Inside Scoop Live!

Sandra Brown-Lindstedt was born and raised in Chicago and moved to Portland with her three children when she was thirty-three. After working as a medical secretary for many years, she decided to go back to college and her my degree graduating  from Lewis & Clark College in Portland Oregon with bachelor's degrees in Theater and English.
She’s also worked in New York, on stage productions, art and design. She’s won two first place short story awards and three poetry awards, publishing the work in literary journals. She’s written and directed numerous plays in the US and in Sweden. Sandy resides in Sweden with her husband. Life of a Firefly is her first children's book.
 
Topics of Conversation
About winning several awards for her debut book.
Inspiration behind the story.
Writing for a young audience.
The sequel to Life of a Firefly
Advice for emerging authors
 
Life of a Firefly
This award winning children's book, is both fun and exciting. It's written for kids of all ages to build strong character and help boost their self esteem. Girls as well as boys will see themselves in almost every situation that Sandy finds herself in, when she and her firefly go on amazing adventures that captures the imagination. As she continues on her incredible journey, each person she encounters teaches her another lesson about friendship and family.
This beautiful collection of moral stories will remind children, no matter how bleak a situation may look, a little faith and a firefly, can take them a long way. It also gives children of color a mirror of strong characters that look like them, and others a window to experience the African American community in a whole new way.
 
Connect with Sandra Brown-Lindstedt on Facebook!
Read the review!

Michael Devendorf served as a chief executive for a national organization and crafted corporate communications for the business community and the workforce. He traveled from coast-to-coast meeting fascinating people and visiting remarkable places presenting his message on company culture to audiences that included industry leaders and political figures. Those events have fallen into the crevices of his mind and sometimes crawl their way out to influence his writing today. Captivating storytelling that clings to the soul has always been his passion. After years of letting life and career get in the way, he chose to step away from business and technical writing to devote himself to creativity instead. Michael is inspired by writing about juxtaposing emotions and provoking the reader with stories that defy strict categorization and blend genres. In addition to writing, he is a passionate animal welfare advocate. He and his family split their time between Dallas, Texas, and northern Wisconsin.
 
Topics of Conversation
Inspiration behind the storyline
Writing from the female perspective
Building a story with juxtaposing emotions
A twist you won't see coming
Research and writing
What Michael likes to read
His next book
 
DECIDUOUS
It has been ten months since forest conservationist Sienna lost her daughter in a tragic home accident when she was the only other person around. Kira's death transforms Sienna into an overprotective mother to her son. But then Kai dies under similar circumstances. Desperate to keep from losing her mind, if only to preserve the memories of her children, Sienna climbs into the treehouse where Kai took his last breath. 
While meditating to connect with him, terrifying images of a "mother tree," a nurturing hub tree Sienna studied in an isolated meadow near their lake house, corrupt all memories of her kids. No longer a majestic, colorful sentinel, the tree menaces her with its limbs draped in leaves that morph into skeletal hands. As Sienna's thoughts fester, convincing her that her children's deaths were not simple accidents, those around her try to persuade her she must be guilty of harming Kira and Kai, even if she can't remember. Anxious to unveil the terrible truth hiding in her psyche, Sienna instead finds herself in very physical danger as secrets come to light.
 
Connect with Michael Devendorf!
Website: https://www.michaeldevendorf.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael.A.DevendorfTwitter: https://twitter.com/mikedevendorfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedevendorf/
Read the Reader Views review of Deciduous

Writing started for Gary D. McGugan after a 40-year career in the world of business. He’s worked in supermarkets, sold appliances, distributed motorcycles, launched an automobile dealer network, and provided financing to help businesses grow. Every industry was very different from the other. Each company had a distinctive culture and character, but all were units of large corporations with operations around the globe.
Travel has always been a large component of his business roles and he’s now visited more than 650 towns and cities in more than fifty countries for either business or leisure.
Experts say we should write about things we know best. In Gary’s case, those subjects are business, travel, and people. As an author, his goal is to entertain readers around the world — one at a time.
Topics of Conversation:
Technology, organized crime, and other inspirations for a novel of intrigue
Female protagonists in fiction and writing from the perspective of the opposite gender
Killing off his characters
The influence Gary's worldly travels have on his writing
Exploring options outside fiction and what's next
 
A Web of Deceit
Fate, misfortune and opportunity entangle three rivals in a quick-paced suspense thriller. It's a jet-setting, exhilarating trek across five different continents where the risks can be fatal but the payouts oh-so-rewarding.
Connect with Gary McGugan!
Website:  https://www.garydmcguganbooks.comFacebook:  @gary.d.mcgugan.booksTwitter: @GaryDMcGuganInstagram: @authorgarydmcgugan 
Read our review of A Web of Deceit

Award-winning author Christian de la Huerta is an acclaimed speaker at various settings, including universities, conferences, corporate training, spiritual communities and the TedX stage. Audiences find Christian's message particularly relevant in these times. Christian also practices as a spiritual coach and a leadership development consultant whose work ranges from individuals and couples in private practice to major corporations and non-profit groups.
Topics of Conversation:
What is the Soul of Power?
Why women's empowerment is so important in the world today.
What are the different types of power?
How do we take back our power?
Deepening your experience
Awakening the Soul of Power, the first book in the Calling All Heroes series, rethinks what heroism means in the 21st century and reveals practical tools to help you embark on a journey to personal freedom. If you long for healthier relationships and a life filled with meaning and purpose, this book holds the keys to unlocking the secrets of personal empowerment and unleashing your inner hero.
Awakening the Soul of Power focuses on personal empowerment because the way you embody, express and relate to power impacts every area of your life.
If you long for healthier relationships and a life filled with meaning and purpose, this book holds the keys to getting what you want. 
CONNECT WITH CHRISTIAN DE LA HUERTA!
SoulfulPower.com
Unleash Your Inner Hero Facebook Group
Instagram
Soulful Power You Tube Channel

BRITT EAST is an author and speaker who uses his experience, strength, and hope to challenge and inspire change-oriented gay men to get down to the business of improving their lives. With over two decades of personal growth and development experience in a variety of modalities, such as the 12 Steps, Nonviolent Communication, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and the Hoffman Process, Britt is committed to building a personal practice of self-discovery that he can then share with gay men everywhere. He lives in Seattle with his husband and their crazy dog.
Topics of Conversation
Using his experiences to establish a platform to help others 
Britt's personal experience growing up gay in the South
Using "A Gay Man's Guide to Life" for personal transformation
Coming from a place of service for personal growth
Realizing your full potential
and more...
A GAY MAN'S GUIDE TO LIFE presents an approachable, no-nonsense path for gay men, to set down the excuses and get to the business of improving their lives. No new-age mumbo jumbo or wishy washy self-help jargon. Just real work focused on real results to unleash our true selves and unlock our best lives.
CONNECT WITH BRITT EAST!
Website: https://www.britteast.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittdawsoneast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/britteast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britteast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTGeWrvrfCAlq4oUPiEBTHQ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britteast/
eMail: info@britteast.com
 
 

As an attorney and civil justice advocate, author Mark M. Bello draws upon over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers.
When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and Injury Board. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. Mark and his wife, Tobye, have four children and 8 grandchildren.
 
TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:
Drawing inspiration from today's headlines
Social justice issues
Sexual assault reporting before and after the MeToo Movement
Creating characters we love and those we love to hate
Writing two novels at one time
What's next?
SUPREME BETRAYAL is a dynamic and action-packed journey of injustice, betrayal, murder and revenge as white privilege, partisan politics and greed take precedence over the truth.
 
CONNECT WITH MARK BELLO!
Visit his website: https://www.markmbello.com/
Follow him on social media:
FacebookTwitter
Watch the book trailer video
Read the Reader Views review of Supreme Betrayal

DERRYEN PLANTE is a survivor who battled back from a traumatic brain injury and redefined herself in the wake of a horrific attack that altered the course of her life.
Derryen received her BS from St. Lawrence University in 2015 (mathematics-economics combined and psychology), her master's degree in criminal justice from Boston University in 2019, and is currently working on her doctorate degree in business administration from Northcentral University. She currently works as a Principal Revenue Agent for the State of Maine, where she resides with her two adorable cats, Kanga and Roo.
She wrote this book to create a connection with others suffering with an invisible injury and to offer them strength to build a new life post-injury. From the broken pieces, she was able to create something beautiful. She hopes she can inspire others to do the same.
To connect and learn more about Derryen visit her website at DerryenPlante.com.
 
TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:
The 20-second attack that changed her life forever
Writing about her experience as a way to help others
How her experience changed her perception of depression, PTSD and other invisible illnesses
Recovery - Expectations vs. Reality
Coming to Terms
What life looks like now
 
YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE
Derryen Plante knew her destination in life long before she reached it: she was going to be a special investigator for the federal government working on high-level crimes. Every step she took was in preparation for one day achieving that dream. Then, without warning, her dream was shattered.While completing a unit check at the juvenile prison where she worked, Derryen was violently attacked by one of the inmates. She suffered a traumatic brain injury that sent her into a spiral of PTSD, depression, and multiple medical interventions. As she navigated her life after the attack, Derryen struggled to accept her new reality. She’d built her entire life around a dream that no longer seemed possible. Without that, who was she?You've Got Some Nerve is Derryen’s real, raw, and honest account of how she redefined her life, navigated the challenges unique to brain injury recovery, and found support in unexpected places. Her journey offers keen insight into how each of us can support those suffering with the long-term effects of an invisible injury.
CONNECT WITH DERRYEN PLANTE!
Visit her website: https://www.derryenplante.com/
Follow her on social media:
FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedIn
Read the Reader Views Review of You've Got Some Nerve
 

Melissa Muldoon is the author of Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonsiba Anguissola.
She is an artist, designer, and creator of the Studentessa Matta Dual-language Blog and Youtube channel. Through her many projects and her programs to study in Italy, Melissa promotes Italian language and culture.
She has a B.A. in fine arts, art history, and European history and a Master's in art history. She studied painting, language, and art history in Florence.
Melissa's four books set in Italy celebrate art and creativity. They tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future.
For more information about Melissa Muldoon and her books, visit her website at MelissaMuldoon.com
TOPICS OF CONVERSATION:
Her inspiration behind the story of Sofonisba Anguissola
Creation of the world's first "selfie"
Sofonisba's spirit, independence, and self-worth paves the way for female artists and all women
Writing Historical Fiction
Writing and marketing during a pandemic.
Next for Melissa
THE SECRET LIFE OF SOFONISBA ANGUISSOLA
Sofonisba Anguissola was a woman who dared to dream far beyond the limitations set for women during her era – truly a woman before her time. Her story demonstrates the power behind the sentiment, “anything is possible” and her achievements helped pave the way for generations of women to come. That Sofonisba is “the most famous woman you’ve never heard of” as indicated in the subtitle, is representative of the way she left her mark on the world – humbly, through hard work, humility, resilience, integrity, and respect. Through Melissa Muldoon’s exquisite rendition the world can see – 500 years later, that Sofonisba Anguissola was a true heroine and role model for all women on the road to equality.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA MULDOON!
For more information visit Melissa’s author webpage: MelissaMuldoon.com & Amazon Author page
To find Melissa on her other Social Media platforms please visit Linktree where all Social Media links are conveniently compiled for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Goodreads and her other websites (https://linktr.ee/MelissaMuldoon)
Read our Review!