The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform

by 

Grant Baldwin

About:

Do you have a message you want to get out into the world? Have you ever dreamed of speaking for a living? Is there something you have to say but just aren't sure what to do next? The Successful Speaker is a proven, easy-to-follow guide to helping you do just that.

Whether you want to speak at your next board meeting or community gathering, start making some extra money on the side, or become a full-time professional speaker, Grant Baldwin knows how to get you from here to there. Why? Because he's done it himself and has coached over 2,000 speakers.

In The Successful Speaker, you will learn the five-step road map to start and scale a speaking business from the ground up, including

- how to hone your message and know exactly who it's for
- the preparation process to help your next speech move an audience to action
- what it takes to establish yourself as an in-demand expert
- practical steps to finding and booking paid speaking gigs
- how to know when it's time to grow your impact and income

In each chapter, you will get specific action steps and case studies from professional speakers (including some of the most successful communicators in the world) to put you on the fast track to booking gigs, getting paid, and building your speaking platform. 

My Thoughts :

As I read The Successful Speaker, I immediately began to feel the confidence that I could be a successful speaker and that I will develop my own style. This book is written for the person who wants to be a paid, professional speaker. This book has a variety of information that is practical, useful and simple. This books is geared for those who want to make a size-able income.

For me, I was looking to hone and develop my skills, not get rick quick, but learn as I go and this book provided that. If you are looking for simple ideas on how to be a better speaker, this book is perfect for you. It's an easy read and will give you tips on how to be a better speaker. 

About the Authors:

Grant Baldwin is the creator of the popular podcast The Speaker Lab and the online course Booked and Paid to Speak, through which he has trained more than 2,000 speakers. A popular keynote speaker and entrepreneur, he lives near Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Sheila, and their three daughters. Visit www.thespeakerlab.com for more information.

Daring to Live: How the Power of Sisterhood and Taking Risks Can Jump-Start Your Joy

by 

Sheri Hunter

About:

When her husband, Mannard, unexpectedly passed away at just 50 years of age, Sheri Hunter was devastated. With her whole world falling down around her, she turned to her friends. Years before, she and these Dare Divas had gone on a whitewater rafting trip. Now they sought out other adventures--zip-lining, skydiving, mountain climbing, and more. Through these death-defying activities and the unwavering support of her friends, Sheri slowly found the strength to move forward in life.

More than just a memoir, this empowering female travelogue pairs emotionally resonant, confessional storytelling with spiritual takeaways, challenging readers to engage fully in their own lives, surround themselves with friends who will support them, and face life's challenges with courage and faith.

If you've ever experienced a sudden loss or upheaval in life, Sheri's story will reassure you that even if life as you knew it is over, the future God has for you is always full of new adventures. 

My Thoughts:

 Daring to Live is a motivating and fun memoir by Author, Sheri Hunter. Her husband passed away at the age of 50 and this loss sparked an adventure inside of her, that allowed her to view the world in a new way. From skydiving to zip-lining and everything in between, Sheri decided to take life by the horns and not let go.

This book is written from a Christian perspective as she shares how during the most difficult season, she grew close to the Lord. She shares her experiences, heart and lessons that she learned along the way. She is very honest about her journey into allow God's love to be sufficient and then God showed her something else that was missing. 

If you're a fan of memories that have elements of faith, fun, vacation and God's life lessons, this book is great. I think you will find some laugh out moments and even moments of seriousness with the Lord. This has a lot of time for reflection as you read Sheri's thoughts and God speaks to you about His own thoughts for you. 

Don't miss this book! Pick up a copy today. 

About the Author:

Sheri Hunter is a marketing professional who has served as a producer for Detroit's national news affiliates, including CBS and NBC. She is a freelancer for several daily newspapers, including the Oakland Press, the Morning Sun News, and the Grand Rapids Herald, and she has been featured in MORE magazine and National Geographic Traveler. A popular keynote speaker, Sheri loves to show others that living outside of our comfort zones helps us discover amazing things about ourselves, even if those acts aren't as extreme as jumping out of an airplane at 13,000 feet. Sheri lives in Michigan.

Claim Your Crown: Walking in Confidence and Worth as a Daughter of the King by Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien

Claim Your Crown: Walking in Confidence and Worth as a Daughter of the King

by 

Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien

About:

Young women are deeply dissatisfied with society's standards (and double standards). They want more for themselves--but sometimes they don't quite know what that more should be. That's where Miss Black New Jersey 2018 and Teen Vogue "It Girl" turned fashion writer Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien comes in.

Through her insightful comments on media, pop culture, and pervading cultural myths about beauty, fashion, and womanhood, Tarah-Lynn dismantles the messages that feed into the insecurities, fears, doubts, and guilt that young women experience today. She introduces them to an understanding of God as a loving Father and the King of all kings, who bestows upon his daughters a crown of love, worth, and power. And she shows them how to not only claim the promises of God but also walk purposefully in them as independent women (no prince necessary!) who respond to adversity with righteousness and authority.

My Thoughts:

Claim Your Crown written by Teen Vogue author and creator of Adorned in Armor & Dressed for Battle podcast shares with readers her own life experiences about what it means to walk in confident as a daughter in Christ.

This book is perfect for the teenager or even older adults to gain wisdom from scripture about understanding your worth in Christ. This book isn't a self help book or book to boost you self-esteem, but rather one that helps the reader secure their identity in Christ. 

Claim Your Crown has a lot of great advice, thought provoking chapters and even questions for the reader to ponder further later at the end of each chapter. I was not able to pick a favorite chapter because this book just was so, so good! 

Grab a copy today, you'll love it! 

About the Author:

Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien is passionate about encouraging and empowering young women to fully grasp their worth in Christ. Through her award-winning brand, Adorned in Armor, she inspires thousands of young women to conquer life through faith and style. By landing internships at Elle magazine and PBS, and by collaborating with brands such as Maybelline and Banana Republic, her work experience has catapulted her into becoming a Teen Vogue "It Girl" and a Teen Vogue fashion writer. Crowned Miss Black New Jersey in 2018, Tarah-Lynn graduated summa cum laude from Rider University and earned her master's degree from Syracuse University. She now hosts the Dressed for Battle podcast. You can also find Tarah styling, hosting events, and speaking at self-worth and branding workshops.

Yes Sisters: Surrounding Yourself with Women Who Affirm, Encourage, and Challenge You by Angelia L. White, Erin Keeley Marshall

Yes Sisters: Surrounding Yourself with Women Who Affirm, Encourage, and Challenge You

by 

Angelia L. White, 

 

Erin Keeley Marshall

About:

A single "no" from someone close to us can crush our dreams. You can't . . . You'll never . . . You're kidding yourself . . . In contrast, a single "yes" can sustain our dreams despite the setbacks we're sure to encounter. Yes, you can! Yes, I'm here for you! 

With passion and contagious enthusiasm, Angelia White shows you how to surround yourself with Yes Sisters--women who will remind you that you are worthy, that God loves you completely, and that you can accomplish even your wildest dreams. Her engaging personal stories, as well as those from other prominent women, will show you how to 

- find and cultivate Yes Sister relationships
- leverage their power
- and be a Yes Sister for someone else

She also helps you understand, forgive, and sometimes distance yourself from negative people who dampen your joy and strip you of your motivation.

You don't have to go it alone, and you don't have to drag the naysayers along behind you. Start finding your Yes Sisters today!

My Thoughts:

Yes Sisters Surrounding Yourself With Women Who Affirm, Encourage And Challenge You By Angelia White is the perfect book in encouraging women to have and surround themselves with Godly women. This book is also about being the women and friends you desire. If you desire the qualities and character traits that Angelia mentions in the book, then it's great to be aware of your own flaws when contributing to friendships.

This book is encouraging and helps the reader identify the types and kind of friends she needs in different seasons, while being that friend to others. 

 I absolutely love this book and I know you will too! So go grab yourself a copy, its an easy book to read, but a worth while book to invest your time into reading.

About the Author:

Angelia L. White is the creator of Hope for Women magazine, a quarterly publication with a reach of 200,000. A Ball State University Black Alumni Award of Achievement recipient, Angelia is a mother of three and the publisher, president, and CEO of HOPE for Women, headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. Rising from a background of discouragement, she spends her life encouraging other women to step into their full potential and share their inspiring stories.

More Than We Remember by Christina Suzann Nelson

More Than We Remember

by 

Christina Suzann Nelson

About:

One night changes everything for three women. . . .

When Addison Killbourn's husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband's memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to reevaluate all she thought she knew.

Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia's determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she's called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she's fighting against, she's determined to see justice for those wronged.

Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne's solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn't been in a while.

As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

My Thoughts:

Christina Suzann Nelson's latest novel, More than We Remember is filled with hope and pain, while the reader is filled and longing of the story after it is over. This book is one that gets inside of you and is hard to forget.

A fatal car accident has left three women carrying deep burdens, and pain as they search to have these areas filled and explained, to overcome the past. These three women are incredibly developed throughout the novel and Nelson's portrays their issues in a realistic light, giving the reader the opportunity to see different points of view, while experiencing the novel. This is a book where the reader gets to enter into the struggle. 

The characters are well developed and the reader does experience the heartbreak and even the joys of the characters. The faith element by each of these characters portrays a very real like faith, and the everyday human experience. 

This is a book you every reader must experience! If you are looking for a deeper fiction novel, this is your book! I am excited to read future books from Christina Suzann Nelson.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bethany House Publishers and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine. 

About the Author:

Christina Suzann Nelson is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Her essays have been published in the Cup of Comfort series. Nelson lives in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with her husband and four children.

Holy Guacamole: A Glorious Discovery of Your Undeniable Worth by Carrie Stephens

Holy Guacamole: A Glorious Discovery of Your Undeniable Worth

by 

Carrie Stephens 

About:

Have you ever felt on the edge, alone, down and out,or maybe wondered what in the world God can do with someone like you.

Sometimes you wake up feeling less than great about your life. Or your relationships. Or your job. Or your whatever.

Sometimes you even feel pushed to the side, put on the shelf, overlooked, and not particularly important to, well, anything.

 
Sometimes, you feel even less important. . .than a side of rice and beans. (You know, kind of like that stuff served on the side that no one really asked for?)
 
What if you found out you were something more like tableside guacamole—that fancy kind they wheel up to the table and make right on the spot?
 
What if you were made on purpose, 
for a purpose that can release God’s glorious colors and flavors in the world? 
 
You didn’t arrive here by accident, nor have you been served up as an unwanted side dish. The God of creation has created you, and He isn't waiting for you to become some better version of yourself so He can finally love you. . .or use you. . .or delight in you.

Generously seasoned with humor and empathy, with stories of triumph, failure, heartbreak, and redemption, Holy Guacamole will connect your heart to the unchanging truths of God’s Word and the unfailing power of God’s call to live a life full of His love for you and for the world.

God longs to reveal to you all the ways you are His beautiful, flavorful, colorful creation. Let Him show you all the ways you are Holy Guacamole—His masterpiece, His signature offering to a world in need of His love.

My Thoughts:

Holy Guacamole begins with Carrie Stephens stating, 

"Hello, My Name Is Carrie and I'm a Secret Donut Hoarder," you know the book is going to be amazing!

Filled with wit, vulnerability, laughter and humility, this book is filled with grace as you discover who God has called you to be. Holy Guacamole does not disappoint.  Carrie Stephens, did an amazing  job of balancing and sharing theology through the lens of scripture, without over sharing, but creating a balance of humor. I loved reading Carrie's personal life experiences and believed this book is for the mother, leader or friend.

An easy read, I felt that I was sitting at a coffee shop with Carrie as she would pouring out her love on me. This book is one anyone can relate too. If you are looking to strengthen your relationship with the Lord as you understand how he created you, this is a great read! 

Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill

Collision of Lies

by 

Tom Threadgill

About:

Three years ago, a collision between a fast-moving freight train and a school bus full of kids led to devastation and grief on an unimaginable scale. But a fresh clue leads San Antonio police detective Amara Alvarez to the unlikely conclusion that one of the children may still be alive. If she's correct, everything law enforcement believes about the accident is a lie.

With time running out, Amara must convince others--and herself--that despite all evidence to the contrary, the boy lives. And she will do everything in her power to bring him home.

A fresh voice in suspense, Tom Threadgill will have you questioning everything as you fly through the pages of this enthralling story.

My Thoughts:

A Collision of Lies is the first novel I have ever read by Tom ThreadGill and it will not be the last. This book is one that instantly captivates the reader for a fast pace ride and does not let the reader go until the ending of the story. It is an action- packed, intense book that is suspenseful, engaging and just when you think you know where he is going to go with the story, it turns. 

The other element that is super intriguing about this book, while a suspense novel, this book has added humor between characters. It's interesting because I was caught off guard by the criminals until the ending of the story. Besides the humor, the suspense, the writer does give the readers a bit of romance in this novel, but not too much, just a small element. 

Amara is a likable character and chances are, you might finding yourself wanting a iguana at the end of this story because that is a common pet :)

Overall, I enjoyed this story and felt that the author did a great job with this novel. I would read further books from him again in the future. 

About the Author:

Tom Threadgill is a full-time author and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). He is currently on the suspense/thriller publishing board for LPC Books, a division of Iron Stream Media. He lives with his wife in rural Tennessee.

Managing Worry and Anxiety: Practical Tools to Help You Deal with Life's Challenges by Jean Holthaus

Managing Worry and Anxiety: Practical Tools to Help You Deal with Life's Challenges

by 

Jean Holthaus

About:

Scripture says "be anxious for nothing," yet most of us find ourselves increasingly worried and anxious--about our families, our jobs, our finances, our security, and so much more. We're even worried about our level of anxiety!

Integrating both the psychological and spiritual aspects of anxiety, therapist Jean Holthaus offers this research-driven and faith-informed approach to understanding why we experience anxiety and shows us how to effectively manage it by developing three essential skills: 

- living in the present moment
- suspending judgment
- believing yourself to be competent and equipped by God

Our world is never going to be a completely safe and understandable place. But with Holthaus's help, our hearts and minds can experience greater and lasting peace.

My Thoughts:

Managing Worry and Anxiety: Practical Tools to Help You Deal with Life's Challenges by Jean Holthaus is   a book that explains anxiety and depression in a way that readers can understand, relate and appreciate. 

As a social worker, who is a LMSW, I have a great appreciation for this book and the work of Jean Holthaus. She combines her faith, with the science behind the brain, behaviors and complexity that we as humans face on a daily basis. This book is filled with pictures, graphics and scripture, to point the reader back to their faith. While she addresses the many aspects of both anxiety and depression, I feel that this book has insight for the clinician, as well as the individual looking for answers. I do not believe this is a one-size fits all book, but rather a book that encompasses a scope of people looking for deeper answers to the "why" question. 

This particular book is one that I have read slow, to gain insight and knowledge from another clinician in hopes to be able to help individuals in the future. I recommend this book with a caveat.. It is important for the reader to find out the root of their anxiety or depression, which is something Jean addresses. If you are looking for tips and answers, this book will help you, but if you don't go to the root and seek the source, you'll never find true freedom. 

About the Author:

Jean Holthaus, LISW, LMSW, has more than 25 years' experience providing therapy. She currently works as a clinician and manages two clinics for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Her professional experience includes working with individuals, couples, and families dealing with abuse, anxiety, depression, marital issues, divorce, spiritual issues, changes of life, parenting, and more. A member of the National Association of Social Workers and the American Association of Christian Counselors, Jean lives in Pella, Iowa.

A Different Kind of Love Story: How God's Love for You Helps You Love Yourself by Landra Young Hughes

A Different Kind of Love Story: How God's Love for You Helps You Love Yourself

by 

Landra Young Hughes

About:In this book, you're going to read about a different kind of love story. It's a love story each and every one of us is currently playing a role in--whether we're aware of it or not. And truth be told, it's scary-critical that we stay tuned-in to this love story. Because outside of a growing relationship with your heavenly Father, no other love (or lack of love) has the potential to improve or implode your life like the love that you have for you. 

For anyone who has ever struggled with their identity, Landra Young Hughes has a radically simple message: give up. Specifically, give up your need to be in control of how other people see you. Instead, let God's words--not yours and not others'--define you. Through her own deeply personal story of trying to control her circumstances and others' perceptions of her through an eating disorder, Landra points the way toward a life free from self-obsession and self-resentment. She shows you how to listen to God's voice, let go of the struggle for perfection, and live authentically from your deepest self.

My Thoughts:

In A Different Kind of Love Story by Landra, she writes about the love story that each reader gets to live. It isn't your typical love story, but one that is radical and transformative because this is the love story that romances every single one of us. This kind of love is something that can only be purchased by our Heavenly Father, through Jesus. No other love can satisfy our souls. 

And for anyone who has ever struggled with their worth or identity, Landra can relate as well. Her message is "give up"- meaning stop controlling how others see you and instead be concerned about how God sees you. She recounts to the reader how she struggled with an eating disorder and how the disorder consumed her identity until, she was able to grasp the truth of who God was and the message he was trying to covey to her, through His love. 

This book is one to read and read again. The messages of truth and identity are real, important and based on the word of God. I am very thankful for this book and thankful for how raw Landra is when writing it. I highly recommend picking up a copy today. 

About the Author:

Landra Young Hughes is the daughter of prominent pastor Ed Young Jr. and Lisa Young of Fellowship Church. Because of her upbringing, Landra has developed a passion for seeing people maximize their God-given potential and embrace their God-defined self-worth. She and her husband, Brad, lead Fellowship Church's Norman campus and live in the Norman, Oklahoma, area with their daughter, Sterling.