In this episode of Writing Inspiration, we sit down with Cindy Rae, a woman who has lived a dozen lives in one. From a "dorky" childhood in Minnesota to the high-pressure runways of Milan, London, and Paris, Cindy’s journey is a masterclass in transformation, resilience, and the courage to tell one's "messy" truth.For years, people told Cindy, "You should write a book." When she finally took them up on it, she discovered that while her modeling portfolio was beautiful, her life story was "not always pretty." What began as a therapeutic daily writing exercise turned into a five-year journey of deconstructing a dysfunctional childhood, surviving the drug-fueled disco era of the 80s, and landing her first paid modeling job for none other than Gianni Versace.Cindy’s story is a reminder that no matter your age or your background, your story is important—and it is never too late to "just get it out".

What happens if the person everyone counted on to save the world actually fails? This haunting question kept author Alec Woodbury up at night—until he decided to answer it. In this episode, Alec sits down with Dan Ricoveri to discuss his upcoming debut novel, A Shroud Undone, the first book in his epic dark fantasy series, A Fractured Balance.From the sparks of inspiration found in video games like The Legend of Zelda to the disciplined routine of writing while balancing a career as a project manager, Alec shares his journey of finding his voice. He opens up about his unique "Story Bible" method, how he self-edited a massive multi-book series, and why "success is the only option" when you become an untethered creative.Let's learn more about this Inspiring person.

In this episode of Writing Inspiration, host Dan Ricoveri sits down with the legendary Dan Goodwin—the man who scaled the Sears Tower and the World Trade Center long before the era of GoPro and social media. Known to the world as "Spider Dan," Goodwin dives deep into his 25-year journey of penning his memoir, Untethered: Success Is the Only Option.From his early days hitchhiking out of Maine to performing as a magical illusionist in Las Vegas, Goodwin shares how a single tragic event—the MGM Grand Hotel fire—refocused his life toward a mission of high-rise fire safety. Whether you are a writer struggling to find your voice or an adventurer looking for the next peak, this conversation is a masterclass in persistence, discipline, and the art of becoming "untethered."Let's learn more about this Inspiring person.

This week on Writing Inspiration with Markee Books, we are joined by Tynisha Cofield, a dedicated childcare provider and emerging author from Philadelphia.Tynisha shares her journey from being an avid reader to becoming a writer, a path inspired by her desire to encourage others and her work with children. She discusses her upcoming debut, a Prayer Journal that was originally created for her husband but evolved into a published work after she received the title during a moment of prayer.She talks about the importance of "quieting your environment" to focus on writing in a fast-paced world, her unique method of jotting down thoughts before sitting at her dining room table to write, and her future plans to release a children's book and a novel based on her life story.Let's learn more about this Inspiring person.

This week on Writing Inspiration with Markee Books, we are joined by Michael Barnett, a musician and mother from the tight-knit community of Star Valley, Wyoming.

Michael shares how a family tradition of daily journaling evolved into a tool for survival and eventually her debut memoir, Cradled by Darkness. She opens up about the difficult process of turning private pain into a public story, covering themes of addiction, spiritual deception, and finding faith.

She talks about the emotional toll of "reliving" trauma while editing a memoir, why she chose to delay marketing to protect her peace, and how she is now transitioning from non-fiction to historical fiction to explore the complexities of narcissistic abuse.

This week on Writing Inspiration with Markee Books, we are joined by Sonja Marie, a musician, artist, and teacher from Northern New Hampshire.Sonja shares her spiritual journey of turning a twenty-five-year daily habit into her debut workbook, 21-Day Journaling to Freedom. She explains how she transitioned from being a "free spirit" to a focused author, using her background in the arts and gospel music to help others overcome life’s storms.She talks about the power of combining fasting with journaling to break harmful habits, the importance of "investing in yourself" to defeat procrastination, and how she navigates marketing her ministry in the quiet wilderness of the North compared to the busy South.Let's learn more about this Inspiring person.

This week on Writing Inspiration with Markee Books, we are joined by Mindy Eisenhardt, a dedicated caregiver and a prolific writer who proves that you don't need a strict outline to create complex worlds.Mindy shares the seven-year journey behind her debut novel, Seven Swords, a dark fantasy about a young boy's tragic loss and his struggle between vengeance and redemption among fourteen legendary warriors.She talks about her unique "chaos" strategy of writing three to four books simultaneously to never get bored, how working as an actor in a haunted house inspired her upcoming horror novel, and how she is turning childhood comic books she made with her sister into a new romance series.Let's learn more about this Inspiring person.

This week on Writing Inspiration with Markee Books, we are joined by Danielle Kinderknecht, a librarian, mother, and multi-genre author from Kansas. Danielle shares her incredible writing journey, which began unexpectedly while riding on the back of her husband’s motorcycle. From that single spark of inspiration, she wrote her debut novel, My American Ride, a story about healing. She talks about how she manages to write multiple book series while working as a librarian and raising her children, how she now uses nighttime visualization to cure writer's block, and how she involves her children in her work, from co-writing to taking title suggestions.Let's learn more about this inspiring person.