Today’s Guest: Mark McCraw

In this episode of Kim Talks Books, host Kim Hayden sits down with children’s author Mark to explore the art, inspiration, and impact of writing for young readers. From his early experiences in education to his military service, Mark shares how life’s journeys shaped his storytelling and led him to publish over a dozen children’s books and three anthologies.

Mark dives into his bestselling book Nicoli Picoli, a whimsical story about a boy navigating a school presentation about pickles, and how it teaches lessons about research, math, problem-solving, and resilience in the face of embarrassment. Beyond humor and adventure, the book also encourages discussions on bullying, nicknames, and classroom participation.

The conversation goes beyond a single story, highlighting Mark’s mission to promote literacy, learning, and legacy. He shares insights on self-publishing, collaborating with illustrators, and bringing books to military families and children across communities. Listeners will also hear how Mark’s experiences as a teacher, pastor, and corrections officer inform his writing and engagement with young readers.

Tune in to discover how children’s literature can inspire curiosity, foster learning, and leave a lasting legacy, one pickle (or book) at a time.

• Nicoli Picoli
• Anna's Amazing Alaskan Adventure
• Babbling Betty
• Brains Over Brawn
• Did You Come Home For Lunch
• Eli's Shenanigans
• It Happens!
• I Was Just About To...
• Living On A Military Base
• The Problem Is
• Rules, Rules, Rules!
• The Toilet Paper Caper of 2020

🌐 Stay Connected

Website https://www.markmccraw.com/

Today’s Guest: Kim Nugent

Kim emphasizes the importance of seeing potential in every individual, whether it’s guiding students, supporting incarcerated individuals, or fostering creativity and leadership in the workplace. This episode is a masterclass in using literature to drive real-world impact.

In this inspiring episode of Kim Talks Books, Kim Nugent dives deep into the journey of becoming a professional author and leveraging books as powerful tools for mentorship and transformation. From sharing her personal story of writing nine books to exploring innovative educational programs in prisons, Kim highlights how literature can be more than just words—it can be a catalyst for change.

• From Prison to Possibilities: Paving Your Path
• From Corrections to Careers: Today's Foodservice Workforce

🌐 Stay Connected

Website https://drnugentspeaks.com/

Today’s Guest: Nobert Heuser

Whether you’re curious about your own relationship with caffeine, seeking strategies for healthier living, or simply fascinated by the science of addiction, this episode is packed with knowledge and actionable takeaways.

In this episode of Kim Talks Books, host Kim Hayden sits down with Norbert Norbert to explore the surprising world of addiction—beyond drugs and alcohol—and the hidden dangers of caffeine. From his early experiences as a management consultant in Germany to a life-changing discovery about food and behavioral addictions, Norbert shares his journey of understanding how humans can become addicted to products, people, and processes—the “Three P’s.”

Norbert explains why caffeine and sugar are among the most addictive substances in the world, backed by scientific studies from Switzerland, Australia, and beyond. He shares alarming research about the effects of caffeine on unborn babies, children, and the brain, and discusses practical strategies to recognize and overcome addiction.

• Coffee Addiction & Caffeinism: Every Coffee-Drinker is a Drug Addict

🌐 Stay Connected

Email improveyourlifewithnorbert@gmail.com

Website https://www.nosittingonthesideline.com/

Today’s Guest: Armida Espinoza

Ami shares a vivid childhood memory of being unable to recite the alphabet in front of her first-grade class—an event that shaped years of self-doubt, avoidance, and silence.

She explains how these emotions followed her through 12 years of school, leading to a pattern of not asking for help and falling academically behind.

In this episode of Kim Talks Books, host Kim Hayden sits down with Ami, a retired elementary teacher and now author and speaker. Ami’s book Brave Loyalist Learns English explores the emotional journey behind learning language, overcoming shame, and confronting the inner voice that tells us “you can’t.”

Through a deeply personal story of a childhood experience in first grade, Ami uncovers the damaging impact of embarrassment, fear, and silence—and how these early moments shape confidence for years to come. This conversation highlights universal struggles shared by children, new Canadians, second-language learners, and even adults facing new challenges.

Ami’s message: we all have an inner voice that tries to protect us, but reframing our thoughts and pushing through discomfort leads to growth, confidence, and learning.

• Earth’s Ecocide Series

🌐 Stay Connected

Email armiespinoza@gmail.com

Website https://www.armidaespinoza.com/

Today’s Guest: David A. Collier

David’s path to authorship began decades ago—rooted in engineering, thermal dynamics, and a lifelong curiosity about Earth’s delicate systems. With experience in academia at Duke, Ohio State, and UVA, and a long career in operations research, David always maintained a deep passion for planetary science and humanity’s relationship to it.

After retiring, he returned to his creative roots, outlining what would become a massive five-novel arc. His love for the planet and concern for our future sparked the creation of a story that blends scientific realism, robotics, climate urgency, and spiritual evolution.

“You have no concept how much I love this planet.”

—David

Fifteen years in the making, the series is now expanding beyond books—the first novel is currently being adapted into an LA screenplay with a producer attached.

⭐ Episode Summary

In this episode of Kim Talks Books, Kim dives deep into the imaginative, unsettling, and spiritually rich world crafted by author David. His five-part science fiction series explores the collision of AI evolution, climate destruction, human discord, and the cosmic journey of the soul. With themes spanning biological extinction, planetary stewardship, robotics, and reincarnation across galaxies, David’s work blends hard science with deep metaphysics and hopeful futurism.

From Earth’s ecological collapse to a battle for humanity’s return a thousand years later, his novels warn, teach, and inspire. Listeners fascinated by AI, environmental change, dystopian futures, or spiritual storytelling will find themselves right at home.

• Earth’s Ecocide Series

🌐 Stay Connected

Email dac1918@gmail.com

Today’s Guest: Sally Raymond— Psychotherapist, Author, Mother, Advocate

✨ Episode Summary

In this powerful and deeply heartfelt episode of Kim Talks Books, Kim sits down with Sally, a psychotherapist and author whose life and work were transformed by unimaginable loss. Through the devastating suicide of her brilliant son, Sally embarked on a decades-long journey of understanding, healing, and uncovering the stories that would ultimately shape her groundbreaking book.

Sally shares her extraordinary journey from young motherhood to academic achievement, driven by a desire to support and keep up with her gifted child. When tragedy struck, she turned her clinical training inward—becoming her own first client—and began an “anthropological dig” into her son’s life, uncovering critical developmental stories that had gone unnoticed.

Her book, nearly 30 years in the making, blends personal narrative with Erik Erikson’s Ages of Man to reveal how each developmental stage holds essential emotional tasks. When these tasks are disrupted, fractured, or unsupported, the ripple effects can profoundly impact a child’s sense of self, belonging, and hope.

Unlike traditional suicide-prevention books, Sally’s work is a roadmap to making life worth living—from the inside out. Through real stories and practical developmental insights, she offers readers the tools to support children, teens, and adults in building resilience, trust, agency, and emotional safety.

The conversation expands to urgent societal issues: the rising mental-health crisis among young men, the systemic abandonment of social-emotional skills in early education, and the widespread erosion of trust. Sally shares powerful, actionable strategies—including how to talk directly about suicide, how to support someone in crisis, and how to reframe destructive thoughts using neuroscience-based principles.

Filled with honesty, hope, and wisdom, this episode stands as a testament to the human capacity to transform unimaginable grief into meaningful change, guidance, and connection.

📖 Key Themes & Insights From the Episode

• Human Development as a Lifelong Map

• The Ripple Effect of Unfinished Emotional Work

• Suicide Awareness & Direct Conversations

• The Limbic Brain & Worst-Case Thinking

• The Crisis Among Today’s Youth

• The Essential Role of Emotional Skills

• Reclaiming Hope, Help, and Human Value

🌐 Stay Connected

Email sbsal@cox.net

Website https://sallyaraymond.com/

Guest: David Selley — Entrepreneur, Author, Guinness World Record Attemptant

Host: Kim Hayden

Theme: Life-long learning, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and creating a legacy

In this inspiring episode, Kim Hayden sits down with David Selley, an 87-year-old author, entrepreneur, and mentor, who is on a mission to publish an unprecedented number of books in a single year—an attempt at a Guinness World Record.

David shares the personal journey that led him to writing: the desire to preserve family stories for his grandchildren, and the motivation to create meaningful, practical guidance for readers of all ages. His books cover a wide spectrum, including:

• The Papa Series: Memoirs from his life in England, Canada, and the United States.
• Entrepreneurship & Business: Lessons from decades of invention, patents, and generational marketing.
• Marriage & Relationships: Insights from his 65-year marriage, explored in Married Forever: The Four Seasons of Marriage.
• Women & Generational Marketing: Empowering insights for navigating societal expectations and creating opportunities.

Throughout the conversation, David emphasizes lifelong learning, taking ownership of one’s life, and overcoming fear and procrastination. He also reflects on mentorship, explaining how his books can serve as guidance for younger generations navigating careers, relationships, and personal growth.

From practical business advice to personal legacy and family storytelling, this episode offers listeners a roadmap to living fully, creatively, and courageously—no matter your age.

• Papa Series (Life stories, family legacy)
• Entrepreneurship Series (Business insights, patents, and innovation)
• Married Forever: The Four Seasons of Marriage

Email davidselley08@gmail.com

Website www.davidselley.net