Out the Concrete: 13 Lessons on Building Freedom—Inside, Outside, and Beyond the Game (Author Interview)

   

https://a.co/d/078QFXnX

In the introduction, you write that prison became your “classroom.” Was there a specific moment when you realized your sentence wasn’t going to define the end of your story, but the beginning of a different one?

There wasn’t one dramatic moment where everything suddenly changed. It was more of a gradual realization that if I kept thinking the same way that got me there, I was going to stay mentally incarcerated long after my sentence ended. Prison stripped away distractions and forced me to sit with myself. Over time, I realized I had two choices: become bitter or become disciplined.

I started reading differently, thinking differently, and paying attention to how decisions shaped outcomes. That’s when prison became a classroom instead of just punishment. I stopped seeing time as something being taken from me and started seeing it as something I could invest into rebuilding myself. That shift in mindset changed everything.

 

A major theme in the book is becoming the “CEO of your own life.” What made that idea click for you while incarcerated, and how did it change the way you moved both inside prison and after release?

A lot of people spend their lives reacting instead of leading. I realized I had been giving circumstances, emotions, and survival mode too much authority over my decisions. Becoming the “CEO of your own life” means taking ownership even when life has been unfair to you.

In prison, structure and discipline matter. Your habits either strengthen you or destroy you. I started approaching my life the same way a CEO approaches a company: auditing my mindset, my circle, my routines, and my long-term vision. That mentality changed the way I moved while incarcerated and helped prepare me for life after release. Freedom without structure can become another form of chaos, and ownership gave me direction.

Editorial Review For Beyond the Checklist: Why Direction Matters More Than Discipline

   

Beyond The Checklist: A Better Way to Follow Jesus - Kindle edition by Baker, Tony. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Editorial Review For Beyond the Checklist: Why Direction Matters More Than Discipline

Beyond the Checklist: Why Direction Matters More Than Discipline presents faith as movement toward Jesus. Tony Baker builds the book around six markers: Cultivate, Become, Engage, Serve, Give, and Reach. Each one asks a clear question about habits, character, church life, service, money, and witness. The book uses the Mississippi River image to show how small acts can gather force over time, which feels simple enough to grasp and hard enough to ignore.

The book’s strength sits in its plain, direct style. It does not bury the reader under church language. It gives real-life examples, habit checks, money audits, and next steps. The author keeps bringing the reader back to one question: which direction is your life moving? That question works. It cuts through the usual spiritual scorekeeping with a clean edge.

This book fits well in the Christian formation and discipleship space. It speaks to readers who feel tired from checklists and church performance. It also fits a current need in faith writing: people want practices that connect belief to daily life. This book gives them that without turning the whole thing into a spiritual spreadsheet with nicer shoes.

Readers who enjoy practical Christian growth books will connect with this one. Pastors, small group leaders, church members, and people rethinking their faith habits will find a lot to use. The tone is pastoral and grounded. The steps are clear. The examples make the ideas feel lived in.

The recommendation is clear: Beyond the Checklist: Why Direction Matters More Than Discipline is worth reading for anyone who wants a faith that moves past attendance, routine, and self-checking. It offers a grounded path toward growth, community, sacrifice, and witness. It has a message that churches can use, and it gives readers enough honest work to keep them busy for a while. In a good way, of course.

 

Editorial Review For Accusations of Oedipal Relations and Other Mistakes to Not Make

   

Accusations of Oedipal Relations and Other Mistakes to Not Make: Misadventures and Lessons Learned - Kindle edition by Newman, Richard. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Editorial Review For Accusations of Oedipal Relations and Other Mistakes to Not Make

This book reads like a long sit-down with someone who has stories and no filter. The author walks through years of travel, work, and chaos, from job sites across the country to small towns and back roads. Each chapter drops you into a moment that feels lived-in. You see him install machines, get too high by accident, fight with family, and survive a brutal car crash. The thread that holds it all together is simple. He keeps moving, he keeps messing up, and he keeps writing down what he learned, even if the lesson comes late.

The strength here is the voice. It sounds real, like someone talking across a table after a long day. The humor lands in rough places, which makes it hit harder. The “Lessons Learned” sections give structure to stories that could drift, and they add a layer of self-awareness that sneaks up on you. The pacing works too. Some stories move fast and punch you in the gut, like the crash in The Maroon Fusion. Others take their time and let the absurd moments breathe, like the edible disaster or the dog in Miami. You get range without losing the core tone.

This fits into the memoir space, though it leans more toward raw storytelling. It taps into a trend where writers skip the tidy arc and show the mess as it is. The work-life travel angle adds another layer, since it mixes blue-collar detail with personal chaos. It feels closer to a collection of field notes than a traditional life story, and that works in its favor.

Readers who like honest stories with rough edges will enjoy this. People who have worked on the road or dealt with family tension will see parts of their own life here. It will land well with anyone who can laugh at bad decisions, then sit with the fallout a few pages later. If you want neat lessons tied up with a bow, this is not that book. If you want stories that feel true, even when they sting, this one delivers.

Pick this up if you want something that feels unfiltered and a bit reckless in a good way. It is not trying to impress you. It is trying to tell you what happened, then let you decide what to do with it.

The Holistic Root To Managing Anxiety with Maria Tabone

  

The Holistic Root To Managing Anxiety with Maria Tabone

In our fast-paced, overstimulated world, anxiety has become an all-too-common struggle, affecting over 40 million adults in the U.S. alone. The Holistic Root to Managing Anxiety: Healing from the Inside Out offers a refreshing and effective path forward, guiding readers toward long-term relief through a whole-person approach.

Now in its Second Edition, this updated guide goes beyond traditional self-help methods by addressing the deep-rooted causes of anxiety using integrative, holistic strategies. Drawing from both Eastern and Western practices, this book empowers you to reconnect with your body, mind, and spirit for lasting change.

Inside, you’ll discover:
-How nutrition and specific foods can ease anxiety and support emotional balance
-The science behind exercise as a natural mood stabilizer
-Step-by-step instructions for mindfulness, breathing, and relaxation techniques
-Daily rituals and lifestyle shifts that create a solid foundation for mental resilience
The book guides you through a transformational journey toward wellness. Whether you're just beginning to explore integrative health or looking for new tools to deepen your healing, this book offers practical insights you can use right away without needing hours of free time or clinical training.
If you’re ready to feel grounded, empowered, and truly well from the inside out, this book is your starting point.

Editorial Review For Whispering Lies

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLVGWVVJ/

Editorial Review For Whispering Lies

This book walks through a personal path of pain, faith, and growth. It starts with the author looking back at her past to face hurt and find purpose. The story moves through life stages, from being a young girl to becoming a woman who understands her worth. There are moments of struggle shaped by wrong choices and false views of self. Still, the journey keeps pointing toward healing, trust in God, and a shift in mindset. The theme stays clear: you can face your past and still move forward with purpose.

The strength of this book sits in its honesty. The author puts her life on the page with no filter, and that gives the story weight. Each chapter builds from lived experience, which makes the message feel earned. The mix of storytelling, reflection, and faith-based insight keeps things grounded. Also, the use of real situations helps the message land without feeling forced. It knows what it wants to say and sticks to it.

This book fits into the faith-based memoir space. It also taps into a growing focus on healing from past trauma and finding identity through faith. There is a clear link to stories that center on purpose and spiritual growth. It speaks to readers who look for real-life testimony rather than fiction or theory.

Readers who like personal stories with a faith lens will likely stay with this one. It may also connect with those who are working through past pain or trying to figure out their direction in life. If someone wants a story that feels lived-in and not polished for show, this book delivers that.

This is a steady and honest read. It does not try to impress. It simply tells the story and lets the message speak. And yes, it might call you out a little while it does that.

 

Beyond the GPA: How to Give Your Student an Edge with College Admissions

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH26VZFV/

UNLOCK YOUR STUDENT'S FUTURE: DISCOVER THE SECRETS TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SUCCESS!

ARE YOU A PARENT FEELING OVERWHELMED BY THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS? DO YOU WANT TO ENSURE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT STANDS OUT IN A SEA OF APPLICANTS? LOOK NO FURTHER THAN "BEYOND THE GPA: HOW TO GIVE YOUR STUDENT AN EDGE WITH COLLEGE ADMISSIONS," WRITTEN BY A SEASONED COLLEGE CONSULTANT WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE!

IN TODAY'S ULTRA-COMPETITIVE ACADEMIC LANDSCAPE, A HIGH GPA IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT. COLLEGE ADMISSIONS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY SELECTIVE, AND STUDENTS NEED A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO SHOWCASE THEIR UNIQUE STRENGTHS AND TALENTS. THIS COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE UNRAVELS THE COMPLEXITIES OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, DELIVERING INSIGHTS THAT CAN TRANSFORM THE STRESS OF APPLYING TO COLLEGE INTO A MANAGEABLE AND EVEN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

GET STARTED WITH CONFIDENCE

WHETHER YOUR CHILD IS A FRESHMAN OR A SENIOR, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE TO BEGIN PLANNING FOR COLLEGE. "BEYOND THE GPA" EQUIPS YOU WITH THE TOOLS TO KICKSTART THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS. FROM UNDERSTANDING YOUR STUDENT'S INTERESTS TO IDENTIFYING COLLEGES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR GOALS, THIS BOOK HELPS FAMILIES NAVIGATE THE DIVERSE LANDSCAPE OF HIGHER EDUCATION. LEARN HOW TO ENCOURAGE SELF-EXPLORATION, IDENTIFY PASSIONS, AND REFINE ASPIRATIONS ALL WHILE AVOIDING COMMON PITFALLS.

MASTER THE RESEARCH GAME

WITH HUNDREDS OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO CHOOSE FROM, RESEARCHING INSTITUTIONS CAN BE DAUNTING. THIS BOOK ARMS YOU WITH VALUABLE STRATEGIES TO EFFECTIVELY EVALUATE POTENTIAL COLLEGE FITS. DISCOVER HOW TO LEVERAGE RANKINGS, CAMPUS VISITS, AND STUDENT REVIEWS TO GATHER INSIDER INFORMATION. FIND OUT HOW SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, CAMPUS CULTURE, AND EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES ALIGN WITH YOUR STUDENT’S ACADEMIC PURSUITS AND PERSONAL INTERESTS.

CRAFT UNFORGETTABLE APPLICATION ESSAYS

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY IS YOUR STUDENT'S CHANCE TO SHINE, AND "BEYOND THE GPA" REVEALS HOW TO CRAFT COMPELLING NARRATIVES THAT RESONATE WITH ADMISSIONS OFFICERS. PACKED WITH PRACTICAL TIPS, THIS GUIDE TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO EXPRESS THEIR UNIQUE VOICE AND EXPERIENCES IN WRITING. SAY GOODBYE TO GENERIC ESSAYS! DISCOVER HOW TO WEAVE AUTHENTICITY AND HIGHLIGHT INDIVIDUALITY THAT WILL LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION.

STAND OUT WITH STELLAR APPLICATIONS

The Ultimate Guide to College Safety: How to Protect Your Child From Online & Offline Threats to Their Personal Safety at College & Around Campus

  

Amazon.com: The Ultimate Guide to College Safety: How to Protect Your Child From Online & Offline Threats to Their Personal Safety at College & Around Campus: 9781644408742: Canavan, Peter J, Mooney, Thomas J, Canavan, Austin J: Books

New college students are led to believe that sharing personal information and freely expressing their opinions on social media is expected and their right to free speech. What they fail to understand is that any information they reveal may be used to steal their identity, prevent them from being hired and possibly even get them hurt or killed.

It is well known that college is a time for learning, experiencing and growing as a person...but it is little understood that it is also the point in time when students form relationships, political beliefs, attitudes, and habits that will shape them for the rest of their lives. The influence of their friends, teachers and the social and political climate on campus are huge factors in their development - both good and bad. Understanding and learning can help parents assist their sons and daughters avoid future pitfalls and grow up to be successful, productive members of society.

There is nothing more important than your personal safety and the safety of your family. Safety has become the highest priority for students, parents, educators and administrators. However, the educational tools and reference guides that contain this essential information for them is lacking since most safety material focuses on the school itself and public safety professionals, not the individual.

Today's college students face threats to their personal safety that generations before did not have to deal with. New problems exist in both the digital world and the physical world, and can be harmful or even deadly. Thinking a problem won't happen to you will not make it any less likely. The solution is to be aware of what threats exist, learn how to protect yourself, and know what steps to take should a problem arise to you or around you.

You can give your child the most comprehensive resource ever compiled about how to stay safe in both the physical world and digital world. This will help ensure that students are made aware of the various threats to their personal safety that exist both online and offline so they will ultimately be safer during their college years and beyond.

The author has worked as an information technology consultant since 1995, a self-defense instructor for over 20 years, and is a former university public safety professional. He is fully qualified to educate students and others based on decades of knowledge that has been distilled into this comprehensive book.

Topics include:

• defining safety concerns
• safety awareness
• establishing personal boundaries
• routines & comfort zones
• problem roommate(s)
• bullying, cyberbullying & hazing
• the dangers of mixing alcohol and energy drinks
• cyber-security & online safety
• social media & cell phone safety
• phishing scams & identity theft
• active shooter preparedness & defensive actions
• viruses, malware and ransomware
• physical threat self-defense / safe dating / sexual harassment
• alcohol, drugs and prescription medication abuse
• party, bar & club safety
• caffeine and energy drinks
• travel safety - both on campus and semesters abroad
• credit card and ATM safety
• dorm room safety - fires, electrical, cooking, outside threats
• personal safety alarms and apps
• building confidence & developing a never quit attitude
• health, fitness, nutrition & hygiene

Get the next best thing to being there for your child when they are away from home and your protection.

Editorial Review For Shamanic Essentials Unleashed

  

amazon.com/dp/B0FXRS3NWQ

Editorial Review For Shamanic Essentials Unleashed

Shamanic Essentials Unleashed presents itself as a full handbook on shamanic practice, and it does not waste time getting there. The book opens with the roots of shamanism across cultures, from Siberia to the Americas, and explains core ideas like interconnectedness, spirit realms, and the role of the shaman as healer and guide . It then moves into the shamanic journey, describing the Lower, Middle, and Upper Worlds, and how drumming serves as a bridge between realms . From there, the content expands into tools, altars, ritual structure, healing methods, plants, animal spirits, ancestors, and personal growth . The later chapters shift into prayers, affirmations, chants, poems, and rituals for protection, trauma release, and spiritual awakening . By the end, it reads like a shelf of spiritual practices gathered into one place.

The strength of this book sits in its range. It covers theory, practice, ceremony, and daily ritual in one sweep. The explanation of ritual structure is clear and step based, from opening sacred space to closing it . The healing section lays out processes like energy extraction, disposal, and filling the void with light . The chants and affirmations give readers words they can use right away . It does not just talk about shamanism. It hands you scripts, invocations, and structured rites. If you want something to read and then do, this book is already setting the drumbeat.

In the wider spiritual field, this book fits into the rise of neo shamanism described in its early chapters . It reflects the modern interest in reconnecting with ritual, spirit guides, and nature. The inclusion of Enochian style chants, protection affirmations, and daily rituals shows how traditional ideas are adapted into personal practice . It reads like a manual shaped for contemporary seekers who want structure around their spiritual work.

This book will likely appeal to readers who want a guided entry into shamanic ideas. If you are curious about spirit journeys, animal guides, ancestral healing, or ritual space, you will find material to work with. If you prefer spiritual books that stay abstract, this one will nudge you toward action. It gives you words to speak and steps to follow. Some readers will appreciate that directness. Others may need to clear space on their altar.

In the end, Shamanic Essentials Unleashed delivers what its title promises. It gathers cultivation, healing, and protection practices into one long handbook . If you want a single volume that walks through belief, journeying, ritual, and affirmation, this one earns a spot on your shelf. Just be ready. It is not shy about asking you to participate.

Editorial Review For TOO AUTHENTIC 25 Years of Not Fitting In

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GL39QWYT

Editorial Review For TOO AUTHENTIC 25 Years of Not Fitting In

TOO AUTHENTIC 25 Years of Not Fitting In follows Tyasha Alion across twenty five years of dance, art, rejection, and self choice . The story begins with go go dancing in clubs filled with loud music, platform boots, and unpaid gigs. She faces interviews where she is ignored, partners who disappear, money that vanishes, and costume designs that get copied. Still, she keeps creating. Later, she moves into belly dance, where rules and opinions press in from every side. She wins a competition not for perfect technique, but for being real. She performs her own song on national television and shows her body without hiding. The backlash is harsh. Yet she keeps going. In the end, she steps away from performing. Art continues. Her work expands into the Alion Institute and animal sovereignty. The thread running through it all is simple. She refuses to shrink.

The strength of this memoir sits in its voice. It is direct.  Scenes feel lived in. When she gets scammed by a fellow dancer, she does not sink into reflection. She decides to collect her own money from then on. When her costume is stolen, she designs something harder to copy. When judges critique her technique, she listens and still stands tall. The book shows growth through action. Each setback turns into a new move. That rhythm gives the story drive.

Within the memoir space, this book stands in the lane of personal truth over polish. It joins stories where women claim space in industries that judge their bodies and tone them down. There is performance culture. There is social media backlash. There is the pressure to fit in. Yet this memoir leans toward sovereignty instead of reinvention.

Readers who enjoy stories about creative work, stage life, and self ownership will connect with this journey. Dancers may see parts of their own path in the auditions and competitions. Artists may nod at the sections about being copied. Anyone who has been told to be quieter or softer may feel a quiet spark here.

I recommend TOO AUTHENTIC 25 Years of Not Fitting In to readers who value honesty over polish. It leaves you with one clear idea. If you are too much for the room, build your own stage.

 

Editorial Review For The Book of Mindset

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GH8HL7BJ/

Editorial Review For The Book of Mindset

This book lays out a clear view of how change works. It says effort alone is not the issue. The real issue is not seeing the system that drives behavior. The author walks through how beliefs form, how habits lock in, and how identity takes shape. He ties mindset to perception, meaning, and repetition. The book uses stories from his life and work to show how pressure, loss, and responsibility shape internal rules. The point stays steady. When the system becomes visible, change stops feeling random.

The strength of this book is its structure. Ideas build in order. Nothing feels tossed in. The focus stays on awareness, alignment, and follow-through. The explanation of conscious and subconscious behavior is direct. The three mindsets, mission, identity, and agency, give readers a way to spot friction fast. The book also avoids hype. It does not promise quick fixes. That restraint feels earned.

This book fits squarely in the personal growth space. It sits closer to habit and systems thinking than motivation talk. It echoes current interest in discipline, focus, and internal control. It also leans into reflection tools, which many readers now expect. The tone feels shaped by coaching and real work, not social posts.

Readers who want clear frameworks will enjoy this book. It works well for people stuck in repeat patterns. Leaders, professionals, and anyone tired of trying harder without results will see themselves here. Readers looking for slogans will not. That is part of the appeal.

This book recommends itself by staying honest. It asks for responsibility and gives a map in return. If you want to stop fighting yourself, this book gives you fewer excuses and better questions.