sharonksobotta

A Chance Encounter with Al Sharpton's Brother Kenneth Glasgow

No Excuses--Persistance, Love & 22 Novels

The Story Behind Your Dining Experience--Chef Jon Lee

In my quest to give voice to people from all walks of life, I love learning the backstories, not just of the people in the forefront, but the people on the sidelines, the people who prepare the food that I enjoy when I go out for dinner. Just after returning from Bali last summer, I made my first trip to Chef Jon Lee's Asian Confusion restaurant. As the product of a Balinese mother and a Chinese father, Jon Lee has always lived an eclectic, bicultural life. Rather than trying to figure out how to compartmentalize his identity, Jon embraces his eclectic style into everything he does--working his way from the car industry to the restaurant business and discovering his passion for combining the various flavors of Asia into every dish he prepares.

Finding peace in the midst of chaos

I like to think of stress as optional and opt out as often as possible, but in the chaos of life that is sometimes easier said than done. Jonathan Kapalan, Ph.D. says its possible to find peace anywhere at anytime including the inside of your car during rush hour. Ever since doing this interview, I've been seriously considering cleaning out my car. It will indeed happen. Listen to Jonathan's interview to get a few tips on mindful living.

Attitude Reconstruction--Interview with Jude Bijou

Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we react. Might as well have a good attitude about it.

Emily Smith, Author of THANK YOU MR. WRONG

In everyday conversation, people sometimes throw around the phrase, "never judge a book by its cover." But, in real life, particularly in the world of books, we know that we absolutely judge books by their covers. Just as we are attracted to people who radiate positive energy with a warm and welcoming smiles, we notice books by their captivating covers and intriguing titles. As I walked out of the New York Book Expo 8am morning session hosted by Jon Stewart feeling disappointed that the session ended before I got called on to ask my kick a** question, I perked up with I saw a bright red book with the letters THANK YOU MR. WRONG on the front cover. The author of the book, Emily Smith, was holding it and when she noticed me starring at it, she asked, "Do you want it?" I've met Mr. Wrong a few times in life and couldn't resist the offer to meet him again. "Of course," I said. And with the exchange of every book at the Book Expo comes an interview. Listen to Emily's interview to get a sense of what she learned from Mr. Wrong and how a series of Mr. Wrongs led her to a Mr. Right!

J.A. Konrath--Ten Tries are a Charm

"After 500 rejections, after 12 years, after more than a million words written and not a dime earned, I like to say that there is a word for an author than never gives up and that word is published." Mystery Writer J.A. Konrath

No Permission Necessary--Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber knew she had her work cut out for her when she decided to pursue her dream of being a writer. She struggled with dyslexia throughout childhood, graduated near the bottom of her class and married as a teenager. Debbie recalls her third grade teacher telling her parents, "Debbie is such a nice girl, but she probably won't go far in life." Unwilling to be talked out of her dream, Debbie kept it a secret. In spite of her learning disability Debbie was bursting at the seems with stories that she thought had to be told. At 29, Debbie rented a type writer and began pecking out her stories, taking breaks to attend to parenting duties and to make room at the table for family meals. Thirty years later, Debbie has written over 100 books, several of which are New York Times Best Sellers and some which have been made into movies. Perhaps Debbie's third-grade teacher is eating her words. The moral of the story--If you have a dream, don't ask for anyone's permission, instead just pursue it relentlessly!

Relationships--Dr. Ali Binazir's Take on Women, Love & Relationships

Relationships. It seems like we are on a lifelong quest to figure them out. We're either in one and we're not quite sure if it's the right one or try to convince ourselves to make it work. We're not in one and we can't wait to find one. Or, we're enjoying the scenic route. Dr. Ali Binazir, who in addition to writing books, writes for the Huffington Post, sat beside me at the BEA opening press conference and crossed paths with me several times throughout the expo. On the outside balcony of a New York club, interrupted by a few rounds of sirens, Ali and I chatted about life, love and relationships. Although I struggled to crack the code and get the personal back story that led him down the path he is pursuing today, Ali shares several tidbits of charming advice for both women and men. The key, Ali says, is to love yourself first!

The man on the sidelines--Lenny Boyette from the sidelines of the Today Show

Get to know to the people on the periphery of your life—whether they be the people who serve you in restaurants, the people who care for you when you are ill or those help you when you are down on luck. Collectively, these people represent all life experiences, religions and ideologies. If you watch the Today show on NBC, there is one man that you are likely to spot in the crowd at Rockefeller Center nearly everyday. His name is Lenny and he joins the outside crowd day after day. If you’d like to have your 30 seconds of television exposure, production interns recommend standing near Lenny. When, by chance, Lenny ended up standing near me last summer, I decided to seize the moment and get a snippet of this vibrant man who captures the world’s attention from the periphery of the Today show set day after day. Since I neglected to get Lenny's picture last summer, I knew I couldn't leave New York City without finding Lenny again. Hours before my scheduled flight out of New York City, while I was interviewing One Republic's Eddie Fischer, I spotted Lenny standing directly across from me. I kept my eyes on him and the minute he grabbed his duffle bag to began his daily stroll through the city, I dashed over to him. While I was chatting with Lenny, about a dozen people approached him to take pictures with him, telling him how much they appreciate his daily presence on the show. Lenny posed for several pictures and did a repeat interview, chatting until the security moved us out. As you'll hear, Lenny has a distinct routine--he wakes up each day at 3am, goes to the Today show, walks the city, shops and sips tea and says he is not a fan of change, but that he has observed a great deal of change over the years. Lenny is a very simple man, but one who has intrigued the world, none-the-less. “I used to watch the Today Show on Saturday and my sister told me that if I ever came to New York I had to go and visit the Today show. After I got here, I popped in one day and they sort of adopted me and it’s been quite nice ever since. When I’m not at the Today show I walk about and enjoy the city and I do lots and lots of shopping, because I’m retired now so I’ve got lots and lots of time. I was in the military for 25 years, where I did a bit of everything. I lived all over the U.K., but was mainly in Manchester. I enjoy being in New York. My sister lives near Connecticut, so I go and join her every Sunday for dinner, and it is really nice to spend time with nieces and nephews. Thank you so much for your time, God bless the world, all the best to the president and all the military people also. I’m very healthy, so I feel very blessed for that. My mother and father taught me that lesson. No spouse, no kids, no stress.” “Lenny” New York City Daily visitor of the Today Show