My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jim Gulledge, author of the book Green Forest, Red Eath, Blue Sea. Jim Gulledge is the author of A Poor Man’s Supper. The novella was selected for inclusion in the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill and the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection at Appalachian State University. Over the course of his academic training, Dr. Gulledge earned an A.B. degree in Christian education from Pfeiffer University, an M.A. in English from Clemson University and a DMin in theological studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His career highlights included participation in the Adult Development Institute at Harvard University, the Fulbright German Administrators Exchange Program and the C.S Lewis Summer Residence program in Oxford, England. A life-long resident of the Carolinas, Jim and his wife, Linda, enjoy visiting with their four children and son-in-law and daily life with their miniature schnauzer, Luka.

In my book review, I stated Green Forest, Red Earth, Blue Sea is a beautiful Southern fiction set of short stories. I fell instantly in love with these stories that take place in the state I call home - North Carolina. Each of the three stories takes place in a different part of the state and follow three connected families. The stories, though they take place during different times and in different places, stay connected through a family heirloom.

Unlike most books I enjoy this one has many varied characters, so there isn't one character to fall in love with. Instead, readers fall in love with place. And Jim did an excellent job helping readers come to love North Carolina, from the green hills of the mountains to the red clay of the piedmont to the sandy shores of the ocean. I also enjoyed discovering how each family connected with one another and how they managed to cover the state in a few generations.

We start in the mountains as trains bring change - meeting two young lovers whose time together is fleeting. Next, we find ourselves saving peaches from a deadly spring freeze. Can this couple eek out a living in the clay? The last story asks us to cheer for an orphan boy and the chance to find buried treasure against the backdrop of a tropical storm. And finally, catch a quick glimpse of a story yet to be told when a boy from the beach glimpses a girl from the mountains - and we feel that it will all start again.

Jim tells a delightful series of stories, and you won't want to miss this book. It would make a great gift for any NC native!

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My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Danny Limny-Schmitt, author of the book 10 Little Rules for Understanding America. Danny works at NREL leading prize competitions for entrepreneurs and students in the American-Made Challenges program, while also serving as the Principal Investigator of the U.S. Utility Rate Database.

In his previous roles at NREL and work in graduate school, he led and supported urban science and sustainable transportation research. He seeks to integrate his skills in the geospatial sciences, research in urban environments, and entrepreneurial networks to build a career focused on sustainability in the energy and/or transportation sectors.

He has an enduring interest in better understanding the spatial dimensions of the current economic and sociopolitical challenges, and has traveled to all 3,144 counties in the United States in an attempt to better understand the country he calls home.

In my book review, I stated 10 Little Rules for Understanding America is an inspirational memoir you won't want to miss. Danny has visited every county in the United States (3,000+) including those found in Alaska and Hawaii! Why? He wanted to explore what made America tick. In the process, he learned a lot about how where a person lives affects what they believe about politics, social norms, religion, and more.

Do you have to see every county to get something from his rules? Absolutely not! His rules are perfect for anyone who wants to understand this great country we live in as well as the people who populate it. For instance, the rule Say Hello to Strangers can help any traveler understand just a bit more about those around them, and the rule to Take the Road Less Traveled can help you be more than a tourist.

I also loved how Danny recognized his own biases and continues to work hard to eliminate them. In today's world, his idea that there are good people on both sides of an argument is refreshing - and much needed. The best part is that he gives guided questions at the end of each chapter to help you develop your own rules for understanding America.

Don't miss this book!

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You can follow Author Danny Limny-Schmitt

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IG: @dannyz3142

Purchase 10 Little Rules for Understanding America on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/47a0BHc

Ebook: https://amzn.to/42y0Ytv

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#dannyzimnyschmitt #10littlerules #understandingamerica #memoir #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jenn Todling, author of the book Dancing on My Own Two Feet. Jenn is an author, speaker, executive coach, and adjunct instructor at the University of Denver. With over twenty years in global professional services and more than a decade as an ICF-certified executive coach, she helps leaders integrate head and heart—bringing purpose, presence, and humanity back to the workplace. Jenn lives near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, with her husband (and dance partner) and young daughter. Her memoir Dancing on My Own Two Feet was recognized as a 2025 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in the Motivational category.

In my book review, I stated Dancing on My Own Two Feet is a memoir by Jenn Todling. Although we meet Jenn as a child, the bulk of the story begins when she decides to get married as a freshman in college and concludes when she finally discovers how to stay true to herself. I love a memoir that shows a woman who gains confidence in herself and learns how to ask for what she needs - and Dancing on My Own Two Feet delivers.

Jenn explores relationships - what makes them good, what makes them not-so-good, and what is needed to stay in one to work through the tough times. She also looks at the caregiver role women often find themselves in, self-care, emotional abuse, and even the idea of a soulmate and whether such a thing really exists.

Throughout it all, Jenn talks about dancing and traveling - two of her passions she almost let go in order to appease. I enjoyed seeing both through her eyes and how her experiences changed as she became more confident in herself. Add this to your TBR!

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Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290

You can follow Author Jenn Todling

Website: jenntodling.com

IG: @jenntodling

FB: @Jenn Todling

LinkedIn: @jenntodling

Purchase Dancing on My Own Two Feet on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3WtGnD8

Ebook: https://amzn.to/48T9ZkM

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#jentodling #dancingonmyowntwofeet #memoir #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.