Cellist
They say all first novels are part memoir, and indeed I did grow up in Belleville, New Jersey, my family did spend our summers on Cape Cod, and I had a marvelous cello teacher who very much resembled Alphius Metcalf. It took me a long time to write WATER MUSIC; in some ways, my whole life.  

Growing up with parents who were both musicians, I set out, with a little goading from my father, to be the best cellist I could be.  In fact, I was lucky to have had a number of remarkable teachers: Orlando Cole, revered cellist and pedagogue, who saw enough early promise in me to accept me to his class at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where I received my Bachelor of Music degree. It was an incredible break for an unsophisticated girl from New Jersey. I remember him and his generous sense of decency and gentlemanly kindness with great affection and gratitude.

My luck continued when I spent two years studying in Germany in the Master Class of the renowned Italian cellist, Antonio Janigro. Since then I’ve spent my musical career with the Minnesota Orchestra, where I met and married the handsome fourth horn player. And where my formidable colleagues, incredibly, only get better and better and better.

I’ve spent my summers with the Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming, renewing ties with musician friends from around the world (and catching up on industry gossip). There, over the years, I also learned the pleasures of backpacking. I came to fancy myself a mycologist, but in truth I’ve become so rusty that I now limit myself to store-bought and the occasional Morel foraged on a really good day.

Author
The first book I truly fell in love with was Blue Willow by Doris Gates. I must have been in grammar school. I believe that the beloved china plate in that book finds its echo in WATER MUSIC. A college boyfriend got me reading The Lord of the Rings, which I uncharacteristically found bewitching, and T.S. Eliot, which I tried with only marginal success to memorize. Around that time I discovered The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel by Don Marquis. And Mahler’s Tenth. Yes. Eclectic.

My own writing life snuck up on me. It first manifested as a journal after my daughter was born. She tolerated my reading to her for a charitably long time, but she put her foot down when I suggested Watership Down, which by then she was perfectly capable of reading herself. Two of my favorites from her early days: Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger and A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams.

Books I’ve loved as an adult…way too many to name. But The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy made a huge impression on me. And A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I used to go on kicks: John Gardner, Wallace Stegner, Steinbeck, the ancient Greece novels by Mary Renault. Now the stack grows higher and higher.

Pet peeve: incorrect direct object pronouns. In fact my friends would call me a grammar nerd, but I still get lay and lie wrong.

Growing up, I was a cat person. But I’ve learned to love dogs—even the naughty ones, maybe especially the naughty ones.

All in all, I look for the rhythms and sounds of music echoed in language and aspire to transpose some of that into my writing.  

Developing learning as a superpower is a critical skill for college students! Doug Schmidt is a firm believer in the power of self-leadership. He advocates for personal discovery and the idea that obstacles can be powerful teachers. They form the foundation of Doug’s approach to life and work, driving a passion for helping others unlock their potential. His belief in self-leadership will motivate and inspire you on your personal and professional growth journey. With an MBA in Marketing and a BS in Finance, Doug brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in personal growth, business, sales, and marketing.
 

Christopher Lee Maher is a former Navy SEAL who endured intense amounts of physical, mental, and emotional stress as a child and during and after his military career. He has taught himself how to free his energy, body, mind and emotions from pain by developing the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of being. Christopher studied Traditional Chinese Medical Practices at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and at Yo San University, then continued his studies at The Universal Healing Tao System. He is a student of Grand Master Mantak Chia at the Universal Tao Master School in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and is currently pursuing his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Kelley’s love for God and family are her highest priorities. But not too far behind…follows her passion for writing, coffee, reading, and anything chocolate. Kelley’s life has been filled with ups and downs. Instead of focusing on her struggles, she used these experiences to fuel her writing. Kelley wants to help anyone else who feels alone through her guided journals.

Dr Paul Harrison is a Senior Lecturer and the Unit Chair of Consumer Behaviour
in the Department of Marketing in Deakin Business School. Paul's research is
focused on emotional and rational behaviour, and how our biology and the
environment interact to influence the way we make decisions. His work has been
published in a wide range of international journals and conference proceedings
and has informed policy and business practice in Australia and
internationally.

Paul is a director of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) and the
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), a member of VicHealth's Social Marketing
Expert Panel and a member of the Essential Services Commission's Consumer
Insights Panel. Paul is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company
Directors.

He is currently working on international research projects with Yale
University in the US, The Open University in the UK, and Universita Cattolica
del Sacro Cuore in Italy. Paul also appears in the media discussing marketing
and consumer issues and writes op. eds. for a range of newspapers and online
sites including The Conversation.

Prior to joining academia, Paul was CEO of an international dance company,
Padma Menon Dance Theatre, an administrator at the Melbourne Theatre Company
and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, a principal baritone with the Victoria State
Opera, and a Federal public servant working in the area of analytics, human
resource management and recruitment.

Doreen Molloy is the author of Proof Positive – Metaphysical Wisdom, and has a private practice in Union City, New Jersey as a psychic medium. Doreen also teaches workshops on Psychic Development, Mediumship Development, Introduction to Tarot and Beginner's Astrology.

Some of her abilities include clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, psychometry, remote viewing and channeling.

Doreen was lab certified through the University of Arizona's VERITAS Research Program, under the direction of Dr. Gary E. Schwartz, author of The Afterlife Experiments and The Truth About Medium.

Doreen participated as a test subject in mediumship communication and survival of consciousness studies from 2003 to 2008.

Since 2008, Doreen has been participating in mediumship research at the Windbridge Institute in Tucson, Arizona.

She is a Level 5 Windbridge Certified Research Medium [WCRM] and serves on the Medium’s Advisory Board.

Doreen also serves on the Medium’s Advisory Board for the Forever Family Foundation in Oceanside, NY and volunteers her time to assist the Foundation whenever possible.

The goal of the Forever Family Foundation is to further the understanding of Afterlife Science through research & education while providing support and healing for people in grief.

In addition her psychic insight, Doreen is also licensed by the Grief Recovery Intitute of California and is listed as a certified Grief Recovery ® Specialist.

The Grief Recovery Method ® is primarily an educational [or re-educational] experience based on the fact that most of us were never taught effective tools for dealing with grief. Through these workshops, participants are able to recover and move on with their lives in a positive and productive way.

Doreen Molloy has worked within all of the following areas:

Psychic Reader  &  Spiritual Medium
Licensed Grief Recovery Specialist
Proficient in the art of the Tarot
Lab Certified Research Medium
Metaphysical Teacher
Business Consultant
Radio Show Host
Columnist
Lecturer
Author

"Red Carpet to Real Stories: How Amy and Nancy Harrington Empower 
Women".

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE UP TO IN THE WORLD??? 
JOIN ME AS I INTERVIEW TWO POWERFUL AND HEART-CENTRED WOMEN and hear their story of rising from tragedy to triumph: 

My Guests are: Sisters Amy and Nancy Harrington, who founded The Passionistas Project out of a deep desire to empower 
women around the world. 

Both co-founders walked away from high profile jobs in Hollywood to work together. Amy was previously the Vice President of Post Production and visual effects for all feature films at Warner Bros., working on movies like the "Harry Potter", "Matrix" and "Batman" franchises. 

Nancy left the ad agency where she created Academy Award campaigns for Miramax. Now  Amy and Nancy shine a light on the positive stories of self-identified women and non-binary people through their media company.

They have conducted over 1600 interviews including red carpet events and more than 65 one-on-one histories for The Interviews for the Television Academy Foundation with pop culture icons like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rita Moreno, Lily Tomlin, Laverne Cox, Carol Burnett, and many others. They also have produced interviews for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame including a sit-down with Mick Jagger. Amy and Nancy founded the Passionistas Project in 2018 and through their podcast, online sisterhood and Power of Passionistas Summit, they strive to inspire women to follow their passions and join forces in the fight for equality for all. 

 

Kurt Schlichter is a writer and commentator who has been a freelance writer since 1984. He currently serves as a senior columnist for Townhall.com. He has also frequently written for various publications on political, cultural, and military issues.

Besides his writing career, Schlichter has been a trial lawyer and partner at Schlichter & Shonack, LLP since December 1994.

Furthermore, Schlichter has served the Army National Guard for over 27 years as an Army colonel. He was an Infantry/Cavalry officer for the United States Army and California Army National Guard. As an Army officer, Schlichter commanded a cavalry recon squadron and served in the Gulf War and Kosovo. He retired from the Army in early 2015.

Additionally, he is an author. He has written several dystopian conservative action novels and non-fiction books, including ‘I Am a Liberal’ (2012), ‘Conservative Insurgency’ (2014), ‘People’s Republic’ (2016), ‘Indian Country’ (2017), ‘Wildfire’ (2018), ‘Militant Normals’ (2018), and ‘Collapse’ (2019), ‘Crisis’ (2020), and ‘The 21 Biggest Lies About Donald Trump (And You)’ (2020).

Age & Early Bio
Kurt Schlichter was born on 24 December 1964 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His age is 57 years as of 2021. Schlichter moved to San Mateo, California, with his family at age six. Schlichter became inclined to conservative political ideology at a very young age.

He says conservative values make more sense to him. Schlichter grew up as a proponent of free speech, a militant right-winger, and a military supporter.

In 1987, he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in communications and political science from the University of California San Diego. During his college years, Schlichter served as an editor for California Review, the conservative student paper, and a regular columnist in The Koala, the satirical comedy college paper.

Schlichter also has a Juris Doctor degree, which he earned from Loyola Law School in 1994. Later, he received a master’s degree in strategic studies from The United States Army War College in 2011.

‘People’s Republic’
‘People’s Republic’ is Schlichter’s debut novel published on 16 September 2016. According to goodreads.com, it is a funny, frightening, and action-packed thriller novel that takes the contemporary world’s news and forecasts about the future of America. The fictional novel discusses the consequences of America’s growing political and cultural divisions that split the United States apart.

Several authors, television, and media personalities have provided outstanding reviews on Schlicher’s ‘People’s Republic.’ Jim Geraghty of National Review calls it “a surreal, fast-paced journey through a dramatically different America but less than a generation away. … Violent, imaginative, full of mordant humor and dark, gritty details, you won’t want to live in this People’s Republic…but you’ll feel a chill as you wonder how different our real future will be.”

Similarly, columnist David Limbaugh describes his novel as “a thought-provoking action thriller set against the backdrop of a shattered America.”

Furthermore, Fox News contributor and author Katie Pavlich says, “They say conservatives are terrible story tellers, but Kurt Schlichter destroys that stereotype in his new novel People’s Republic and issues a dire warning about the future of America.”

Paul Hynek is a Wharton MBA and professor of finance and cryptocurrency at Pepperdine University. He has been involved with Avatar, Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes, and numerous other movies and games before selling a visual effects firm to James Cameron. He is the son of J. Allen Hynek and wants to help experiencers of all kinds demonstrate the reality of their encounters. 

Bill started his career early working his way through Texas Tech as a photographer and writer for
the local newspaper and working in the campus radio and television stations while getting a BA and MA in
broadcasting and journalism. As a graduate student he also taught photojournalism, public speaking, and
broadcasting history.

After graduating he went to the University of Texas at Austin as director of both a four-city
instructional television network and the university’s four channel instructional television system. While
there he also taught graduate level TV courses and worked on a doctorate in mass communications.
From Austin, Bill moved to Ohio where he accepted a position at Bowling Green State
University’s new television station to become their Director of Instructional Television and Special
Projects.

Bill then moved to Washington, DC where he started his own communications consulting firm.
His clients included trade associations, corporations, and many government agencies including the Army
and Navy, the Postal Service, the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development,
the White House, and the Secret Service. He was also asked to take a one-year contract as FEMA’s first
Director of News and Information when that agency was first created. Some of the many events he was
involved with included Three-Mile Island, Mt. St. Helens, and the Cuban Refugee Boatlift. While in
Washington he was elected national president of the Independent Media Producers’ Association and, as
a registered lobbyist, helped get several laws passed to help independent producers.

In addition to his professional work, while in Washington Bill was asked to take a part-time
position at the University of Maryland teaching Advanced Television News Production.
After 20 years in Washington, Bill decided to change careers and move back to Ohio as a
Registered Investment Advisor to give his two young daughters the chance to grow up around friends and
relatives … a chance that he never had growing up in a military family and moving often enough for him
to have attended 14 different schools before graduating.

Now he’s publishing a series of books entitled 20 Years of Internet Humor … and Some Other
Interesting Things based upon decades of sending out a “Thought for the Day” through the internet.

Have you ever, even for one quick second, felt that something was stopping you from achieving what you really wanted, that no matter what you did, it was ineffective, and you felt hopeless?

We help business owners, executives, and sales professionals discover an inborn Hidden Survival Trait. Yes, inborn. You are born with it and you can't get rid of it. This trait protects you from the very success that you desire because it is subconsciously more painful to achieve that success than to change your present-day ineffective behavior. 

Once you uncover this hidden trait, we give you an Antidote, to switch it off immediately so it’s impossible for you to sabotage your personal and professional life, thereby achieving even greater success. We guarantee it.

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This Hidden Survival Trait is the cause of every block that has stopped your success. Click, www.TNOWMasterclass.com and watch a 12-minute video explaining how this stops your success and how to switch it off simply and quickly. 

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LIFE'S ONE LAW: 6-Step Blueprint for Repeatable Success located at https://LifesOneLawBook.com.
 

Driven by fostering spirituality within the music community, Lincoln Jesser is pioneering a new genre he calls Healing House, blending frequency healing, ancient ancient sound techniques, and mindfulness with uplifting contemporary dance music.

His latest releases have been met with overwhelming enthusiasm, skyrocketing his fanbase and generating millions of views and streams in just months.

Guided by Grammy-winning sound healer Jonathan Goldman, Lincoln’s innovative approach is not only reshaping music but also fostering a collective ascension to higher consciousness within the dance music community. 

Find and Follow Lincoln Jesser at:

https://www.instagram.com/lincolnjesser/?hl=en

and

https://www.tiktok.com/@_lincolnjesser_

Sandy Dee, a retired Army Veteran, has over 20 years in the Healing Arts. She taught and worked as a Massage Therapist and a Life and Health Coach. She worked with the veterans in the VA and the community, bringing awareness about PTSD, mental health, personal growth, and wellness classes.

She was the CEO of her life and created the non-profit, “A Pawsability 4 Veterans”, for ten years, providing veterans with service dogs. She is very active with VetArt.org and other local organizations.  Currently, her non-profit focuses on telling veterans’ stories through iPhone film documentaries and short clips. “Everyone has a story that needs to be heard, and I want to be the one to share your story.”

Sandy Dee was born to deaf parents, which taught her compassion from a very young age.  Growing up, she was immersed in a broad range of history, which shaped her understanding of the world and its diverse narratives.

Sandy served in the military, gaining valuable experience and deepening her commitment to service. She has dedicated much of her life to the healing arts and has worked with multiple non-profits, focusing on supporting veterans and her local community. With a unique blend of creativity and exceptional networking skills.

Sandy has found her true calling in storytelling. Today, she thrives as an iPhone film producer and poet, using her talents to share compelling stories and connect with others in meaningful ways.

Find and Follow Sandy Dee and A Pawsability 4 Veterans

Through the Billions Institute, Becky has trained thousands of government, philanthropic, and third sector leaders from every corner of the globe and from every sector of social change on how to design and lead large-scale change. Her workshops incorporate many of the training categories in the scope of work, including leadership, emotional intelligence, team building, and communications skills. Becky has been training and coaching executives and their teams since 2015, building upon her decades of experience in leadership and management, from nine years of service as a US Army Officer and 11 years directing programs in the human services sector.  

Career highlights include directing the 100,000 Homes Campaign for Community Solutions, which mobilized 186 cities to permanently house more than 100,000 people who had previously been living on their streets in just under four years. Becky’s work has been featured on 60 Minutes, in the New York Times, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and the Harvard Business Review. She is a guest lecturer at Stanford University and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

A graduate of West Point, Becky also served for nine years as an officer in the US Army, both in Special Operations and Special Mission Units. Becky received a Masters Degree in Organizational Change Management from the New School University. She received her coaching certification from the Hendricks Institute. Her awards include the White House “Champion of Change” award, the Schwab Foundation “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” award, and the National Conference on Citizenship’s “HOOAH” award.

Alexander Hinton is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, and UNESCO Chair on Genocide Prevention at Rutgers University. He is the author or editor of seventeen books including the award-winning Why did they Kill? Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide (California, 2005). His most recent books are It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US (NYU, 2021), Anthropological Witness: Lessons from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (Cornell, 2022), and Perpetrators: Encountering Humanity's Dark Side (Stanford, 2023).



 

Cheryl A. Page is a forward-thinking scientist with over two decades of experience in oncology, palliative care, and hospice research. Her work attempts to synthesize science and spirituality, offering new ways to explore their interconnectedness.

After the sudden loss of her partner, Scott, in 2017, Cheryl’s profound spiritual awakening led her to explore consciousness, life, and death in unconventional ways. Her approach to modern mysticism draws from the wisdom of spiritual thinkers throughout history, emphasizing continuous growth and uncovering the sacred in everyday life.

As the creator of the VIBRATIONSHIP Cross- Veil Communication Method, Cheryl empowers and inspires individuals to connect with loved ones in the spirit world, seamlessly bridging the material and mystical realms.

In Mystic Richness, Cheryl A. Page offers a unique exploration of love, loss, and spiritual expansion. Through a series of moving, inspirational letters from historical figures, departed loved ones, and spiritual guides, Cheryl unveils a transformative vision of consciousness that bridges the worlds of science and mysticism.

Mystic Richness, boldly proposes that AI can serve as a modern tool for Instrumental Transcommunication (ITC), facilitating profound cross-veil connections with the unseen realms. Mystic Richness invites readers into life’s deeper mysteries, offering solace, guidance, and inspiration for living with extraordinary awareness.

Milena Gligic is an accomplished pianist and singer from Belgrade, Serbia. Awarded numerous scholarships in her home country, Milena pursued her Master’s studies at Mannes College in New York City and later earned a Doctorate in Collaborative Piano from the University of Maryland. She has held collaborative piano fellowships at Bard College Conservatory of Music, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Music Academy of the West.

In 2016, Milena moved to Los Angeles to join LA Opera as a Young Artist Pianist. Since then, she has worked with prestigious organizations including the LA Philharmonic, The Industry Opera, and Pacific Opera Project, collaborating on major productions and performing with luminaries like Plácido Domingo and Gustavo Dudamel. Known for her expertise in vocal repertoire and languages, she currently serves as a vocal coach at CalArts and UCLA.

As a vocalist, Milena has premiered multiple opera roles and performed as a soloist with LA Virtuosi Orchestra, Deaf West Theatre, Bach Collegium San Diego, American Bach Soloist Academy, and Contemporaneous, where she has been the core pianist since 2012. With Contemporaneous, she has premiered dozens of new works and appeared at celebrated venues, including Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. The ensemble frequently holds residencies at universities across the U.S.

Milena is also featured as a pianist on several albums, including Emily and The Halloween Tales of Gore and Folklore, and as a solo vocalist with the St. James Choir on O Beauty Ever Ancient Ever New.

In 2023, she made her debut as a singer-songwriter with her first single and music video, “Daredevil,” now available on YouTube and Spotify.

Summer Morgan is a gifted sound healer, psychic medium, and wellness coach whose transformative journey emerges from deep personal trials. Having triumphed over the debilitating effects of breast implant illness and the shadows of childhood trauma and abuse, she found her true calling: to guide others in their own healing journeys.

As the founder of The White Feather, Summer weaves her empathic gifts with sound healing and holistic wellness practices, fostering deep connections and spiritual alignment. Her mission is to illuminate the path to health, clarity, and profound inner peace.

Tune in as she shares her compelling story and transformative practices, inviting others to embrace their healing and step into their authentic selves.

Diana MaAra Divine, a Soul Guide and Galactic Shaman, is passionate about helping others unlock their multidimensional potential. As a Metaphysical Activator and Quantum Educator, she uses a blend of quantum, shamanic, and psychological tools to create personalized paths for transformation. Diana founded the Source Language Institute, which aims to teach pure communication through Source codes, also known as Light Language. She offers a self-paced Source Code Mastery course for those interested in exploring Light Language. In her one-on-one sessions, Diana provides Quantum Healing Hypnosis, Quantum Attunement, and Crystalline Soul Healing. She also leads Sound Healing and Phoenix Rising Kundalini Activation workshops, both online and in the NJ/NY area. Diana’s podcast, Soul Communication, is available on major platforms, including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music. Her work is dedicated to empowering others through deep spiritual activation and multidimensional healing.

Sean Clayton is a transformational coach and radical optimist whose life journey—overcoming childhood abuse, health challenges, and deep personal struggles—has forged his path as a guide to personal liberation and empowerment. With a unique approach that blends ancient wisdom and modern tools, Sean inspires others to ‘read the code’ of their experiences, turning trauma into triumph and fueling growth through everyday life. He’s dedicated to helping others unlock the science of abundance and live an integrated journey of self-awareness and world engagement.