Guest: Melissa T. Shultz — Writer, Editor, and Award-Winning Author

Author | Melissa T. Shultz

In this uplifting episode, Dr. Lino Martinez speaks with celebrated writer and editor Melissa T. Shultz, whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Parade, and more. She is the author of From Mom to Me Again and editor-at-large for Jim Donovan Literary, with over 40 edited nonfiction books published by Big Five publishers.

Her newest children’s book, What Will I Do If I Miss You?, was named one of the Best Kids’ Books on Mental Health of 2025 by the Child Mind Institute.

What We Explore

• How adults can rediscover curiosity, creativity, and a sense of play
• Why connecting with our inner child supports mental health and healthy aging
• Ways children naturally inspire mindfulness, joy, and emotional resilience
• The importance of storytelling and meaningful books for families
• Melissa’s journey as a writer, editor, and creator of heart-centered stories

This Episode Is Perfect For

Listeners interested in personal growth, emotional wellness, childhood development, creativity, aging with purpose, and inspiring author interviews.

#ChildrensBooks
#PictureBooks
#KidsBooks
#ChildrensBookAuthor
#ParentingTips
#ParentingSupport
#EarlyChildhoodDevelopment
#SeparationAnxiety
#AnxietyInChildren
#EmotionalWellness
#MindfulParenting
#KidsEmotions

#NewBookRelease
#KidsBookRecommendations
#ReadAloud

#AuthorInterview
#PodcastInterview
#InspiringConversations
#PersonalGrowthPodcast
#ALittleLessFearPodcast
#DrLinoMartinez

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

In this heartfelt solo episode, Dr. Lino Martinez shares personal reflections on how to raise your frequency. Discover how to shift your mindset, awaken your intuition, and align with the wisdom of your soul. Find out what it means to raise your frequency, why it's important and how it leads to manifestations.

Some of the tips are being authentically you, smiling to strangers, being in the attitude of gratitude. How does gratitude raise your frequency?

✨ Reflect. Breathe. Heal. Let’s walk this path together — one episode at a time.

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation #raiseyourfrequency

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

Codi is on a 100- day mission of posting positive messages on his instagram, every day for 100 days. After suffering a gunshot wound to his leg, he turned an unfortunate circumstance to a fortunate one. His goal is to embody positivity, embody gratitude and spread the ripple effect of self-love.

Follow his journey on instagram handle: @treb.codi

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

In this episode, author Ed Doherty, gives us his biggest take-aways on his life journey which inspired his new book, "Observations at the Speed of Life". His book takes us through heartfelt stories of real-life experiences. These profound stories open the heart to show us the moments in life that can create lasting impressions with a ripple effect.

BIO

As a lifelong business leader, consultant, volunteer and the father of a handicapped adult child, my optimism, persistence, and focus on the development of others has impacted hundreds of people over the years and continues to do so.

I ran my first marathon, the Boston Marathon at the age of 70 years old, and published my first book at the age of 72 years old, so I guess it is never too late to achieve your goals.

Home - Ambrose Landen Consultant

(30) Edward Doherty | LinkedIn

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

How did Aisha Makara get selected as an artist to send her art engraved on golden plaques to outer space? In this episode, we uncover the journey that Aisha has stepped into, developing the creative energy we all have inside to establish and carve our own.

Quotes from this episode:

"I love to dream"

"It's about having the vision and having the mission"

"I know all my dreams become true"

"Create in the moment, play in the moment"

"I'm living in heaven"

BIO

Aisha’s objective is to inspire, motivate and empower audiences to live and breathe in their creative energy. To take risks and be brave in their endeavors with the ability to reinvent themselves multiple times. That nothing in life is granted or given, so they must go out and carve a path for themselves. To think of success as not only obtaining a position of power or financial strength, but to also see it as bringing color to life and creating a beautiful world with their own identity.

Aisha today

Aisha Makara Big Boss Baby 🚀✨🪄🧬 (@bigbossbaby7777) • Instagram photos and videos

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

Meet Bob Martin, a guest with a story that is as extraordinary as entertaining and fun. From a high-powered mob lawyer during Miami’s wild Cocaine Cowboy days to a Certified Meditation teacher with an MSW to go with his JD. he has helped hundreds redesign their thinking for the life they dream of. Bob’s journey is anything but ordinary.

Now a two-time published author and Professor of Wellness at Elon University, Bob blends Taoist wisdom, brain science, psychology, and humor to tackle everything from breaking free of limiting beliefs to finding clarity and resilience in life’s chaos.

Some of Bob's quotes from this episode:

"I have a feeling the universe accepts me"

"Things all turn around and get better"

"Keep noticing"

"Notice when your mind wanders"

"Where in your body do you feel it?"

"It's not about time, it's about priorities"

"We have a responsibility to beauty"

Go to Bob's Podcast: https://awiseandhappylife.com/

A Wise And Happy Life: How To Find Happiness With Mindfulness

Facebook

(30) Bob Martin | LinkedIn

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

In this episode, Ronika Merl shares her personal life journey, overcoming sex trafficking to becoming an award-winning screenwriter, director, and literary author. What did she have to do to become who she is today? Below are some take-away-quotes from the episode:

" Do I have peace? Where can I find it?"

" Do I have purpose? Where can I find it?"

"Do I have power? Where can I find it?"

"Do I have persistence? Where can I find it?"

"Be careful with what you want, because you will get it."

"Take inaction when things speed up."

"Every action and inaction has an outcome."

"It is our life lesson to create our gentleness."

"Don't chase, let things come to you."

"What do you need to change to get to that place?"

"I didn't make the decision, the decision made me."

BIO

Born into an indigenous nomadic tribe in a remote mountain village in India, Ronika's early life was deeply rooted in the music, traditions, and storytelling of the Gaddi people. Her journey took a dramatic turn when she moved to Austria, where she faced numerous personal challenges and periods of displacement, including human trafficking and sexwork. These formative experiences profoundly influenced her creative voice and inspired her to explore powerful themes of trauma, identity, and resilience in her writing. Eventually settling in Ireland, Ronika drew from her multicultural experiences to shape a unique perspective that defines much of her work today.

Her screenwriting career gained international attention when she placed highly in both the prestigious Academy Nicholl Fellowship and the Austin Film Festival in 2019. These accolades opened doors within the film industry and established her as a rising talent in screenwriting circles. Ronika has written over 22 feature-length scripts, with standout projects including Baabul, a deeply personal and culturally rich narrative; The House with the Blue Windows, which blends emotional depth with visual storytelling; and Blackbird, a powerful drama that has already been optioned for production. Her directorial debut, The Closing, is currently in preproduction and is being developed with support from Oscar-winning producer Pearce Cullen.

ronikamerl.com

www.instagram.com/ronika.merl

Bluesky: ronikamerl

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube

In this episode, CEO and Founder of The Blind Visionary, Mike Calvo, tells us his life journey overcoming blindness and finding the true meaning of love.

Quotes form this episode:

" Talk your vision into existence"

"A community means culture"

" It's my life to live, and my life to lose"

"Focus on the solution, not the problem"

"Ask a blind person,' what can you do and what can't you do', instead of, ' can I help you?"

"I have something to demonstrate, not prove"

"What is your heart telling you to do?"

"I learned to love"

"I got the seeds of love"

"Love them where they're at, not where you want them to be"

"Lack of sight, doesn't mean lack of vision"

BIO

As the CEO and Founder of The Blind Visionary, I draw on my journey from overcoming blindness to lead and inspire. My passion for technology and accessibility drives me to empower others through engaging talks that blend humor, heartfelt messages, and practical insights. I challenge societal perceptions, promote inclusivity, and motivate audiences to embrace resilience and innovation.

Learn more: www.mikecalvo.com/

#ALittleLessFearPodcast #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MindsetPodcast
#SpiritualAwakening #TraumaHealing #QuantumHealing #ConsciousLiving
#EmotionalResilience #SelfTransformation #blind

This is Dr. Lino Martinez the host for A Little Less Fear Podcast. For more information, please use the information below. Thanks so much for your support!

Author | A Little Less Fear
A Little LESS FEAR Podcast (@alittlelessfearpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
Lino Marinez (@alittlelessfear) TikTok | Watch Lino Marinez's Newest TikTok Videos
(4) A Little Less Fear Podcast - YouTube