True Fiction Project

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! This week I enjoyed speaking with Naz Beheshti, author of the book, Pause. Breathe. Choose. and CEO of Prananaz, a corporate wellness company that improves leadership effectiveness, employee well-being, and company culture. First, Naz discusses her experience working with Steve Jobs and the valuable lessons she gained as his Exec...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. Today, I have the honor of speaking with Sonali Dev, Best Selling Indian American Romance Novelist and author of her new book, The Vibrant Years. The Vibrant Years is the first book released by actress Mindy Kaling’s new publishing imprint, Mindy’s Book Studio. Sonali’s book describes the everyday world of Indian American women. Using her storyt...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! I was intrigued to speak with face reader and introverted extrovert, Brian Galke. Brian brings us along his journey from working behind the scenes in the helpdesk field to how he became a public speaker. He has perfected the art of reading faces, which has propelled him forward through connection and successful personal and busin...

Welcome to season 3 of the True Fiction Project Podcast! I was delighted to speak with Mrinalini Watson, a social justice researcher of Rajasthan folktales. Mrinalini discusses how the caste system works in Rajasthan and what social injustices she’s experienced while visiting. She spoke about how stories are shared throughout the villages and how folktales are created. Mrinalini then shares a folk...

As we pass the anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine, we are revisiting this special Ukraine emergency episode on the True Fiction Project Podcast. I spoke with Yuriy, a journalist on the ground in Kyiv who had taken up arms to fight for the freedom of his country. Yuriy recalled waking up to the early morning attacks in Kyiv and he shared how this unwarranted conflict has affected his family and...

In this revisited episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran, an internationally renowned music composer, educator and scholar known for his sustained contribution to music and community for the past 25 years. We talk about his incredible work on the soundtrack of Shadow Realm, a podcast project based on a young adult fantasy fiction book that I wrote. Dr. Kanniks shares how his imaginat...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. During this episode, we are mashing up the top three fan-favorite interviews and true fiction pieces from Season 2! The top three episodes were: Ro’s Journey of Love, Price of Magic, and Cut from the Same Cloth. Listen to a wide range of topics, from Julia Karol becoming a single mom in her 40s with the use of a sperm bank to Barbara Majeski’s l...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. During this episode, we are mashing up the top three fan-favorite interviews and true fiction pieces from season 1! Our top three episodes were: ENCORE - Wise Guy Charming, The Queen of Teacups, and Janet Blue. Each interview and story has something unique to share, ranging from a tale of Prince Charming to a family memento that helped overcome...

In this revisited episode of the True Fiction Project, Traci DeForge is back on the podcast as we discuss my new novel, Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mother a Life and a Man. I also invited my publisher, Dr. Morissa Schwartz to join the conversation. Dr. Schwartz is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Rissy’s Writing & Marketing and GenZ Publishing, LLC and was recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30 l...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I had the pleasure of speaking with Anand Bhatt. He is a musician, cooking show host of Rock Star Recipes, and quite the storyteller! Anand shares how he got started in the music industry, what Latindian music is, and how all of that evolved into a cooking show. Then he dives into some fascinating stories of the dangers he has come across in his...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I have the privilege of speaking with Arden O’Connor, founder and CEO of the O’Connor Professional Group. Arden shares the story she and her family experienced while working through her brother's substance use. She discusses how families can support their family members who are struggling with substance use, what type of support to offer, an...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I have the privilege of speaking with Beth Hennessy, Fiction Author & Singer/Songwriter in the music group, Kalliah. Beth tells us the story of the cult she grew up in and her family’s experience there. She discusses the rules and reasons for a cult and how her family became a part of it. Beth then shares what led her family to leave the cul...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I have the privilege of speaking with Keren Eldad, personal/business coach and TedTalk speaker. Keren starts the episode by telling us about her rocky transition from a “princess” life to military life. Next, she discusses what a coach is and how they differ from a therapist or teacher. She gives us some incredible insights into mindset shifts a...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. Today we are joined by award-winning playwright and actor, Ellen McLaughlin. Ellen joins me to discuss her many pieces of work throughout her career and the project she just completed with the Play On Podcasts series. She describes the incredible experiences of being around someone while they encounter extraordinary joy and the impact of that on...

In today’s episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast, I’m speaking with actor and activist, Tramell Tillman. Tramell and I laugh about his least favorite job as an abstinence educator of middle and high school students and how he has been involved in nonprofit work for over 20 years now. We chat about the success of his latest project on the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series, Severance. He...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I have the privilege of speaking with Kevin Lowe as he tells us about his journey through finding out he had a brain tumor and how his life changed after surgery left him blind. He tells us about the impact that his tumor and blindness had not only on himself but also on those around him. Kevin has turned the unthinkable into an inspiring career...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. I have the privilege of speaking with Les Bird about his fascinating history as a Marine Police Officer in 1976 during the Hong Kong Handover. Les has now written two books about his 21 years in the Marines and his work in helping Vietnamese refugees arrive safely in Hong Kong following the end of the Vietnam War. He recounts specific memories o...

We're going to shake things up by bringing on a guest host today! I’m excited to have Traci DeForge back on the podcast as we talk about my new novel, Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mother a Life and a Man. I also invited my publisher, Dr. Morissa Schwartz, to join the conversation. Dr. Schwartz is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Rissy’s Writing & Marketing and GenZ Publishing, LLC, and was r...

Today, we have a very special show because we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independent India, which fell on August 15th. Our special guest is Shukla Lal, a writer based in New Delhi, who has recently written a book detailing her personal experience from the partition that led to India’s Independence. We hear the amazing story of her father’s incredible escape in the midst of the violenc...

I’m delighted to be speaking with fellow podcast host, Julia Karol, who is the creator of Stork’d, the podcast where she highlights the unique ways in which people come together and find family. The growth of the podcast has paralleled her own personal journey of discovering what family truly means, no matter what shape it takes. You’ll find inspiration as you hear Julia’s beautiful story about he...

Today, I’m talking with Chrysta Bilton about her new book and the discovery of her 35 (and counting) siblings! Chrysta is an American author who lives in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband and two children. Chrysta’s new memoir, Normal Family, details her nontraditional upbringing and how her father was one of the most prolific sperm donors of the California cryobank in the 80s. Listen in as Chryst...

In today’s episode, Barbara Majeski joins us to talk about how she improved her life and started chasing her dreams amidst life challenges. Barbara is a lifestyle expert and “Curator of the Good Life” where she helps others live life with purpose, style and adventure. We talk about her childhood, divorce, fight with colon cancer, and how she has come to be the person that she is today. Barbara has...

In today’s episode, Heather Vickery is here to talk about her life journey from fear-based to limitless! Heather is an award-winning business owner, global leader, entrepreneur, and published author. We talk about embracing fear and the unhelpful and unrealistic pursuit of being fearless. Heather shares her story of coming out at the age of 38 and how she rebuilt her life by taking risks and manif...

Today I’m speaking with the Queen of Teacups, Lissi Kaplan, about her journey to becoming an internationally recognized fine artist. Lissi’s hand-painted porcelains are in the collections of dignitaries, heads of state, and private collectors around the world. We talk about her unique calling to porcelain art following the passing of her mother. More than her skill with a brush, Lissi also has a b...

I want to tell you about a show I think you'll enjoy: Play On Podcasts -- epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in a way that you can actually understand it and created specifically for the podcast form by some of Ameri...