Author and filmmaker, Ho Lin, joined Janeane Bernstein 12/11 9:00am pst to talk about his recently published, exquisite book of short stories, “China Girl,” just released Oct. 1 from Regent Press.

Listen to today's show!


About China Girl

A modern woman adrift in modern China. Would-be lovers connected and separated by random chance. A drunken dissident and his less-then-happy minder. A researcher of war atrocities who must come to grips with her own family tragedies. A princess of a kingdom that no longer exists. Actors placed at the service of comedies and tragedies, depending on a filmmaker's whim... These are the characters that populate Ho Lin's short story collection China Girl.

In its nine tales, China Girl documents the collisions between East and West, the power of myth and the burden of history, and loves lost and almost found. The stories in this collection encompass everything from contemporary vignettes about urban life to fable-like musings on memories and the art of storytelling. Wide-ranging and playful, China Girl is a journey into today's Asia as well as an Asia of the imagination.

About Ho Lin

Ho Lin is an author, musician and filmmaker, and the co-editor of the literary journal Caveat Lector. He currently resides in San Francisco. 

Ho Lin: www.holinauthor.com

Caveat Lector: www.caveat-lector.org

Laura B. Whitmore joined Janeane 12/11 to talk about her up-coming 2018 She Rocks Awards and more!

Listen to today's show featuring Laura B. Whitmore!



About Laura / the She Rocks Awards / The WiMN

Official URL: sherocksawards.com

Laura B. Whitmore bio: http://www.thewimn.com/the-wimn-team/

The She Rocks Awards pays tribute to women who display leadership and stand out across all corners of the music industry, from musicians to manufacturing and everyone in between.

The annual She Rocks Awards brings together industry professionals, music icons, artists, fans and media to celebrate women in music.

The upcoming sixth annual awards event has found a new home at the House of Blues Anaheim. The event will be held on Friday, January 26, 2018.

The evening includes live music, awards and speeches, celebrity appearances, a fabulous silent auction, food and beverages, giveaways, amazing gift bags and more!

This Year’s Honorees:

· Karla Redding-Andrews, executive director for The Otis Redding Foundation

· Exene Cervenka, vocalist for the iconic punk band, X

· Amberly Crouse-Knox, Senior director of creative and business development, BMG Production Music

· Jean Millington Adamian, June Millington, Brie Darling, Alice de Buhr and Patti Quatro of the pioneering all-female American rock band, Fanny

· Candace Stewart, studio manager, EastWest Studios in Hollywood

· Dawn Birr, channel manager for the Americas, Sennheiser Business Solutions

· Fabi Reyna, founder and editor of She Shreds Media

· Vanessa Mering, marketing manager, HARMAN Professional

· Kristy Porter, Guitar Center's Director of Merchandising, General Accessories & Media

Previous award recipients in recent years include female industry leaders such as Colbie Caillat, Ronnie Spector, Sheila E, The Bangles, Shirley Manson, Esperanza Spalding, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Batten, Karmin, Orianthi, Dinah Gretsch, Craigie Zildjian, and more.

About The Women’s International Music Network (The WiMN)
Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women who work within all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. The Women’s International Music Network produces events such as the WiMN She Rocks Showcases and the She Rocks Awards, and is founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore. For more information, visit www.thewimn.com.

12/4 9:45am pst! Casting Director/Writer/Director Valerie McCaffrey joined Janeane Bernstein live on KUCI 88.9fm to talk about her powerful film, "Dirty Bomb"

LISTEN to today's show
featuring Valerie McCaffrey!

ABOUT VALERIE MCCAFFREY 

Valerie has cast over 80 films but now uses her knowledge to a directing/writing capacity. She wrote and completed the short film called “Dirty Bomb” which completed post in November 2017, inspired by her uncle who served in the “Battle of the Bulge.” In addition, she directed a film called WISH YOU WERE DEAD distributed by Icon Entertainment International which starred Cary Elwes, Elaine Hendrix, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen and Sally Kirkland. 

From April 1994-2000, Valerie held the position of Vice President of Feature Film Casting for New Line/Fine Line Films. During her tenure at New Line/ Fine Line, Ms. McCaffrey cast scores of films, developing strong relationships with all major talent agencies and management firms. Among the many highlights of her career, she cast Edward Norton and Eddie Furlong in New Line Cinema’s AMERICAN HISTORY X which Edward Norton was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Previously, she was a casting executive at Universal Studios, amongst scores of films including BABE, which also garnered James Cromwell an Oscar nomination for his performance. Having an eye for talent in the indie world, she cast Ellen Page in her first American film, HARD CANDY. Valerie also directed and produced an award winning documentary called “Cancer, it’s the System” in which she self financed. She wrote a screenplay called EVERYTHING IS GOING TO POT which she is planning to direct. In 2012, she produced a film LOST AND FOUND IN ARMENIA with Jamie Kennedy and Angela Sarafyan. 

She also produced and cast an awardwinning film entitled NEO NED, starring Jeremy Renner and Gabrielle Union. She also has several films in development including MEN OF GRANITE, a true story of the first generation Americans from Eastern Europe who were stopped from playing basketball because of their economic status and the color of their skin but they later went on to win the state championship in basketball.

12/4 9:00am pst - Janeane spoke with Editor, Annie Chagnot of Spiegel & Grau, about How Lovely the Ruins: Inspirational Poems and Words for Difficult Times - Annie Chagnot (Editor),‎ Emi Ikkanda (Editor),‎ Elizabeth Alexander (Foreword)

LISTEN to today's show featuring
Spiegel & Grau's Annie Chagnot!

This wide-ranging collection of inspirational poetry and prose offers readers solace, perspective, and the courage to persevere.

In times of personal hardship or collective anxiety, words have the power to provide comfort, meaning, and hope. The past year has seen a resurgence of poetry and inspiring quotes—posted on social media, appearing on bestseller lists, shared from friend to friend. Honoring this communal spirit, How Lovely the Ruins is a timeless collection of both classic and contemporary poetry and short prose that can be of help in difficult times—selections that offer wisdom and purpose, and that allow us to step out of our current moment to gain a new perspective on the world around us as well as the world within.

The poets and writers featured in this book represent the diversity of our country as well as voices beyond our borders, including Maya Angelou, W. H. Auden, Danez Smith, Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alice Walker, Adam Zagajewski, Langston Hughes, Wendell Berry, Anna Akhmatova, Yehuda Amichai, and Robert Frost. And the book opens with a stunning foreword by Elizabeth Alexander, whose poem “Praise Song for the Day,” delivered at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, ushered in an era of optimism. In works celebrating our capacity for compassion, our patriotism, our right to protest, and our ability to persevere, How Lovely the Ruins is a beacon that illuminates our shared humanity, allowing us connection in a fractured world.

Includes poetry, prose, and quotations from:
Elizabeth Alexander • Marcus Aurelius • Karen Armstrong • Matthew Arnold • Ellen Bass • Brian Bilston • Gwendolyn Brooks • Elizabeth Barrett Browning • Octavia E. Butler • Regie Cabico • Dinos Christianopoulos • Lucille Clifton • Ta-Nehisi Coates • Leonard Cohen • Wendy Cope • E. E. Cummings • Charles Dickens • Mark Doty • Thomas Edison • Albert Einstein • Ralph Ellison • Kenneth Fearing • Annie Finch • Rebecca Foust • Nikki Giovanni • Stephanie Gray • John Green • Hazel Hall • Thich Nhat Hanh • Joy Harjo • Václav Havel • Terrance Hayes • William Ernest Henley • Juan Felipe Herrera • Jane Hirshfield • John Holmes • A. E. Housman • Bohumil Hrabal • Robinson Jeffers • Georgia Douglas Johnson • James Weldon Johnson • Paul Kalanithi • Robert F. Kennedy • Omar Khayyam • Emma Lazarus • Li-Young Lee • Denise Levertov • Ada Limón • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow • Nelson Mandela • Masahide • Khaled Mattawa • Jamaal May • Claude McKay • Edna St. Vincent Millay • Pablo Neruda • Anaïs Nin • Olga Orozco • Ovid • Pier Paolo Pasolini • Edgar Allan Poe • Claudia Rankine • Adrienne Rich • Rainer Maria Rilke • Alberto Ríos • Edwin Arlington Robinson • Eleanor Roosevelt • Christina Rossetti • Muriel Rukeyser • Sadhguru • Carl Sandburg • Vikram Seth • Charles Simic • Safiya Sinclair • Effie Waller Smith • Maggie Smith • Tracy K. Smith • Leonora Speyer • Gloria Steinem • Clark Strand • Wisława Szymborska • Rabindranath Tagore • Sara Teasdale • Alfred, Lord Tennyson • Vincent van Gogh • Ocean Vuong • Florence Brooks Whitehouse • Walt Whitman • Ella Wheeler Wilcox • William Carlos Williams • Virginia Woolf • W. B. Yeats • Saadi Youssef • Javier Zamora • Howard Zinn

Mike Gellman, Founder of High Five Career Coaching, joined Janeane 12/4 at 9:30am pst

LISTEN to today's show!

Mike Gellman, M.S. is the Founder of High Five Career Coaching and coaches highly-motivated professionals and leaders in various stages of their careers to gain greater clarity, create sustainable change, and achieve higher levels of excellence. He is also the author of Pipe Dreams: 7 Pipelines of Career Success (available on Amazon.com)  that has received rave reviews from readers.

Mike is passionate about coaching and has devoted his career to helping employees, leaders, and teams work more effectively and achieve their potential within corporate and nonprofit organizations. He launched and managed a highly regarded career coaching and development center for
SoCalGas employees and was heavily involved in leading enterprise-wide talent management and organizational development initiatives.

For over 15 years, Mike has successfully facilitated numerous succession planning, high potential leader development, employee engagement and organizational change efforts. He also created an award-winning mentorship program for the San Diego chapter of the Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD) that has been running strong since 2000.

Mike is an ACC credentialed coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF), the premier organization for professionally trained coaches. He is a graduate of Coach U, an ICF accredited coach-training program. Mike has a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Springfield College and has also completed graduate studies in Entrepreneurship from San Diego
State University. In addition, he holds numerous certifications and experience in the use of a broad range of diagnostic assessment tools that help individuals and teams uncover blind spots and identify their strongest growth needs.

In addition to being a devoted dad of a bright 13 year-old son, Jonas, Mike enjoys hiking, camping, photography, running, and volunteering in his community. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and having spent most of his professional career in San Diego, California, he currently resides in Irvine,
California.


Contact Mike:
Email: mike@mikegellman.com
Website: www.mikegellman.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegellman

What are you doing on December 25? Volunteer with the JCC! Monday, December 25 Day of Service!

Register early: spots fill up quickly!

Make breakfast for homeless veterans at Veteran's First
Cook breakfast for the homeless at Lighthouse Church
Serve breakfast at Mercy House emergency family shelter
Visit with the elderly at local senior homes
Do crafts with residents at Heritage Pointe and Bubbe and Zayde's Place
Bake cookies, deliver to firefighters and tour a fire station
Bake cookies and coordinate holiday activities for families at Ronald McDonald House
Serve meals at Heritage Pointe, allowing staff to be with their families

JCC Cares

REGISTER HERE!

JCC Cares social action brings community together to perform Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness).

December 25 Day of Service

Join 500 community volunteers spreading a little love this holiday season to those who need it most. We have projects for all ages, from young to old, throughout Orange County.

Make and serve meals, sing-a-longs, visit home-bound seniors, throw holiday parties, bake brownies, assemble and deliver hygiene kits, play bingo, and deliver holiday cheer to our community heroes and those in need.

Take a look at the grids below for volunteer and delivery opportunities.

Shadi Martini, Director of Humanitarian Relief and Regional Relations - Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, joined host Janeane Bernstein to talk about his up-coming event Sunday December 3, and how he went from refugee of the Syrian War to activist and advocate!

SHADI MARTINI

Director of Humanitarian Relief and Regional Relations

Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees

LISTEN to today's show with Shadi Martini!

As it has with so many other victims of this crisis, the Syrian war turned businessman, Shadi Martini, into a refugee, an activist, and an advocate for greater cooperation across faith and cultural lines.
Now, as the Director of Humanitarian Relief and Regional Relations to the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, the nation’s leading interfaith response to the Syrian crisis, Mr. Martini travels throughout the U.S. and abroad raising awareness of the crisis, encouraging greater public engagement, facilitating partnerships between organizations focused on addressing similar issues, and planting the seeds for future stability in the region by fostering people-to-people engagement. 

He frequently provides briefings based on first-hand knowledge of the crisis to government officials, civil society leaders, the media, and various secular and faith-based organizations. He was born and raised in Aleppo, Syria and graduated from the High School Aleppo Scientific College. Martini attended college in Lebanon where he received his BA from Beirut University College in 1993. After graduation, Martini went to Bulgaria and formed his own manufacturing company. In 2009 he returned to Syria to run his family’s business.

In March 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on those providing aid to anyone suspected of being in the opposition, Mr. Martini, then the General Manager of a hospital in Aleppo, and his comrades worked covertly to provide aid to wounded and ill civilians. This secret network was discovered in mid-2012, forcing him to flee his country.

Soon after, Martini began organizing assistance for Syrian refugees from a neighboring country. He was elected by Bulgarian NGOs to serve on the Bulgarian crisis commission to help overcome the obstacles to aiding and integrating refugees. He then served on the executive committee of the national change party (Syrian opposition) in charge of foreign relations, but left the party in late 2013. He co-founded the “Republic Party” (Syrian opposition) and was elected chairman of the General Assembly, but left his post and the party, and resigned all political activity when he joined the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees in Jordan.

In 2014, Martini founded Refugee Support Group, a humanitarian aid organization based in Bulgaria. For the past several years he has partnered with numerous faith-based organizations in the U.S. and abroad, which led to his involvement with the Multifaith Alliance. In that capacity, he continues his work in the Middle East and also coordinates major relief efforts for Syrian refugees flooding into Europe.

Martini is fluent in Arabic, English and Bulgarian. In April, he became a very proud United States citizen, in a ceremony he described as “An event I wish everyone could experience to understand the meaning of being a citizen of this great country.” On November 8, he voted in his first U.S. presidential election.

Orange County Interfaith Community Concert

Support the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees

Sunday, December 3, 2017 ~ 2pm - 3pm 

Performance by the Marbella Trio 

featuring Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 

Presentation by Shadi Martini
Director of Humanitarian Relief & Regional
Relations for MFA 

Martini is a Syrian refugee, forced to flee
for secretly aiding the injured. 

Dessert reception immediately following concert hosted by the Interfaith Council of Laguna Beach. 

Funds raised by this event will enable MFA to ship containers of life-saving humanitarian aid for distribution directly to Syrian war victims in southern Syria. 

To adopt a container or donate, please visit: multifaithalliance.org/oc 

RSVP: http://bit.ly/OCmultifaithalliance 

Make it a Day of Giving: 

Visit NCC’s annual “JOY OF GIVING” BOUTIQUE
from 11am-2pm. 

Find sustainable one-of-a-kind gifts from around the world, and opportunities to honor loved ones who appreciate making the world a better place. 

Neighborhood Congregational Church 

340 St. Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

shadi.martini@multifaithalliance.org | www.multifaithalliance.org
www.facebook.com/multifaithalliance | www.twitter.com/multifaithaid


About The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees 

The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees (MFA), a project of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, is the United States’ leading interfaith response to the Syrian refugee crisis. A coordinating body, network and vehicle for harnessing the power of the faith-based and civil society collective, MFA’s mission is to raise funds in support of organizations that provide direct services to Syrian war victims, heighten awareness of the growing dangers of inadequate responses to the Syrian humanitarian crisis, and plant the seeds for future stability in the region by fostering people-to-people engagement. 

Comprised of more than 75 participating organizations, MFA enlists the moral authority of religious and civil society leaders to address the ongoing suffering of Syria's war victims and addresses the three great fears that interfere with humane and sensible public policy: economic impact, terrorism and Islamophobia. The devastation caused by this war is unprecedented in scale, leaving more than half of Syria's 23 million people in desperate need of humanitarian aid: 12.2 million are displaced or under siege inside Syria. They struggle daily to find food and shelter. An additional 200,000 languish in Syrian jails for opposing the al-Assad regime. 400,000-500,000 have been killed in the fighting, some gassed to death by chemical weapons. 

4.8 million registered refugees have fled to Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, where they struggle to survive in overcrowded refugee camps, abandoned buildings, public parks, and with some compassionate host families. 80% of the refugees are vulnerable women and children. Only 10-20% of refugees are living in camps. Hundreds of thousands of unregistered refugees have no access to food, medical services, or sanitation. Moreover, they are ineligible for resettlement. 

Since its inception in 2013, MFA has worked in cooperation with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) through which we have raised funds that are distributed to carefully-vetted organizations delivering direct aid to refugees. Almost $2,000,000 has helped address the critical needs of more than 85,000 refugees: 

• Food Sanitary packages 
• Trauma counseling 
• First-aid training 
• Health services specifically geared to children, adolescents, and women 
• Medical equipment 
• Resettlement processing 
• Provision of and training in 3-D printers to produce prosthetic limbs 

MFA’s awareness-raising activities have reached audiences of more than 390 million people through print, broadcast and digital media, and nearly 9,000 people through in-person briefings to governments and civil society groups in the E.U., UK, U.S., Canada, and Israel. 

Simultaneously, MFA humanitarian activities have given rise to the potential for new diplomatic tracks. Many Syrians and Israelis are beginning to see each other as partners rather than enemies. This people-topeople interaction generates the possibility of a true paradigm shift in the geopolitical context, and with future relations between neighbors. MFA is facilitating this development through transformative Syrian/Israeli civil society engagement.

shadi.martini@multifaithalliance.org | www.multifaithalliance.org
www.facebook.com/multifaithalliance | www.twitter.com/multifaithaid


About The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees 

The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees (MFA), a project of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, is the United States’ leading interfaith response to the Syrian refugee crisis. A coordinating body, network and vehicle for harnessing the power of the faith-based and civil society collective, MFA’s mission is to raise funds in support of organizations that provide direct services to Syrian war victims, heighten awareness of the growing dangers of inadequate responses to the Syrian humanitarian crisis, and plant the seeds for future stability in the region by fostering people-to-people engagement. 

Comprised of more than 75 participating organizations, MFA enlists the moral authority of religious and civil society leaders to address the ongoing suffering of Syria's war victims and addresses the three great fears that interfere with humane and sensible public policy: economic impact, terrorism and Islamophobia. The devastation caused by this war is unprecedented in scale, leaving more than half of Syria's 23 million people in desperate need of humanitarian aid: 12.2 million are displaced or under siege inside Syria. They struggle daily to find food and shelter. An additional 200,000 languish in Syrian jails for opposing the al-Assad regime. 400,000-500,000 have been killed in the fighting, some gassed to death by chemical weapons. 

4.8 million registered refugees have fled to Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, where they struggle to survive in overcrowded refugee camps, abandoned buildings, public parks, and with some compassionate host families. 80% of the refugees are vulnerable women and children. Only 10-20% of refugees are living in camps. Hundreds of thousands of unregistered refugees have no access to food, medical services, or sanitation. Moreover, they are ineligible for resettlement. 

Since its inception in 2013, MFA has worked in cooperation with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) through which we have raised funds that are distributed to carefully-vetted organizations delivering direct aid to refugees. Almost $2,000,000 has helped address the critical needs of more than 85,000 refugees: 

• Food Sanitary packages 
• Trauma counseling 
• First-aid training 
• Health services specifically geared to children, adolescents, and women 
• Medical equipment 
• Resettlement processing 
• Provision of and training in 3-D printers to produce prosthetic limbs 

MFA’s awareness-raising activities have reached audiences of more than 390 million people through print, broadcast and digital media, and nearly 9,000 people through in-person briefings to governments and civil society groups in the E.U., UK, U.S., Canada, and Israel. 

Simultaneously, MFA humanitarian activities have given rise to the potential for new diplomatic tracks. Many Syrians and Israelis are beginning to see each other as partners rather than enemies. This people-topeople interaction generates the possibility of a true paradigm shift in the geopolitical context, and with future relations between neighbors. MFA is facilitating this development through transformative Syrian/Israeli civil society engagement.

One word. YUM! 11/20 - Janeane spoke with Frank Carollo the master bakers and co-owners of Zingerman's Bankehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I have one word for this book: YUM.

ZINGERMAN'S BAKEHOUSE. You might have heard of Zingerman's, the renowned artisanal bakery out of Michigan, whose national mail-order business has created a fan-based crowd across the entire U.S. 

LISTEN to today's show!

Since 1992, Zingerman's has been going strong, and this month marks it's 25th anniversary when, for the first time ever, they are sharing their delicious recipes and business secrets in a new cookbook, ZINGERMAN'S BAKEHOUSE. The story of the founding of Zingerman's Bakehouse and their continued success in the wake of changing tastes and food fads, is as heart-warming as it is impressive, reminding us that business success and passion do go hand in hand. In the book they share their successes and their heart aches with equal fan fare.

This is the must-have baking book for bakers of all skill levels. Since 1992, Michigan's renowned artisanal bakery, Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, has fed a fan base across the United States and beyond with their chewy-sweet brownies and gingersnaps, famous sour cream coffee cake, and fragrant loaves of Jewish rye, challah, and sourdough. It's no wonder Zingerman's is a cultural and culinary institution. Now, for the first time, to celebrate their 25th anniversary, the Zingerman's bakers share 65 meticulously tested, carefully detailed recipes in a beautiful hardcover book featuring more than 50 color photographs and bountiful illustrations. Behind-the-scenes stories of the business enrich this collection of best-of-kind, delicious recipes for every ”I can't believe I get to make this at home!" treat."

Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo are master bakers and the co-owners of Zingerman's Bakehouse. They live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
http://www.zingermansbakehouse.com/25years/

11/20 - Janeane spoke with author Devorah Blachor about her brand new book, "THE FEMINIST’S GUIDE TO RAISING A LITTLE PRINCESS: How to Raise a Girl Who’s Authentic, Joyful, and Fearless – Even If She Refuses to Wear Anything but a Pink Tutu"

THE FEMINIST’S GUIDE TO RAISING A LITTLE PRINCESS: How to Raise a Girl Who’s Authentic, Joyful, and Fearless – Even If She Refuses to Wear Anything but a Pink Tutu (a TarcherPerigee paperback; on sale November 11th, 2017) by Devorah Blachor.

LISTEN to today's show!

In this title inspired by her viral New York Times Motherlode piece “Turn Your Princess-Obsessed Toddler into a Feminist in Eight Easy Steps,” Blachor offers insight and humor to all those who cringe each morning when their daughters refuse to wear anything that isn’t pink. Using personal anecdotes and playful essays, Blachor explores how mothers can raise their daughters in a society that pressures girls and women to bury their own needs, conform to unrealistic beauty standards, and sacrifice their own passions. With amusing – yet reassuring! - interviews with the formerly princess-obsessed, THE FEMINISTS GUIDE TO RAISING A LITTLE PRINCESS tackles important concepts while offering comic relief to concerned parents of budding little princesses.

The author is based overseas, however, is available for interviews and willing to call in from Skype.. Below my signature, you will see a q&a with the author. Please let me know if you would like to schedule an interview, or if you need anything else from me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Check out the TarcherPerigee Blog

About the Author:
Devorah Blachor is a New York Times Motherlode columnist and also writes for The Huffington Post, McSweeney's, The Hairpin, Redbook, Mommyish, Good Housekeeping, and The Rumpus, among other websites and magazines. Blachor's husband Matt Rees is an award-winning journalist and novelist. Their children Cai and Mari provide endless material for humor and essays.



In Conversation with Devorah Blachor, author of THE FEMINIST’S GUIDE TO RAISING A LITTLE PRINCESS, Devorah will talk about the following:

1. What inspired you to write The Feminist’s Guide to Raising a Little Princess?

When my three-year-old daughter Mari started loving pink and princesses, the irony was great. Here I was, a committed feminist who favored oversized frumpy clothing and who wished the entire beauty industry would sink into the earth in a puff of silicone vapor. And here I had a walking toddler advertisement for tulle and sequins. I took my anxiety over what this might mean for Mari, and I turned it into a tongue-and-cheek satirical article called “Turn Your Princess-Obsessed Toddler Into a Feminist in Eight Easy Steps”. It was published in the New York Times Motherlode and it went viral. I realized I wasn’t alone. There were lots of mothers like me, who were committed to raising strong and independently minded daughters, and who were flummoxed by their daughters’ passion for tiaras and pink tutus. I started diving into this subject and that research evolved into the book.

2. Why did you want to steer your daughter away from pink and princesses and all things girly?

The culture of “pink for girls” is antithetical to what we would want for our girls and boys. We don’t want our kids to be limited by other people’s perceptions of what they should and shouldn’t be. We want boys to play freely with dolls if that’s their desire, for example.. And if girls are encouraged to play with toys that are traditionally associated with girls, what does that mean for them as they grow up? Will they be less likely to pursue “male” professions like pilots or engineers? My fear was that the pink culture would restrict my daughter before she even reached adolescence. I had a deeper fear too. I spent many years living with long-term depression. I associated the “feminine” with my depression. I thought the strictures and expectations of being female had contributed to my losing my spark when I was a teenager - a spark that I didn’t get back for many years. I didn’t want that to happen to my daughter.

3. How – or why – did she gravitate towards it anyway?

If you’ve ever met a toddler, you’ve probably noticed how strong-willed they are. I mean, they are REALLY determined. Meanwhile, as parents of toddlers, our energies are depleted. We’re absorbed with potty training and toddler aggression and getting them to eat foods that aren’t exclusively star shaped, and a whole host of other hilarious challenges. In the end, Mari’s love for princesses proved greater than my resistance to them.

4. Is it possible for parents to embrace their children’s princess obsession while also helping them reject the sexist messages that accompany so many of these princess-centered stories?

For a full answer to this question, get back to me in about ten years. For now, my answer is: We can certainly try. Particularly as they get older (like, I certainly never had these conversations when Mari was three), we can show our daughters how destructive messages are buried in the stories of the regressive princess. Luckily, we can use the newer princesses to point out positive qualities as well. Moana is an amazing character, for example. In her bravery and her quest to save her people, she possesses the qualities we find in the heroes of Greek mythology. Merida demonstrates resilience, from Elsa we learn about overcoming fears, and Anna teaches us the enormous power of acceptance and forgiveness. We can totally use this whole princess thing to our advantage.

5. Why do you say that parental instinct should be honored more than the advice of others (including relatives, articles and books by parenting experts)?

There is so much out there - the tips and the articles and the well-meaning relatives and the strangers on the street who tell you to button up your child’s sweater. Not to mention the “mommy wars” and the debate over parenting styles. The subtext of so much of this noise is judgement. Parents - and mothers in particular - constantly get the message that they’re doing it all wrong. If you listen to too many “experts”, you might lose your own voice amidst the noise. If you need advice or counsel, you can always choose a few people or sources you genuinely trust. But you can absolutely listen to yourself most of all. No one knows your child better than you do.

6. How can we help our daughters navigate a society that idealizes perfection?

Most parents have had the experience of their child coming home from school, upset by their own mistakes or shortcomings. Maybe they got into trouble with the teacher, or did something that made other kids laugh, or didn’t perform well on the soccer pitch. These are precious moments of parenting, when you can give your child a ton of love and acceptance and let them know it’s ok not to be perfect, and that it’s definitely ok to make mistakes. In general, it’s great to tell your kids stories of people who failed and kept trying, because we want them to not get beaten down by failure or fear of failure. Equally important is what happens at home. When my kids act “unlovable” - when they test me and fight with each other and are needy and obnoxious - in those moments, I sometimes want to lie down or run away or drink wine. And while I can’t pretend I’ve never poured myself a glass in times of stress or yelled at them, I know that the way I handle these imperfect moments are important. Because if I can stop and breathe and accept my children when they are behaving in “unlovable” ways, they get the message that they don’t have to be perfect to be loved. It’s tricky. We’re all doing our best. And we should go easy on ourselves as well - as parents and as human beings, we shouldn’t expect perfection from ourselves either.

7. In your book, you interview a number of women who used to be princess-obsessed as girls. Did their obsession have any negative lasting effects?

It’s one of my favorite parts of the book, because I was curious to know how it all turned out for girls who were obsessed with princesses. This “Princess Culture” is a relatively new thing, because Disney only started marketing the princess brand in 2000. The first generation of girls who fell down the “Disney Princess rabbit hole” are coming of age now. When I finally reached out to some of them for my book, I was heartened. Every single one seemed like an engaged, intelligent and interesting person. And they all had a good and humorous perspective on their princess days.

8. What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Accept your children, who will not be the people you expected but will be fabulous anyway. While you’re at it, accept yourself. And don’t forget to laugh. This parenting stuff can sometimes feel heavy and overwhelming. But if you have the right perspective, a lot of it is actually quite funny. Particularly very small little girls who are very passionate about princesses. 

http://www.devorahblachor.com/

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Director Thomas Morgan speaks with host Janeane Bernstein about his film "SOUFRA," his collaboration with Executive Producer Susan Sarandon, and the North American premiere at DOC NYC ahead of a theatrical release in November and December.

Listen to Janeane's conversation with
Director Thomas Morgan on KUCI 88.9fm!

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SUSAN SARANDON AND DIRECTOR THOMAS MORGAN, REBELHOUSE GROUP, AND PILGRIM MEDIA ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF THE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY SOUFRA AT THE DOC NYC FESTIVAL

ABOUT
THE FILM TELLS A WILDLY INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF THE WORLD’S MOST UNLIKELY ENTREPRENEUR, MARIAN SHA’AR —A GENERATIONAL REFUGEE WHO LAUNCHED A CATERING COMPANY AND THE FIRST-EVER FOOD TRUCK BUSINESS FROM INSIDE A REFUGEE CAMP.

U.S. SCREENINGS OF SOUFRA TO FOLLOW IN LOS ANGELES STARTING NOV. 17 & NEW YORK STARTING DEC. 15

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SUSAN SARANDON TO ATTEND RED CARPET U.S. PREMIERE AT DOC NYC IN NOVEMBER

WINNER – AUDIENCE AWARD – EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER – BEST ARAB DOCUMENTARY—EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL


NEW YORK – The award-winning documentary feature SOUFRA, will have its North American Premiere at the DOC NYC Film Festival in New York on November 12th.

SOUFRA is directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Morgan (Storied Streets, Waiting for Mamu), produced by Primetime Emmy®-winning filmmaker Kathleen Glynn (Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, TV Nation), Rebelhouse President, Trevor Hall, Pilgrim Media Group President & CEO Craig Piligian, and executive produced by Academy Award®-winning actress Susan Sarandon. All will attend the film’s red carpet premiere, along with other prominent individuals including actress Mary-Louise Parker, on November 12th at SVA Theatre 2.

"The only ‘feel good’ doc about refugees that I know of – inspiring and delicious,"
 said Susan Sarandon.


SOUFRA follows the inspirational story of intrepid social entrepreneur, Mariam Shaar – a refugee who has spent her entire life in the 69-year-old Burl El Barajneh refugee camp south of Beirut, Lebanon.

The film chronicles Mariam and a diverse team of fellow refugee women, from throughout the Middle East who share the camp as their home as they set out to change their fate by launching a catering company, “Soufra,” and then expanding its reach (thanks to an astonishing Kickstarter campaign), outside the camp with a food truck business. Together, they heal the wounds of war through the unifying power of food while taking their future into their own hands.

SOUFRA is a co-production of Rebelhouse Group, Pilgrim Media Group, and BIG 9 Productions.

Official Website: http://www.soufrafilm.com

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

Instagram: @soufrafilm

Press Contact:
Adam J. Segal • The 2050 Group – Publicity
212.642.4317 (Office) • 202.422.4673 (Cell)
adam@the2050group.com • www.the2050group.com

Staff Writer with The New Yorker, Lauren Collins, shares her journey of learning French in the name of love –and what it means to love someone in a second language

When in French - Love in a Second Language

LAUREN COLLINS

LISTEN to Janeane's conversation with Lauren Collins!

New Yorker writer shares her journey of learning French in the name of love –and what it means to love someone in a second language


“A thoughtful, beautifully written meditation on the art of language and intimacy. The book unfolds like several books in one: on moving abroad, on communication in human relationships, on the history of language, and in the end, on the delights of cross-cultural fusion.”—The New York Times Book Review


A staff writer at The New Yorker since 2008, Lauren Collins has profiled subjects from Michelle Obama and Gérard Depardieu to April Bloomfield and Donatella Versace. In her bestselling book, WHEN IN FRENCH: Love in a Second Language, now available in paperback, Collins turns an unwavering eye on herself. When, in her early thirties, Colllins moves to London and falls for a Frenchman named Oliver, she discovers firsthand that a language barrier is no match for love. Unable to speak French herself, their relationship develops solely in English. When the couple, newly married, relocates to francophone Geneva, Collins—fearful of one day becoming "a Borat of a mother" who doesn’t understand her own kids—decides to answer these questions for herself by learning French.


Lauren Collins as she shares her journey of what it means to love someone in a second language, including:

· Wondering about the things she doesn’t understand about Olivier, having never spoken to him in his native tongue


· Whether “I love you” even means the same thing as “je t’aime”


· Grappling with the complexities of the French language and accidently telling her mother-in-law that she’s given birth to a coffee machine


· Wrestling with the very nature of French identity and society—a far cry from life back home in North Carolina.


Plumbing the mysterious depths of humanity’s many forms of language, Collins describes with wicked humor and great style the frustrations, embarrassments, surprises, and, finally, joys of learning—and living in—French.


About the Author:
Lauren Collins began working at the New Yorker in 2003 and became a staff writer in 2008. Her subjects have included Michelle Obama, Donatella Versace, the graffiti artist Banksy, and the chef April Bloomfield. Since 2010, she has been based in Europe, covering stories from London, Paris, Copenhagen, and beyond. Her story on the Daily Mail was recently short-listed for the Feature Story of the Year by the Foreign Press Association in London.

http://laurenzcollins.com

OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center Hosts 9th Annual Comedy Fundraiser “Night For Hope” with Special Guest Melissa Rivers, comics Adam Ray, Vargus Mason & Little Esther Instill Laughs for OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center Programs

Los Angeles– OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center’s Associate Board hosts the 9th annual Night For Hope fundraiser on November 17th at The Palace Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Melissa Rivers, OUR HOUSE ambassador, will take the stage to dedicate a night of laughter to her mother. Since the death of her mother, comedy legend Joan Rivers, Melissa continues to make sure laughter is a part of her every day. “I am honored to be a part of an organization like OUR HOUSE, which provides a place for people to cry and laugh and remember their loved ones.”

This year, the Night For Hope will feature comics Vargus Mason, Esther Povitsky, aka “Little Esther,” and Adam Ray, all introduced by MC JC Cocoli for a night full of laughs and finding hope through grief. Inspiration for the evening’s theme came from an Associate Board member who felt she might never laugh again following the death of her father. Through support from OUR HOUSE, she was able to navigate through her grief, find joy, and laugh again.

OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center’s Associate Board is comprised of young professionals serving as ambassadors to the community. The Associate Board works relentlessly to spread the word about the agency’s services and volunteer opportunities, in addition to raising funds.

OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center’s Night for Hope

When: Friday, November 17th

Where: The Palace Theater DTLA

Info: http://www.ourhouse-grief.org/hopetickets/

Schedule:

6:30pm: Doors Open

8:00pm: MC JC Cocoli Kicks Off the Night

8:20pm: Comedian Vargus Mason

8:35pm: Comedian Little Esther

8:50pm: OUR HOUSE presentation & appeal: OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center testimonials– Amanda, Isaiah, and Melissa Rivers.

9:30pm: Comedian Adam Ray

10:30pm: Event ends

About OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center
OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center is one of the nation’s most respected organizations for grief support and education. For over 24 years, OUR HOUSE has helped thousands of grieving children, teens, and adults as they embark on their journeys to hope and healing after the death of someone close. Support groups specific to age and relationship take place in the safe, warm, and nurturing environment of their centers.

OUR HOUSE is a leading provider of grief education, offering workshops, seminars, and in-service training to mental health and medical professionals, clergy, educators, and other members of the community who interact with bereaved families. The OUR HOUSE grief education program is part of the curricula for students at USC’s Keck and UCLA’s David Geffen Schools of Medicine. To learn more, please visit www.ourhouse-grief.org or call 1.888.417.1444.

Janeane spoke with Israeli actor, Ido Samuel, about his role in the powerful film, Dirty Bomb

LISTEN to Janeane's conversation
with Ido Samuel!


Fascinating, worldly and a striking talent, Ido Samuel is a star on the rise and is ready to take Hollywood by storm. An Israeli actor who has already conquered the film market in Israel with roles in an impressive list of over thirty films including his role as an Orthodox Jewish man named “Yossi” in award winning film “Fill The Void.” The feature film was nominated for two Film Independent Spirit Awards and won seven awards at the Israeli Film Academy Awards (the country’s equivalent to the U.S.’s Academy Awards), “Best Foreign Language Film” at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and two awards at the Venice Film Festival. “Fill The Void” which was widely distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.

Samuel moved to the United States four years ago to pursue his dream of acting in U.S. film and immediately booked leading roles in the prestigious short film “Ben-Dod Sheli” which made it to the semifinals for the Student Academy Awards which is hosted by The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences and received rave reviews. He also filmed the highly anticipated short film “Dirty Bomb” which tells the story of Holocaust heroes who sacrificed their lives to sabotage the V2 bomb causing it to misfire during world War II. “Dirty Bomb” will be released in November and it’s star (Samuel) and director (Valerie McCaffrey) can’t wait for audiences to see it.

After serving in the Israeli army for three years, Samuel began training to be an actor in 2007 and booked a string of short films in 2010 and 2011 before landing the role of “Simba” in Israel’s version of “The Lion King” and later filming “Fill The Void” which put him in the spotlight and eventually prompted him to bring his talent to Los Angeles. Ido has continued booking roles in film and television projects such as Amazon’s award winning “Transparent.”

Samuel, now based in Los Angeles, has built a group of friends who he spends holidays with and who have been an incredible support system as he pursues his craft across the world. He practices martial arts and won regional and national awards in Israel. makes sure to travel back to see his family in Israel whenever possible and no matter where in the world he is he will always love his native country and of course Israeli and Jewish film.

ABOUT DIRTY BOMB

DIRTY BOMB, set against the Battle of the Bulge, depicts the true story of how Jewish concentration camp inmates sabotaged the development of Hitler’s V2 Bomb at the cost of their lives. The film is written and directed by Valerie McCaffrey, who as an independent casting director, cast over 80 films. In addition, Valerie uses her knowledge to a directing/producing/writing capacity. She directed a feature film called WISH YOU WERE DEAD distributed by Icon Entertainment International which starred Cary Elwes, Elaine Hendrix, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen and Sally Kirkland. She wrote a screenplay called EVERYTHING IS GOING TO POT in which she is planning to direct. She produced a film LOST AND FOUND IN ARMENIA with Jamie Kennedy and Angela Sarafyan. She also produced and cast an award-winning film entitled NEO NED, starring Jeremy Renner and Gabrielle Union.

CELEBRATION & LAUNCH OF 3 ORIGINAL SHORT FILMS -- CHAMELEON, REMEMBER THE SUN, & DIRTY BOMB

WHO: Sally Kirkland (Anna); Donna Pescow (Out of This World, Saturday Night Fever); Lance Henriksen (The Terminator), J. Michael Trautmann (Shameless), Joe Cortese (American History X), Ido Samuel (Fill the Void), James Babson (The Words), Dallas Hart (Greenhouse Academy), Vladimir Kulich(Training Day, The Vikings),Jennifer Tung (Alias),Tiana Benjamin (Harry Potter),Richard Riehle (The Office), Lee Purcell (JL Ranch),

WHERE: Ahrya Fine Arts Movie Theater, 8556 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA

WHEN: Friday, November 17, 2017
Press Check in 5:45PM; Red Carpet: 6:00 PM
Reception 6:00 – 8:00PM
Films: 8:00 PM (Q&A with cast/crew to immediately follow)


MORE INFO: CHAMELEON tells the story of a man willing to do anything to obtain the power he covets and is directed by Trevvor Riley. Riley is a film director, screenwriter, short-story writer, poet, artist etc. etc. etc. He is best known and recognized for his short films and music videos and their distinct, surreal, visual aesthetic. After co-founding the independent production company: Cathect Pictures. He is now transitioning his talents from smaller projects onto writing and directing feature films and multiple television mini series' for various production companies.

REMEMBER THE SUN is about a talented, yet troubled soul, risks everything to preserve the memories of the woman he loves after she is gone through the use of future tech. The films is directed by Tim C. Szabics. Szabics is a pixel pushing puppet master, musician, artist, story teller, VFX/MoGraph designer, pun master and film maker born with a burning desire to entertain through subtle suggestions of a new and counter culture view. Most notably known for music videos, internet tv shows and several award winning shorts that seem to push the limits of expectations all while harnessing the fire of a DIY enthusiast

DIRTY BOMB, set against the Battle of the Bulge, depicts the true story of how Jewish concentration camp inmates sabotaged the development of Hitler’s V2 Bomb at the cost of their lives. The film is written and directed by Valerie McCaffrey, who as an independent casting director, cast over 80 films. In addition, Valerie uses her knowledge to a directing/producing/writing capacity. She directed a feature film called WISH YOU WERE DEAD distributed by Icon Entertainment International which starred Cary Elwes, Elaine Hendrix, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen and Sally Kirkland. She wrote a screenplay called EVERYTHING IS GOING TO POT in which she is planning to direct. She produced a film LOST AND FOUND IN ARMENIA with Jamie Kennedy and Angela Sarafyan. She also produced and cast an award-winning film entitled NEO NED, starring Jeremy Renner and Gabrielle Union.


Panelists include filmmakers.

Steven Johnson, The New York Times–bestselling author, shares a look at the world-changing innovations we made while keeping ourselves entertained

LISTEN to Janeane's conversation with Steven Johnson!

Steven Johnson, the New York Times bestselling author of How We Got to Now—also an Emmy-winning PBS series—takes a long-zoom approach to popular entertainment, contending that the pursuit of novelty and wonder is a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. In Wonderland, now out in paperback, Johnson argues that throughout history, the cutting edge of innovation lies wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves amused and how follies dismissed as mindless entertainment have changed civilization in dramatic ways. 

In six captivating sections—Fashion and Shopping, Music, Taste, Illusions, Games, and Public Space—Johnson introduces us to the colorful innovators of leisure: the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who changed the trajectory of history with their luxurious wares, exotic meals, taverns, gambling tables, and magic shows.

Steven discusses how:

· Garment design has driven technological innovation

· Early music boxes demonstrated advanced mechanical engineering and player pianos paved the way for the development of computer software


· Having a taste for spices from pepper to vanilla to cinnamon generated massive international trade


· Our desire for amusement has shifted our perspective about public spaces and led to the creation of parks, zoos, taverns and coffeehouses, all of which have played a key role in revolutionizing society.


In every case—from 19th century illusionists to today’s virtual reality—Johnson brilliantly shows how innovations come from unexpected places—including the technological breakthroughs of Snow White to the way that games (from chess to Spacewar!) have made possible crucial advancements in computing. As he makes clear, “you will find the future wherever people have having the most fun.”


About the Author
Steven Johnson is the bestselling author of books including How We Got to Now, Where Good Ideas Come From, The Invention of Air, The Ghost Map, and Everything Bad Is Good for You. The founder of a variety of influential websites, he is the host and co-creator of the PBS and BBC series How We Got to Now. Johnson lives in Marin County, California, and Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and three sons.

Learn more about Steven Johnson
https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/

How We Got to Now - The PBS Series
https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/how-we-got-to-now-the-pbs-series-2f48ccea1fc

Actress Noël Wells (Master of None, Saturday Night Live) joins KUCI's Janeane Bernstein about her directorial debut, "MR. ROOSEVELT" at AFI FEST 2017!

LISTEN to today's conversation with Noël Wells 

MR. ROOSEVELT

at AFI FEST 2017

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2017

Film's stars Noël Wells (Master of None, Saturday Night Live), Nick Thune (Knocked Up), Britt Lower (Sisters), Daniella Pineda(The Originals), and Andre Hyland (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping).

WATCH the trailer!

ABOUT MR. ROOSEVELT
In her feature directorial debut, Noël Wells portrays Emily, a talented but hard-to-classify comedic performer who left behind her home and boyfriend to pursue career opportunities in L.A. When a loved one falls ill, Emily rushes back to Austin where she’s forced to stay with her ex-boyfriend (Nick Thune) and his new-and-improved girlfriend (Britt Lower), a totally together woman with a five-year plan. Though Emily is the same, everything else is different: her house has been smartly redecorated, her rocker boyfriend is training to be a real estate agent, and her old haunts show serious signs of gentrification. Holed up in her own guest room, Emily--who has no idea what she'll be doing five days from now, let alone five years--is forced to question everyone's values: are they sell-outs or have they just figured out what makes them happy? And is she following her dreams or is she just a self-absorbed loser?



MR. ROOSEVELT premiered to great acclaim at SXSW, where it won the Audience Award in Narrative Spotlight and the Louis Black Lone Star Award, and has continued to garner plaudits on the festival circuit, most recently at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival, where it won the Founders Prize for Best US Fiction Film.



MR. ROOSEVELT is written and directed by Noël Wells, who also stars and serves as an Executive Producer. Michael B. Clark, Chris Ohlson, and Alex Turtletaub produce. Cinematography by Dagmar Weaver-Madsen, editing by Terel Gibson, music by Ryan Miller. MR. ROOSEVELT is distributed by Paladin Pictures.
RT: 90 minutes / Not Rated

About AFI FEST presented by Audi
A program of the American Film Institute, AFI FEST presented by Audi is a celebration of global cinema and today's Hollywood — a showcase for the best festival films of the year and an opportunity for master filmmakers and emerging artists to come together with audiences in the movie capital of the world. Celebrating its 31st edition, AFI FEST is the only festival of its stature that is free to the public. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for both Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. This year's edition takes place November 9–16, 2017. Additional information about AFI FEST is available at AFI.com/AFIFEST. Connect with AFI FEST at facebook.com/AFIFEST, twitter.com/AFIFEST and youtube.com/AFI.

11/13 9:45am pst - SHAWN ASKINOSIE Founder of Askinosie Chocolate shares the secret to purposeful work and business

SHAWN ASKINOSIE

Founder of Askinosie Chocolate shares the secret to purposeful work and business. 
LISTEN to today's show with Shawn Askinosie!

In 2005, Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean-to-bar chocolate factory and never looked back. Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch, award-winning chocolate factory in Missouri, sourcing 100% of their cocoa beans directly from farmers across the globe. Recently named “One of the 25 Best Small Companies in America” byForbes, Askinosie Chocolate was founded at the forefront of the American craft chocolate revolution and is regarded by many as a vanguard in the industry. But other than the honestly sourced cocoa, what’s the secret of Askinosie Chocolate’s success? According to Shawn Askinosie (and his daughter Lawren Askinosie), there is a lot more, as he shares in Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul.

In 2005, Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean-to-bar chocolate factory and never looked back. Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch, award-winning chocolate factory in Missouri, sourcing 100% of their cocoa beans directly from farmers across the globe. Recently named “One of the 25 Best Small Companies in America” byForbes, Askinosie Chocolate was founded at the forefront of the American craft chocolate revolution and is regarded by many as a vanguard in the industry. But other than the honestly sourced cocoa, what’s the secret of Askinosie Chocolate’s success? According to Shawn Askinosie (and his daughter Lawren Askinosie), there is a lot more, as he shares in Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul.

Shawn Askinosie shares:

· How to create a work life that reflects what’s most important, so that it’s not a drain on physical and mental energy

· How to use the principles of “integrated kinship” in order to achieve your business’ calling

· “Success” no longer translates to “profitable” alone—it also encompasses happiness, purpose, and community

· Despite their inclination, most entrepreneurs are skeptical that their business can have a purpose beyond making a profit. Askinosie says, there’s no need to wait for your business to live out a calling…begin now

· The business philosophy of “reverse scale” not to get bigger, but to get better at staying small.

Meaningful Work is not a book about “saving the world,” but how positive change begins with individual action. It’s a book for anyone who may be successful but unsettled, in a hurry for answers, and ready for the next journey, or anyone just starting out and looking for the on-ramp. It’s a story about Shawn did it, how he is still doing it, and how others can do it too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shawn Askinosie is the founder of Askinosie Chocolate. Lawren Askinosie, his daughter, is the Chief Marketing Officer. Their business model has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on Bloomberg and numerous other media outlets. Shawn was named by O, The Oprah Magazine, as "One of 15 Guys Who Are Saving the World." He is a Family Brother at Assumption Abbey, a Trappist monastery near Ava, Missouri.

https://www.askinosie.com