Author: Lucia Matuonto

Learning from Tomorrow to Prepare for what Comes Next Article by Bart W. Édes Over the past couple of years, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our world. Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine in February has caused another global crisis with major implications for international supply chains, commodity prices, geopolitics, and democracy. The pandemic and Vladimir Putin’s brutal war have taken place during a volatile period of disruptive technological, social, scientific, political, and environmental changes that have left many of us reeling and disoriented. Businesses, governments, and other organizations have had to reformulate their plans and strategies in response to megatrends…

“Jack Rasmussen was born and raised in Northern California, where he played sports. At Archbishop Mitty High School, Jack played baseball, basketball, football, and volleyball in high school. He always had a passion for writing, taking advanced writing classes his senior year while getting involved in student government. He was the media coordinator for his school, creating videos. He loved exploring, traveling, and learning about things quickly as a kid. He has a curious mind that is never satisfied. In middle school, he taught his grandfather sixteen card tricks during one summer and became famous at the senior home, The…

After a secret medical procedure, Martha Nasch complained of symptoms that confounded doctors and resulted in her being institutionalized by her husband … suspiciously after she discovered him having an alleged affair. While committed to the St. Peter State Hospital for the Insane for nearly seven years, Martha Nasch sought spiritual answers to her deepest questions. She felt cursed and haunted but found an explanation for her circumstances that drew the attention of Breatharian gurus for decades to come. In the poem “A Castle,” Martha wrote: “If you knew my agony, your heartaches would not cease. They’d haunt you in your…

Hello author Joann, welcome to BrandEducation! Tell us about yourself.I’m an author and nature lover, who tries to live by the mantra, “if not today, when?” I have two adult children and a husband who supports my writing career. I love family, humor, nature and chocolate. Not always in that order. Where are you from?Originally I’m from rural Nebraska. ( I do mean rural. The nearest Starbucks was 90 miles away in another state!) I grew up and raised my kids all within a 60-mile radius. When we moved to an actual city in the Pacific Northwest, it was a real…

Neptune’s Beard! The emergence of a new hero for a wanting generation AN AUTHOR from the South of the UK is looking forward to the publication of his first novel next month (February 2022). Liam Jenkins, 39, has been preparing for the release of Dylan McFinn & the Sea Serpent’s Fury the first book of a planned series on February 22nd. Dylan McFinn is a 12-year-old living deep under the Pacific Ocean in the ancient sunken fishing village of Lapatia with his sea captain father, annoying little brother and mermaid mother Varuna. For Dylan’s 13th birthday his father takes him on…

There is a well-known ideology that every author’s first work is autobiographical. My feeling is that each subsequent work is also autobiographical in its own way. It’s certainly not intentional, at least it isn’t for me, but taking bits and pieces from my own experiences have created very rich character studies. (It’s curious to note that I didn’t realize this was happening until recently.) While it’s hard to imagine Stephen King having all of those creepy experiences, I strongly believe that something shaped his visualization of the world. Now, when he writes (prolifically!) his characters see things through the lense…

By Rana Bitar, MD, MFA The Long Tale Of Tears And Smiles I started documenting my patients’ stories some twenty-five years ago, I did it to remember them, each for their unique character and courage. Throughout my career, I have seen so many patients; some of them resonated in my consciousness for one reason or another, perhaps because they reminded me of something from my past, or changed my view on something, or helped me understand myself or other people better. Somehow, it did not feel right to let go of some of the stories that altered me. On loose-leaf…

By Joann Keder When I was four, I was obsessed with long hair. I wore an adult-sized pink tutu on my head, pretending it was my long locks. Women in cartoons and fairy tales all had long hair, which made them beautiful and successful. I wanted to be just like them. I was adopted into a family with an older sibling who was biologically theirs. My adopted mother wasn’t equipped to care for a child with whom she had no biological link. I don’t say this to be cruel; this was my reality. It’s taken me many years to piece…

  One of the questions I’m asked the most is, “can you tell us about your writing process?” Of course! I love talking about writing and if anything I do can help others, I’m all for it. I want to preface this by saying everyone’s process is different. One isn’t any better than another, it’s what works for you. I’d love to be able to write a book a month like some prestigious authors I know, but my brain just doesn’t process that quickly. I shoot for three books a year and that’s really pushing it for me. Unfortunately, food…

DOUGLAS RAPPAPORT was originally a classically trained violinist and composer, having studied as a young man at various conservatories in the U.S. and abroad. During his college years, Douglas studied under famed protégé of Jascha Heifetz, Erick Friedman, and after graduate work at Yale University, went on to U.S.C. where he received an Advanced Studies degree in Film and Television Scoring. He also studied at Goldsmiths College (part of the University of London), Guildhall, and London International Film School, amongst others. Concerning Douglas Rappaport’s 2003 debut novel, One Day the Weatherman, Absolutewrite.com wrote: “Rappaport’s work is very detail-oriented and his…