Quixotic Heights Podcast

Today's guest proves that our greatest challenges can become the very foundation of our greatest gifts. Ava Wood grew up with a learning disability and often found herself escaping into worlds of her own imagination. What began as a way to quiet loneliness and make sense of life's challenges eventually became a lifelong passion for storytelling. Today, she describes herself as "an ins...

We're turning the microphone around. Authors Shelley Malicote-Stutchman and Jennifer Mangini take the cohost chair and interview Amy M. Le —award-winning author of The Snow Trilogy, Founder and CEO of Quill Hawk Publishing (Amy M. Le) , and a passionate advocate for preserving diverse voices and untold stories. Amy's journey spans traditional, self, and hybrid publishing, giving her a uniq...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights, where we explore extraordinary stories of resilience, creativity, and the pursuit of bold dreams. Today's Quixote is Debbie Bishop—a creative director, author, founder, screenwriter, producer, podcast host, and visionary entrepreneur whose career spans more than three decades in Hollywood. Debbie has helped shape campaigns for some of the biggest studios in the wor...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights —where stories transcend boundaries, ideas ignite transformation, and the human spiritdares to reach beyond the ordinary. Today's Quixote is William Bernhardt—an award-winning author of more than sixty books, a master of legal thrillers, and a passionate advocate for writers around the world. From bestselling novels to shaping the next generation of storytellers thr...

Today’s guest is a man who has lived at the intersection of faith, service, and storytelling. Keith Madsen is a semi-retired minister, an AmeriCorps worker, a mentor to young minds through chess, and an author whose work dares to confront life’s hardest realities while still holding onto hope. From building schools in Haiti to educating communities about the opioid epidemic, Keith has seen firstha...

Today’s guest has lived a story shaped by discipline, disruption, and ultimately, deep healing. Charlie Peters wasonce an Olympic hopeful, a young man driven by purpose and promise—until his path was abruptly altered by the Vietnam War. Like so many who served, he returned home carrying invisible wounds, navigating the long and often lonelyroad of healing from PTSD. But Charlie’s story doesn’t end...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights , the podcast where we explore bold ideas, improbable journeys, and the people who dare to climb toward a better world. You may recognize Dr. Abraham George from the Netflix documentary, Daughters of Destiny, or from The Kelly Clarkson Show. Dr. George is a man whose life reads like an epic — from artillery officer stationed at the formidable Se La Pass along the India–...

Today’s guest has made it his mission to connect readers with stories—and storytellers—within the Oklahoma community. J Hall is an author, educator, and the host and producer of the Okie Bookcast , a show dedicated to introducing curious readers to their next great read. Since launching the podcast in 2021, he has released more than 150 episodes, interviewing authors across genres and building a v...

Our guest is someone who has been on the front lines of the hiring world for years. Frances Moore is a seasoned career consultant and recruiter who has reviewed thousands of resumes, conducted countless interviews, and coached professionals at every stage of their careers on how to land not just a job, but the right job. She has seen what works, what fails, and what truly makes a candidate unforge...

Cathy Nesbitt is a self-proclaimed Laughter Ambassador , leading online laughter clubs and embracing laughter yoga tohelp people reduce stress, boost resilience, and reconnect with joy. But she’s also been selling worms by the pound for more than 20 years as the founder of Cathy’s Crawly Composters , helping people turn kitchen scraps into living soil through indoor vermicomposting. It may sound q...

Today’s guest is a woman who turned a life-altering diagnosis into a creative awakening. When Renée Hill was diagnosed with breast cancer, she didn’t retreat from life — she leaned into it. In the midst of treatment, uncertainty, and fear, she made a bold decision: she would finally get serious about writing. What began as a deeply personal distractionbecame something far more powerful. Her first...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights —the podcast where we explore the winding paths that lead us to who we are becoming. Today’s guest is award-winning romantasy author Jennifer Lees , creator of the Arlan’s Pledge series and the Community Chronicles . Jenn’s road to writing is anything but conventional. She spent decades serving others: as a nurse in outback Australia; training in midwifery in the UK; li...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights —the podcast where we explore the bold ideas, creative journeys, and unconventional paths that shape extraordinary lives. Katelyn Honigsberg is a writer, editor, and journalist whose career bridges creativity and credibility. Katelyn is an Executive Assistant and Junior Editor at Quill Hawk Publishing , where she helps bring powerful stories into the world. She’s also a...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights —the podcast where we explore the brave ideas, untold stories, and beautiful misbehaviors that live just beyond our comfort zones. Today’s guest is Rick Lewis—professional speaker, author of five books, and the founder of the writing community Write Hearted . Rick has lived fifty years on nobody’s payroll, delivered more than seven hundred corporate keynotes, performed...

Welcome to the Quixotic Heights Podcast, where we explore extraordinary stories of resilience, memory, and the human spirit. We were honored to sit down with Shira Sebban, a woman whose life’s work spans continents, generations, and some of the most urgent humanitarian issues of our time. Shira Sebban is a journalist, a registered migration agent who works closely with refugees, and the author of...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights, where dreams take flight and where we explore the stories, ideas, and leaders transforming the future. Darlene Cunha, a Nurse Executive Change Coach and Caritas Leader, is working to reshape how we show up for the people who challenge us most. With decades of bedside, leadership, and coaching experience, Darlene advocates for a new model of care—one where compassion an...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights , where we explore the extraordinary stories that shape our shared humanity. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Randy Kluver—Dean of Global and International Studies at Oklahoma State University—whose family story is one of quiet courage and compassion. In the years following the fall of Saigon, Randy’s parents, Mary and Ordell Kluver, opened their hearts and their home to spon...

Join us for a fireside chat with the multi-talented Dee Britt . Dee is the author of the Fireside Series, a voice actor, singer, retired physical therapist, and a burnout recovery specialist. ( @brittsburnoutblitz ) Dee’s work weaves together storytelling and healing, showing us ways to restore both body and spirit. In this episode, Dee sings for us, showcasing the power of voice, how to balance p...

Our next guest on the Quixotic Heights Podcast is Sue William Silverman, a groundbreaking voice in creative nonfiction. Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author known for her fearless explorations of trauma, identity, and personal transformation. Her latest book, “Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader,” showcases her signature blend of lyricism, insight, and unflinching...

Welcome to the Quixotic Heights Podcast , where we climb to new perspectives through stories of resilience, identity, and creativity. Our next guest is Bill Hulseman—an educator, ritual designer, and author of the memoir "six to carry the casket and one to say the mass: reflections on life, identity, and moving forward." Bill is from Chicago and the East Coast and now lives in Seattle. H...

Our next guest on the Quixotic Heights Podcast is Marty Ludlum, a storyteller, lawyer, and university professor. Marty has a sharp mind for business law and international trade, and a heart for storytelling that’s pure gold. He is the author of "At First I Was Afraid," the first book in his vibrant Disco Divas Series, where glitter meets grit, and every page has a beat. Diagnosed with Mu...

Our next episode is with Wen Hsu, founder of Wen Coaching. She is redefining what authentic leadership looks like. Wen helps high-achievers navigate their careers without abandoning who they truly are, empowering them to lead from a place of alignment, not fear. In this conversation, we explore the power of embracinglayered identities, the challenges of visibility as an introvert, and how each of...

Welcome to Quixotic Heights, where dreams take flight! Here, we explore the stories that shape us and the voices that heal us. Our guest is Anhtuan Do, the author of Healing—a beautifully raw and honest book that explores the tender, often painful journey of reclaiming peace, self-worth, and truth. Through poetic language and deep introspection, Anhtuan invites us into a space of courage, vulnerab...

Today, I’m joined by Randy Kim, a Khmer-Vietnamese American writer, content creator, and the host of Banh MiChronicles . He’s also the mind behind the Substack newsletter Banh Mi Bites . Randy’s work amplifies BIPOC voices, exploring identity, memory, and healing. As a queer child of refugees, Randy has wrestled with questions of belonging, survival, and resilience — often through deeply personal...

Today, we’re joined by a very special guest, Sheena Yap Chan, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose words have resonated with thousands and whose story will inspire even more. Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a curious reader, or just someone who believes in the power of persistence, thisconversation is for you. We delve into the creation of a bestseller, the mindset behind it, and the...