Lament of Hope

I was introduced to Erica Wessels' acting through the Netflix film  I Am All Girls  in which she portrays a government agent seeking to rescue children from sex trafficking. Erica and I talked about her desire to portray vulnerable and human characters, the entertainment industry in South Africa, and her journey with infertility.

Michael Learned sat down with me several weeks ago to talk about her life story. We talked about her upbringing, the Waltons, her marriages, and how she needs to write a memoir. This was one of my favorite interviews by far. Michael Learned and Karen Grassle are my top TV moms. 

Kaitlan and Janson Gossage were married in September of 2023. Janson began experiencing knee pain upon returning from their honeymoon. In less than five months, Janson was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Kaitlan sat down with me to talk about their heart-wrenching journey thus far, and the incredible strength God has given both her and Janson to persevere in the face of pain and dar...

Olympic diver, Alison Gibson , sat down with me last week to talk about the day she became big news for failing the women's springboard 3-meter competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Alison's feet hit the diving board, breaking her form, and she fell hands and feet first into the pool. Alison shares her thoughts and feelings that day in a vulnerable and transparent interview.

I love Meg Shaffer 's novel,  The Wishing Game , and it was such fun to connect with her and hear more about her new book,  The Lost Story , which was just released a month ago. Meg talked with me about her writing experiences with each of the novels, her writing journey in general, and the pros and cons of the freelance writing lifestyle.

Dr. Matthew S. Stanford, CEO of the Hope and Healing Center & Institute  in Houston, Texas, received his PhD in behavioral neuroscience at Baylor University. Dr. Stanford has a heart for believers who struggle with mental health and wants to equip the church to be an informed advocate for Christians struggling with mental illness. This interview was such a gift to me as someone who struggles with...

It was such a gift to get to speak with Kim for almost an hour about her life story. Kim is famously known as the Napalm Girl from the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken by Nick Ut of her as a child running from a napalm attack during the Vietnam War. Kim shared with me the trauma and pain of that experience, how it has impacted her life, and how she has found hope.

Olivia Atwater sat down with me to talk about the first of her novels in the Regency Faerie Tales series. Olivia shared how she began her writing journey, how she crafted the protagonist in "Half a Soul," Theodora Ettings, and her love of historical fantasy.

This interview was a childhood dream come true for me. Máiréad Nesbitt inspired me to learn the violin. We talked together about how she balances life and performing, how she tells stories through music, and how her fiery spirit shows when it comes to seeing others mistreated. Please forgive the poor audio on my end. Hurricane Debby sent some Wi-Fi-interrupting rain my way, and I had to switch rec...

Interviewing Jessica Daley felt like finding a long-lost friend. Jessica is so transparent and personable! Our time together flew by as she shared anecdotes from her life with her late Nan to how she has struggled with her mental health in the entertainment industry.

Elizabeth Camden was one of my favorite authors as a teenager hungry for meaningful romance novels with exciting plots. Elizabeth sat down with me and shared her journey from librarian to novelist as well as how she creates her stories. If you are a Hitchcock fan, you may want to stick around to the end when she shares some of her favorite Hitchcock films. ;)

Interviewing Deanne Bray Kotsur was a new and important opportunity for me on a professional and personal level. I learned a great deal about the deaf community, and the needs facing deaf children. I also gained a deeper appreciation for the power of sign language as a tool for communication between the deaf community and hearing individuals. A big thank you to sign language interpreter, Cass Del...

Mya-Rose Craig , also known as "Birdgirl," spoke with me days after graduating from Cambridge University with her bachelor's in political science. We discussed how she came to love birds, whether there is a negative aspect to environmentalism, and the emotional weight of wanting to protect the environment.

It was a privilege to interview Maia Morgenstern . She was kind enough to give me an hour of her time before acting in a live performance. Morgenstern talked with me about acting as a profession, the importance of self-respect, and some of her experiences as a Jewish woman and actress.

Mag Ruffman is a Canadian actress who has lived her life trying new things and jumping into new opportunities. For some starters, Mag married her husband of over thirty years three weeks after meeting him. She also started her own home improvement show for women shortly after getting her contractor's license. Three years later, she created another show centering around random DIY projects. Mag...

I really appreciated my time with David Paetkau . He was honest about the good and hard of acting for a living, as well as walking through difficult situations such as marital stress during the COVID pandemic and a friend's suicide.

Alejandro Monteverde sat down with me after just arriving in Morocco to shoot his next film. He talked with me about his passion behind filmmaking, the film he is currently working on, and the frustration he experiences when individuals label films without understanding.

Sidney Bush, aka Sidney Greenbush , sat down with me over zoom and talked about childhood acting, what life looked like after playing "Carrie" alongside her twin sister on  Little House on the Prairie ,   and the passing of Sidney's mom three years ago. Sidney also shared with me a sweet childhood memory (involving cooked frog legs) of her and her family visiting the original World T...

It was such a gift for me to be able to meet and interview former Celtic Woman, Órla Fallon , over zoom several weeks ago. She shared with me her experience of motherhood, and the joys that come from investing in hearth and home. Órla also told me some beautiful stories connected with her "Lullaby Time" album, and her desire for a peaceful and kinder world. She also has a new album in th...

Keren Blankfeld , a journalist who has interviewed billionaires and refugees, sat down with me to discuss her extensive research into the romantic relationship that blossomed in Auschwitz between two Holocaust survivors, David and Helen. Keren intended for David and Helen's story to just be a feature in The New York Times, but it went beyond that and became her first published book. Have you r...

I was introduced to Paul McGann's acting work through the TV series "Hornblower." However, McGann is more famously known through the "Doctor Who" television series as the eighth doctor. McGann talked with me about acting, his experience of the COVID pandemic, childhood, and spirituality.

Lucy Adlington was absolutely fascinating to talk to. We discussed her most recent book,  The Dressmakers of Auschwitz , her love of vintage clothing, and the infamous white shirt Colin Firth wore in the lake scene from the 1995 BBC adaptation of  Pride and Prejudice .

Andrew Brunson was an American missionary in Turkey for over twenty years before being falsely accused of terrorism in 2016 and subsequently imprisoned for two years. Andrew and his wife, Norine, sat down with me to share their story.

Vanessa DeSilvio is  The Chosen  series' Photina, the Samaritan woman at the well. Vanessa talked with me about her role on  The Chosen , her personal challenges with parenting, and her love of audiobooks

Loire Cotler is a rhythm vocalist whose voice weaves the world of the Dune films. Loire sat down with me for over an hour to talk about her passion for rhythmic sound, her desire to connect on a deeper level with the universe and the people she interacts with, as well as the making of the track "Song of the Sisters" from the Dune film score. Loire even gave me a live sample of this track...