, and vocals.

After moving to Los Angeles and attending Musician’s Institute, Amanda decided to upgrade her music and create My Dear Wendy, a songwriting project that continues to be the focus of her musical career.   Her latest album, The Apple Falls Far Pt 1, is available everywhere now!

In 2018, she relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to continue songwriting and record her next album in Music City. It was there that she landed an endorsement with Warm Audio, a British microphone and gear company. You can also hear her songs “Man Down” “I Can’t Wait”  and “Enough (Single Version)” on a few episodes of The Young and the Restless.

Amanda has followed her dream all around the country, and now has settled back in her favorite State, California. My Dear Wendy continues to release new music, and Pt 2 of The Apple Falls Far will be released this Fall.

KRISTA NERESTANT

Krista Nerestant is the author of the memoir, Indestructible. She is also a practicing life coach, educated and certified in Neuro Linguistic Programming and The Satir Method of Transformational Systemic Therapy to heal family dynamics and trauma, and an advocate for women and children.

She hosts a podcast, “Self-Care Tuesdays,” that is dedicated to encouraging, empowering and elevating the journey of self-care. She’s teaching women it’s OK to be “Self-ish!” 

Her book, “Indestructible: The Hidden Gifts of Trauma,” is out now! to learn more go the books section.

“Indestructible” spotlights the unbroken spirit of the woman survivor. Through the power of perspective, archetypes, courage, self-love, resilience, and more, Krista rose and faced every obstacle to champion the life she wanted for herself and her family, and in the process fell in love with the journey. “Indestructible” inspires, teaches and represents survivors from all backgrounds and cultures so they too may heal and discover their very own hidden gifts of trauma.

(F)ocus (A)cknowledge (C)ommit (E)xecute

F.A.C.E. any situation by focusing your mind, acknowledging the spirit, commit to your self-development, and execute specific techniques with the highest and best energy you have now attained after the session. you will leave with an expanded awareness of your(self) and the world around you.     

“I am passionate about my mission to inspire, motivate, and teach individuals practical & intuitive techniques to implement in their everyday life to live their best life.” 

https://shewritespress.com

Justin Merkin was born in Palo Alto and raised in Los Angeles. He began his professional life as a Journalist writing for such diverse publications as Progressive Architecture, Reuters, and Entertainment Weekly. He is a Writer/ Producer of several TV and Movie Projects, the latest of which, Devolution, is being brought to market September 2021. He works in Communications for Conscious Vitality, a media startup. He currently lives in California.

A former engineer, Debra Fine is the author of bestselling books, the Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep it Going, Build Networking Skills -- and Leave a Positive Impression (Hachette) and the Fine Art of the Big Talk (Hachette) along with her recently released third in the Fine Art series: Beyond Texting: The Fine Art of Face to Face Communication for Teenagers (Canon) all translated and published in two dozen countries across the globe.  A 25 + year member of the National Speakers Association, Fine presents on stage and virtually as a keynote speaker and trainer to hundreds of audiences around the world that include National Electrical Contractors Association, Google, Iowa Bankers Association, American Bar Association, Hyatt Hotels and the International Spa Association.  A regular Huffington Post blogger, Fine's recent media appearances include The Today Show, NPR Morning Edition, Fox Business News, New York Times and CNN.  View additional information about Debra at https://www.debrafine.com/