In the Author's Corner with Etienne

As a missionary living above the area dubbed 'The Golden Triangle' in St Andrew, Nicola Carara finds that several of her relatives and neighbours are concerned about her mingling with the residents in the inner city who have been the focus of her ministry for the last four years. Carara said working with the residents of these depressed communities has been mutually beneficial. While scores of residents benefit from the food, educational materials, spiritual guidance, counselling sessions and furniture she gives them, she finds that interacting with them has enhanced her life. An excerpt from her book, Purpose to the Pain: "Although I have known Nicola Carara for over thirty years, we really became friends in the last two. From growing up in St. Andrew, Jamaica, pursuing a career in television production in the U.S.A., then returning to Jamaica to lecture at N.C.U. Mandeville, to now working as a missionary to Parade Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica, Nicola’s life has taken many turns. It demonstrates what it means to answer God’s call wholeheartedly. Her life with Christ has not been easy, as she has had to face physical, financial and other hurdles. Nonetheless, her life has been a testimony to God’s grace." "Purpose to the Pain is not a pretentious book. It is easy to read and down-to-earth. It is not the self-help book that tells you the formula to make over your life all by yourself. This book shows us that life with Christ is intriguing, challenging, heart-warming and ultimately fulfilling. With humor, poignant expression and godly wisdom, Nicola guides you on a journey that will surely bring you closer to the Lord." ~ Lisa Downie, September 18, 2016 Pick up Nicky's book at: http://j.mp/2jgfORt

With a BS in Fashion Merchandising from Stephen Austin State University, Stephanie Harper has been in the Beauty & Fashion Industry for over 15 years. After 5 years in the Fashion Industry, Stephanie was ready to step into the beauty world. She's been a Nail Technician for 12 years. Loving her career, but feeling as if it was becoming stagnant, she decided to get certified by Novalash. She now lives, eats, sleeps, & breathes eyelash extensions. Stephanie also teach new veteran beauty professionals who are struggle to create an amazing brand & life style how take their careers to the next level. Throughout the years her brand has also stretched into the fitness world. Her studio now features an Australian sportswear & lifestyle brand. My combining beauty & fitness her customers can now feel & look unstoppable. Stephanie loves the opportunity lashing gives her to work with women, but it also allows her the freedom to travel & spend time with her children. "Everyone has a story to tell. I'm so excited to be able to share my story with everyone. I hope our stories inspire & educate other women. Women that think it's too late or there are too many obstacles to overcome can find strength from our stories.  "We are women that decided to live outside of the box despite what we were told. We have all faced different obstacles & live all over the United States. Despite our differences, we definitely share a few things in common - we are all passionate, laser-focused & have a strong commitment to build successful businesses & live a life that we LOVE. I hope our stories ignite a new fire in women that are sitting on the sidelines watching others achieve their dreams." Order your copy today from Stephanie at www.stephanierharper.com.

Tequila Cousar is a co-author of She Conquered, a collection of stories of women who have overcome adversity, faced their fears, and conquered entrepreneurship. There are stories of women who have faced disappointments, financial hardships, divorce, becoming a single parent, lack of support, prison sentences, battles with cancer, and others. They continued to push and achieve their dreams. All the things that were meant to deter them made them stronger. After battling infertility for years, Tequila miraculously became pregnant. From then, she knew that everyday needed to count, because she and her husband had to leave a legacy to their children. Tequila's story, like the others, is to inspire and educate other women, especially women who think it's too late or there are too many obstacles to overcome can find strength from these stories. To pick up your copy of her book, She Conquered, visit Tequila at: www.TequilaCousar.com/products-2 .

Denise M. Michaels, the ghostwriter, is on a mission. And it is all about supporting people in going for their dreams. She possesses amazing skills in marketing strategy, copywriting, sales, public relations, and much more. She also loves supporting people in achieving their entrepreneurial dreams because it makes her happy. Why is Ghostwriting such an ideal option? If you know writing a book isn’t your forte, working with a ghostwriter is an ideal option to help develop it in 6-8 months. Your working relationship with a ghostwriter is a collaborative one. You'll meet every 7-10 days on the phone to develop the foundation of your book. Then, the chapters of your book will start to appear in your inbox. Each chapter's written to create a relationship of "know, like, and trust" with readers and edify you as an in-demand, expert in your niche. You’ll be happily surprised that the "voice" in the book "sounds like" you. After all, when you speak in front of a room full of people or in a media setting, you’ll want your book and you to be congruent. The result is seamless and people will want to discover more about you. A passionate, straightforward, and honest person, Denise cares deeply about the people who matter in her life. She’s also a forgiving who doesn’t take personal offense to most things. She does her best to communicate with people with clarity and caring for others. Visit Denise M. Michaels at http://bit.ly/2b6feRe

April Campbell was born May 6, 1979 in a little town called Bamberg, South Carolina to the proud parents of Willie Freeman and Evelyn Campbell. April is the oldest out of three girls. Her parents split when she was three years old. In June 1994, April's mother passed away from complications subsequent to Lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Her mother was 25, while April was five years old. Subsequently, April and her sisters were left in the care of their grandmother and aunt who resided in Mount Holly, New Jersey. In 2006, after putting her writing aside, April discovered a local self-publishing company, Infinity Publishing, in West Conshohocken PA. With a published novel, April became the first published author in her family. But it took a lot of patience and support from her family and friends. April decided to return to school In 2009 to study Criminal Justice at ITT Tech, while she continued her writing. After becoming the president of a chapter in her school, she graduated in 2010 with highest honors. She had the honor of being invited to be the guest speaker at her graduation.Despite yielding to a ministroke, April was able to receive her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Kaplan University in July 2014. April is now pursuing her Master's in Psychology. Visit her at www.facebook.com/AuthorAprilCampbell/

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will share with us the power and benefits of teaming up. This a wonderful opportunity for you to ask your questions. Call us at (646) 721-9611. According to Jed, “Teamwork: One of my Greatest Surprises of 2015.” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about the power of teaming up. According to Jed, “Back in January, I proclaimed 2016 as my year of teamwork. It has been awesome experiencing the power of teamwork in action with the launch of my latest book on creative family conversations.” Visit Jed at:www.CoffeeShopConversations.com/Family-Conversations/  

You're in for a special treat about the true-life story of how Ron, a city boy, came to live 100 miles deep in the Canadian wilderness; how he mastered the discipline of homesteading and an off-grid self-sufficient lifestyle in Maine in preparation for the move to the bush. Join us for an eclectic blend of storytelling ranging from Ron's adventures of bicycling across the United States to his winter hike of the 2100+ mile long Appalachian Trail. Experience the terror of being surrounded by wildfire & being touched by a bear. Discover what life is like working in a remote exploration camp. Enjoy firsthand accounts of some of the most breathtaking wildlife encounters. Entertaining & enlightening, the narrative is at times amusing while at other times harrowing.  Appealing to readers with an outdoors, adventurous spirit, people with an off-grid, self-sufficiency bent, and the dreamers’ content to read about adventure. You’ll be inspired to “take the road less traveled" simply by the 100+ images that supplement the book. About the author: Living off grid since 1980, Ron and his wife, Johanna, have spent the better part of their lives "unplugged." As part of the back-to-the-land movement that originated in the 70's, they have spent their adult years living the homestead dream. Visit Ron at: http://www.IntheWilderness.net/

As a professional editor, Jennifer Harshman has a purpose to come alongside you, the author, & walk you through the process, whether you’re at the very beginning & have never written anything in your life, or whether you’ve already published books but are struggling with your new one. While she’ll help you with the technical aspects of writing & self-publishing, her biggest strength is helping you with the emotional aspects. The roller-coaster ride’s easier when there's help. Perhaps, that’s why her son, Joel Michael, has become an author. Can’t wait to learn more about him in the interview. Here's a brief excerpt from his book, DiamondMoon: A MINECRAFT World?: Imagine waking up in a strange world alone, confused, & afraid. That's what happened to Steve one day. After he dodges Zombies & gets in a lot of trouble, he meets a friend & has strange adventures. What happens? Will he survive? What is the source of the strange lights that appear at odd times? You can only find out under the light of the Diamond Moon. Jennifer’s journey through an abusive childhood & now with chronic illnesses has taught me about integrity, honesty, & the value of hard work. These are qualities she’s instilled into my own family. They’re also what you’ll find at the core of everything she does at Harshman Services, to your benefit. To get your free copy of Jennifer’s Proofreading Tip Sheet, & other helpful things, email her at:    Jennifer@HarshmanServices.com. Visit her at www.HarshmanServices.com.

In 2012, Soraya established As the Stars of the Sky Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation to assist with the physical & spiritual needs of children, centering on improving literacy. The idea for the foundation stems from Soraya's passion for ministering to and educating children. It's her firm belief that ‘Reading helps children achieve their divine destinies,’ & reading books about God & His love for us is one of the most important ways to get to know God & have a close relationship with Him. If a child does not have good literacy skills, the child will never be able to achieve what God desires for him/her.   As a judge presiding over juvenile and adult criminal cases, Soraya observed the poor literacy skills of the people coming through the justice system, especially young African American and Hispanic men. Soraya firmly believes that more needs to be done to promote the importance of literacy in developing the entire child and reducing crime rates.  The name, ‘As the Stars of the Sky," comes from various verses in the Bible which emphasize faith. In Chapter 22 of Genesis, God told Abraham that, because of his faithfulness, God would bless him and all his descendants, who would be as many as the stars of heaven. As the Stars of the Sky, Inc.is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation dedicated to helping children by improving their lives. Soraya, a native of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands & mother of 2 sons, is an author, lawyer, & former judge who served as a parent volunteer & volunteer lay minister in the Children's Ministry. All proceeds from her book sales will be used to promote literacy in a child's life.  Visit Soraya at www.AstheStarsoftheSky.org.

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will share with us how small actions impact marriage [and relationships] in a big way. This a wonderful opportunity for you to ask your questions. Call us at (646) 721-9611. According to Jed, “Small actions can make or break a marriage. Tiny acts of kindness are sometimes the ones that are remembered most. Unfortunately, tiny acts of contempt are also long remembered, and can be powerful enough to turn a good relationship sour.” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about why, when it comes to relationships, little actions make a big difference.  Why? How? What do we have to do? Can we do it, too, and achieve success? Visit Jed at:www.CoffeeShopConversations.com/Small-Actions/

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship! On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will share with us the benefits of having creative conversations your family. This a wonderful opportunity for you to ask your questions. Call us at (646) 721-9611. According to Jed, “I wrote my latest book, 131 Creative Conversations For Families, because quality family time matters!” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about the power of creative conversations, “A securely attached child finds comfort and security in his or her parents. Mom and Dad are a home-base, or a safe haven, to whom the child runs to when distressed. In secure relationships, children soak-up the comfort and nurture they needed. Then they explore the world with confidence.“ Why? How? What do we have to do? Can we do it, too, and achieve success? Visit Jed at: http://www.coffeeshopconversations.com/creative-conversations-for-families/

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship. On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will share with us the benefits of reading more books and some options that make it easy to do so! This a wonderful opportunity for you to ask your questions. Call us at (646) 721-9611. According to Jed, “I learned how to set a quicker reading pace with my hand, and how to read chunks of words at a time. The result was that I doubled my reading speed, and then doubled it again! Although I was reading faster–much faster – I had my doubts about how much information I was retaining.” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about “This year, I’m reading more books by returning to my old speed reading habits. “ Why? How? What did he have to do? Can we do it, too, and achieve success? Visit Jed at: www.CoffeeShopConversations.com/read-reading-hacks/

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Note our Summer Schedule for the months of June, July, and August: Mondays at 19:00 until 10:30 am Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship! On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will share with us the benefits of teaming up with your church to build a faith that lasts a lifetime! This a wonderful opportunity for you to ask your questions. Call us at (646) 721-9611.According to Jed, “Both children and adults need safe, loving, encouraging people in their lives.” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about teaming up with your church. “Long before psychologists conducted thousands of hours of research, Jesus understood the value of safe, secure, attachments.“ Visit Jed at:www.coffeeshopconversations.com/church/

Coffee Shop Conversations Segment Mondays 7:00 am Pacific, 8:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Central, 10:00 am Eastern and Atlantic (during Daylight Saving Time). Welcome Jed Jurchenko and Our Coffee Shop Conversations Segment on Faith, Family, and Friendship On the Coffee Shop Conversations Segment, you'll find freshly brewed wisdom to help you mature your faith, lead your family, and grow your friendships so that you and your family can live joy-filled, Christ-honoring lives. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or other favorite beverage, and join us every Monday morning! Today Jed will help us Learn to Trust the Process. According to Jed, “In my mind, the journey to achieving my goals should progress in a smooth, straight line, much like a non-stop flight. This year, however, I am reminded that God doesn’t mind detours. I am rediscovering that shark-bites, detours, and interruptions to achieving my goals can be a blessing in disguise!” Let’s find out together what Jed has to say about “God's plan and process are often much grander than we realize!” And it is the process that will help us in our faith, family, and friendship. Visit Jed at:http://www.coffeeshopconversations.com/goals. 

Isvari Mohan is a singer, Global Law Scholar, and author of the war drama "The Eyes of Mikra." In her daily life, Isvari, besides being a published author, is a law school student at Georgetown Law, where she is a member of the Global Law Scholars Program and a Peer Advisor. She is, as she puts it, “super-interested” in National Security and Cyber Security Law. During the summer of her first year Isvari worked for the general counsel of Ingenico in Brussels in Data Privacy and Cyber Security. In 2014 Isvari received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley in Political Science. While there she worked at a think-tank in India, received several scholarships, and met some really great people. She also used to be in physics and math. According to her, “This is not because I'm Asian. It's because I'm a nerd”. Her background includes research in mathematics, astronomy, astrophysics, and particle physics, in addition to having worked at Fermilab, CERN, and LBL. Isvari can program software programs, have read Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein for fun, enjoy Marvel Comics, and has “terrible eye-sight”, probably related. Besides being employed as a columnist at the Washington Times, Isvari has a love for traveling and learning languages. When she has time for fun (besides writing, music, and art), she loves to ice-skate, cook, and hang out with my sister and her absolutely adorable dog, her best friends. Visit her book on at:http://j.mp/1ZZsJRN  Visit her column at the Washington Times at:http://j.mp/1SOS8yn