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author

Oct 22
Love22

Kim Cantin

By Author, Community, Grief, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for a deeply moving episode with Kim Cantin, speaker and author of Where the Yellow Flowers Bloom, to share her powerful journey through unimaginable loss and the unbreakable strength of love. After surviving the 2018 Montecito mudslide that claimed her husband and son, Kim opens up about grief, healing, and the small miracles that helped her rebuild her life.

You’ll hear how Kim’s daughter Lauren survived six hours buried under twenty feet of mud, how community became her lifeline, and why true healing happens on your own timeline. Her story is one of heartbreak and hope, a reminder that even in the darkest seasons, compassion and connection can bring us back to life.

This episode is sponsored by:


(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

In This Episode:

  • Surviving the unthinkable and finding purpose beyond pain
  • The incredible story of Lauren’s survival
  • Lessons in grief, love, and letting others help
  • Rebuilding with grace and gratitude
  • The healing power of writing and community

Quotations:

“They were giving me the gift on my grief timeline, not on theirs. So everyone grieves differently in different times, right? But they were giving the gift on my timeline.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I’ve mentally and physically felt like I’m not afraid of anything anymore.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I’ve become a different person. I’m definitely wiser. I have more wisdom about what is grief. And that’s a human experience. Anyone whose love is going to have grief in their life.” ~ Kim Cantin

“When they’re done, not when I’m done listening to you talk about your grief.” ~ Kim Cantin

“If I have grandkids in the future, or if Lauren has children, I want to remember the details. And so I just started kind of writing it that way. And then as I started writing it, I was like, I’m seeing my progression going from desperate grief to more peaceful acceptance. And I’m like, I think that might help someone.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I will try to do that for others on their timeline, whatever it is. Some people’s timeline’s short,  some’s long, and some have a hard time ever getting over stuff. Whatever their timeline is, I’ll try to still be compassionate.” ~ Kim Cantin

Bio:

Kim Cantin is a powerful symbol of resilience, having survived the devastating Montecito mudslides of 2018 that claimed 23 lives, including her husband and son, and left her daughter buried alive. Through unimaginable loss, Kim has fought to rebuild her life, driven by a fierce commitment to hope. She courageously shares her experience and new-found wisdom through her first book, Where Yellow Flowers Bloom.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://kimcantin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimcantinauthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimcantin/

Book: Where Yellow Flowers Bloom

Jul 30
Love21

Beth Castrodale

By Author, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for a captivating conversation with author Beth Castrodale to explore the creative life. Beth shares how her roots in journalism shaped her storytelling style, why ghost stories have always fascinated her, and what it really takes to finish a book.

Listen in as we go down the rabbit hole from haunted houses, World War I soldier journals, and audiobooks to cemetery lore and the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to beloved characters. Tune in now; you’re gonna love it!

This episode is sponsored by:

In this Episode:

  • The Path to Writing
  • The Relationship Between Reading and Writing
  • Running, Audiobooks, and Podcasts: Creative Consumption
  • Beth Castrodale’s Books and the Audiobook Experience
  • Crafting Character Voices: Writing and Narrating Multiple Points of View
  • The Writing Process: Plotting, Pantsing, and Outlining
  • Finding Endings and Letting Go
  • Receiving Critique and the Role of Ego
  • The Solitary Nature of Novel Writing
  • Literary Influences and Early Reading Memories
  • The Allure of Standalone Novels and Avoiding Sequels
  • Research in Writing: Bringing Authenticity to Fiction
  • Ghost Stories, the Paranormal, and the Challenge of Creepy
  • The Process of Writing “The Inhabitants”
  • The Winchester Mystery House
  • Publicity, Promotion, and the Writer’s Life

Quotations:

”One of the magical, wonderful things of writing is that you get into a story and, oh, it kind of goes off in a way that you don’t expect.” ~ Beth Castrodale

“And I feel like something with a little bit of plotting and outlining makes sure that you’re getting to those bits and pulling the story along. But I think that it’s a matter of striking the balance between having the plot points but not overplanning, giving yourself enough leeway to discover.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“Have that joy of discovery, but also making sure that you’re not gonna let readers down with something that just zags and drags for the reader.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“No novel is ever really done, but it feels like, okay, I feel like I’ve taken this as far as I can take it, and I need to let it go.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“Just as you’re coming up in the world as a writer, you really have to be able to learn to listen to criticism and integrate it somehow.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“I think there are times, especially when you’re a child, when you feel isolated or alone, and you feel like sometimes books are your companions and the characters in books become your companions.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“I like to keep myself entertained as a writer. So I feel like moving on to a new topic is kind of, it’s like going on a new adventure,”  ~ Beth Castrodale

“I have new ideas all the time that I want to pursue because it’s part of the adventure of writing.”  ~ Beth Castrodale

Bio:

Beth Castrodale worked as a newspaper reporter until her love of books led her to the publishing field. She was a senior editor at Bedford/St. Martin’s and is the founding editor of the book-review website Small Press Picks. Her most recent novel, The Inhabitants, won the Horror categories of the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Best Book Awards. It was a finalist in the Horror category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

An excerpt from her second novel, In This Ground, was a shortlist finalist for a William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Award. Her début novel, Marion Hatley, was a finalist for a Nilsen Prize for a First Novel from Southeast Missouri State University Press. Castrodale also received an artist grant from the Mass Cultural Council. Her stories and essays have appeared in multiple publications, including CrimeReads, Ars Medica, The Writing Disorder, and Writing and Wellness.

If you sign up for Beth’s monthly email newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of her novel Gold River.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://www.bethcastrodale.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-castrodale-a667b81/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethcastrodale/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beth.castrodale

Jul 09
Love34

Mary Crocker Cook

By Author, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for a warm and eye-opening episode with Mary Crocker Cook, a licensed therapist and the author of Bad Taste: Self-Care and Financial Planning When You Have Bad Taste in Men and You Don’t Want To Leave, to talk about what it really means to love someone whose life is in chaos. From addiction and criminal behavior to the tangled roots of attachment, Mary offers practical advice and heartfelt stories that feel both reassuring and unflinchingly honest. Listen now!

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

  • A Therapist’s Journey
  • The Generational Impact of Addiction
  • When Love Isn’t Enough
  • Practical Tools for Staying in Difficult Relationships
  • The Psychology of Attachment and Attraction
  • Patterns and Awareness: Even Experts Aren’t Immune
  • Relationship Red Flags and Lessons Learned
  • Protecting Yourself in Relationships and Divorce
  • Everyday Relationship Maintenance
  • Communication and Being Seen
  • Dating, Disappointments, and Letting Go
  • Attachment Challenges and Quick Connections
  • Humor, Hope, and Continued Growth

Quotations:

“Some of us are gonna keep choosing difficult people.” ~ Mary Crocker Cook

“People live their lives for a variety of reasons. And one of the things I talk about in the book is the way we form attachments with other people. And some of us are set up from early experience to attach to unavailable people. And unavailable people come in a lot of forms.” ~ Mary Crocker Cook

“Be realistic about people instead of hopeful is important if you want to take care of yourself.” ~ Mary Crocker Cook

“Positive intent can get you through a lot of hard things. Because relationships are hard. Particularly when you introduce children, money, time constraints, in-laws, and medical issues, there’s a lot for two people to manage.” ~ Mary Crocker Cook

Bio:

Mary Crocker Cook is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and addictions counselor who has been helping individuals and families heal since 1988. She serves as Program Coordinator and full-time faculty for the Alcohol and Drug Studies program at San Jose City College, which she launched in 1990.

An accomplished author, Mary has written several books grounded in both her professional expertise and her personal experience with over 25 years in Al-Anon. Her work resonates with counselors and anyone affected by a loved one’s addiction.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://www.marycrockercookbooks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoverykittyart/

Jul 02
Love22

Devon O’Day

By Author, Music, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, Gary sits down with the remarkable Devin O’Day, a beloved voice in country music radio whose career has touched countless lives. Together, they reminisce about their early days in small-town stations, swapping stories filled with humor, resilience, and a genuine love for community connection.

Devon opens up about her journey from aspiring careers to becoming a full-time broadcaster, author, audiobook narrator, and hit songwriter. Tune in and discover what it means to honor your passions, no matter where the road takes you.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Bring your dream cabinet to life!)


(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

In this Episode:

  • Why local radio is a lifeline for so many communities
  • Hear behind-the-scenes stories of radio life and insights into the art of audiobook narration
  • Devon’s songwriting successes with George Strait, Trace Adkins, and Lee Ann Womack
  • The joys (and mishaps) of early broadcasting in Louisiana and Alabama
  • Embracing new media without losing your roots

Quotations:

“I always found that some of the people that I met in country music, where they came from and what they had to overcome, was more inspiring than any song they ever recorded. ” ~ Devon O’Day

“I think the only hope we have in radio right now is the small, independently owned stations.” ~ Devon O’Day

“The whole joy of radio is communication. That’s what we do.” ~ Devon O’Day

“When I was little, people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said, I just don’t want to be bored. And I love a lot of things.” ~ Devon O’Day

“I love books, and I love reading, and then I just started realizing that people didn’t read, and they didn’t read because they can’t focus when they open up a book. But I said, if I can take people and I could read to them and get them into a book, oh, wouldn’t that be fun?” ~ Devon O’Day

“My goal before I left this planet was I wanted to write a book that would be in libraries.” ~ Devon O’Day

“God never forgets a dream that he puts in your heart. God doesn’t forget.” ~ Devon O’Day

“If you go back and look at your little kid list, your little kid is always smarter than your big kid. You’re a kid.” ~ Devon O’Day

“I feel like God has always put somebody in my path. And I don’t think there’s ever any accident. If you notice who’s in your path. There aren’t accidents. Even the people who were not wonderful, fun experiences usually taught you something.” ~ Devon O’Day

“You never know what’s going to happen. I said, some days are diamonds, some days are stone. But for the most part, you just wait for the magic to happen and pay attention.” ~ Devon O’Day

Bio:

Devon O’Day is a storyteller at heart, a seasoned radio personality, speaker, author, voice actor, and champion for creatives. With a career of over 30 years in broadcast, Devon has hosted nationally syndicated shows, voiced thousands of commercials, and written books that inspire and uplift. Beyond the mic, she’s a proud advocate for kindness, purpose-driven living, and the power of faith. Whether sharing her journey or elevating others, Devon brings warmth, grit, and heart to every conversation.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://devonoday.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devonoday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devonodaysnashville/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@devonoday