Stories influence, teach and inspire us, but what about the storytellers who create them? Uncorking a Story profiles storytellers to uncover how their background and life experiences influence the stories they create. We learn what motivates them, their path to success, and what fuels them to keep creating. It all starts by asking one simple question, where does your story begin? Welcome to uncorking a story. All of the books promoted on Uncorking a Story can be viewed and purchased here: https://bookshop.org/shop/UncorkingaStory
“Grief doesn’t end—it lives alongside joy, love, and purpose. You can carry both.” — Stacy Bass In this deeply moving episode of Unquarking Your Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with author and photographer Stacy Bass to explore her memoir Lightkeeper, a poignant reflection on love, loss, and legacy. Stacy shares how personal tragedy led…
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“Innovation isn’t just about process—it’s about emotion. If you’re not feeling resistance, you’re probably not stretching far enough.” — Brianna Sylver In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Michael Carlon sits down with nationally recognized innovation strategist Brianna Sylver, founder of Sylver Consulting and author of Leading Through Freefall. Brianna shares the deeply personal…
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“Write the book you want to read. That’s when everything changed for me.” — Miranda Smith In this episode of Uncorking Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with bestselling author Miranda Smith, whose psychological thrillers and domestic suspense novels have captivated readers since her debut in 2020. From growing up in a video rental store…
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“Energy cannot be destroyed. So where does it go? The energy is the soul, and the soul goes on. Heaven isn’t up through the clouds—it’s right here, a different dimension.” — Anna Raimondi Spiritual medium, intuitive, and author Anna Raimondi joins me for a deeply moving conversation about faith, the afterlife, and finding your soul’s…
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“Whether or not money comes out of this is yet to be seen. The main thing is—does it help people? Is it spreading a good message? That’s ultimately why I’m doing this.” — Heather Snodgrass Actor, author, and debut novelist Heather Snodgrass joins me to talk about her first book, A Love Letter to Reading,…
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“My trauma is no longer telling me what to do every day the way that it once was.” Vanessa Carlisle Dr. Vanessa Carlisle (they/them)—author, coach, educator, and longtime advocate for sex-working communities—joins me to explore healing after trauma, the complex overlap between sexuality and addiction recovery, and what it means to rebuild connection with self…
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“There really is enlightenment and awakening in the intersection between trauma and spirituality—if you go into it and don’t push it away.” — Kristina Amelong In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Kristina Amelong—artist, healer, founder of Optimal Health Network, and author of the memoir What My Brother Knew. Kristina opens…
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Fiction is the only way I know to get to the truth of human experience.” — H. Lee Barnes In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with award-winning author H. Lee Barnes, whose life journey has taken him from the battlefields of Vietnam to the classrooms of Nevada, and ultimately to the…
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“Sometimes you need someone outside of your family and friends to tell you, ‘This part doesn’t make sense,’ or ‘Try it this way.’ That honest feedback is what makes your writing stronger.” – Christine Devane Christine Devane spent 13 years as a second-grade teacher, where she fell in love with story time and noticed something…
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Two attributes of being an author are humility and perseverance. You have to push through a whole lot of no’s and believe you have something there—and have the humility to step back, receive critiques, and let your story grow.” — Camille Di Maio In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with bestselling…
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