☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ with M.C.V. EGAN

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

From Behind the Clipboard: Lessons From a Wedding Planner

Biographical / Self-Help / Wedding Planning

From Behind The Clipboard

One of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of being an event planner is the personal relationships I develop with clients with whom I work. For a period of time, I get to be an integral part of their lives as we plan together to create a lifecycle event that will be long remembered. During this process with them, I am often navigating a range of emotion, family and relationship dynamics, decision paralysis and more. Not only am I a wedding planner and designer, but I often feel that I am a coach, mentor and therapist as well.

This book dives deeper than being only a “how to” guide by also including psychological and professional perspective pertaining to the wedding planning process. It helps address decision making, external influences, financial pressure, stress management, relationship preservation and so much more. I share my advice and pro tips and open up about personal experiences including stories that reflect on what I have learned and the wisdom I can impart to others based upon what I have done successfully in planning and experiences that may not have gone as I had hoped, but became a great lesson for what not to do. I want everyone who is planning a wedding to know that it is absolutely ok for their wedding to be “perfectly imperfect.”

About the Author

I am a business owner and professional wedding and special event planner. I have owned Perfectly Planned by Shari for 20 years and have worked in the event industry for approximately 28 years. During this time, I have planned hundreds of weddings and events.

Majoring in design and communications in college, I bring my passion for interior design to my events. I worked with my clients on developing the creative vision and curate the style and aesthetic for all events I plan.

That being said, my greatest achievement is being a mom and raising my twin, almost 21 year old sons, whom I am immensely proud of for being responsible and kind humans. I believe the best thing I have done in my life has been creating my family.

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Monday, November 10, 2025

Echoes of Fortune

Mystery, Thriller

Date Published: November 11, 2025

What would you risk to uncover a secret buried for over 150 years?

From bestselling and multi–award-winning author David R. Leng comes the next pulse-pounding installment in the Echoes of Fortune series.

His debut, Echoes of Fortune: The Search for Braddock’s Lost Gold, captivated readers and earned a 4.5-star rating on Goodreads. Now the adventure continues with a brand-new novella that plunges deeper into history’s deadliest secrets.

When historian Jack Sullivan, Smithsonian curator Emma Wilson, and fellow former Navy SEAL Steve Johnson set out for a Thanksgiving dive off Cozumel, they expect nothing more than warm waters and forgotten wrecks. Instead, they uncover a Confederate ghost ship that vanished in 1865—along with a sealed brass tube containing secrets powerful enough to change history.

But they’re not alone. Shadowy mercenaries and a black-hulled yacht stalk their every move, determined to silence them before the truth surfaces. From dazzling reefs to the back alleys of Veracruz, Jack and his team are forced into a deadly game where history isn’t past—it’s a weapon.

Some secrets don’t want to be found. And some will kill to stay buried.

Perfect for fans of Steve Berry, Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, and James Rollins, Shadows Over Cozumel delivers nonstop action, historical intrigue, and a mystery that spans centuries.

About the Author

David R. Leng, known for his expertise in risk management and insurance, now ventures into the world of fiction with his latest historical thriller, Echoes of Fortune. With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, David is the author of International #1 Best Sellers including "Insured to Fail" and "The 10 Laws of Insurance Attraction," and has saved clients over $42 million in premiums and overcharges. As Executive Vice President and Partner of the Duncan Financial Group, David is celebrated for his innovative Risk Profile Improvement Process and has earned numerous accolades, including Advisor of the Year by the Institute of WorkComp Professionals. An avid contributor to industry publications, David’s passion extends beyond his professional achievements to include boating, skiing, woodworking, and supporting his local high school’s musical productions. His foray into historical thrillers reflects his deep storytelling skills and a lifelong commitment to engaging and captivating audiences.

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Friday, November 7, 2025

Murder on the Squid Row Run

Mystery

Date Published: June 10, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

Set sail for suspense in the thrilling first installment of the Sailing Mystery Series!

In Murder on the Squid Row Run, oboist Georgiana Quilter is finally hitting her stride—with a dream orchestra job and a new apartment. But when she agrees to pose as a celebrity’s girlfriend during a glamorous international sailing rally, things take a dark and deadly turn.

A body turns up on board. A child disappears. A saboteur strikes. As the Squid Row Run heads from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Georgiana races to uncover secrets buried at sea—all while navigating a fake romance that’s becoming dangerously real.

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, strong female sleuths, and nautical adventures, authentic maritime details inspired by the author’s own seven-year circumnavigation. Suspense, wit, and danger at every port

“… action-packed with a pitch-perfect ear for all the craziness of an international sailing rally.”

—Cap’n Fatty Goodlander, Cruising World Magazine

Love mystery series set on the water? This is your next great read.

Series on Amazon

About the Author

Author Julia Shovein brings authenticity and edge to her mystery novels, drawn from a life spent at sea and in service. After a thirty-year career as a university professor of nursing (Professor Emeritus), Julia retired and embarked on a global sailing adventure with her husband, circumnavigating the globe over seven years.

She lived and wrote in exotic locations like New Zealand, Turkey, and London’s St. Katherine Dock. Upon returning home to Paradise, California, Julia and her husband narrowly escaped the devastating Campfire wildfire. These life-altering experiences shaped her writing—and her heroine, Georgiana Quilter.

Now living in Bremerton, Washington, with her husband Horst and husky Blue, Julia is a proud member of the Poulsbo Yacht Club. She’s truly, as Cruising World puts it, “the real thing.”

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Carrie Ingall’s – The Forgotten Sister

Non-fiction Chapter Book Juvenile Fiction

Date Published: 10-30-2025

Publisher: Solander Press

While her sister Laura chronicles their life on the frontier, Carrie Ingalls forges her own path. This is the story of the “forgotten” sister, a frail child who grows into a resilient woman of the American West. From the hardships of pioneer life, Carrie emerges as an independent journalist, newspaper editor, and landowner, quietly shaping the futures of fellow homesteaders and proving that strength comes in many forms.

Excerpt

Chapter Six A Single Bag of Wheat

On October 15, 1880, a fierce blizzard struck the Dakota Territory. It soon became clear that the Ingalls family could not survive the coming winter in a one-room shanty.

First, Charles took his haystacks to town in the wagon. Then he returned to the shanty, and he and Caroline packed the wagon with their few pieces of furniture, bedding, and clothes. They returned to town and moved back into the rooms above the small store Charles had built. The good news was that Laura and Carrie could go to school.

A lot had changed over the summer while they lived in the shanty. The school had been completed and opened on November 1, 1880. Laura and Carrie were two of the first fifteen students to attend De Smet School. When another blizzard hit during a school day, Laura and Carrie struggled to find their way back to where they lived.

Settlers depended on the train for their supplies. Not only did they get food delivered daily by train, but they also received mail and, most importantly, coal for fuel. Charles and the other men from town often shoveled snow from the tracks so the train could reach the station.

As the blizzards continued into January 1881, the railroad made a decision that significantly affected Carrie and her family. They would not deliver more supplies until spring and would cease operations for the winter.

The school was shut down because there wasn’t enough coal to keep the children warm, and soon food became scarce in the town. Food prices rose sharply, with flour costing $50 a pound, and the last few pounds of sugar selling for $1 a pound. Without coal, the Ingalls burned hay twisted into bundles. As their kerosene ran low, they burned the oil lamps less and less at night. But a good deed by Charles may have saved the family.

About the Author

Award-winning author Clarissa Willis writes children's books. She has authored four picture books and one chapter book. Bloomers on Pike’s Peak, the story of Julia Archibald Holmes, received a Will Rogers Medallion Award and was a finalist for the Women Writing the West 2025 WILLA Literary Award in Children's Picture Books. Her book Fast as the Wind: The Story of Johnny Fry Pony Express Rider won a Will Rogers Medallion in 2023. The Three Little Pigs and the Not So Big Bad Wolf, released in early 2025. It tells a familiar story with a new twist. She believes childhood is a journey and strives to make it joyful through her books and public speaking.

Clarissa loves traveling and has a special connection to the American West. She finds inspiration in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In fact, her next book, Not from Around Here, is set in Sedona and chronicles an unusual friendship between a young cowboy and his friend from far away.

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Thursday, November 6, 2025

Alan Hovhaness

Unveiling One of the Great Composers of the 20th Century

Biography

Date Published: October 28, 2025
Publisher: Peanut Butter Publishing

In the year 2000, after Alan’s death, Hinako Fujihara-Hovhaness started writing poems, which was the only way she could cope with her great loss. They were written with her limited English, yet they were spontaneous and poignant, straight from her heart. After she had written hundreds of poems, it was not enough. Hinako started writing stories from my memories about Alan, events she had experienced with him.

To Hinako, “Alan was a master of counterpoint and an intellectual, yet he had many different sides to his personality, from being a polite, distinguished gentleman to a wild savage, idealistic, and old-fashioned man to sexy womanizer. He understood human nature and emotion, and I think that is why his music touches people’s hearts and is loved by them, even though his music is built on an intellectual foundation”.

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Amazon: Special Edition

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The Philosopher’s Guide to Live, Suffering and Kidney Stones

Nonfiction / Health

Date Published: June 5, 2025

Let’s face it—life throws rocks at all of us. Sometimes metaphorical, sometimes literal, and occasionally they hit you directly in the kidneys.

Welcome to the survival guide you didn’t know you needed—for pain, philosophy, and the Dirty Rotten Bastards known as kidney stones.

Written by Dr. Carmin Kalorin, a board-certified Urologist and Navy Veteran with a sharp sense of humor and a well-loved copy of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, this book is equal parts medical manual, philosophical deep-dive, and brutally honest pep talk. From ancient Greek tragedy to Zen detachment, from Schopenhauer’s existential gloom to modern pain meds that actually work, Dr. Kalorin arms you with science, insight, and just the right amount of sarcasm to help you endure the worst pain imaginable—and maybe even grow from it.

Inside, you’ll discover:

● Why kidney stones hurt so damn much (hint: it’s not just the jagged edges)
● How to suffer like a philosopher—or just survive like a human
● What Stoics, Buddhists, and Navy SEALs can teach us about pain
● How to stop these unholy invaders from ever coming back

Whether you’re mid-attack, recovering, or just preparing for the day your body decides to throw a mutiny, The Philosopher’s Guide to Life, Suffering, and Kidney Stones offers clarity, catharsis, and some much-needed laughs—because if suffering is inevitable, we might as well face it with wisdom and a plan.

Grab some water (seriously, hydrate), settle in (writhing optional), and turn the page. You’re not alone!

About the Author

Carmin M. Kalorin, M.D. is a board-certified urologist and founder of the Kidney Stone Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the highest-volume kidney stone treatment centers in the nation. Over the past decade, his team’s dedication to patient-centered care has placed the center in the top 1.5% nationally for stone treatment volume.

With over 20 years of experience specializing in minimally invasive surgery and kidney stone management, Dr. Kalorin has seen firsthand how painful and life-disruptive kidney stones can be. His mission goes beyond treatment—he is passionate about empowering patients through education. By helping people understand why kidney stones form, how pain develops, and what prevention truly looks like, he believes patients can reclaim control over their health.

That philosophy led to his book, The Philosopher’s Guide to Life, Suffering, and Kidney Stones (but Mostly Kidney Stones)—a blend of practical medical insights and timeless philosophical wisdom. Drawing from thousands of patient conversations, Dr. Kalorin translates complex medical science into approachable, often humorous lessons about resilience, suffering, and the human condition.

Equal parts clinician, teacher, and philosopher, Dr. Kalorin writes with the conviction that knowledge is the most powerful tool in medicine—and that even life’s sharpest pains can reveal deeper meaning.

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