Grab your summer umbrella, frozen martini and our Book Club picks as we kick off our summer reads! This June we're featuring Emily Henry's Great Big Beautiful Life and Annie Cathryn's Friendship Breakup.

a great big beautiful life & a friendship breakup in Book Club!

What happens when a high-powered engineer walks away from corporate life to follow a dream rooted in ancestral wisdom, music, and the magic of nature? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Jennifer Elwell Comeau on her new books The Inside of ME, and A Moon in All Things. 

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate!  

Jennifer Elwell Comeau inspires humans to restore our sacred partnership with the rest of the natural world. A certified Forest Therapy Guide, singer-songwriter, and author-speaker, nature is Jennifer’s creative muse. Her Nautilus Gold-winning children’s book, “The Inside of ME” is a profound reminder of the magic that happens on the inside when we go outside. Her debut novel, A Moon in All Things, has been called “atmospheric and beguiling” by Kirkus Reviews, and her poems and essays are published in four anthologies. She has produced two albums of original music available on all streaming platforms. She partners with OzGREEN, an award-winning non-profit bringing YOUth LEADing The World programs to Australia, Africa, and India.  She resides in Kennebunkport, Maine, where she holds climate buoyancy and writing workshops, hosts sacred circles, and runs a Wild Wonder Forest Bathing business. www.jennifercomeau.com 

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com 

The Inside of ME with Jennifer Elwell Comeau

Why does child marriage still exist in nearly every U.S. state, and what can we do to stop it? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Donna Simmons on her new book Ashes to Flame: Transforming Trauma Into Purpose.

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate! 

Donna Simmons is a wife, mother, author, and dedicated advocate for breaking cycles of generational trauma and supporting mental health recovery. Appointed by the Governor to the Kentucky Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, she collaborates with leaders across the state to reduce juvenile system involvement and strengthen protective factors for at-risk youth. A survivor of child abuse and exploitation, Donna’s personal journey fuels her mission to help others transform pain into purpose.   Her memoir, Ashes to Flame, chronicles her experience of survival and healing, encouraging others to uncover their own inner resilience. Donna’s story has been featured in Good Housekeeping, Glamour, NPR, PBS, and Fox News, among many others. She is a frequent speaker, trainer, and panelist at both national and international conferences, and has testified before legislative committees advocating for systemic change.  https://trauma2purpose.com/

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com

Ending Child Marriage - A Survivor's Mission for Change with Donna Simmons

Have you ever felt like a part of you wants to change, but something keeps holding you back? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Britt Frank on her new book Align Your Mind: Tame Your Inner Critic and Make Peace with Your Shadow Using the Power of Parts Work.

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate! 

Britt Frank, MSW, LSCSW, SEP, is a licensed neuropsychotherapist, keynote speaker, and author. She received her B.A. from Duke University and her MSW from the University of Kansas, where she later became an award-winning adjunct professor. Frank speaks and writes widely about the brain and how to get unstuck from even the most long-standing habits and patterns. Her work has been featured by New York Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, NPR, The Society for Human Resources Management, Psychology Today, and Esquire. https://www.brittfrank.com 

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com

Align Your Mind with Britt Frank, MSW, LSCSW

What if the version of yourself you've spent years trying to fix just to blend in, was never broken to begin with? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Sol Smith on his new book The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery: Flourishing as a Neurodivergent Adult.

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate!  

Sol Smith is an author and of the manager of the Neurospicy Community, which is the largest sup  port network for autistics and ADHDers in the world.  A certified autism specialist who is autistic, dyslexic, and living with ADHD. spent more than two decades as a college professor before shifting his professional focus to coaching other autistic and ADHD people to gain autonomy in their lives. Sol’s speaking skills have earned him a following of hundreds of thousands on TikTok and led to educational seminars about neurodiversity with corporations around the world. 
http://www.ProfessorSol.com

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com

The Autistics Guide to Self-Discovery with Sol Smith

Can spending time among ancient trees truly awaken creativity, intuition, and even deep healing? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Ellen Dee Davidson on her new books The Miracle Forest: A True Story, Wind, and Sacred Forest Bathing: The Healing Power of Ancient Trees and Wild Places.

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com

After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Ellen Dee Davidson spent years teaching elementary school, creative writing, and piano while raising her two daughters, Jessica and Michelle. She is the author of six published books and several magazine articles, including one on preserving ancient trees. Her works include The Miracle Forest: A True Story (a 2025 Nautilus Silver Award winner), Wind (a 2023 Nautilus Gold Award winner), and Sacred Forest Bathing: The Healing Power of Ancient Trees and Wild Places. Ellen lives among the redwoods in Humboldt County, where nature continues to inspire her writing and way of life. https://www.ellendeedavidson.com

For more show information visit: www.MariannePestana.com

The Miracle Forest with Ellen Dee Davidson

What happens when one woman dares to challenge centuries of religious tradition, not with protest, but with compassion, wisdom, and an unwavering heart? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Cindy Rasicot on her Nautilus award-winning book This Fresh Existence: Heart Teachings from Bhikkhuni Dhammananda.
 
Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com

Cindy Rasicot is a retired psychotherapist and author of This Fresh Existence: Heart Teachings from Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, a Nautilus Gold and Special Honors: Ordained to Lead: Women’s Spiritual Legacy Award. In 2005 she travelled to Thailand with her family where she met Bhikkhuni Dhammananda — an encounter that changed her life forever. In 2020 she wrote the award winning memoir Finding Venerable Mother: A Daughter’s Spiritual Quest to Thailand. Her memoir is a soulful story of spiritual healing through her loving connection with Bhikkhuni Dhammananda. The book was a finalist in the international Book awards, The Sarton Awards, and Chanticleer International Book Awards. https://cindyrasicot.com

Amazon: https://a.co/d/bIVLwcp

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com


This Fresh Existence with Cindy Rasicot

What if everything you’ve been through was actually preparing you to become the woman you were always meant to be?  Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Lori Pappas on her Nautilus award-winning book The Magic of Yes: Embrace the Wise Woman Within.

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com

Lori Pappas was one of the first female computer sales reps in the world in her 20s; an award-winning entrepreneur in her 30s and 40s, and, after failing retirement, founded an international charity and moved to Africa in her 50s. At 67, she met the “love of her life” online, and at 75, Lori launched her next career with her award-winning book, The Magic of Yes: Embrace the Wise Woman Within. Lori leveraged her experience with successful business models to create an innovative D.R.E.A.M. framework, The Magic of Yes includes practical strategies for personal growth and self-care, empowerment tools for leadership and success in business, and most importantly, tips for how you can access your inner wisdom in everyday life.  https://www.loripappas.com 

The Magic of Yes on Amazon: https://a.co/d/cLJvIJV

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com


The Magic of Yes with Lori Pappas

Brotherhood is more than skin-deep. After Alex's family is killed by the Ku Klux Klan during the Great Depression, he takes refuge in the barn of a nearby dairy farm. The family that owns the dairy, including their young son Pete, take in Alex and raise the boys together. Pete and Alex consider themselves brothers and together they navigate the Jim Crow racial intolerance of the rural South.

Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Roger Newman on his Nautilus award-winning book Boys: A Novel, based on a true story.  

Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com

In addition to Boys which is based on a true story, Roger Newman is the author of a series of medical thrillers: Occam’s Razor, Two Drifters, and What Becomes; and a Civil War historical fiction novel Will O’ the Wisp: Madness, War, and Recompense. He is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, specializing in the care of women with multiple gestations. He has authored two hundred scientific papers, a dozen book chapters, and the award-winning and bestselling When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads; Fourth Edition. He served as the national president for the Society forMaternal-Fetal Medicine and has been voted by his peers as one of the “Best Doctors in America” for thirty consecutive years. He and his wife, Diane, live on the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina. https://rogerbnewman.com 

Order Boys on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9exs9vC

For more show information visit: www.MariannePestana.com

Boys with Roger Newman

Why are so many Indigenous women and girls going missing in America, and why isn’t anyone talking about it? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Bonnie Bley on her Nautilus award-winning book Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County.
 
Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com

Bonnie Bley is an award-winning author whose work explores identity, place, and justice in the American West. Born in Wyoming and raised in Hardin, Montana—a border reservation town in the southeastern corner of the state—her formative years deeply shaped her storytelling and commitment to advocacy.  Her academic journey took her to South Dakota and Minnesota, where she sharpened her research and writing skills. Since the late 1980s, she has called Minnesota home, though her creative and emotional connections to Montana and Wyoming remain at the heart of her work. In Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County, Bley brings to light the stories of Indigenous people who have tragically gone missing or been murdered in the very county where she grew up. Through intimate interviews, investigative research, and gripping storytelling, she offers a deeply personal and urgent account of a national crisis too often ignored. Passionate about advocacy and community service, Bley also volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Wildcat Sanctuary, and Feed My Starving Children. Her work amplifies voices that deserve to be heard while striving to inspire awareness and change. https://www.bonniebley.com/index.html

Order Stolen Voices on Amazon: https://a.co/d/eM58Mkv

For more show information visit:
www.MariannePestana.com


Stolen Voices with Bonnie Bley

In a single moment your life can change!  “Moments with Marianne” is a transformative hour that covers an endless array of topics with the ‘best of the best.’ Her guest are leaders in their fields, ranging from inspirational authors, top industry leaders, business and spiritual entrepreneurs.  Each guest is gifted, and a true visionary!  A recognized leader in her own work, and while teaching others to develop, refocus, and grow; Marianne will bring the best guest, and sometimes a special surprise.  Don’t miss this – you never know just which ‘moment’ will change your life forever.

We felt a new year called for new a chapter 📖 
YOU asked and we listened!! 
Our podcast 🎧 will now be exclusively dedicated to books!!!

You’re welcome ☺️ 

Our platform will now solely focus on lifting, empowering, and supporting authors, writers, and book lovers everywhere ✨
It will spotlight all writers: Indie authors, novelists, journalists, screenwriters, poets, and more. We will talk about their inspiration, experiences, process, and everything in between 🎧🎙️
Don’t worry though, we will still be discussing The Books & Martinis Book Club monthly book and our ever-evolving TBR 📚

We can’t wait to share everything we have coming up! 📣

New tracks tagged #book club