TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ ☕
Thursday, October 15th, 2026 | 3 PM EST

Guest: Seth Voorhees
Black Hills Author • Dark Fiction Writer • Social Worker • Educator

BUILDING ONE’S SELF-EFFICIENCY: The Author, the Characters & the Morality of Dark Fiction

He explores the shadows of human nature while reminding us that even the darkest journeys can reveal strength, purpose, and the power to shape our own stories.

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a thoughtful, intriguing, and deeply reflective conversation with Seth Voorhees, a Black Hills author and dark fiction writer living in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Drawing on his experience as a social worker, counsellor, and educator in adolescent development and mental health, Seth brings a unique perspective to the characters he creates and the stories he tells. His writing explores morality, human behaviour, personal challenges, and the choices that shape who we become.

With a Bachelor of Science degree emphasizing sociology and psychology from Black Hills State University, Seth brings together professional experience, psychological insight, and creative imagination to examine the complexities of being human.

But dark fiction is about more than fear, conflict, or the shadows of life. It can challenge assumptions, invite us to examine difficult questions, and help us better understand the motivations behind human behaviour.

Together, Miss Liz and Seth will explore the relationship between lived experience and storytelling, the morality of complex characters, and the lessons we can discover when we look beyond the surface.

☕ TODAY’S T-E-A: BUILDING ONE’S SELF-EFFICIENCY

What does it mean to become more self-efficient in our own lives?

It begins with recognizing our choices, understanding our strengths, learning from our experiences, and developing the confidence to participate actively in shaping our future.

Self-efficiency isn't about having every answer or never needing help. It's about growing in awareness, building skills, and discovering what we are capable of doing—even when the road ahead is difficult.

Seth’s three words are Whimsy. Structured. Spiritual. Together, they offer another glimpse into the person behind the stories.

💭 TODAY’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The challenges we face may influence our story, but they do not have to determine our ending.

Sometimes the stories that unsettle us are the ones that teach us the most. Sometimes the shadows reveal what we need to see. And sometimes, finding our way through the darkness begins with a little gumption.

Join us as we look beyond the label of “dark fiction” and discover the human questions, personal insights, and possibilities for growth hidden within the stories we tell.

Because every person has a story, every choice can teach us something, and every new chapter offers an opportunity to grow.

Welcome to Teatime with Miss Liz, where every guest brings a different story, a different perspective, and a different kind of wisdom to the table.

Grab your cup, and let’s dig deep!

Until next time, keep making a difference one cup at a time.

YOU are all the TEA. Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

Miss Liz
Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

☕ CONNECT WITH SETH VOORHEES

Facebook: @Seth T Voorhees
Instagram: @authorsvoorhees
TikTok: @stvoorhees

#SethVoorhees #DarkFictionAuthor #BlackHillsAuthor #BuildSelfEfficiency #DarkFiction #MentalHealthAwareness #HumanBehaviour #Morality #Resilience #TeatimeWithMissLiz

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ They Say I Can’t, I Say Watch Me: Awakening the Hero Within

Guest: Debbie Bishop
Award-Winning Author • Creative Director • Entertainment Executive • CEO, Angelgate Entertainment

“Stop waiting to be rescued. Your story changes when you discover the power to become your own hero.”

☕ Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for an inspiring conversation with Debbie Bishop, an award-winning author, creative director, entertainment executive, and CEO of Angelgate Entertainment, whose career is a testament to imagination, resilience, and the courage to challenge expectations.

With nearly three decades in the entertainment industry, Debbie has built five companies and worked with major Hollywood studios, including Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal. Beginning her career as a model and actress before moving behind the camera, she has continually reinvented herself, embracing new opportunities and proving that creativity can open doors others say are closed.

Her work includes digital campaigns generating more than two billion views for the music industry. Today, Debbie continues to explore creative innovation, artificial intelligence, emerging media, and the power of collaboration.

But Debbie's storytelling reaches beyond Hollywood.

Her fantasy release, PILLYWIGGIN Awakening: The Complete Story Arc (Books 1–2), takes readers into a world of hidden fae, imprisoned boys, extraordinary challenges, and the courage it takes to transform adversity into possibility.

Through her stories and career, Debbie explores a powerful question: What happens when we stop waiting for someone else to save us and begin discovering the hero within ourselves?

Her philosophy is simple yet meaningful: Storytellers lifting storytellers.

Together, Miss Liz and Debbie will explore resilience, creative entrepreneurship, overcoming doubt, embracing change, and building a future where imagination and innovation can thrive. They'll also discuss why supporting one another matters and how we can create opportunities not only for ourselves but for those coming behind us.

Because sometimes the most powerful words we can say are:

“They say I can’t. I say watch me.”

☕ FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We all face chapters when others doubt us, opportunities disappear, or the future looks nothing like we imagined.

Sometimes we wait for permission, recognition, or someone to believe in us.

But what if the turning point comes when we begin believing in ourselves?

Becoming your own hero doesn't mean walking alone. It means recognizing your own power while helping others discover theirs.

Don't let someone else's disbelief become the ending of your story. You may not control every obstacle, but you can choose how you respond, what you learn, and what you build next.

Your story is still being written. What will your next chapter look like?

Join Miss Liz and Debbie Bishop for a conversation about imagination, determination, reinvention, and the courage to write your own ending.

Teatime with Miss Liz
Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

YOU are all the TEA. Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

#TheySayICantISayWatchMe #PillywigginAwakening #StorytellersLiftingStorytellers #TogetherEveryoneAdvances #TeatimeWithMissLiz

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ Beyond the Hormones: Women’s Health, Wisdom & the Power of Being Heard

Guest: Dr. Ricki Pollycove, MD, MS
OB-GYN • Women’s Health Expert • Author • Medical Educator

A woman’s body changes throughout her lifetime. Her right to be heard, understood, and cared for should never change.

☕ Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for an educational and empowering conversation with Dr. Ricki Pollycove, a nationally recognized OB-GYN with more than 40 years of clinical experience caring for women through every stage of life.

From fertility and motherhood to hormonal changes, menopause, sexual health, breast health, and healthy aging, Dr. Pollycove has dedicated her career to helping women better understand their bodies and make informed decisions about their healthcare.

As the author of The Pocket Guide to Bioidentical Hormones, Dr. Pollycove has contributed scientific research on testosterone, female sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, and menopause. Through her work as a researcher, physician, and medical educator, she continues to share knowledge that helps women and healthcare professionals navigate the complexities of women’s health.

But beyond her medical expertise is a woman who understands the challenges of balancing career, family, and personal well-being. As a mother and grandmother who raised her daughter as a single mom while building her medical career, she brings both professional knowledge and personal perspective to the conversation.

Together, we’ll explore why women’s health is about so much more than hormones. It’s about asking questions, challenging outdated assumptions, understanding our changing bodies, and ensuring that women have an active voice in their own healthcare.

Dr. Pollycove brings three meaningful words to our T-E-E table:

LEARNING • LISTENING • HEALING

Learning helps us understand our bodies. Listening helps us recognize what matters. Healing requires knowledge, compassion, appropriate care, and the willingness to keep searching for answers when something doesn’t feel right.

Because no woman should feel dismissed when she speaks about her health. Her concerns deserve attention, her questions deserve thoughtful answers, and her voice deserves respect.

☕ FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A woman should never have to prove how much she is suffering before someone takes her seriously.

Your age does not erase your worth. Your changing body does not diminish your identity. And asking questions does not make you difficult. It makes you an active participant in your own health.

Join Miss Liz and Dr. Ricki Pollycove for a conversation about women’s health, informed choices, compassionate care, and the importance of being heard at every stage of life.

Because every woman deserves to feel informed, respected, and supported.

Teatime with Miss Liz
Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

YOU are all the TEA. Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

#WomensHealthMatters #MenopauseAwareness #WomenDeserveToBeHeard #LearningListeningHealing #TeatimeWithMissLiz

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ | Failing Upwards: How Authentic Stories Build Brands and People

What if the moments you once considered failures were actually preparing you for your next chapter?

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a creative, honest, and thought-provoking conversation with Hilary Young, Brand Marketing Strategist, Storyteller, and Founder of Hilary Young Creative.

With 20 years of professional storytelling experience, Hilary began her career in television production, working with The Colbert Report, HBO, MTV, VH1, and CollegeHumor.com, including sponsored-content partnerships. Over time, she transitioned into content, branding, and marketing, bringing her storytelling expertise into a new creative chapter.

Today, Hilary helps entrepreneurs and marketing teams discover their authentic brand voices, communicate their stories, connect with the right audiences, and turn those connections into measurable results.

But this conversation goes far beyond marketing strategies, logos, and algorithms.

Together, Miss Liz and Hilary explore what happens when we embrace the stories that shape us, learn from unexpected detours, and recognize that our most meaningful growth often begins when life doesn't go according to plan.

In this episode, we explore:

• The power of authentic storytelling in building brands and relationships.

• Finding your voice and communicating what makes you unique.

• Learning from failure and discovering opportunities in unexpected places.

• Knowing when it's time to evolve, change direction, and begin again.

• Building genuine connections instead of simply chasing attention.

• Why authenticity matters in business and in life.

Born and raised in New York and now living in Philadelphia, Hilary describes herself as warm and open, loves varying shades of pink, and brings three powerful words to our Teatime table:

STORYTELLING • AUTHENTICITY • CONNECTION

Her personal philosophy says it beautifully:

Failing upwards. No regrets. Evolving, always.

These aren't just words for building a brand. They're reminders of how we can approach our own lives, careers, relationships, and next chapters.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

You don't need a perfect story to create connection. You need the courage to own the story that is actually yours—and enough openness to let the next chapter surprise you.

Failure doesn't always mean you're moving backwards. Changing direction doesn't mean you got it wrong. Sometimes, evolving means becoming more of who you were meant to be.

Join Miss Liz and Hilary Young for a conversation about embracing imperfection, discovering your authentic voice, and turning life's unexpected chapters into meaningful stories.

Until next time, keep making a difference one cup at a time.

YOU are all the TEA. Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

Miss Liz
Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

#TeatimeWithMissLiz #FailingUpwards #AuthenticStorytelling #BrandWithPurpose #StorytellingThatConnects

https://www.hilaryyoungcreative.com/

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ
Guest: Holly B. Gutwillinger
Canadian Author • Podcaster • Storyteller

🐾 NORTH OF BROKEN: When Rescue Becomes a Two-Way Journey

The Dogs We Save, the Love They Give & Finding Home After Life Breaks Us

What if the animals we rescue end up rescuing us, too?

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a heart-centred conversation with Canadian author and podcaster Holly B. Gutwillinger, whose debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, launched on February 14, 2026.

Coming from a small northern Ontario town, Holly brings her love of storytelling, family, and animals to a deeply meaningful exploration of the bonds we form with our rescue dogs. Her work invites us to look beyond the act of rescue and consider the healing, trust, companionship, and belonging that can grow when two lives find their way to one another.

A proud mother of two adult sons, Holly holds a certificate in creative writing from the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies and is completing her MFA in fiction at the University of King’s College. She also serves on the board of her local writers’ guild and volunteers with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

Holly describes herself with one powerful word: UNSTOPPABLE.

Her favourite colour is blue, and three words that reflect her life are Resilient • Heart-Centred • Empath.

During this Teatime, we explore:

🐾 The emotional connection between humans and rescue animals
❤️ How love, trust, and companionship can help us heal
🏡 What it truly means to find a place where we belong
📚 Holly’s journey as an author and the inspiration behind her debut novel
🌱 Resilience, second chances, and the courage to keep moving forward
✨ Why sometimes the ones we set out to save become part of our own healing

This conversation goes beyond the pages of a book. It is about family, relationships, vulnerability, and the unexpected ways love can change our lives.

Because when we welcome a rescue dog into our home, we may believe we are giving them a second chance. But somewhere along the journey, we might discover that they have given us one, too.

☕ Food for Thought from Miss Liz

“Sometimes we believe we’re rescuing another living being, only to discover that somewhere between trust and unconditional love, they quietly rescued a piece of us too.” — Miss Liz

Join Miss Liz and Holly B. Gutwillinger for a Teatime filled with storytelling, compassion, resilience, and a reminder that home is not always a place. Sometimes, it is a connection that helps us feel whole again.

Pour yourself a cup, bring your love for animals, and join the conversation.

#TeatimeWithMissLiz #HollyBGutwillinger #NorthOfBroken #FureverHome #RescueDogs #AnimalRescue #CanadianAuthors #Resilience #HealingThroughLove #SecondChances #Storytelling

Beyond Survival: From Awareness to Empowerment

Misti Spencer
Author • Speaker • Survivor Advocate • Director of Development & Partnerships, Empowerment Access Foundation

“A survivor’s story is more than what happened to them—it is also what they choose to build afterward.”

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a powerful, honest, and necessary conversation with Misti Spencer—author, speaker, survivor advocate, and Director of Development & Partnerships for Empowerment Access Foundation.

Misti brings both lived experience and professional insight to the conversation surrounding human trafficking, exploitation, domestic violence, addiction, trauma, prevention, and the systems that can leave survivors without meaningful pathways forward.

Her memoir, Drinking Beauty and the Seven Narcissists: A Musical Journey, explores a deeply personal journey through childhood exploitation, human trafficking, domestic violence, addiction, difficult relationships, trauma, healing, and survival.

But Misti's story does not end with what she survived.

It is also a story of education, resilience, advocacy, empowerment, and purpose.

A psychology graduate of the University of Central Florida, Misti serves on the Advisory Board for UCF’s Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and has contributed to educational curriculum addressing human trafficking.

Today, through her advocacy and partnership work, she is focused on helping turn awareness into meaningful action—connecting survivors with opportunity while bringing businesses, nonprofits, educators, and communities together to create change.

Misti reminds us that survivors should never be defined solely by what happened to them.

They are voices.
They are leaders.
They are advocates.
They are creators of new chapters.

And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is not simply tell a survivor’s story, but listen to their voice, believe their experience, and create opportunities for them to help shape the future.

AWARENESS • EMPOWERMENT • PREVENTION

Misti comes to us from Orlando, Florida, USA.

Her favourite colour is purple.

The one word she uses to describe herself is Unique.

On this Teatime table, we’ll explore what happens when awareness moves beyond conversation and becomes action.

We’ll talk about survivor advocacy, prevention, education, partnership, healing, dignity, opportunity, and the importance of creating systems where survivors are not simply supported—but empowered to lead.

Welcome to Teatime with Miss Liz, where we bring real stories, real experiences, and conversations that aren't always easy—but need to happen.

Grab your cup.

Open your heart.

And let's dig deep.

#TeatimeWithMissLiz #MistiSpencer #SurvivorVoices #HumanTraffickingAwareness #SurvivorAdvocacy #AwarenessEmpowermentPrevention #TurnAwarenessIntoAction #DomesticViolenceAwareness #Empowerment #Prevention #SurvivorSupport

Misti's Three Words:

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ

SPECIAL TIME — October 6th | 6 PM EST

Guest: Martin Bodek
Author • Writer • Speaker • Author of Zaidy’s War

One grandfather survived the unimaginable. One grandson made sure his story would not disappear.

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a deeply meaningful special-time Teatime with author, writer, and speaker Martin Bodek, as we explore the extraordinary story behind Zaidy’s War.

Martin spent decades writing about Jewish life and culture. Still, Zaidy’s War brought him into deeply personal territory: preserving his grandfather’s remarkable World War II survival story so that future generations could know, remember, and learn from it.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and now living in Teaneck, New Jersey, Martin is a prolific writer and the author of fourteen books. His work spans Jewish history and culture, family legacy, humour, Passover traditions, parody, memoir, and more.

But tonight, we are digging into something much deeper.

Memory.
Survival.
Family.
Legacy.
Responsibility.

What happens when the people who witnessed history firsthand are no longer here to tell their stories?

Who carries those stories forward?

And what does “Never Again” truly ask of the generations who inherit them?

Martin describes his T-E-E as:

SPREADING NEVER AGAIN.

And the story of his grandfather in three words:

MIND-BLOWING SURVIVAL.

This conversation is not simply about the past. It is about the responsibility of remembering—and the power of one family story to reach generations far beyond the original witness.

Martin brings his grandfather's experience to the Teatime table so that a story that could have disappeared instead continues to be heard.

Martin Bodek is an author, speaker, technologist, and longtime writer on Jewish topics. His acclaimed Zaidy’s War preserves his grandfather’s extraordinary World War II survival story.

Born in Brooklyn and now living in New Jersey with his wife and family, Martin writes across a fascinating range of subjects. He is also a marathoner, Daf Yomi participant, Wordle-r, vexillologist, halvah aficionado—and the author of fourteen books.

His favourite colour is green, and when asked to describe himself in one hyphenated word, Martin chose:

Goal-oriented.

But perhaps the most important words he brings to our table tonight are:

Spreading Never Again.

History isn't only found in textbooks.

Sometimes history sits around a family table.

It lives in photographs.

In names.

In memories.

In stories repeated by grandparents.

And sometimes in stories that were almost too painful to tell.

A survivor can tell us what happened.

A child can carry it.

A grandchild can preserve it.

And another generation can decide whether it will remember.

Tonight's food for thought:

When the witnesses are gone, we become the witnesses to their testimony. What we choose to remember—and what we choose to pass forward—becomes part of their legacy.

Join Miss Liz and Martin Bodek for a conversation about survival, family, memory, history, and the responsibility of making sure the lessons of the past are never forgotten.

Because “Never Again” isn't just something we say.

It is something we must remember.

Until next time, keep making a difference one cup at a time.

YOU are all the TEA. Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

Miss Liz
Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

#ZaidysWar #NeverAgain #HolocaustRemembrance #StoriesThatMustBeTold #TeatimeWithMissLiz #MartinBodek #FamilyLegacy #Survival #JewishHistory #Remembering #WorldWarII #Storytelling #Memory #Legacy

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ

October 1st | 7 PM EST

BEYOND THE REFLECTION: TRANSFORMING HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF

Guest: Gregory James Thelian

Award-Winning Boudoir Photographer • Speaker on Self-Perception • Gregory James Photography

What if the person you need to learn to see differently is yourself?

Grab your cup and join Miss Liz for a powerful and deeply personal conversation with award-winning boudoir photographer and self-perception speaker Gregory James Thelian.

For more than a decade, Gregory has helped people look beyond their reflection and confront something deeper—the way they see themselves.

Through his **3-Day Transcendent Boudoir Experience**, Gregory works with women navigating challenges surrounding self-confidence, body image, past abuse, vulnerability, and feelings of unworthiness. His work is about creating an environment where people can begin to feel seen, celebrated, empowered, and whole.

But tonight's Teatime goes far beyond photography.

Gregory believes that lasting change cannot come from motivational words alone. It begins when we are willing to transform our **self-perception.

His T-E-E brings three powerful words to the table:

TRANSFORM • EMPOWER • AFFIRM

✨ Transform how you see yourself.

✨ Empower what makes you unique.

✨ Affirm that you are already worthy of being seen.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Gregory discovered that his camera could become much more than a tool for creating beautiful photographs. It could become a doorway into conversations about confidence, body image, vulnerability, resilience, healing, worth, and the stories we carry with us.

Gregory describes himself with one word:

Loving

His favourite colour:

Blue.

And the question at the heart of tonight's conversation is one we may all need to ask ourselves:

When you look at yourself, are you seeing who you truly are—or everything life has taught you to believe about yourself?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Mirrors show reflections.

Cameras capture images.

But neither determines our worth.

Sometimes we spend years looking at ourselves through the eyes of someone who hurt us, rejected us, criticized us, compared us, or made us believe we weren't enough.

Eventually, those voices can begin to sound like our own.

So what if healing isn't about becoming worthy?

What if it is about finally seeing the worth that was there all along?

Transform the way you see yourself.

Empower what makes you different.

Affirm the person looking back at you.

Be seen.

Be celebrated.

And remember that you are already whole.

Thank you, Gregory James Thelian, for bringing vulnerability, compassion, humour, and a very different lens to the Teatime table.

Until next time, keep making a difference—one cup at a time.

YOU are all the TEA.

Add me, and together we become a TEAM OF CHANGE.

☕ Miss Liz

Do Different. MAKE a Difference.

Connect & Follow the Conversation

#GregoryJamesPhotography #GregoryJamesThelian #SelfPerception #TransformEmpowerAffirm #KnowYourWorth #BodyConfidence #SelfConfidence #BodyImage #BoudoirPhotography #Empowerment #Healing #Resilience #Vulnerability #BeSeen #BeCelebrated #TeatimeWithMissLiz #MissLiz #TeamOfChange #DoDifferentMakeADifference