Coming up 4/15 at 9:00am - Debut YA Novelist Randi Smith Takes on America’s Book Ban Crisis

(Owensboro, KY) In 2024, 2,452 books were targeted for censorship in schools and public libraries. These book ban attempts overwhelmingly impact young adult titles and the teens these books educate, entertain, and inspire.

Debut YA novel from Randi Smith, ADA HOLLOWAY'S HAD ENOUGH (4/21/26, $15.99, Amethyst Books, Paperback ISBN: 978-1-970757-03-3 through Ingram’s Ipage, library edition also available), serves to aid readers who want a tool that's both entertaining and educational, a way to encourage tough and often intergenerational conversations about mentorship, advocacy, and the fight for intellectual freedom.

Ada Holloway just needs to survive her final semester as a high school senior, but nothing's going her way.

Star quarterback Beckett Forsythe relies on Ada to do his homework for him, her rebellious cousin Molly has no where else to go but the Holloway's house, and to top it all off, Ada doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life—even though her parents already decided for her.

The one thing she does know is the topic for her senior essay: the life of Freeport's founder, Everett J. Washington, a formerly enslaved man. But the Mayor of Freeport has pulled Washington's biography from library shelves among a massive book ban. Ada needs that book, she needs to write her essay, and her best friend David has a perfect idea: a banned book club run by the public library. What could go wrong?

“Many young readers will come away with a clearer understanding of book challenges, censorship, and First Amendment rights, but the novel delivers these lessons with a light touch, grounding them in everyday struggles of high school kids. As Ada navigates the trials of adolescence, she discovers that choice and voice matter, and that even quiet actions can spark meaningful change. A story that explores confidence, bravery, and real-world pressures with admirable restraint, offering insights without drifting into melodrama.”–Kirkus Reviews

“[An] astute young adult debut.”–BookLife (part of Publishers Weekly)

Randi Smith is a born-and-raised Kentuckian who still calls the Bluegrass State her home. She first discovered her love of writing after self-publishing a short novel in high school, which inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Publishing from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently lives in her hometown with her many rescue cats. When she isn’t trying to meet her word count goal, she works at her local library. Besides her passion for all things reading and writing, Randi is an avid lover of astronomy, orcas, and the color purple. Find her at randismithwrites.com.




ADA HOLLOWAY’S HAD ENOUGH by Randi Smith

April 21, 2026, Amethyst Books

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-970757-03-3 $15.99

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-970757-04-0 $9.99

Hardcover Library Edition ISBN: 978-1-970757-06-4 $40

Contemporary Young Adult

In an Interview, RANDI SMITH Can Discuss:

• How fiction can model healthy conflict resolution, especially for young adult readers
• Empowering teens to speak up about their values, respectfully
• How to have meaningful dialogue about censorship across generations
• How a classroom project moved from concept to created product
• Misconceptions about book challenging and banning

Praise for Randi Smith

“Many young readers will come away with a clearer understanding of book challenges, censorship, and First Amendment rights, but the novel delivers these lessons with a light touch, grounding them in everyday struggles of high school kids. As Ada navigates the trials of adolescence, she discovers that choice and voice matter, and that even quiet actions can spark meaningful change. A story that explores confidence, bravery, and real-world pressures with admirable restraint, offering insights without drifting into melodrama.”–Kirkus Reviews (which will print and feature the review in their March edition)

“The fed-up high school senior of Ada Holloway’s Had Enough challenges the orthodoxy of her small, ‘unimportant town’… in Smith’s astute young adult debut, which focuses on censorship and the erasure of history. When a banned biography sparks Ada’s quiet rebellion, her fight against institutional control transforms her from a rule-follower into a bold advocate for truth… Smith expertly addresses larger issues within the context of Ada’s awakening. By shattering the protective bubble around this smart and resilient young adult, Smith sets Ada on a path to bravely engage with the wider world.”–BookLife (a division of Publishers Weekly)

"In the dynamic coming-of-age novel Ada Holloway’s Had Enough, a bold girl is determined to stop a book ban." –Clarion Foreword Reviews

School Library Journal has confirmed they will review this book.

“The Freeport Public Library has seen better days. The mayor has asked the library director, Mr. Booker, to remove certain books from the shelves. Does this situation feel familiar? Smith captures this contemporary reality in a story that invites readers to reflect on censorship and the importance of defending the freedom to read.

Ada Halloway, a high school student in Freeport, is assigned an essay about the town. She chooses to focus on its founder, Everett J. Washington, only to discover that the book documenting his life has been banned. Along with her best friend, her cousin and the library staff, Ada forms a book club centered on The Founder’s Promise: The Life of Everett J. Washington, to be able to have a source for her research. What follows is a lighthearted yet emotionally resonant series of events in which the Everett J. Washington Literary Society advocates for the book’s return. Grounded in present-day concerns, Smith’s novel highlights the power of collective action and the importance of fighting for intellectual freedom.”

-Patricia Rua-Bashir, Manager, Children's Services, Nashville Public Library


“Ada Halloway’s Had Enough is an unforgettable story that portrays the harm of book banning and the power of youth voice. Although this is a work of fiction, I found it strikingly real and relatable, with events grounded in the challenges many communities face today. Smith’s characters are perfectly charismatic and authentic, engaging the reader throughout. I found myself saying “just one more chapter” up until the very final page. In a time when the world can seem so very dark, this story was a shining light of hope. As an activist fighting against censorship, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait for it to be in the hands of readers everywhere!” — Julia Garnett, SLJ Youth Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week, 2024

Coming up April 15th at 9:30am - Novelist Lori Gold talks about her sixth book, KISS, MARRY, KILL

Who would you…

Kiss?

Marry?

Kill?

Novelist Lori Gold’s sixth book, KISS, MARRY, KILL (Harper Collins; April 7, 2026) brings the conversation game, played (now famously) even by Taylor Swift’s fiancé, Trace Kelce, to life, asking: Which would you choose: kiss, marry, or kill? The book’s premise takes a question that haunts many of us—what if?— and Lori Gold delivers a page-turning novel that explores the path not taken, the push-pull between ambition and morality, and the powerful and complicated world of female friendships, all core issues ripe for discussion that audiences will relate to.


In a conversation, Lori discusses:

Why the viral phenomenon of conversation games, like Kiss, Marry, Kill, and the recent “TikTok 36 Questions” has taken hold and where it’s going.

https://www.instyle.com/travis-kelce-kiss-marry-kill-game-taylor-swift-2016-8600948


Why decision fatigue and the “just tell me” economy, where mental exhaustion and cognitive overload, combined with the “ease” of AI and recommendation algorithms, are leading us to lose our critical thinking abilities and just be “told” what to watch and buy, what jobs to take, and even when to seek medical help.


Stronger Together: The collective power of female friendships and how women coming together, embodied by the decision to collaborate rather than compete, when KISS, MARRY, KILL authors Lori Gold and Cara Tanamachi discovered their forthcoming books had the same exact title: https://people.com/lori-gold-cara-tanamachi-kiss-marry-kill-exclusive-11847790


The personal cost of “perfect” choices. Kiss, Marry, Kill is drawn from the author, Lori Gold’s intense period of personal crisis and became her way to explore how the pressure to make the “perfect” choice can become its own trap and how we can find peace with how much is truly out of our hands.


The post-pandemic cultural fascination of the multiverse and alternate realities, such, Kiss, Marry, Kill, as well as Palm Springs, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Spider Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Dark Matter, The Midnight Library, The Measure, Maybe Next Time, The Husbands, and many more.


With Lori’s inspiration and the ripe themes in the novel itself, KISS, MARRY, KILL is the perfect story for readers looking to have meaningful discussions about the choices in their own life.



More About Lori:

Lori Gold is the author of the Zibby Media Summer Read pick and NPR Book of the Day ROMANTIC FRICTION. She is also the author of an adult historical and four novels for young adults (all under Lori Goldstein). She currently lives outside of Boston, where she fosters a writing community through her creative writing classes, book coaching, and writing retreats.


More About the Book:


When three best friends and founders of a health and wellness app on the verge of hitting the big time play a spin on the game of “kiss, marry, kill” at their company’s summer outing, they wake up the next morning in an alternate universe to discover they’ve each done just that. Kiss: In the “real world,” quiet, indecisive Aubrey is heartbroken over things ending with her fiancé. In the new reality ushered in by the game, Aubrey finds herself in bed, naked, next to their company’s newly hired graphic designer, ten years her junior. 

Marry: Practical, straight-laced Ilena, on the brink of a divorce following a stressful struggle with infertility, wakes up six months pregnant and married to their company’s general counsel. Kill: Mallory’s philosophy is to ask neither forgiveness nor permission. Yet the reckless behavior of their biggest investor crosses lines even Mallory didn’t know she had. Especially since she’s been secretly sleeping with him for the past year. She’s mad enough to kill. But in this world, he’s already dead. Told alternately from the perspectives of these three best friends, this Sliding Doors-esque story explores the nuances of ambition, the power of female friendship, and the many facets of love in our lives, ultimately asking: if our choices define us or if we define our choices.


Lori Gold’s forthcoming novel, Kiss, Marry, Kill (Harper Collins, April 7, 2026, $18.99) follows three best friends and cofounders of a health and wellness app who play a spin on the game of “kiss, marry, kill” at their summer outing and wake up the next day in an alternate universe where they’ve each done exactly that. It’s part twisty book club fiction, part female friendship, and part meditation on control, chance, and the stories we tell ourselves.

This book is for all the readers out there looking for the perfect job, partner, or throw pillow to make their life complete. It is about the path not taken and the many facets of love in our lives, ultimately asking: Do our choices define us or do we define our choices



Advance Praise for Kiss, Marry, Kill

“Deviously clever and emotionally rich, Kiss, Marry, Kill is a sharp dive into friendship, fate, and the choices that change everything. I devoured it.” —Chandler Baker, NYT bestselling author of Whisper Network, The Husbands, and Cutting Teeth

“A wonderfully outlandish premise that delivers a clever, pacy, emotionally satisfying read. This thought-provoking Sliding Doors-style story had me fully invested in the lives of all three friends as they navigated the outcome of their life-changing game. My brain spun as I stayed up late to find out how it would all resolve!“ —Cesca Major, author of Reese’s Book Club pick Maybe Next Time

Joining Janeane on 4/8 at 9:00am - Lexi Larison, Director of Business Development, New Directions For Women

Lexi Larison, CADC-1
Director of Business Development
New Directions for Women

LISTEN to this week's show
with Lexi Larison.

ABOUT LEXI LARISON
Lexi Larison has been working in the substance use treatment field for nearly a decade, gaining experience in every area of care, including operations, healthcare, admissions, and clinical services. As a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, she spent a large portion of her career as a case manager, directly supporting individuals on their recovery journeys. Over the past three years, Lexi transitioned into Business Development, where she now serves as the Director of Business Development at New Directions for Women. In this role, she combines her clinical expertise with her passion for outreach, helping women access the treatment and support they need to reclaim their lives.

Beyond her professional experience, Lexi is a proud mother in long-term recovery, and her deep commitment to this work stems from her own personal journey. She serves women from a place of compassion, love, and curiosity, ensuring that every woman she encounters knows she has the power to recover. Lexi believes that with the right support, every woman can reclaim her life and step into the future she deserves.

New Directions for Women

newdirectionsforwomen.org

New Directions for Women is a gender-specific, primary substance use treatment program located in Costa Mesa, California. Since 1977, we’ve been dedicated to supporting women on their journey to recovery by offering a full continuum of care—including detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), intensive sober living, and outpatient services.


Over the past 48 years, we’ve worked hard to remove many of the barriers women often face when seeking treatment. For example, we can accept most pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, including for detox services. Additionally, we are licensed to accommodate up to six women with dependent children under the age of 12 in our residential program.

To further support mothers in treatment, we offer an onsite daycare facility, allowing women to attend groups and individual sessions while their children are cared for nearby. Please note that the daycare service is available for an additional fee (details listed below).

Although we are primary substance use, we can treat dual diagnoses (anxiety, depression, personality/thought disorders, trauma, PTSD, etc). Often, our women come in with significant amounts of trauma, so our treatment is trauma-responsive, from a Narrative and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) approach. Our goal is to empower women to begin to define recovery apart from the disease of addiction. We do so by helping them identify the stories of strength and resiliency that have always existed for them, with the goal to help them engage in a new relationship with themselves and their loved ones.

Rehab for Women in California | New Directions for Women

New Directions for Women

https://www.newdirectionsforwomen.org/
888.312.5499


Lexi Larison
Alarison@ndfw.org
714.330.2318


Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/56DBF931S6OW?ref_=wl_share

UC Irvine's Langson Orange County Museum of Art Announces Dual Exhibitions Exploring California's Landscape, Infrastructure, and Identity at its Irvine Location

Dear UC Irvine Langson Museum Community,


Join us on the UC Irvine campus next week from Monday, April 13, through Saturday, April 18, from 10 AM to 4 PM to celebrate and experience CLASS: C, a pop-up gallery created by Ruben Ochoa, who transformed his family’s Chevy van into a mobile studio and exhibition space while he was a student at UC Irvine.


CLASS: C will be parked at the Irvine Barclay Theatre plaza, located at 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine—an opportunity to encounter art outside the traditional gallery setting. CLASS: C is part of Breakdown/Breakthrough: Art and Infrastructure, on view through May 9 at the museum’s Irvine location (18881 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine). Together, these presentations explore how artists have engaged the built environment and everyday life in Southern California.

Warmly,

Your friends at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art



Artist Talk: Ruben Ochoa
April 18, 2026, 2:00 PM

Artist Talk: Ruben Ochoa – Orange County Museum of Art | UC Irvine Langson


Join us for an artist talk with UC Irvine alumnus Ruben Ochoa (MFA 2003), whose work is featured at our Irvine location in Breakdown/Breakthrough: Art and Infrastructure, a two-part exhibition exploring how Southern California’s built environment shapes daily life here, from our movement and visibility to our sense of belonging. On view in Irvine (18881 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine) through May 16, the show features newly acquired photographs from Ochoa’s ficus series (2007); at Irvine Barclay Theatre plaza (4242 Campus Drive, Irvine), Ochoa’s mobile art gallery and studio CLASS: C will be on view April 13–18 from 10 AM to 4 PM.



Ochoa’s artist talk will explore these artworks in the context of his broader practice. He will be in conversation with the exhibition’s curator, Dr. Michaëla Mohrmann.

This program is free and open to all; no prior registration required.


About the artist

Ruben Ochoa, an interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, has spent three decades exploring space as both concept and material while addressing the sociopolitical and economic forces shaping the spaces we occupy. His notable works include Mis Marcadores (2019), a large-scale public installation at the US–Mexico border, and the AR lens ¡Vendedores, Presente! created in collaboration with LACMA and Snapchat in 2021 to support Los Angeles street vendors. Ochoa also collaborates with Revolution Carts to create art-wrapped vendor carts, which function as both tools for street vendors and social sculptures; they have been featured in such prominent venues as Frieze LA and the Hammer Museum. Through his art, Ochoa uses whimsy to reframe everyday objects, such as rebar, fence posts, tortillas, and street vendor umbrellas to provoke thought and highlight their deep sociopolitical implications.



About the curator

Michaëla Mohrmann has been assistant curator at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art since 2022. She holds a BA in art history from Harvard University and a PhD in art history from Columbia University, where she studied modern and contemporary art with an emphasis on Latin American and Latinx art. Prior to joining UC Irvine Langson Museum, she worked as associate curatorial director at Pace Gallery and was an Andrew Mellon Museum Research Consortium Curatorial Fellow at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

UCI NEWS! Mapping urban heat from space reveals dangerous inequities in LA public parks UC Irvine study finds those in underserved communities can reach burn-risk temps

NEWS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Carly Murphy

949-501-1008

murphyco@uci.edu


Mapping urban heat from space reveals dangerous inequities in LA public parks

UC Irvine study finds those in underserved communities can reach burn-risk temps More than a third of parks and recreational spaces in South Los Angeles hit or exceeded the human thermal pain threshold, while no parks in West Los Angeles did.

Researchers determined that South Los Angeles parks were built with far more heat-retaining materials, such as artificial turf and concrete, than those in West Los Angeles. The NASA-funded study also found stark inequities in park access.

Irvine, Calif., April 7, 2026 — A new study funded by a NASA grant awarded to the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health has found that public parks in underserved areas of Los Angeles can reach dangerously high temperatures, in some cases hot enough to cause pain or burns, because of the materials used to build them.


The differences stem largely from what parks are made of. Researchers discovered that parks in South Los Angeles contain significantly more heat-retaining materials – such as artificial turf, concrete and rubber – while parks in West Los Angeles are far more likely to feature natural turf and vegetation.

The research, published recently in npj Urban Sustainability, a journal in the Nature Portfolio, analyzed park temperatures across Los Angeles County using satellite data from Ecostress, a thermal imaging experiment aboard the International Space Station. The results show stark temperature differences between parks in South Los Angeles and those in West Los Angeles, revealing how urban design and historical investment patterns shape exposure to extreme heat.


The study, conducted with collaborators from Chapman University and Tennessee State University, found that parks and open spaces in South Los Angeles averaged 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit during summer daytime conditions, compared with about 91.6 degrees Fahrenheit in West Los Angeles. More than a third of parks and recreational spaces in South Los Angeles reached or exceeded the surface temperature associated with the human pain threshold. No parks in West Los Angeles reached that point.



“Parks are often thought of as cooling refuges during extreme heat,” said Jason A. Douglas, associate professor and vice chair in Wen Public Health’s Department of Health, Society & Behavior. “But in some underserved communities, the parks that should provide relief are actually exposing residents to dangerous levels of heat.”



Natural surfaces, such as those more featured in West Los Angeles parks, help cool the environment through shade and evapotranspiration, the process by which plants release moisture into the air. Artificial materials absorb and retain heat.



The research also found stark differences in access to green space. Using a per capita measure to account for differences in study area size, West Los Angeles has 117.1 hectares of parkland per capita, compared to 9.1 in South Los Angeles.



“Residents in South Los Angeles face a double burden,” said Joshua Fisher, an associate professor of environmental science at Chapman University’s Schmid College of Science and Technology. “They have less access to parks, and the parks that do exist are often built with materials that trap heat instead of cooling the environment.”



The work used satellite observations collected between 2021 and 2024 to measure land surface temperatures at hundreds of parks and recreational areas, including schoolyards, playgrounds and open spaces. Employing machine-learning techniques, the team increased the resolution of the satellite data to analyze temperature differences across specific surfaces, such as grass, artificial turf and pavement.



The project was shaped in part by community concerns. Residents working with the environmental justice organization Communities for a Better Environment reported extremely hot park surfaces during community workshops and heat pocket mapping sessions. Some said that artificial-turf fields and playgrounds were hot enough to burn bare feet during summer months.



Those experiences prompted the research team to investigate whether the thermal conditions described could be measured across many parks using large-scale data, such as satellite observations.

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, and urban heat islands – built infrastructure that absorbs and traps heat disproportionately – tend to affect lower-income communities and people of color.

The study’s authors said the findings highlight how decades of unequal investment in urban infrastructure continue to shape environmental conditions and public health risks in cities.


“Parks should be part of the solution to extreme heat,” Douglas said. “But the design and materials used in these spaces matter. If we want parks to protect communities during hotter summers, we need to invest in vegetation, shade and natural surfaces that actually cool the environment.”


The study was led by Ashley Agatep, an undergraduate researcher at Chapman University. Besides Douglas and Fisher, co-authors include Kainani Tacazon of Chapman University, Reginald Archer of Tennessee State University, Ambar Rivera and Rossmery Zayas from Communities for a Better Environment, and graduate student Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon of UC Irvine.


This work was supported by NASA through its Equity and Environmental Justice Program and Ecostress Science and Applications Team.


The researchers said their findings could help inform future urban planning and park development strategies aimed at reducing heat exposure in vulnerable communities. As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves across Southern California, they said, ensuring equitable access to effective cooling infrastructure will be critical for protecting public health.



About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

Coming up April 1st at 9:30am - Casey Reitz, President and CEO Segerstrom Center for the Arts talks about Segerstrom Center for the Arts Celebrating 40 years of the arts. A new residency. A new initiative. A sustained commitment to arts for all.

LISTEN to today's show

Media Alert for Monday, March 30 at 4:30pm

Segerstrom Center for the Arts | Samueli Theatre

Arturo O’Farrill multi-GRAMMY‑ Award® Winner

Named Inaugural Artist in Residence

Performance by O’Farrill, plus Announcement of

Expanded Commitment to Hispanic and Latino Arts and Culture

Casey Reitz, President and CEO of Segerstrom Center for the Arts shares:

 “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary and honor the extraordinary legacy built by Henry Segerstrom, we are equally focused on the future,

embracing bold artistic voices and expanding the ways we engage

the diverse communities that call Orange County home.

Initiatives like ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series, made possible

through the generous support of the Spenuzza Family,

help us bring a wide range of Hispanic and Latino artists

and traditions to our stages and classrooms.”

A new residency. A new initiative. A sustained commitment to arts for all.

WHAT: Segerstrom Center for the Arts Celebrating 40 years of the arts

Multi-GRAMMY‑ Award® Winner Arturo O’Farrill Named Inaugural Artist in Residence

Plus Expanded Commitment to Hispanic and Latino Arts and Culture for 2026-2027 season

The Center unveils its Inaugural Artist in Residence and the new ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series --

followed by an intimate performance from O’Farrill, Q&A, and reception.


The announcement is part of a broader cultural initiative at the Center,
with programming across music, dance, theater and education that
launches 40th anniversary season.


WHERE: Samueli Theater, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa


ABOUT: The ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series celebrating 257 Years of California’s Hispanic Heritage, builds on the Center’s longstanding relationships with artists and communities throughout Southern California. This brings together internationally acclaimed artists, community collaborations, student programs, and cross‑-genre‑ performances designed to engage audiences of all ages while highlighting the many artistic traditions that shape Hispanic and Latino cultural expression. Together, these programs form a growing platform for Hispanic and Latino artistic voices at the Center.

Widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in Afro Latin jazz today composer, pianist, and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill’s work bridges classical composition, jazz improvisation, and Afro Cuban and pan Latin‑ musical traditions, embodying the spirit of innovation and cultural dialogue at the heart of the Center’s expanded programming.

O’Farrill’s residency will bring dynamic programming to multiple venues across the Segerstrom Center campus throughout the 2026–27 season. Performances, new commissions, youth and family programming, master classes, and community centered‑ events will create opportunities for audiences to experience the evolving landscape of Latin music while fostering deeper connections between artists and the community.

Joining Janeane on 4/1 at 9:00am - Gavin McMahon author of Story Business: Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business

LISTEN to today's show!

Stories move people—and people move business.

In Story Business, Gavin McMahon takes you on a journey from ancient cave paintings to billion-dollar tech unicorns, revealing how storytelling is a powerful—and undervalued—tool for driving business success. Drawing on vivid examples of the rise and fall of real-world companies, McMahon exposes a timeless truth: It’s not the best ideas that win, but the best-packaged ideas.

From shaping strategy and launching products to leading teams and building culture, McMahon shows that storytelling isn’t just a marketing tool or a way to dress up facts—it’s a force that transforms ideas into catalysts people can see, feel, and rally behind. In this book, you’ll explore six essential genres of business storytelling—value, product, brand, sales, leadership, and culture—each with practical tools to help you connect, persuade, and inspire. You’ll learn how to shape a compelling hook, turn numbers into narratives, and rally teams around a shared vision.

If you’ve ever tried to spark change or rally a team—only to be met with blank stares—this book is for you. It’s about breaking through using the same skill humans have relied on for tens of thousands of years: telling a better story. With his signature straight talk, Gavin McMahon cuts through corporate jargon to reveal the fundamental truths of storytelling. Minute by minute, Story Business will teach you how to captivate, persuade, and lead—all by telling stories that stick.