INTRODUCING THE AMAZING 

PHYLLIS LAWSON

Here is an author with a story (and a half) to tell, the likes of which I have never heard before. Except perhaps in novels, or the movies or something where the story has been so amazing, almost to the point of being truly surreal. So I was quite stunned when I 'met' Phyllis Lawson and read about her - one of the above stories actually coming to life. It truly is unique - but I will let her tell you about it in her words. Please enjoy.

1                    Please tell us a little bit about your background;

I joined the United States Air Force at the age of nineteen - I served for five years.  During that time, I had the opportunity to spend over half of this period overseas. After I was discharged, I attended the University of Maryland, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. After graduating, I worked as a Juvenile Counsellor and Substance Abuse Specialist for twenty years. In January 2001, I decided that I wanted to join the District of Columbia National Guard in order to try and pursue a twenty year career in the military. Shortly after joining the National Guard I was deployed. I completed my military career in 2013. Since then, I have spent the last two and a half years writing and marketing my new memoir Quilt of Souls.

                     You are an author, one of your books being the ‘Quilt of Souls’ which is based on a true story. Can you please tell us a little bit about this;

My memoir 'Quilt of Souls' was released March 2015. 'Quilt of Souls' is a book the world needs to have. It is more than my personal memoir; it is an historical unveiling of hushed bloodlines and stories of a time and place that got swept under the carpet - powerful, intense, poignant stories that need to be heard.

At the age of four years old, I was plucked off my front porch, from the only family I knew and delivered sixteen hours away to land on the doorstep of Grandmother Lula, whom I never met before. I was abandoned by my mother, pure and simple. I needed a miracle and that miracle took the form of an old tattered quilt (a family heirloom) that my grandmother made out of the clothing of long lost loved ones who died in the face of extreme bigotry, racism and ugliness that was pervasive to that time.

Lula Horn (1883-1986), was born in Sandersville, Mississippi. Through oral tradition and through the weaving of ripped up pieces of clothes transformed into quilts, she told me the tragic stories of my ancestors' lives and deaths. Each piece of cloth woven into the quilt had the blood, sweat and tears of black people living and dying at the hands of unconscionable injustices. The weaving of their clothing into a quilt mended each broken life back together with each pull of the thread. 

No matter your ethnicity, this book will transport you back in time and will break your heart wide open. It will make you laugh, cry and swell with hope and resilience. Out of the grave agony of despair comes healing for many generations. 'Quilt of Souls' is about the strength of black women who prevailed before and after the turn of the century, a demographic that has gone unrecognized, with no celebration of the lives they endured and upheld. The untold stories of these women who were quilt makers, laundresses and butter churners are revealed in this book. It tells of how they survived and provided for their children and the grandchildren they raised.

Seamlessly written, 'Quilt of Souls' is a book that needs to be brought to the forefront. It is a rare story not only due to the complexities and intricacies of the quilt as a physical object, but also what it stands for metaphorically. It speaks about and unearths, the taboo subjects that were only heard in whispers during that era.


        Have you written any other books?

The first book that I wrote was 'Josh Horn and Ruby Pickens Tartt: An Unlikely Alliance''.  It is the story of my Great Grandfather Josh Horn and the writer, Ruby Pickens Tartt who interviewed him during the 1930’s  as part of the historical ''Slave Narratives''.  Josh was a story teller.  Ms. Tartt travelled throughout rural Alabama, capturing stories of ex-slaves.  My plan is to professionally re-publish this book in the future.

4.                              Are you traditionally or self published?

I am currently self-published through the CreateSpace platform.

5.                             Have you always wanted to be an author or what did you want to do          when you were growing up?

I always loved to stand before large crowds and tell stories. As a teenager I would write poetry until my hand hurt. I would write about my sorrows and difficulty adjusting to life. Writing was a way for me to escape the harsh times that I was experiencing.  I always knew that one day I would pen Grandmother’s story because I wanted the world to recognize the beauty of her quilts. I also wanted to bring exposure to the grandmothers of her era that raised their grandchildren.These “Grandmas' other Babies” were plentiful in the south during the reconstruction period. This is a part of our history that have been overlooked, particularly the role that these old women played and how and what they did to survive during this tragic period in America.

6.                             Who and/or what are your inspirations?

My inspiration has always been my grandmother. She was the most loving, spiritual and giving person I have ever met.  She was my rock and provided me with the spiritual gifts that I needed in order for me to survive some of the most difficult periods in my life.  I realize the word role models maybe too cliché, but she was mine in every sense of the word. 

7.                             Do you work from home or do you rent an office?

I work from my home.

8.     

9.                             You also do some public speaking.

     Yes, I spent my last four years in the military as a Diversity Trainer                    /Instructor.  I have travelled extensively holding lectures and workshops             on diversity in the workplace and equal opportunity issues. 

           Do you tour the nation doing this and what do you actually talk about       and to whom? What other positions have you held in the past?

My ''Quilt of Souls Author Tour and Quilt Presentation'' begin on October 21^st in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. My schedule is pretty extensive for the remainder of 2015 in which I will be making stops in Alabama, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland.  My 2016 schedule is currently being formulated and promises to be very, very busy.

1                              What are your short and long term goals for your writing?

I would like to write a sequel to ''Quilt of Souls'' in order to cover more stories of my grandmother that I omitted in the first book.  In addition, my plans are to complete a rewrite on my first book about my great-grandfather Josh Horn and the ''Slave Narratives''.

1                Do you have an agent or do you manage yourself?

I currently am self-managed which is often hectic, particularly with the notoriety that ''Quilt of Souls'' is now receiving.

1

1LINKS:      Website - a great site for learning more about ''Quilt of Souls'' and the life of Lula Horn.

INTRODUCING THE

DYNAMIC AND INSPIRATIONAL ACTION COACH,

SUZZANNE LAIDLAW

                    Please tell us a little bit about your background;

I originally went into business coaching because I received and still do receive great joy and honour to help people achieve a goal they might not have thought possible. Throughout my years as a business coach I have seen the potential growth in my clients and their businesses, which they can usually never see themselves. I receive enormous pleasure in helping my clients achieve happiness in their lives, whatever that means to them. 

                    Have you always wanted to run your own business or did you aspire to be/do something else when you were younger?

Running my own business was not something I wanted to do when I was younger.

               
                          Please tell us a little bit about your business;

Coaching may mean giving one client a hug and for another, it may mean pushing them just that little bit further than they thought possible. I provide every single business coaching client with a fair and honest perspective on their situation. Some clients can be so focused on how they feel at that moment in time; they forget to look at the bigger picture. One on One business coaching is best suited to businesses that have been established for at least four years and have a team of five. However we are happy to discuss your individual situation and what sort of return on investment you can expect to get from coaching.

                    How many other positions have you had prior to your business?

          Two other positions. My husband and I ran an office equipment business, where I did all the finance side of things and previous to that I ran an employment agency for the Australia Medical Association. 

                    Please describe your role in your business, what this entails etc;

I  will assist you with the strategic design and implementation of material in the following areas; One on One Business mentoring, Time Management – Assessing your role in the business, implementing delegation strategies and developing a default diary. Systems – Development of a company operations manual that includes flowcharts, checklists, scripts and ‘how to’ instructions. Recruitment, Team Building, Financial Reporting. Sales and Marketing – Strategies on Lead Generation, Conversion Rate, Average Dollar Sale, Numbers of Transactions in a year and Profit Margins will be introduced and modified to your business’ requirements. Owner Motivation – Leadership is what our team is looking for and it’s for this reason that the business owner needs to hone in on their level of enthusiasm and skill. About everything else, I will ensure that you are on track to achieving your goals.

                    Do you work from a home office or a rented office?

Rented office, (9/17 Foley St in Balcatta)

                    Do you have any staff?

Yes, one Marketing Admin Assistant

                      Can you briefly describe your working day?

         Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays are spent coaching. Mondays are left for working in the business and Fridays are left for working on the business and further education.

                    What are your strengths and weaknesses in relation to running your own business?

         My strengths are that I have been a small business owner for twenty five years and that I have been coaching people since I was fifteen, in either a business or sporting role. Weakness is as I am a small practise with myself and one other person I find I have limited resources and can’t help as many people as I would like to. 

                      Who and/or what are your inspirations?

      My inspirations come from people who grow through their challenges. My inspirations are from some of the best leaders like Gandhi, Mother Teresa.

                      Do you travel at all for your business?  Please tell us about that;

        Yes, ActionCOACH holds annual conferences for its team, usually on the Gold Coast.

                   Where do you hope your business will be in ten years’ time?

I hope I will be retired and financially free so that I coach people purely on a philanthropic basis. So that money is not involved. 

                    What are your short and long term goals?

          My short term goals are to make a huge impact on each one of my clients' business and life and give them a good return on investment of their time and money that they spend with me. Long term goals are to open a health, wealth and happiness centre for coaching, helping people with their business health, as well as their physical and mental health. I place significant values on the fact that, if you don’t have your health, you can’t run a business.

Suzzanne competing in the ITU World Triathlon Series - London 2014

                   How long have you actually had your own business?

          ActionCOACH five years, previous business fifteen years. 

                   What are you passionate about?

           Helping people reach their potential.

                        What are your values?

           Love, Health, Family, Honesty and Trust. 

                  What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

         Swimming, cycling, running, competing in triathlons, playing the piano and spending time with my family.

                  Have you managed to build up a solid clientele base?

           I have many clients that have worked with me for a number of years. 

                   Do you belong to any professional groups?

        I am a member of the ICF (International Coaching Federation.) I am an ambassador for Opportunity International and also an ambassador for BNI.

       Did you have to overcome any/many challenges/hurdles along your professional road?

     I overcame a life threatening disease at thirty three which involved six major general anaesthetics and living with a colostomy bag. I have also been happily married to David Laidlaw since 1985 with two beautiful children. Not long after we got married, I saved David’s life by pulling him from a burning house and supporting him through years of pain, skin graft operations and rehabilitation.

                Do you have any advice for other aspiring business-women?  Any words of wisdom to share?

       I would recommend as much time as you can in learning about business and learning what you want to achieve. Getting a good plan together is vital and some good mentors to help you through these goals.

               Is there anything further that YOU would like to add, to share with the world?

          Life throws us many challenges, the sooner we face them head on and learn how to overcome them, the quicker we grow and develop as a person to be able to handle further challenges that come our way. 

LINK:
             Website

PLEASE WELCOME THE VERY BRAVE AND INSPIRATIONAL REPTILE HANDLER - 

KAREN INGHAM

Please tell us a little bit about your background:
I was a legal Secretary for twenty years and have since been a typist for a team of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a Neurosurgeon and a Pain Specialist for the past fourteen years. When I travel with our reptile exhibition I am still able to do my typing via the internet at night.

           You work in the entertainment industry.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer/exhibitor or did you aspire to be something else when you were growing up?

I have always wanted to be on stage and do something BIG, though nothing in my past led me down that path.

How did you come to work as an exhibitor and handler of reptiles?

My husband, Derek, has always had reptiles as pets, though I had basically ignored them, thinking snakes were not very nice. I used to cover his snakes up whenever people visited our home.  We met a couple through a motivational and investment group who were already doing reptiles shows and had vast knowledge of crocodiles.  My husband starting doing shows for them (he is used to being in the public eye as he was a professional ballroom dancer and also does acting and extras work). That couple was in the process of buying a small country zoo and Derek went in to manage the zoo for two years.  The couple then decided to move back to England and so Derek decided he would start his own reptile exhibition business.  I wasn’t much interested as I already had a good, full time job so I agreed that he would be the “face” of Croc Stars and I would do the bookwork for him after hours.  A couple of years into it he got so busy he asked me to join him doing shows.  He gave me my own reptiles including a baby Blue tongue lizard for Valentine’s day which we called “Valentine” and he gave me a baby crocodile for my birthday. Next thing you know I am up on stage in front of five hundred people doing a reptile show (even though I had never even spoken in public before) AND LOVED IT.  I love being in the public eye, being on stage teaching people about the importance of a balanced environment and I love my reptiles. 

                How long have you been doing this?

We  have been operating Croc Stars for fourteen years now

                What other positions have you held prior to this?

Legal Secretary - twenty years and typist - fourteen years.

Have you exhibited with these reptiles on TV?  If so, please tell us a little bit about that;

I was filmed on a show called “What’s up Downunder" while doing a reptile show at a holiday park at Port Stephens.  I was holding Valentine at the time and the host of the show pretended to have his finger bitten off. It was only a small piece on TV as the show was about the attractions at the Park.

               Have you done any/many media interviews?

I did an interview with my husband for an editorial in our local Central Coast newspaper and also an interview for an editorial in a newspaper in Queensland and one in Victoria.

                What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

I don’t have much spare time while working full time and running and working in Croc Stars as I also do typing in my own time as well,  but my passion is walking. I would love to travel extensively as a tourist but this will have to wait.

               What are your short and long term goals with your career?
          I wish to continue with my typing as I love it very much and, thanks to the Internet, I can do it at any time day, or night. Being able to have our own home is an important goal so we can build ponds and enclosures for our animals as we see fit. I hope to continue travelling with our reptile show for many years yet. 

Our dream is to travel to outback communities to entertain and educate people, perhaps a Government grant to cover our expenses as these communities miss out on so much and we feel we have a lot to offer them. I need help in this area as I don’t talk “Government-speak” and any attempt I have made at applying for a grant has not been successful. My long term goal is to retire on a small property 
somewhere and to travel on holidays but with the economy the way it is, that goal seems to get further and further away.

               Do you ever plan to do anything else as employment?

No plans at the present time, although if I were rich, I think “professional shopper” would be fun. 

             You travel a lot with your exhibitions.  Please tell us where you have been.  Nationwide and internationally?

We cannot take our reptiles out of Australia as, due to Quarantine laws, we would never be able to get them back in so no international travel.  We travel up to Hervey Bay in Queensland each year for a month (this enables me to visit my mum) and then we travel to East Gippsland in Victoria once a year for a week or so (so Derek can visit his mum) and then we do a month to five week tour throughout Victoria including country Victoria, ie Bendigo and Mildura  every year in September/October. Always happy to travel and hope to take in many more areas of Australia.

Who and/or what are your inspirations?

Definitely my husband.  He has been a huge influence on my attitude towards reptiles and the environment and trying to save same.  We like to stay positive and encourage each other.

                Is there anything further you would like to add to this interview?

Yes.  Even though I am fifty three years of age, I feel like I am thirty and that I hope to live to at least one hundred and thirty so I can fit in the things I want to do in my life time.

WELCOMING ANNEE L-V, BLUES VOCALIST FROM NEW ZEALAND

Here is a lady with the most unique voice - I have to admit I am not usually a fan of the blues - but the samples of her music that I have been fortunate enough to hear - her voice is absolutely beautiful.  To me, it almost holds mystery - it's something I want to hear more of.  It reaches out - once heard, in my humble opinion - never forgotten.

So - welcome ANNEE.

Annee has answered her interview questions as a whole so it is being published exactly as she answered - as a whole.  Please enjoy her story.

'I come from a very musical family and started singing at a very early age.  Our extended family would meet at my Grandmother’s house (in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, NZ) every time there was a special occasion e.g. Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day etc and everyone would join in with the music having a great time.  Family played piano, guitar, vibraphones and of course sang.  My uncle was a multi instrumentalist who played with well-known Jazz bands, so the parties really rocked.  The piano would be moved outside and away we would go.

'My cousin and I were in the same class throughout primary school and everyday he would play the banjo, guitar or piano at school and I would sing.  We would get out of classes just to go and do our music; in fact we were out of class more than in class.  This went on until just before secondary school and we were known as the performing cousins.  Every spare day we had, we would perform music at home and everyone knew where we would be if they were looking for us. 

'My Mum and Dad encouraged both my brother and I to sing, always wanting to hear us. When I was around 11, my Dad came into contact with a person who was a music entrepreneur, who was very interested in us.   He mentioned both my brother’s and my singing and we went along to this huge studio to perform. 

'My Mum and Dad knew very early on that when I performed it was different – I had a strength and depth to my voice that was unusual for a child of that age.  Sadly, soon after my Dad passed away suddenly and left my family devastated with his loss.  I knew that he loved my singing and I continued to sing with the encouragement from my Mum, Brother, Grandmother and Aunty.

'I feel a great sadness that my Mum, Dad and Grandmother never saw me perform as I do today and never knew that I would go out and be a performer with a band of very talented musicians and do Festivals, some of which have had between 6 and 8,000 people in attendance.

'I then reached my mid teens and my music fell away, although I still loved to sing with my cousin at family events and the occasional gig.  I then married and had my children – I was so busy at this point in time.  I would always find time to sing at home or in the shower.

'In 2001 I lost my Mum, and life as we knew it changed dramatically.  The person we would see everyday and who was so much a part of our lives had gone. It was a very difficult time.  I inherited some money from my Mum and Dad and bought a stereo that allowed me to remove vocals and add my own with the music.  This was the real beginning for me.  I would spend hours changing and adapting songs and gradually got better and better in my performance of them.

'In 2003 I suffered a life threatening event when I collapsed at home. I was rushed to hospital after I had gone into shock with internal bleeding into my stomach from endometriosis.  After having a blood transfusion and major surgery, I made a slow recovery. When the hospital tried to give me anaesthetic before my operation, they found they could not get the breathing tube down my throat and had to go in through my throat fibre optically from the outside.  I was so worried I would not be able to sing again. 

'This event made me determined to use my talent to the best of my ability and never waste a day.  Fortunately after 6 weeks recovery I found I could sing as strong as I ever could and it made me appreciate my voice more than ever.

'One evening I was singing in our lounge and my husband, who is a teacher, was doing his planning, said to me, “You can’t keep just singing at home. You need to be out there and be heard again. You have a talent that God intended to be heard by people.”

'I went along to a country music club. I sang and loved the experience.  This was where I started to perform again and found I had the ability to adapt my music on the spot to fit with any band.  I found I could create a whole new song and had the foresight to be able to instantly create music.  I also found that I loved to do songs in my own style. 

'After trying out with quite a few cover bands I found that I did not like doing performances exactly the same as the original cover and wanted to add my own touch and flavour.  I wanted to bring in songs that were different and distinguishable.

'My first band was then formed, called “Dreamboat Annee” – this was a mixture of genres and did very well.  However, it still did not feel like it was the right direction for me; I then went on to create the first Annee 2CU (the name came about through a song that I had sang with my cousin and then recreated called I Cannot See to See You – originally by Dusk).  This song meant a lot to me and was played at my Mum’s funeral.  Annee 2CU initially played at the Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival and created quite an interest, but it still did not feel right to me. 

'I knew that I had to redefine the band from a general country style band to something that had more depth and meaning for me.  This is where the blues came into it:  the power, the emotion, the effect for me was amazing.  I was so passionate about the blues and wanted to do many blues styles not just limit it to one style of blues.

'Hence, the Annee 2CU Blues Band of today came alive.

'We performed as a blues band for the first time at the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival in 2010 and the interest was huge, it just took off from then on.

'I always wanted to entertain with my singing – it felt so right and it was truly lovely to see people’s reaction.  I think it really hit home when an elderly lady came up to me and said “you sing like an angel”.   To this day, I remember her saying that and knew I wanted to give with my singing to people.  It is not about making money but about giving pleasure to others with a gift I have been given.  To see people enjoy my music is all the return I need. 

'I also learnt that when you are out in the public arena, you will receive negativity as well as praise; I grew stronger in my belief in myself to walk through any negativity.  I now see negativity as something that gives me strength in my music and it does not bother me. Negativity only makes me stronger and more determined to perform well.

'I also knew I wanted to entertain and would dearly love to perform as a full time job, but unfortunately particularly in New Zealand it is not easy to do this full time. When I entertain on stage it is like I go onto a different plateau – I can reach out to people and connect on a very emotive level and communicate with them through the song.   This is what I have always wanted to do.

'Ultimately, I love the blues, but I have sung lots of genres.  I have sung country rock, pop, jazz and straight rock.  I enjoy all music, but blues has to be my passion. The blues tells a story about life; its sorrows and highs. It does not have to be perfect just believed and raw.

'I have been singing since I was a small child, but professionally since 2004 -5.  My real musical career really took off in 2010. No professional training (I did have an assessment, but no training - my voice is untouched, so completely natural, flaws and allJ).

'I manage the band and my husband is the events manager.  This has worked really well, but as the band is progressing at a very fast rate and getting beyond our management ability it will become evitable that we get an outside manager.

'In my spare time I sing at home and enjoy my family (My husband and I have four children).  When I get stressed or uptight my husband always tells me to go and sing as it is a wonderful stress reliever for me.

'My husband inspires me – he has encouraged me so much and given me the confidence to go out and really perform and he believes in me with a faith that is out of this world. When I am on stage, I always look across and into his eyes and I know I am doing something wonderful and walking the path of my dreams. My children are so proud and that means the world to me.

'Professionally blues wise, my inspirations are Robert Cray, Gary Moore and Etta James.

'Outside of music I work as a senior Personal Assistant.  I have worked in the automotive industry, Drug and Alcohol and also Domestic Violence and worked as a legal personal assistant.

'My long term professional goal is to perform on tour in America and possibly Germany.  We have a huge following from Germany and they have been really supportive.  

'Short term, we are doing a CD recording in May this year – I am really excited about this as our feature song will be the song When a Blind Girl Cries. This was originally a Deep Purple song and I have adapted it to my own style and it is the most emotionally charged song I have performed along with St Gabriel (a song about a woman who was abused and ended up in the Louisiana Women’s Penitentiary in St Gabriel, Louisiana).  These songs are on our website. 

'I have been so fortunate to have a team of first class musicians in my band who believe in me and they can play these songs with the same emotion as I can perform them and understand my every move on stage.

'I do not enter into competitions, so no awards – although I have had two NZ number one songs on “Soundclick”.

'I was interviewed for Blockhouse Bay NewsTalk before going to the Bay of Islands in 2012.  (I have attached the article).

'I have belonged to various music clubs in the past, but my time is now taken up with rehearsals for Annee 2CU Blues Band.

'Ultimately I have the skills of being a wife and Mum to my family – I see these as my greatest achievements.  I have a tattoo on my leg which symbolises this.  A heart with music notes entwined through it and around the heart is a large blue star for my husband and three smaller blue stars for my three boys and a small pink star for my daughter.

'I have trained as an administration manager and senior personal assistant and have gained additional skills by working in not-for-profit organisations such as drug and alcohol. 

'Music is about feeling and giving.  There is nothing more powerful than a song that is about a true emotive issue.  As an entertainer or performer you feel the song, you live the song’, you become the song, and you become so engrossed in the performance the world stops around you.  You leave the stage exhausted but exhilarated and know you have given everything.  As my career has progressed I feel and see a wonder in these songs mentioned above and know that they are about real people and real events in life.  I believe that my singing can give hope, insight, inspiration and freedom to many. 

'An example I would love to share about the wonder of music is when I went to my son’s birthday party and everyone sang Happy Birthday.  There was a guest there who had recently had a severe stroke.  He stood beside me and listened as we sang the song.  I could not believe my ears when I heard him sing line for line the Happy Birthday song, perfectly clear and loud.  We finished and he struggled once again to talk.  The power of music touched a part of his brain that allowed him to do that. To this day I will always remember that and know I can give this incredible strength to people and that is all I ask'.

LINK:   WEBSITE