Authors on iTours

In her book Dying Made Easy(er), Myra Bennett guides readers through the  diverse phases and considerations of the end of life by an experienced  traveler who's spent many hours "as a guest in the sacred place of the  dying." Bennett, a hospice nurse and certified end of life doula, who  has also grappled with death in her personal life, invites us to  contemplate dying from many different angles: legal, social, physical,  psychological, and spiritual. Her Dying Made Easy(er) is both a handbook  of pertinent information and a medley of informed suggestions for us to  consider when experiencing or sharing the phenomenon that is the end of  life. Bennett believes it is imperative that we--as a community--are  aware of how to find help when faced with death and dying. In Dying Made  Easy(er), she provides the resources to address this pressing need.

Bennett, who is the co-founder of Compassionate Crossings in Sacramento,  has seen it all. She's witnessed the dying process unfold in beautiful  ways, with gifts for all involved, and she's seen it devolve into a  series of anguished mishaps that leave the family praying for an early  transition. As there are no opportunities for rehearsals or do-overs,  Bennett is committed to helping us better understand dying as the  last--but not the least--chapter of life, and to helping us dream what  this chapter might look like. In her warm and wise book, we learn how to  turn this dream into a personal reality that will meet not only our  deep-felt needs and desires but also those of our family and loved ones.

 Everyone has a story to tell, it's simply a matter of asking the right questions.  That's Marilyn R. Wilson's motto, which she has proven with her extraordinary books, LIFE OUTSIDE THE BOX and THE WISDOM OF LISTENING. 

 Marilyn R. Wilson's focus as an author is non-fiction published under the label Real People - Real Lives.  Whether she is sharing the stories of others or passing on what she has learned through interviewing, her books affirm how beautifully diverse life's journey is - there is no one right way to live - and encourage readers to embrace their uniqueness without apology.  

In this third podcast of Authors on iTours, Marilyn and I will discuss her extraordinary career that began when she was 50 years old! Marilyn's career as a writer began when she answered a Craigslist ad looking for magazine submissions. When  two were accepted, she was launched into a whole new career that included co-owning and running a magazine and doing freelance articles for others both local and international; conducting over 150 interviewing over people from around the globe; stepping on stage as a speaker; doing social media and author support for her publisher, working on contract with Eco Fashion Week Australia for their first event,  mentoring young talent and publishing two Amazon best sellers - Life Outside the Box (2016) and The Wisdom of Listening (2018).   

There's a growing audience of audiobook listeners out there. So authors need to be aware that not only are they writing for potential readers, but also potential "listeners." What goes into producing an audiobook? Do narrators just sit at their kitchen table and read into a microphone? No, more goes into it than that. Audiobook producer Mike Alger talks about how he came about producing his first audiobook and what actually goes into it. 

Lauren Carr interviews guest Mary  Walewski , owner of Buy the Book Marketing, about how virtual book tours have become a necessity for authors when it comes to book promotion. During their discussion, they advise authors on how virtual book tours give their books lasting exposure, how to select a virtual book tour coordinator who will be the best fit for them and their book, and how to make their tour a success.