Self Memoir

From bellbottoms and Bible camp to a career center stage, this beautifully written, heartfelt memoir, written in the style of Mark Twain, is both a coming of age and American success story. The first person in his family ever to graduate high school, Elrod made the unprecedented decision to leave his redneck region behind-the coalmines and poverty of Appalachia-and seek, instead, something more from life.

Throughout my life I have done things my way, and they have always worked out - as if I've had luck in my corner. All of my optimism and bravado came to a crashing halt one cold December holiday night, when after an evening out with good friends, I suffered an accident. I was beaten with a pipe and later found under a moving train, resulting in quadriplegia. Given virtually no chance to walk again, I was devastated. But I also had hope, and lots of it. A fire that exists deep within, and has since childhood, burns on no matter the circumstances. I am here for a bigger mission. What would that mission now be?

In this inspirational memoir, retired Colonel Merryl Tengesdal shares her life lessons on everything from her career in the military, being the first and only Black woman to pilot the U2 aircraft, to marriage and motherhood–and everything in between.

There are those stories of childhood that influence our way of thinking. One such story, told by her mother, ingrained a life-long mantra for I Am Joyce Johnson. In No Back Doors for Me, Joyce’s memoir of living out life and business by that mantra have been challenging. Learning to navigate in a world that has fallen short of creating diverse and inclusive workplaces has made Joyce a voice for Black women and Black professionals. As you listen to this book, you will cry, you will laugh, and you will evaluate your own thoughts and actions with a new lens.

One woman's quest to conquer her fears and embrace life - and to inspire others to do the same. Patty Chang Anker grew up eager to please and afraid to fail. But after thirty-nine years, she decided it was time to stop being a chicken. Motivated initially to become a better role model for her two young daughters, she vowed to face the fears that had taken root like weeds, choking the fun and spontaneity out of her life. She learned to dive into a swimming pool, ride a bike, do a handstand, and surf.

No one likes to diet, but this book will encourage and inspire listeners with its positive, practical, and purposeful stories of dieting and fitness. You'll find hope, help, and hints on getting fit and staying healthy in these stories from those who have been there, done that, and maintained it. Stories about wake-up calls and realizations, moving more and eating better, self-esteem and support, will motivate any listener looking to start fresh or needing a boost.

John H. Johnson, the remarkable entrepreneur who founded the Ebony publishing empire, tells the story of his success. The wealthiest African-American in the US today, Johnson shares his rags to riches saga, from the many obstacles that confronted him to his ultimate triumph.

The trajectory of Zahra Al-harazi’s life defies expectations. In this electrifying book that travels from a small village in Yemen to a small town in Minnesota to a Calgary suburb, Al-harazi describes surviving two civil wars, her years as a young, stay-at-home, immigrant mother with little education, and how she became one of Canada’s most successful businesswomen.

Looking back, before I knew better, I wasn’t someone I admired. I wasn’t someone I was proud of. I was disconnected, off-course, unexpressive, and depressed. Disempowered and stagnant. However, through the grace of God, here I am now on a strong foundation of rock, proud and confident; about to remind you things you already know, reaffirming their power, or open your eyes to powerful, life-changing concepts. And as the wise Otto von Bismark once said, “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

A deeply personal, yet candid saga of a gay Secret Service Agent in the Obama era; an agent who was struggling with his own identity, marriage, discrimination, and balancing the demands that accompany being assigned to protect the most powerful people in the world.

Jack Kerouac’s archive is vast. Throughout his life he was constantly writing, and he meticulously saved and catalogued his material. The result is that beyond the work published in his lifetime there has been a rich stream of posthumous writing that is far from tapped. This collection of previously unpublished writing culled from the Kerouac archive, and as a companion to Paul Maher Jr.'s Becoming Kerouac, spans Kerouac’s adult life, from a journal written at age seventeen to autobiographical reflections a few years before his death.

I'm Prancing as Fast as I Can is a coming of Gay story that takes us from a scared, self-hating kid who spends most of his time under his desk staring at the hunky man on the Doan's Pills box, to becoming a writer on Will & Grace, helping to make it a little easier for other scared, self-hating kids who might also be hiding and staring at their secret desire.

In Blood, Sweat, and Grass: Never Quit on Your Dreams, M. Steven Bromell invites listeners on an extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to entrepreneurial triumph. With raw honesty, Bromell recounts his relentless pursuit of success in the unlikely arena of the lawn care industry.

If you’re only learning from your own experience, you’re wasting years of time doing all the wrong things. When we learn from the experiences of others, we can save those years and make the right decisions when they count. Who has the experience you should learn from? Anyone and everyone, including the author of this book. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Experience Matters is full of (brutal) honesty and humor.

This inspiring memoir dives into ordinary Andrea Olatunji's story. Her story telling will ignite listeners to find something extraordinary in their own story, and encourage them to leap into an amazing future. She shows how in-depth observations of one's history, family traditions, and personal patterns can be used as a catalyst to adopt new habits, and to make better life choices, transitions, and decisions in the future.

Through The Wonderchild Within Us Kamraj Sundram brings a very humane approach to face situations in our lives. In this book, the author communicates to the listener through various events in families situated across the globe. These families, despite the distance, are still connected through deep friendships with each other.

In a world so often filled with distressing news and bewildering violence, being “human” often gets a bad rap. Rejoice in everyday reasons to smile, think positively, and enjoy the gift of life. In Glad to Be Human: Adventures in Optimism, award-winning writer Irene O’Garden reminds us of the radiance of human existence. From kitchens to gardens to busy city streets, all around, in your everyday life, you can find plenty of reasons to feel gratitude and hope, peace and joy.

This Indo-Fijian author's memoir is a story of risk, courage, and determination. Ultimately it's a story of the human spirit's triumph over fear.

How to wipe out self-doubt and step out with confidence. Jessica Bettencourt knows what it’s like to face rejection, feel like she doesn’t belong, and second-guess big decisions. But she also knows that we have to face fear and risk failure to live out our calling. In I Almost Cancelled, Jessica shares how one scary decision after another led to a life she couldn't even imagine.

Angelo is a metalhead - he lives and breathes heavy metal music. This is the amazing story of how metal guided Angelo to success as an attorney, in business, and in life. You’ll learn how metal supported every twist and turn of his unusual career path. Whether you’re a music lover, professional, or just looking for inspiration, the motivational stories and lessons from Angelo’s metal journey will open your mind to career possibilities and maybe even bring out the metalhead in you!