Sharing the Heart of the Matter

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with author, podcaster, publisher, and former radio producer, Rick Kaempfer. Rick has recently published The Loop Files: An Oral History of the Most Outrageous Radio Station Ever . It’s a celebration of a time when radio, rock and roll, and comedy all came together. We talk about how Rick prepared to meet celebrities as a DJ and producer i...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with author and blogger, Cheryl Oreglia. Cheryl has recently returned from attending the San Francisco writers conference. She shares her elevator pitch for her next book project. She inspires us to keep writing by talking about the symbiotic relationship between the gatekeepers and writers. In her inimitable style, Cheryl keeps us laughin...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are back with writer and retired psychologist, Dr. Gerald Stein. In this fascinating episode, we talk about the factors that keep us from accurately predicting how we’ll react in a situation or knowing what we want life to be. We talk about the tests in life like money, fame, winning, and more that look promising but probably feel different than we im...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with writer and musician, Todd Fulginiti. Our discussion centers around finding creative balance, especially in Todd’s post-Covid life as a musician gig worker. He talks about grabbing opportunities when they pop up. Because you never know how long the invitations will keep coming. And then the overload that happens when you say “yes” to e...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with our colleague, writer and corporate communication leader, Brian Hannon . Brian shares with us what sparks his creativity and impetus to write. We talk about paradoxes and George Carlin. Brian tells us the secret about his productivity to write both personally and professionally. And because it’s always informative to find out how othe...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with author, blogger, and former ad-man Chris Thelen. We talk about publishing his fun thriller, Islands of Deception. He highlights how important it is to have a great team when publishing a book. The goodness that comes from being surrounded by smart and supportive people. We talk about how he incorporates key locations from his home sta...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with Edgerton award winning playwright, musician, and writer Jack Canfora.   Talking with Jack is like attending a master class on creativity. In fact, our conversation with Jack is so rich with both writing practices and nuggets about authors and artists that we split it into two episodes. In the first episode of this series that aired la...

In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are talking with Edgerton award winning playwright, musician, and writer Jack Canfora.   Talking with Jack is like attending a master class on creativity. In fact, our conversation with Jack is so rich with both writing practices and nuggets about authors and artists that we’ve split it into two episodes. In this first episode, we talk with Jack about...

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and I are with stylist, and my sister-in-law, Lindsey Bauer. We are so delighted to air this conversation with Lindsey as she shares nuggets from her long career in the fashion industry involving design, manufacturing, and retail. She tells us about the geometry of looking long and lean instead of fruit shaped. Lindsey tells us why we shouldn’t buy clothes at Costco...

In this episode, Vicki and Wynne talk with David from the Pinwheel in a Hurricane and Unwanted blogs. David has so much to offer when it comes to the goodness of the creative process – for solidifying clarity, integration, and healing. The tagline for David’s Pinwheel in a Hurricane blog is “an attempt at adding to the fray without just making noise.” David tells us about his experience blogging f...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host Dr. Vicki Atkinson and they’re talking about unlocking secrets. Both Vicki and I have published books about family. Vicki about her mom, Sue, and me about my dad, Dick. As we’ve discussed in other podcasts, writing about family is hard. But it’s also instructive - we learn so much about ourselves and where we come from. It’s a path that we’ve found to be...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with my co-host Dr. Vicki Atkinson and we’re talking with author and illustrator, Dave Williams. I love bookstores and have a soft spot for any book written in them. Novels like The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin are two of my favorites. But I’ve never met anyone that was raised in a bookstore – until now. D...

We are celebrating our 50th podcast in this episode. We talk about my favorite quote as it relates to pulling ourselves together to start something – and then sticking with it. Your first podcast will be awful. Your first video will be awful. Your first article will be awful. Your first art will be awful. Your first photo will be awful. But you can't make your 50th without making your first. S...

The Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast is back with its first episode of 2024! This year we are putting special emphasis on the why and how of creativity. We start the season with a special episode with Dr. Vicki Atkinson. We know and love our writing, blogging friend, and podcasting friend Vicki. But of course, dear Vicki has worn a lot of other hats – therapist, professor, college dean, and...

In this episode, Wynne Leon and Dr. Vicki Atkinson are back with the amazing blogger and author, Stuart Perkins. We revisit a couple of Stuart’s recent pieces that highlight the kind of people who help us and inspire us to stay steady. Stuart writes so beautifully. Period. He hooks us and we get to come along for the ride. In this case, about the moments of doubt, and characters that help us to ho...

In this podcast, which is episode two of a two-part series, Dr. Stein walks us through his list, How to Become Your Own Best Friend . This is one of our favorite essays from Dr. Stein which is saying a great deal given the depth and breadth of his wisdom. In last week’s episode, we covered items focused on expanding our horizons to become both interesting and interested, making mistakes, self-comp...

Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson and psychologist and blogger, Dr. Gerald Stein. In this podcast, which is episode two of a two-part series, Dr. Stein walks us through his list, How to Become Your Own Best Friend . This is one of our favorite essays from Dr. Stein which is saying a great deal given the depth and breadth of his wisdom. He opens the list with the question, “Who is the...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are talking about the courage to keep trying. We open the podcast with some laughter about some silly stories with my kids where I’ve made mistakes. And it paves the way for a deep conversation about risk-taking, trying new things, and the journey to be vulnerable to others. I share with Vicki some of the disappointment that I...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and her delightful daughter, Miss O. Miss O shares a personal narrative that she's written as an assignment in 3rd grade. And then she tells us what a hook is and what she’s learned about drawing in an audience by using one. She fills us in on lessons that she’s been taught about adding details to her writing. Another assignment...

In this episode of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and writer and author, Brian Hannon. Brian is one of our colleagues on the Heart of the Matter blog and we love the inspiration he brings forward about writing and creativity on a regular basis. In this case, it was an article on Writer’s Digest by Sierra Godfrey entitled, 4 Ways to Writ...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and blogger, Deb Tecca. Deb is one of our colleagues on the Heart of the Matter blog and we’ve loved her take on growth, acceptance, and personal evolution. So we ask her about her courageous writing and she explains how she’s come to see it more as reclaiming herself. After growing up in the shadow of her mom’s blame, Deb finds she’...

Are you ready for some spooky talk? In this episode of the podcast, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are back with author and blogger, Mark Petruska. We hope you are ready for some fun because Mark has a story to tell  -- a spine-tingling paranormal tale if ever there was one! Mark holds NOTHING back as he regales us with the disconcerting details about his night of inexplica...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and they are talking about choice and Wynne's journey to parenthood. Following up on the question a pre-school teacher asked Wynne about how she became a parent, she shares the story of how she started a family as a single person. From the fertility clinic doctor who laid out all the options for getting pregnant as a 45-year-o...

In this episode of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast where we bring you talented creatives who inspired you to reach your next level of personal growth, Wynne Leon is with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and blogger, and musician Michelle Oram. Finding out how people came to blogging is so fascinating. So we dig into what brought Michelle to blogging four years ago. But more interesting...

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and musician, writer, blogger, and retired educator, Todd Fulginiti talking about the great new music he’s recorded and released as Jazz on King, volume 1. Centered on the ongoing gig he has with his two fellow musicians, Dave Winter and Dave Santana, Todd talks about the recording process – the low-stress way they recorded it for th...