Starstyle®-be The Star You Are!®

A conversation about the election with results still to be determined . Who will be in the White House in January? Who will occupy the House and the Senate. No matter who you voted for, voting is our right and obligation as part of democracy of America. Biden is calling for patience in counting the ballots and saying he’ll be a President for all Americans. In 1987, honoring her father’s wishes, author Leslie Sussan, with her young daughter, followed his footsteps to Japan to meet the survivors he had filmed more than 40 years before. Her book, Choosing Life shares a personal journey to answer a simple, yet not easy life question: what gives some people the strength to choose life when faced with unspeakable horrors? A Hollywood cinematographer before the war, the moment 2nd Lt. Herbert Sussan set foot on Nagasaki soil four months after the bombing; he knew he had to tell the real story hidden within the story the Army wanted him to tell. Sussan tells the story and spreads peace.

During this season, life is about the kids. This is a time of magic, wonder, and things that go bump in the night. Halloween has always been a favorite holiday for most children in the United States but this year, Halloween, the way it has been celebrated for decades, is canceled. Have a nature Halloween. Right in time to give a final push for the Biden-Harris ticket, Irish author Kathleen Kelley Reardon shares her newest novel, Damned If She Does, as it ”artfully stirs what Kirkus Reviews describes as a dangerous cauldron of ambitious scholars. Informed and searing in her takedown of ivory tower politics, Reardon makes us work for answers throughout the page-turning scenes of this MeToo whodunit. She writes in her blog, “No use dignifying Trump’s sexist low blows. Better to make him squirm.” We confuse our many acquaintances and business associates with friends. We go for quantity, not quality. True friends are among the most important people in one’s life.

Time management can be challenging any time, but with the pandemic, working from home, and the stress of all of it, it may feel overwhelming. Cynthia Brian offers tips on how to refresh, be calm, and get your to-do list done. “Birdnesting” refers to an arrangement where parents alternate time in the family home and take turns being “on duty” with their children while moving toward separation or divorce. The children stay in the home full tme, which gives them more time to adapt to changes in the family. Author of The Parent’s Guide to Birdnesting , Ann Gold Buscho, PhD will show you how to succeed. Women have already lost a disproportionate number of jobs due to the pandemic. More women, especially mothers, indicate they may have to quit working. This decision has long term consequences. We’ll look at the data surrounding the “double shift”.

To grow healthy, nutritional produce, farmers work daily, rain or shine, in every season, to provide city dwellers with sustenance. They get paid when they sell their harvest, yet it only takes one natural disaster to destroy their year-long labors and erase the opportunity for remuneration. Farming is a risky business. Cynthia Brian knows first hand. If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio, is an unlikely combination of iguanas, parakeets, poltergeists and ex-wives, online dating sites and shady movies, a reality TV president and different definitions of feminist, old friends and new friends. The familiar and unfamiliar come together in a romp mixed with heartfelt discussions on serious topics. Consumers are buying second hand clothing more than ever before. Why? Two reasons: top labels, bargain prices. Major retailers are getting into the game. Find out who, what, where, and why!

Natural disasters know no boundaries. One never knows if a fire, earthquake, flood, mudslide, or other calamity is on the horizon. It’s imperative to be prepared for all emergencies. Because of climate change and global warming, we can be assured that our future will include more widespread, frequent, devastating, and deadly natural disasters. Daring, Dazzling, Divine by Sherry Brier is a collection of interviews, articles, and speeches about women who desired to change their life, overcame obstacles and are living the more fulfilling lives they envisioned. WomenRockProject.com is an online library of women’s wisdom to inspire, educate, and motivate women the world over. Sherry and Cynthia chat! The flu is a very contagious disease that usually spreads between October and May. anyone can get the flu but it is especially dangerous for infants, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system. Find out more about the vaccine and also how to take your blood pressure at home.

A vivid, page-turning and inspiring re-imagination of the final months of World War II, and the brilliant researchers behind the first atomic bomb, Hannah's War is an unforgettable love story about an exceptional woman, and the dangerous power of her greatest discovery. Film director and author Jan Eliasberg guests on StarStyle® correcting the historical record to enable others to see that “history is filled with remarkable women of towering achievement. Smoke taint is concentrated in the skins of grapes and during fermentation glycosides break down, releasing the volatile phenols and smoky flavors into the wine. The result tastes like licking an ashtray. California has endured endless fires. Cynthia Brian discusses the damage to viticulture and how she is going indoors to make a heritage spaghetti sauce, The coronavirus has limited gatherings and jaunts for most of the world. While some people obey the mandates, others do not. The virus is still deadly. Get a flu shot, too.

Humans owe our lives to the ocean. Marine life produces 70% of or oxygen and almost 50% of the world depends on food from the sea. But the ocean is dying. We are harvesting fish faster than they can regenerate, and climate change is causing an irreversible damage. Cynthia Brian will look at how we can preserve the ecosystem for our survival. Russian Supermodel Eugenia Kuzmina is also an actress and comedian. Kuzmina has appeared on the covers of and in the pages of Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, British GQ, W, Elle, Self, Shape, Genlux, Nylon, Glamour, Grazia, Harper’s Bazaar (Europe), Oyster, Paper and countless other publications. She’ll talk about moving to America, launching an acting career, and her foray into comedy. Are teens being irresponsible because they ignore mandates regarding Covid-19 or is there a neurobiological issue in their brain giving them a craving to socialize without precautions? It may not be a valid argument for being unsafe, but we’ll investigate.

Dreaming the Marsh is an environmental fable that is uniquely Floridian by Elizabeth McCulloch. Mother Nature has had enough and a day of reckoning is coming, foretold by words that mysteriously appear on the side of a shiny new building. If you’ve been sheltering mostly at home for the past six months, you are probably getting wanderlust. But before you travel anywhere, you need to do your homework. And it’s a good idea to buy travel insurance that will include specifications for Covid-19. Between the brutal pandemic, perverse politics, sizzling heat, and suffocating smoke, we all have a reason to despair. Now more than ever, we need large doses of humor, hope, and healing. Let’s employ kindness and empathy for one another as we prepare for planting autumn bulbs and seeds. This is the season to start making a list of what you want to grow for the forthcoming months.

Today is the 21st Anniversary of Be the Star You Are!® charity receiving its 501 c3 designation. On 9/9/99 Be the Star You Are!® launched its first programs for literacy and positive messages, BTSYA volunteer and Express Yourself! radio host, Henna Hundal talks about her work on the Bridging Borders Project, a platform where Prime Ministers and Presidents from each country are sharing management of COVID-19. The Magical Universe of the Ancients: A Desert Journal illustrates in photographs and words the distant past and the wild and stunning vistas of the present. The mysteries of this ancient land and its peoples inspired Julie Weston and Gerry Morrison to journey into the desert over a period of years seeking the geology, the ruins, the rock art, and answers to their questions. How do masks fight Covid-19? Masks have become a symbol of partisan politics as well as the acknowledgment that life as we knew it is gone. Are masks effective? Who do they protect? WEAR MASKS!

Host Cynthia Brian continues Wednesdays with Writers and Performers on StarStyle® giving authors, actors, artists, and entertainers who have had their live performances and events canceled due to Covid-19 a platform to shine. Our dogs watch us eat and they may be inclined to want to join the party. Use caution and knowledge when feeding your canine anything but dog food. Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian, romps with Rover through the garden with tips on how to create compost, dry herbs, and keep our pooches safe. A sweeping Jazz Age tale of regret, ambition, and redemption inspired by true events, Etiquette for Runaways by debut novelist Liza Nash Taylor includes the Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935 and Josephine Baker’s 1925 Paris debut in Le Revue Nègre. More people are unemployed today than in the last 100 years. Businesses are taking extreme measures to ride out what is expected to be a long haul. How can we join forces to build a healthy, sustainable world?

SAG/AFTRA member Cynthia Brian continues Wednesdays with Writers and Performers on StarStyle® giving authors, actors, artists, and entertainers who have had their live performances and events canceled due to Covid-19 a platform to shine. Find out how brilliant our world talent is right here on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® As with all utility bills, it’s easy to pay automatically then forget it. But you may be paying too much for too little. Review your plan at least twice yearly to make sure you are making use of current deals and your current usage. A Scandal at Crystalline by Roslyn Reid is a darkly funny mystery novel. It reveals the sinister side of raku pottery and kicks off a series of quirky mysteries set in Maine, featuring Black private detective James Early and his teenage son Tikki. When you make an appointment to speak with your physician by phone, tablet, or computer, the visit is called “telemedicine”., Covid-19 made it a safe way to interact with doctors.

Want to get fit, stay cool, and have fun? Dive into a routine of swimming and you will lower stress, sleep well, and have a toned, healthy body. And you don’t have to swim for miles. Find out more. With a historian's gift for dogged research and a writer's eye for detail, Julieta Almeida Rodrigues brings to life the trajectories of two colorful eighteenth century characters, Eleanora Fonseca Pimentel and Joseph Correia da Serra in her historical novel, Eleonora and Joseph. Passion, Tragedy, and Revolution in the Age of Enlightenment. Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy their separate but entwined stories as they play out against the crumbling Neapolitan Republic.  August will be a sizzling month. Make sure you and your garden stay hydrated. Enjoy the fruits, vegetables, and flowers that like it hot. Goddess Gardener Cynthia Brian talks about summer harvests and keeping your garden alive in the heat. Stay cool and enjoy a summer afternoon of hot, hot, hot!

Debut novel for Carrie Hayes, Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit is based on the little known, but true story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman who ran for U.S. President. The challenges the U.S.A. is wrestling with today are the same challenges the country faced 150 years ago. How can you help your kids become financially literate? The sooner you teach your children about money, budgeting, investing, and saving, the more successful they will be. Tips from Schwab introduce the value of money management from toddlers to adults. If an emergency happens when you are outdoors, do you know what to do? Using common sense is a good first step, but sometimes what seems smart may be deadly. Cynthia Brian offers emergency hacks including how to make a tourniquet to soothing jellyfish stings.

The film MIGHTY OAK is the story of Gina (Janel Parrish, “Pretty Little Liars,” To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before), a band manager who struggles after losing her brother/lead singer (Levi Dylan, 12 Mighty Orphans) in a fatal car accident while traveling to a gig. A decade later, Gina meets a 10-year-old music prodigy named Oak, played by newcomer Tommy Ragen, a real-life prodigy whose music inspired the screenplay. Oak seems to possess the same qualities as Gina’s late brother, inspiring her to pull her life back together and try to reunite the band with Oak as its new front man. Directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer), Cynthia Brian interviews several cast members. www.mightyoakthemovie.com Cynthia interviews award-winning journalist/author Jo Giese offering uplifting lessons in old-fashioned civility in her memoir, Never Sit If You Can Dance: Lessons from My Mother. The lessons are wisdom from a mother of the 20th century for a daughter in the 21st century. www.jogiese.com

Creative Intelligence Coach and Founder of Epic Vision Zone, Jane Applegath, joins Cynthia Brian to discuss how she brings role models to her summits to inspire others to become trailblazers. Jane says that by choosing creativity, we plant the seed for a new kind of trailblazer. The more the ability to imagine solutions with novelty, the brighter our world becomes. For many months employees who used to report to company headquarters have been working from home. Will this be the new normal in this age of technology? According to a Gallup poll, 3 in 5 workers in the US who were doing their jobs from home want to continue to work remotely. How can you convince your boss that you’ll be productive? Do you know how to identify ticks? There are three types of ticks in the United States that bite humans. These bloodsuckers can cause serious diseases. Learn what protection to wear and how to check yourself.

Kathleen Kalb, author of A FATAL FINALE, introduces swashbuckling Gilded Age opera singer Ella Shane, best described as part Beverly Sills, part Anne of Green Gables, and part Errol Flynn, as the first book in her new historical mystery series. Are we wired for happiness? With civil unrest combined with the pandemic, loss of jobs, travel freezes, and an uncertain future, it may be challenging to see the rainbow at the end of the storm. Research indicates that happiness is wired in our genes and we may need that joy now. Grow a diversity of plants, eliminate pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides to attract beneficial insects, birds, spiders, reptiles, and numerous other guardians of our garden galaxy. Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian provides info on the basic needs for food, habitat, water, and shelter, so that you will enjoy increased outdoor amusement while learning an appreciation of nature.

Rudyard Kipling once said that words are “the most powerful drug use by mankind”—the words by author Allen Klein (aka “Mr. Jollytologist”®) in his book Positive Thoughts for Troubling Times are the prescription for a daily dose of positive inspiration you can live by in these challenging times. Words can warm our hearts and fire us up or calm us down when we are worried and stressed. Renew your spirit and find comfort in this lively conversation. Abundance is not about acquiring a luxury house, a fancy car, expensive clothes, and a jet-set lifestyle. Abundance is about feeling that there is enough in life for everyone. The world is a place of emotional and spiritual plenty. Cynthia Brian shares The Gift of Abundance from Be the Star You Are! 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference. What will our world like post pandemic? Will we be wearing masks everywhere, fixated on cleanliness, stop going to the theatre? What will be the new normal?

Thiago Desouza recently interviewed Cynthia Brian about designing a life on his podcast, Business Access. (https://business-access-by-tdimage.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-4-cynthia-brian?t=0m0s) The company then created three short videos for Be the Star You Are!® charity. Impressed with Thiago’s dedication and authenticty, Cynthia Brian interviews Thiago focusing on his unique company, TDimage, a digital services company that develops true partnerships with clients creating cost-efficient and effective digital, television, multi-platform media campaigns. This year will be a year like no other highlighted by the frightening health pandemic and sorrowful civil unrest. Connecting with the natural world is one prescription for finding healing and balance. What’s your planet pivot? We have the choice of being positive or negative despite the circumstances. We can’t control what happens to us. We can control how we respond. Lifestyle coach Cynthia Brian shares tips for balance.

Wednesdays with Writers continues with Paty Jager’s newest novel, Fox Goes Hunting. While teaching a tracking class at a Search and Rescue conference in Iceland, Oregon State Trooper Gabriel Hawke discovers the body of the young man who volunteered to be tracked in a boiling mud pool. It’s challenging to stay healthy and manage our stress especially during these very difficult times. We don’t have control and that is scary. Gain a few tips to keep up upbeat, positive, and well. Having sheltered at home for months, many people found solace in purging, decluttering, and organizing. But in a pandemic, where do you dispose of your unwanted stuff, whether it be valuable or junk? We’ll look at ways to efficiently clean and shine as well as ways to sell, consign, or get rid of what you don’t want.

Sometimes you have to run far, far away to find your way home. Recently wed—and quickly divorced—twenty-four-year-old Sarah Coomber escapes the disappointments of her Minnesota life for a job teaching English in Japan. What she finds when she gets there is far from what she expected, but it just might be exactly what she needs. Cynthia Brian interviews Sarah about her memoir, The Same Moon. Many of us have sheltered-in-place for more than three months. People are dealing with social isolation, anxiety about health, and financial worries. What have been the mental and emotional effects of living with the threat of Covid-19. Go ahead and share your sadness about what you miss. It will unburden and free you. The media compares the Covid-19 crisis to the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. A Time Magazine article linked it more to the the beginning of the 1916 polio epidemic that preferred the hot months of summer to inflict its havoc. A vaccine wasn’t successful for polio until 39 years later