Episodes

  • Why Your Next 3 Minutes Could Define Your Life: The 3:12 Rule with Sherry Levin

    Why Your Next 3 Minutes Could Define Your Life: The 3:12 Rule with Sherry Levin
    Mar 31 2026
    Charles LevinWe tend to believe that success is decided in the spotlight. But what if it’s actually decided in the quiet moments just before it, when no one is watching, and nothing has happened yet?In the latest episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, host Charlie Levin sits down with legendary basketball coach Sherry Levin to discuss her book Pregame: A Winning Mindset. While her stories come from the court, her lessons apply to authors facing blank pages, entrepreneurs staring down risky launches, and anyone standing on the edge of a life-changing moment.This isn’t really about sports.It’s about pressure and what you become when it arrives.Are You a Diamond or a Pencil?Under enough pressure, carbon can become either graphite or a diamond.Same substance. Different outcome.Sherry uses this metaphor to challenge her players and now her readers to rethink adversity. Pressure doesn’t destroy you; it reveals what you’re willing to become.When deadlines stack up, when rejection emails land, when life suddenly feels heavier than expected, you face a quiet choice:Will you wear down… or crystallize?“The choice is yours,” she tells her team.For writers, this might mean finishing the chapter you’re tempted to abandon. For leaders, it may mean making the decision you’d rather postpone. For anyone in pain, it could simply mean getting up tomorrow and trying again.Pressure is not the enemy. It’s the forge.The Power of “Next Play”One of Sherry’s former players, Leticia Rolle, carried a single lesson from the court into her life as an entrepreneur and model:Next play.Missed opportunity? Next play.Failed launch? Next play.Bad day at work or at home? Next play.In sports, hesitation costs possessions. In life, it costs years.Writers often stall because they keep rereading what didn’t work. Professionals replay conversations long after everyone else has moved on. Creators abandon projects because the first version wasn’t perfect.But progress belongs to those who refuse to freeze in the past.A setback isn’t a stop sign. It’s a transition.Momentum is built one forward motion at a time.The 3:12 MiracleSherry recounts a championship game where her team trailed by nine points with only 3 minutes and 12 seconds left.Most teams would mentally check out. The scoreboard looked final.Instead, she gave them a simple, calm directive:Three stops.Three scores.One play at a time.No speeches. No panic. No desperation.Just a plan small enough to execute under pressure.They followed it possession by possession and completed the comeback to win the championship.Years later, Sherry used the same mindset during her battle with breast cancer. She didn’t try to conquer the entire fight at once. She focused on the next appointment, the next treatment, the next day.Overwhelm shrinks when the horizon shrinks.Your life rarely turns on one massive heroic act. It turns on a series of composed responses when everything feels like it’s falling apart.Everyone eventually faces a personal “3:12” moment.Why This Matters NowWe live in a culture obsessed with outcomes and impatient with process. We celebrate the highlight reel while ignoring the preparation that made it possible.But every breakthrough is preceded by invisible minutes of doubt, fear, recalibration, and resolve.The email you almost didn’t send.The draft you almost deleted.The conversation you almost avoided.Those moments shape trajectories more than any grand plan ever could.And none of us does it alone.Behind every composed performance is a network of belief, teammates, editors, mentors, readers, family, and friends. Success is rarely solitary; it is communal strength expressed through individual action.Sherry’s guiding question cuts straight to the core:“In the eyes of someone else, would they be proud of you?”Not impressed. Proud.It’s a measure of character, not achievement.Is Your 3:12 Already Ticking?Maybe your moment looks like:Publishing the piece you’re afraid to share.Starting the book you keep outlining but never writing.Making the call you’ve been postponing.Showing up again after a quiet disappointment.You don’t need to solve everything today.You only need to win the next play.Because sometimes three minutes used well can echo across a lifetime.Read It Now🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Munn Avenue Muse featuring Sherry Levin on your favorite podcast platform.📘 PREGAME: A Winning Mindset is available now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Bookshop.org🌐 Connect with Sherry at SherryLevin.com✍️ If you are preparing for your own “game day” whether that means writing a book, launching a project, or stepping into a new chapter, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you turn preparation into publication. If you would like to publish your book or audiobook (or are just beginning to imagine it), visit MunnAvenuePress.com and let the team help you bring your vision to life.Happy Writing!Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder👉 ...
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    30 mins
  • Information informs. Stories transform.

    Information informs. Stories transform.
    Mar 17 2026
    Charlie Levin · Mar 17, 2026In the latest episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, host Charlie Levin speaks with HR leader, consultant, and researcher Dr. Roz Cohen, author of The Engagement Dilemma. The conversation pulls back the curtain on one of the most uncomfortable truths in modern leadership:Many workplace culture initiatives aren’t meant to solve problems. They’re meant to look like they are. Cohen calls this phenomenon engagement theater, and once you see it, you can’t unsee it.The Most Dangerous Culture Problem Is InvisibleEngagement theater resembles real effort.Town halls. Surveys. Retreats. Listening sessions. Carefully worded emails about values and belonging. On paper, everything appears positive.Employees, however, are remarkably good at sensing authenticity. When initiatives fail to produce meaningful change, trust erodes quietly—not through rebellion, but through withdrawal.People stop speaking up.Stop volunteering ideas.Stop believing honesty is safe.Over time, they stop bringing their full selves to work. Not out of laziness, but out of self-protection.Why Real Leaders Talk About Their MistakesWhat makes Cohen’s book unusual is that she doesn’t present herself as the flawless expert. Instead, she shares deeply uncomfortable moments from her own career.Including one that still makes her cringe.Early in her finance career, she casually referred to an employee as “my pet” and tapped them on the shoulder, a comment overheard by her boss and immediately recognized as inappropriate.Many professionals would erase that memory.Cohen chose to document it. Leaders who pretend they have never failed create cultures where everyone else feels pressure to pretend as well. Acknowledging mistakes does not diminish authority; it makes leadership more human.And humans follow humans, not perfection.Stories Change People More Than Data Ever WillCohen deliberately structured The Engagement Dilemma around narrative, not just research. Because information informs. Stories transform.A statistic might make you think. A story makes you remember. A personal story makes you feel.That emotional connection is what actually shifts behavior, whether in leadership, teaching, or writing. As Cohen notes, the fastest way to regain a drifting audience is simple: “Let me tell you a story.”Everyone leans in. Because stories are how humans make meaning.When Labels Replace CuriosityCohen also tackles one of the most charged topics in modern workplaces: diversity, equity, and inclusion.Her argument is both bold and disarming. At their core, these concepts aren’t political. They’re human. People want to be seen. Understood. Valued for who they are.The problem arises when labels become shortcuts for understanding. Instead of learning about the individual in front of us, we interact with assumptions.Cohen compares it to wearing tinted glasses: everything you see is pre-filtered before you even begin. Clear vision requires removing the tint.The Values Driving the MessageCohen traces her motivation to two Jewish principles that shaped her worldview:Tzedakah — the responsibility to give backTikkun Olam — the call to repair the worldWriting the book was, for her, an act of contribution. Knowledge that stays within elite circles helps no one.But if one leader reads the book and changes one behavior, if one employee feels more seen, more heard, more valued, that ripple matters. The Real Engagement DilemmaThe biggest threat to workplace culture is performative care.Employees don’t need more programs that appear supportive. What matters is leadership behavior that demonstrates support in everyday moments.A manager who listens without deflecting.A system that makes participation possible for more than just the loudest voices.A culture where mistakes can be discussed openly and learned from.Engagement is not something leaders announce. It is something people experience.When individuals feel genuinely seen, motivation follows naturally.If you lead people, this conversation serves less as a set of tips and more as a wake-up call. The future of work will not be defined by perks, policies, or slogans, but by whether employees believe their leaders genuinely mean what they say.For Writers: Stop Waiting for the Perfect ConditionsCohen’s advice to aspiring nonfiction authors is refreshingly grounded:Start small. Stay consistent. Lower the bar.Write for 30 minutes. Write three sentences. Organize notes. Free-write without editing. Progress beats perfection. She compares writing a book to eating an elephant: one bite at a time.Most unfinished manuscripts aren’t abandoned because of a lack of talent, they’re abandoned because the task feels too large to begin.🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Munn Avenue Muse featuring Dr. Roz Cohen on your favorite podcast platform.📘 The Engagement Dilemma is available now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Bookshop.org🌐 Connect with Roz at DrRozCohen.com✍️ If you are ready...
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    30 mins
  • Writing to Stay Alive: The Memoir as a Survival Strategy

    Writing to Stay Alive: The Memoir as a Survival Strategy
    Mar 3 2026
    Charles Levin · Feb 4, 2026We often think of storytelling as an act of reflection. But what if it’s something deeper—something evolutionary? A survival mechanism.In the latest episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, host Charlie Levin sits down with Karen B. Gerson, author of the gripping memoir I Should Not Be Here. This isn’t just another trauma narrative. It’s a revelation.Karen’s story weaves through childhood trauma, OCD, PTSD, and depression—but instead of being crushed by these experiences, she used them as raw material for transformation. For readers, writers, and healers alike, this conversation is a masterclass in how to turn your most painful truths into powerful storytelling.When the Title Is the Story“I should not be here.”That was Karen’s internal refrain for years. Raised in a high-pressure school system where she felt she didn’t belong, she struggled academically and socially. Add to that undiagnosed mental health challenges, and the fact that she even made it through school, let alone wrote a bestselling book, is nothing short of remarkable.The title of her memoir isn’t dramatic, it’s accurate. And that’s what makes it land with such weight.“Memoirs aren’t about the extraordinary,” Charlie notes. “They’re about the impossibly personal.”Rethinking OCD: Not a Disorder, a DefenseOne of the most profound takeaways from the episode is Karen’s reframing of obsessive-compulsive disorder. For years, she viewed her compulsions as symptoms of something broken.But in writing her story, something shifted.She realized that her rituals lining up glass ducks just right, counting stairs before bed, were actually mechanisms of control in a world that felt terrifying. In that light, OCD became not a weakness, but a resource. A lifeline. A brilliant (if exhausting) tool for survival.“It wasn’t pathology,” she says. “It was my strategy.”Writing from the Wound, Not in the WoundKaren had tried to write the book before. Twice. But each time, it dragged her back into the pain.It wasn’t until she was far enough along in her healing that she could revisit the hardest moments without reliving them. She worked with ghostwriter Aaron to craft a safe container—one where she could pause, breathe, and return when ready.Some days, she simply had to say: “I’m done for the day.”And that was okay.This process led her to a fundamental insight:“If you’re writing from trauma, wait until you can touch it without bleeding.”Breaking the Mold: A Memoir Told by a VillageInstead of a singular voice, Karen’s memoir features interviews with eleven people in her life, family, friends, even her children.The result? A multidimensional portrait of pain and healing.One of the most gut-wrenching moments came from her oldest son, who admitted that during Karen’s mental health crises, he had to seek out “other villages” for support.That chapter alone changed how they talked as a family.The truth didn’t just set Karen free—it opened new conversations.From Publication to PurposeI Should Not Be Here was released on November 18th, a day that left Karen in tears. The outpouring of support was immediate:* Childhood friends who never knew her struggle reached out.* Therapists thanked her for helping them understand their patients.* Readers said the book gave them permission to begin their own healing.Now, Karen is using her platform to advocate for mental health awareness, partnering with Kansas City news outlets ahead of Mental Health Month in May.This story isn’t just published, it’s in motion.Is Your Story Waiting?If you’re sitting on a story that feels “too messy,” “too painful,” or “too unfinished,” Karen’s message is simple:Don’t wait for perfection. Wait for readiness. And when that arrives tell the story like your life depends on it. Because for someone else, it might.🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Munn Avenue Muse featuring Karen B. Gerson on your favorite podcast platform.📘 I Should Not Be Here is available now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Bookshop.org🌐 Connect with Karen at KarenBGerson.com✍️ If you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder👉 Want more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from The Munn Avenue Muse.🗣 Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!”This post is public. Feel free to share. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    35 mins
  • Craig Garner 82 and the 55-Year Quest: Football, Aliens, and the Art of Discovery Writing

    Craig Garner 82 and the 55-Year Quest: Football, Aliens, and the Art of Discovery Writing
    Feb 17 2026
    Few debut authors can claim a creative process that spans over half a century, but that’s exactly the story behind Craig Garner and his novel I Came to Play Your Game.If you’re a writer stuck in the “mushy middle” of your draft, or a reader who finds joy in tales that straddle humor and heart, this one is for you. Garner’s journey, equal parts unlikely and inspiring, reminds us that storytelling is less about timing and more about tenacity, curiosity, and imagination.🚀 The Story: An Alien on the GridironSet in the unassuming world of American high school football, I Came to Play Your Game begins with a rather unexpected twist: the arrival of Sublimious Z. Hormatz, an alien observer from the crumbling civilization.To avoid suspicion, Sublimious adopts the name “Clancy” and infiltrates a high school football team in the heart of the American Midwest. His mission is both absurd and oddly poignant: study Earth’s most “indispensable” cultural tradition, football, and determine whether humans offer anything of value to a dying interstellar empire.Clancy’s physical prowess is unmatched (he clocks a 3.9-second 40-yard dash) and his movements border on acrobatic performance art. Yet despite his talents, his greatest obstacle is not physical but emotional: can he learn the unspoken rules of fitting in without revealing the truth about who or what he really is?A Cast of Human TeachersClancy’s crash course in humanity is helped along by two unlikely companions:* Sam “the Slam” Schneider, a tattooed outsider and loner who becomes Clancy’s translator, both linguistically and socially.* Learius, a talented teammate who offers insight into both the game of football and the subtler codes of human interaction.Together, they form a trio that’s equal parts Friday Night Lights and E.T. Their journey explores not just the dynamics of team sports, but also the quiet, internal struggle of wanting to belong.✍️ For Writers: What 55 Years of “Discovery Writing” Taught One AuthorCraig Garner didn’t set out with a detailed outline. He didn’t even know how the book would end. Instead, he embraced a writing process often referred to as “discovery writing”, or “pantsing,”writing by the seat of your pants.For writers, especially those paralyzed by the pressure to plan every scene, Garner’s method offers both comfort and challenge.Key Takeaways from the Podcast:* Let the Characters LeadGarner didn’t dictate his characters’ actions, they dictated his. Every turn in the story emerged organically from dialogue, interaction, and momentum.* Find Joy in the UnknownEchoing novelist Ann Patchett, Garner discovered that the more uncertain the writer feels during the process, the more wonder and surprise the reader experiences on the page.* There’s No Expiration Date on DreamsPerhaps the most moving part of the interview: Garner spent 55 years dreaming of being a published author. He made it happen at 82. That kind of persistence isn’t just admirable, it’s instructive. Great storytelling takes time, and time is never truly “lost” if you keep the dream alive.🪞 Beyond Football: Using Fiction to Reflect and CritiqueWhat makes I Came to Play Your Game stand out isn’t just the premise—it’s what the premise allows Garner to explore.By filtering American culture through the lens of an alien observer, Garner dissects everything from our social rituals to our obsession with competition and celebrity. He doesn’t stop at high school football. The book digs into broader questions about:* The commercialization of college sports* Pay-to-play recruitment systems* The social hierarchy within youth athletics* The pressure to conform, especially among young menAnd yet, the book never feels preachy. It entertains first. Then it asks the deeper questions, questions about identity, values, and how we define belonging.As Garner says in the episode, “Fiction lets you entertain the reader first. Then, if you’re lucky, it helps them see things they didn’t realize they needed to think about.”📚 Where to Read and ListenWhether you’re a sports fan or someone who’s ever felt like an outsider trying to figure out the rules, I Came to Play Your Game is an unforgettable read. And for authors, an inspiration.📖 Read the Book: * Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Bookshop.orgIf you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder🎧 Listen to Craig’s full episode on The Munn Avenue Muse.👉 Want more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe for free below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is ...
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    32 mins
  • Burning the Rule Book and Building Your Empire with Nevsah Karamehmet

    Burning the Rule Book and Building Your Empire with Nevsah Karamehmet
    Feb 3 2026
    We live in a world constructed by systems designed for doing — output, achievement, and measurable results. From the global economy and legal frameworks to the very foundations of the coaching industry, success has historically been defined by male‑oriented paradigms: manifestation, goal setting, and an outward drive to “hunt” for results.But what happens when women fully adopt these systems? Too often, it leads to burnout, disconnection from the body, chronic stress, and a sense of powerlessness, even in the midst of success.In the latest episode of the Munn Avenue Muse, host Charlie Leven sits down with Nevsah, best‑selling author, globally recognized expert in breathwork and consciousness to explore a radical reframing of success for women. Her new book, Next Level Woman: Burn the Rule Book, Build the Empire, isn’t just another self‑help title — it’s a manifesto for reclaiming feminine creative and spiritual power.Why the “Man‑Made World” Isn’t Built for WomenNevsah draws a powerful distinction: men are hunters, women are creators.“Men are brilliant at building systems to reach goals. Women possess a different, more spiritual law, a law of being, not doing.”According to Nevsah, male energy is outward‑facing, driven toward conquest and execution. Female energy, by contrast, is inherently internal, aligned with intuition, flow, and generative life force. When women ignore this and adopt “hunter” behaviors, they lose touch with their essence leading to dissatisfaction, exhaustion, and a deep sense that something is missing.True fulfillment, Nevsah argues, does not come from working harder or longer. It comes from surrender, flow, and alignment with your innate creative power.The Crash That Changed EverythingNevsah wasn’t always a voice for this message.At 17, she was the quintessential high achiever excelling as a professional swimmer, volleyball player, pianist, and straight‑A student. Her identity was wrapped up in performance.Then, everything stopped.A traumatic motorcycle accident left her broken and immobilized. For two and a half months, she lay still, unable to “do,” forced instead to be. In that stillness, she says, she heard the deeper call of her life:“Every crash… is telling us to stop.”That forced pause cracked open a new reality, one where spiritual connection, inner awareness, and presence mattered far more than achievements on paper.Dropping the Surnames, Reclaiming the SelfOne of the most striking choices Nevsah has made is removing her last name from her work and public identity. No father’s name. No husband’s name. Just Nevsah.This isn’t branding — it’s sovereignty.She explains that reclaiming one’s name is a metaphor for reclaiming selfhood beyond patriarchal expectations. Every woman’s name holds a unique energetic truth, and owning it is a first step toward living from the “I am presence” instead of permission or performance.The Formula for an “Unstoppable” LifeNevsah doesn’t just teach these principles; she lives them.At 51, her estimated biological age is between 35 and 40, and she claims 25 years without a health issue. She thrives as an investor, teacher, and entrepreneur, grounded not in hustle but in breath, presence, and alignment.Her message is simple:If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or trapped in the hustle — pause. Stop. Go within.By accessing the “I am presence,” that part of you beyond body, time, and ego, you tap into the same source of inspiration that moved figures like Einstein, Mozart, and Cleopatra.“When we connect with ourselves… we become unstoppable.”Ready to Reclaim Your Power?Next Level Woman is available now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Independent bookstoresIf you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder🎧 Listen to Nevsah’s full episode on The Munn Avenue Muse.👉 Want more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    28 mins
  • From Hurt to Healing to Amazon #1 Bestseller: Christina Marie Calderwood on Writing, Healing, and Radical Co-Parenting

    From Hurt to Healing to Amazon #1 Bestseller: Christina Marie Calderwood on Writing, Healing, and Radical Co-Parenting
    Jan 20 2026
    What does it take to turn a decade of emotional upheaval into a book that helps others navigate one of life’s most difficult transitions?In a recent episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, Charlie Levin sat down with Christina Marie Calderwood, a licensed counselor, wellness coach, and former finance executive, to discuss her new book, Protecting Children Through Divorce: 12 Self-Guided Reflections. Christina’s journey is not just one of healing, but of perseverance, and her story offers writers and readers alike a front-row seat into the messy, powerful process of turning vulnerability into value.A Radical Model of Co-ParentingThe book opens with a scene that usually stuns readers: Christina, her current husband, her ex-husband, and his wife travel and dine together regularly, functioning as a “true family.”But she’s quick to clarify that this wasn’t always the case. Early on, her divorce was shaped by “animosity and hurt,” particularly at emotionally charged events like youth sports games, where sitting on the same side of the stadium felt impossible. Her book doesn’t idealize her present; it chronicles how she got here, and how others can choose light over darkness, especially when children are involved.Writing Through Pain, Writing Toward PurposeThe process of writing Protecting Children Through Divorce took over 15 years. It wasn’t a straight line. Christina admits to opening and closing her laptop countless times, discarding draft after draft before finally finding the voice that felt true.Her biggest creative barrier? Vulnerability.* She relived the hardest parts. “There was a lot of crying,” she says. Revisiting the emotional wreckage of her past was non-negotiable but also exhausting.* She didn’t hide the scars. Christina chose to write the “raw” story because she didn’t want readers to mistake her current joy for a shortcut.* She avoided the drama. Instead of detailing what caused her marriage to end, she focused on forward movement: how to emotionally care for your children even if you’re still figuring things out yourself.High-Mileage Questions and a Hybrid FormatThe structure of Christina’s book also sets it apart: part memoir, part self-help, part journal. As a clinician, she developed “high mileage questions”—deeper, reflective prompts meant to help parents process heavy emotions before they unintentionally pass them on to their children.One of the key takeaways from her conversation was the distinction between self-care and self-avoidance. Bubble baths and jogs are helpful, but are you also sitting with your pain long enough to understand it? Christina encourages readers to ask, “Am I in a space where I can think and feel safely?”The Long Game of PublishingIn the spirit of creative resilience, Christina shared a quote that stuck with her: “Finish the book.” That advice, originally from author Dennis Lehane, became her north star. There were many moments she almost quit, when the process felt too raw, too uncertain. But her WHY kept her going.“If this book helps even one parent, then it was worth every last second,” she says.📘 Protecting Children Through Divorce is available now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Independent bookstoresIf you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder🎧 Listen to Christina’s full episode on The Munn Avenue Muse.👉 Want more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    34 mins
  • From the Serengeti to the Bestseller List: Todd Gustafson on Story, Persistence, and Legacy

    From the Serengeti to the Bestseller List: Todd Gustafson on Story, Persistence, and Legacy
    Jan 6 2026
    What turns a lifetime of adventure into a story that lasts?In a recent episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, Charlie Levin sat down with Todd Gustafson, a wildlife photographer, PBS documentarian, and composer whose memoir, Tales from the Ends of the Earth: My Adventures in East Africa and Beyond, has already reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. Todd’s story isn’t just about breathtaking encounters with wildlife. It’s about how a life fully lived becomes a legacy worth passing on.A Childhood Shaped by the WildTodd’s creative foundation was laid far from classrooms or studios. He grew up in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by rainforest, chameleons, and Colobus monkeys. His father, an architect, biologist, and missionary, moved the family there in the 1960s to build a secondary school.That early immersion didn’t just influence Todd’s career. It shaped his worldview. Nature wasn’t something to visit. It was home. And for decades, he’s returned the favor by documenting it with patience, respect, and remarkable skill.Beyond “Pretty Pictures”: Learning to Tell a StoryOne of the most revealing moments Todd shared was when he first considered making a book. His son Anders, a filmmaker, offered blunt feedback: a collection of beautiful images without a narrative would be “boring.”That critique changed everything.Instead of assembling a photo album, Todd approached his book like a silent film. Images introduce characters. Sequences establish rhythm. The structure mirrors the human condition: courtship, family, competition, survival. In doing so, Todd found the connective tissue between human life and the natural world.The result is a book that doesn’t just show animals. It helps readers recognize themselves.Stick‑tuitivity and the Long GameTodd credits much of his success to what his mother called “stick‑tuitivity,” the ability to stay with something long after it gets hard.That persistence paid off when he pursued legendary primatologist Jane Goodall to narrate his PBS documentary series. After years of navigating gatekeepers, Todd finally met her in Seattle for a recording session he describes as unforgettable. Goodall later contributed a deeply personal three‑page foreword to his book.The reach of Todd’s work has been equally striking. During a visit to Tanzania, Pope Francis encountered Todd’s books and remarked that they have the “chance to change hearts and minds and make this a better world.”When the Wild Is Very RealThe memoir is filled with moments that are visceral, unscripted, and decidedly not enhanced by technology:* The Cheetah Encounter: A young cheetah leapt onto the roof of Todd’s vehicle in the Serengeti, sitting just a foot from his face while its mother scanned for prey.* The Leopard Farewell: Two leopard siblings Todd had known since infancy performed a final tumbling ritual before separating forever to claim their own territories.* The Hailstorm: A rare and dangerous hailstorm trapped Todd near a herd of nearly one hundred elephants—an encounter as humbling as it was terrifying.These moments aren’t shared for spectacle. They are reminders of how small we are—and how connected. Listen or watch while Todd shares some of his most amazing encounters.Why Stories MatterTodd likens himself to the ancient mariners of Victorian England—those who returned from distant voyages with shells, artifacts, and tales of far‑off worlds. His photographs and stories are modern equivalents: gems gathered from the edge of the earth, carried back for those who may never go there themselves.Ultimately, Tales from the Ends of the Earth is about legacy. Todd believes a memoir is one of the greatest gifts we can leave future generations, a way of saying, this is who we were, and this is what we learned. As Jane Goodall writes in the book, everything we do makes a difference. The choice is what kind of difference we decide to make.Final ThoughtsWhat makes Tales from the Ends of the Earth endure isn’t just where Todd Gustafson has been, it’s how intentionally he chose to tell it.This book works because it treats a life story the same way Todd treats the natural world: with patience, structure, and deep respect. For anyone considering a memoir, especially one rooted in experience, expertise, or decades of lived work, Todd’s journey is a reminder that impact doesn’t happen by accident (although happy and unhappy accidents do happen). It comes from persistence, clarity, and a willingness to move beyond “what happened” into why it mattered.A story lasts when it does more than preserve memories. It invites others in. It teaches. It connects. And in the best cases, like Todd’s, it leaves the world a little more awake than it found it.At Munn Avenue Press, this is the kind of work we believe in, stories built with intention, care, and a long view toward legacy.📘 Where to Find the BookAvailable now at:* ...
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    38 mins
  • From Bullet Points to Bestseller: How Two Experts Turned Ideas into Impact

    From Bullet Points to Bestseller: How Two Experts Turned Ideas into Impact
    Nov 11 2025
    Turning an idea into a book isn’t just about having something to say. It’s about how you say it, how you shape it, and who helps you along the way.Charlie Levin recently caught up with Sarah Escobar and Corinne Murray, co-authors of Work Then Place: Navigating Modern Work and Where It Happens. Their approach to writing and publishing offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to bring a dense, idea-rich book to life and to write with a partner. If you’re writing nonfiction or building a thought-leadership project of your own, their experience offers more than just advice. It’s a working model.From Bullet Points to BlueprintThe first version of Work Then Place wasn’t a book at all. It was 30 pages of bullet points, created by Sarah during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, she was working at Netflix and witnessing massive shifts in workplace strategy. She knew her insights had long-term value, so she wrote them down. But the result, by her own admission, wasn’t “real readable.”This is something many nonfiction writers face. Deep expertise doesn’t automatically translate into accessible content. Sarah had the material, but not yet the format. It wasn’t until she partnered with Corinne that the raw ideas began to evolve into something that could meet readers where they are.Finding the Right Co-PilotCorinne came into the project with her own experience in global workplace transformation and an eye for story and clarity. Sarah had the substance. Corinne brought the shape. Together, they turned technical insights into a compelling narrative.They treated co-authorship as a strategic move. Corinne didn’t just contribute to the book. She helped transform its rhythm, tone, and accessibility. This kind of partnership, built on complementary strengths, shifted the project from “informational” to “impactful.”Design Comes Before DraftsInstead of jumping into more writing, Sarah and Corinne stepped back to figure out what the book actually needed to be. They took a focused retreat to Joshua Tree: just the two of them, a house, and all their raw content, cut into strips of paper. They laid everything out, reshuffled the pieces, and physically mapped out the flow of the book.That work resulted in the framework behind Work Then Place, including its core acronym and structure. Only after this design session did they return to the writing process with clarity and direction.Taking the time to design early on helped them avoid getting lost later.Knowing What You Don’t KnowSarah and Corinne were workplace strategy experts, but publishing was new territory. They quickly realized how much they didn’t know. Formatting for Amazon, using IngramSpark, understanding the editing process, making the content readable to non-experts—none of it was obvious.That’s when they brought in Holly Hudson, an experienced book coach. Holly helped them clarify their voice, simplify the structure, and keep the book grounded in a reader-first perspective. She also introduced them to their publisher, Munn Avenue Press. Corinne admitted the editing process was far more intense than expected, but also essential to the quality of the final product.Professional support was not an optional add-on. It was part of the foundation.Publishing Is the Middle, Not the EndAfter the book was released, Sarah and Corinne kept going. Because they had trimmed so much content to keep the book tight and readable, they’re now developing a companion workbook. It includes tools, exercises, and frameworks that help readers take action on what they’ve learned.This follow-up isn’t just bonus content. It’s a pathway to deepen impact, sustain momentum, and reach more people over time.Final ThoughtsWhat Sarah and Corinne built with Work Then Place wasn’t just a book. It was a strategic, structured process. And for any author, especially those writing about complex or technical subjects, that process matters just as much as the product.Clear planning, thoughtful collaboration, early support, and a roadmap for what comes next. These elements are what make a book work not just in terms of publishing, but in terms of real impact.At Munn Avenue Press, we support authors who think big and build wisely.📘 Where to Find the BookAvailable now at:* Amazon* Barnes & Noble* Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)If you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder🎧 Listen to the episode now on Munn Avenue Muse.👉 Want more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This ...
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