Project Seed Money

Save every idea! In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified (formerly Project Seed Money), host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author, podcaster, and storyteller Zoey Michaels. Zoey shares her journey from reading by streetlamp light as a child to navigating what she calls the "school of hard knocks" in self-publishing. She opens up about using writing as a path to healing after personal trauma, uploadi...

Confidence comes after taking the leap! In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified (formerly Project Seed Money), host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author, CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), and advocate Maria Gallucci. Maria opens up about her deeply moving journey to publishing her debut memoir, Raised in Silence. Growing up as a child of Deaf adults and dealing with a lifelong stutter, Maria felt double...

Find your team! In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with developmental editor and author Allyson Wilkins. Allyson shares her unique journey into the publishing industry—from studying theater arts and working in transcription to discovering plot holes in Kindle ebooks and falling in love with developmental editing. She explains the distinct differences between devel...

500 copies sold indie! In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified (formerly Project Seed Money), host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author, educator, and historical fiction writer Lise Mayne. Lise shares her extraordinary publishing journey—from writing her very first novel at age 10 after learning to read with Dick and Jane, to spending 30 years persistently crafting her debut novel while balancing a...

Start before you're ready! In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified (formerly Project Seed Money), host Sharissa Bradley sits down for a insightful conversation with author, book coach, and community builder Liisa Kovala. Liisa shares how she transitioned from years of painstaking historical fiction research to crafting her delightful Hygge House Cozy Mystery Series. She details the magic of a six-hour...

In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified, host Sharissa Bradley welcomes author, playwright, and healer Kelly Watt. Kelly shares her lifetime journey with story—from writing her first crayon book at age six to studying playwriting, being mentored by renowned Canadian author Timothy Findley on her debut Gothic novel Mad Dog, and navigating the turbulent release of her first book two days after 9/11. She...

In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with BJ Magnani, former pathologist, research scientist, teacher, and author of the Dr. Lily Robinson series. BJ shares her remarkable path through four distinct careers, explaining how a request to write a fictional column for a major medical journal launched her novel-writing career. She discusses her debut novel, The Queen of...

What does it take to pivot from political journalism to running a destination wedding empire, starring in a reality TV show, and becoming a bestselling fiction author? In this episode of H.E.R. Amplified, host Sharissa Bradley chats with the multitalented Sandy Malone. Sandy takes us through her colorful life story, from reporting on police beats and writing for The Wall Street Journal to coordina...

What happens when writing your memoir changes your entire life? Today on H.E.R. Amplified, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with Elizabeth Wilson to celebrate the launch of her debut book, Lonely Girl: An Unexpected Love Story. Elizabeth gets raw about the emotional and logistical marathon of her publishing journey. She details why she threw out 95% of her original draft, how her writing process fo...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author Lindsey Goldstein to discuss her inspiring journey to becoming a published novelist later in life. Lindsey shares how getting a personal essay published in The New York Times finally gave her the confidence to write her first book. She opens up about the long, arduous reality of the querying trenches, th...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with Jennifer Lieberman, the creative powerhouse behind the award-winning solo show and hit novel Year of the What? (originally titled Year of the Slut). Jennifer pulls back the curtain on her multi-hyphenate career as an actor, producer, and author. She gets incredibly raw about the devastating "amateur mistakes" o...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with Karolina Wudniak, the creative force behind Paper Wing Studio. Karolina shares her fascinating "full circle" journey—from a journalist and blogger in Poland to a professional book designer in Canada. She explains how her background in writing and photography prepared her to turn manuscripts into "visual languag...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with Edwina Perkins , a seasoned publishing veteran, developmental editor, and author of The Colors of Home . Edwina shares her remarkable "full circle" journey—from learning the industry as an acquisition editor and conference director to finally hearing the "whisper" that it was time to publish her own story. We d...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, Sharissa Bradley is joined by Deborah Wilde , the powerhouse author behind over 25 "funny, sexy, urban fantasy" novels. Deborah pulls back the curtain on her 12-year career in screenwriting and explains why a "useless" degree in film theory actually became the foundation for her storytelling success. She discusses the pivotal moment a traditional...

In this update episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, Sharissa Bradley welcomes back Shamayne Olivia Kotfas to celebrate the successful launch of her book and workbook, Shoes That Fit Her Soul . Shamayne gets raw and real about the "birthing process" of publishing—from navigating months of delays to the surprising wave of vulnerability and overwhelm that hit once the book was finally live. She...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with editor Melissa Rudder to demystify the complex world of book editing. Melissa shares her transition from an 18-year career as a high school English teacher to becoming a professional editor, driven by a lifelong love for how people make sense of the world through stories. She provides a masterclass on the diffe...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with book cover designer Ashton Smith to demystify the visual side of the publishing world. Ashton shares her journey from being a "Bookstagram" enthusiast and indie bookstore employee to specializing in creative advertising and graphic design for authors. She provides a masterclass on the logistics of working with...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author Christy Hughes to celebrate the five-year anniversary of her book, Strong Roots, Wayward Soul . Christy shares the deeply personal story of how her "sober curious" journey and the passing of her 100-year-old grandmother became the catalyst for her memoir. She dives into the realities of self-publishing ,...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with veteran broadcaster and audiobook narrator Pam Rossi . After a long career in radio, Pam transitioned into the world of voiceovers and audiobooks when COVID-19 changed the media landscape. Now a specialist in nonfiction narration, Pam shares why she believes every nonfiction author should consider narrating the...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with author Neri Lopez to discuss her remarkable "marathon" of a publishing journey. Neri shares the story of a manuscript that sat for 30 years—through raising triplets and a dead computer—before she finally re-entered it by hand from paper copies to become a published author. A former graphic designer and teacher,...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with Dr. Rachel Ivory , the visionary behind Ivory Publishing LLC and the inspiring "I Want To Be" children's book series. Dr. Rachel discusses how her grandmother's relentless focus on education sparked a lifelong love for reading that she now passes down to her own grandchildren. After a 38-year career in public s...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley welcomes back Randi-Lee Bowslaugh to celebrate her fifth anniversary as a podcaster and her nine-year journey as an author. Randi-Lee discusses the vital mindset shift from "someone who wrote a book" to embracing the title of Author. She pulls back the curtain on the "control freak" side of indie publishing, explaining why sh...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with award-winning book designer Tamian Wood to pull back the curtain on the visual side of publishing. Tamian shares her journey from designing museums and billboards to becoming a specialist in the self-publishing world. She provides a masterclass for authors on the logistics of book design, including the exact te...

In this episode of the Project Seed Money Podcast, host Sharissa Bradley sits down with the multi-talented Glenda Benevides.. Known primarily as a Recording Academy and Grammy-nominated songwriter, Glenda shares how a "serendipitous" kitchen conversation transformed her into a published author. Glenda discusses her rapid writing process—completing her first book in just 15 days despite being dysle...