Let’s Talk About Love Stories from Everywhere

Let’s Talk About Love SPC

Stories from Everywhere is a weekly, unscripted journey into the lives, ideas, and adventures of people from all walks of life. Hosted by award-winning author and journalist Jill L. Ferguson, each episode features candid, heart-centered conversations with guests from around the globe—artists, authors, entrepreneurs, students, elders, innovators, and dreamers—sharing the stories that shaped them. Produced by Let’s Talk About Love SPC, the show celebrates the universal threads that connect us, while honoring the unique voices that make our world endlessly fascinating. Come for the stories, stay for the connection.

  1. 1d ago ·  Video

    Episode 78: From Corporate Law to Political Thrillers: A. Marc Ross on Reinvention, Intrigue, and the Business of Writing

    What happens when a successful corporate attorney trades legal briefs for international intrigue, political conspiracies, and high-stakes thrillers? For A. Marc Ross, the answer is a second creative career filled with unexpected twists, fascinating characters, and a healthy dose of real-world geopolitics. In Episode 78 of Let's Talk About Love: Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes attorney and award-winning thriller author A. Marc Ross (Andrew Mark Ross) for an entertaining and candid conversation about reinvention, storytelling, and the increasingly complicated world of book publishing Ross, whose novels include Conscripted Extremist and Attacking the Dragon, draws on decades of legal experience and extensive travels throughout China to create political thrillers that challenge conventional expectations. In Attacking the Dragon, he turns the familiar international thriller formula upside down: Instead of China threatening the West, a mysterious terrorist organization targets China's global infrastructure investments. But this conversation goes far beyond the fictional world of espionage and sabotage. Jill and Marc explore what it takes to reinvent yourself creatively after an established career, why original storytelling matters, and how research can send an author down some wonderfully unexpected rabbit holes. They also pull back the curtain on the realities of modern publishing, from the fierce competition for literary agents and traditional publishing contracts to the growing demands of author branding, marketing, and social media. Along the way, Ross shares insights into his experiences working with Chinese business leaders and government officials, the challenges of balancing a demanding legal career with writing, and the thrill of developing new books and characters. And there's plenty of humor, too, including a discussion about killing off fictional characters, the difficulty of naming sequels, and why even talented writers can't rely on good writing alone to find an audience. Can you pursue a creative passion without abandoning a successful career? And in today's publishing world, is writing a great book only half the battle? Whether you're an aspiring novelist, a thriller enthusiast, someone considering a second career, or simply curious about the intersection of fiction and real-world politics, this episode offers a fascinating look at what happens when experience meets imagination. Discover more about A. Marc Ross and his books at amarkross.com.

  2. 2d ago ·  Video

    Episode 78: A. Marc Ross on Political Thrillers, Reinvention, Intrigue & the Business of Writing

    What happens when a successful corporate attorney trades legal briefs for international intrigue, political conspiracies, and high-stakes thrillers? For A. Marc Ross, the answer is a second creative career filled with unexpected twists, fascinating characters, and a healthy dose of real-world geopolitics. In Episode 78 of Let's Talk About Love: Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes attorney and award-winning thriller author A. Marc Ross (Andrew Mark Ross) for an entertaining and candid conversation about reinvention, storytelling, and the increasingly complicated world of book publishing. Ross, whose novels include Conscripted Extremist and Attacking the Dragon, draws on decades of legal experience and extensive travels throughout China to create political thrillers that challenge conventional expectations. In Attacking the Dragon, he turns the familiar international thriller formula upside down: Instead of China threatening the West, a mysterious terrorist organization targets China's global infrastructure investments. But this conversation goes far beyond the fictional world of espionage and sabotage. Jill and Marc explore what it takes to reinvent yourself creatively after an established career, why original storytelling matters, and how research can send an author down some wonderfully unexpected rabbit holes. They also pull back the curtain on the realities of modern publishing, from the fierce competition for literary agents and traditional publishing contracts to the growing demands of author branding, marketing, and social media. Along the way, Ross shares insights into his experiences working with Chinese business leaders and government officials, the challenges of balancing a demanding legal career with writing, and the thrill of developing new books and characters. And there's plenty of humor, too, including a discussion about killing off fictional characters, the difficulty of naming sequels, and why even talented writers can't rely on good writing alone to find an audience. Can you pursue a creative passion without abandoning a successful career? And in today's publishing world, is writing a great book only half the battle? Whether you're an aspiring novelist, a thriller enthusiast, someone considering a second career, or simply curious about the intersection of fiction and real-world politics, this episode offers a fascinating look at what happens when experience meets imagination. Discover more about A. Marc Ross and his books at amarkross.com.

  3. Oct 27 ·  Video

    A Promise Beyond Death: Eric Christianson's Journey Through Love, Loss, and an Untold Piece of American History

    What if a single letter could change two families forever? And what if a promise made at the end of a loved one's life could become the very thing that saves yours? In 1959, a white farm family in Minnesota heard a Black father from Indiana say something heartbreaking during a radio interview: he had never been invited into a white person's home as a guest. Rather than simply sympathize, Rosalyn David did something extraordinary. She invited David Sims, his wife, their eight children, and their dog to spend a week on her family's farm. That invitation sparked an unlikely friendship that crossed racial boundaries, captured national attention, and left an indelible impression on Rosalyn's young daughter, Joyce. Decades later, Joyce dreamed of telling the story through the families' original letters. But declining health prevented her from finishing the project. Two days before she died, she asked her husband, Eric Christianson, to complete what she had started. He promised he would. What followed was a remarkable journey through grief, guilt, shaken faith, and ultimately healing. In this deeply moving episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes author Eric Christianson to discuss his book, South Bend to Spring Valley: The David-Sims Story, and the two extraordinary love stories behind its creation. Eric shares how he pieced together a forgotten chapter of American history from handwritten letters, newspaper clippings, and family memories—and how the writing process helped him find purpose again after losing Joyce. You'll discover how a courageous invitation challenged racial divisions in 1950s America, why the two families' friendship still offers lessons for our divided world, and how Eric's determination to honor his wife's final wish brought him something he never expected: a way forward. The conversation also explores Joyce's own remarkable life, including her experience attending a historically Black college, and the emotional reunion of the David and Sims families more than six decades after their friendship began. Perhaps the most powerful moment comes when Jill offers Eric an unexpected insight: Sometimes we become trapped in the painful stories we tell ourselves, and it takes telling someone else's story to find our way out. This is an episode about the courage to reach across differences, the promises that outlive us, and the extraordinary healing power of love. Because sometimes the story you promise to tell becomes the story that changes your life.

  4. Oct 20 ·  Video

    Episode 76: Can AI Replace the Soul of Music? Producer Daniel Silberman on Creativity, Technology & the Human Touch

    What happens to creativity when artificial intelligence can generate thousands of songs in the time it takes a human musician to write just one? And in an industry increasingly driven by technology, shrinking budgets, and instant gratification, does the human touch still matter? In Episode 76 of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes Daniel Silberman, a Chicago-area audio engineer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and educator whose career has taken him from working with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to helping independent artists bring their musical visions to life. But as Daniel explains, making great music isn't simply about knowing which buttons to push or how to capture the perfect sound. It's about understanding people, navigating egos, recognizing vulnerability, and helping artists discover what they're really trying to communicate. In this candid and thought-provoking conversation, Jill and Daniel explore the rapidly changing landscape of music production, including the controversial rise of AI-generated songs, the economic pressures reshaping creative careers, and the complicated questions surrounding artistic ownership and authenticity. Daniel offers a surprisingly nuanced perspective on artificial intelligence. Rather than rejecting the technology outright, he discusses where it can genuinely help artists, where it threatens livelihoods, and why he believes clearer rules and accountability are essential. The conversation also takes some unexpected and deeply personal turns. Daniel reflects on choosing music over football as a teenager, the social consequences of that decision, and a devastating hand injury years later that could have threatened his ability to play. He shares why getting older has changed his relationship with regret, why learning to say no has become essential to his professional happiness, and how fatherhood has influenced his ideas about nurturing creativity without forcing expectations on his young daughter. And perhaps most importantly, Daniel challenges one of the music industry's biggest misconceptions: that success means becoming a star. What if the most rewarding creative career isn't the one in the spotlight? What if making a meaningful contribution matters more than fame? Whether you're a musician, writer, artist, entrepreneur, parent, or simply someone wondering how human creativity will survive in an increasingly automated world, this episode offers a fascinating look at what technology can accomplish and what it still can't replace. Because sometimes the most important part of making art isn't the finished product. It's the human experience behind it. Listen to Episode 76 of Stories from Everywhere and discover why the future of creativity may depend less on the tools we use and more on the people using them.

  5. Oct 13 ·  Video

    A Promise Beyond Death: The Journey Through Love, Loss, & an Untold Piece of American History

    What if a single letter could change two families forever? And what if a promise made at the end of a loved one's life could become the very thing that saves yours? In 1959, a white farm family in Minnesota heard a Black father from Indiana say something heartbreaking during a radio interview: he had never been invited into a white person's home as a guest. Rather than simply sympathize, Rosalyn David did something extraordinary. She invited David Sims, his wife, their eight children, and their dog to spend a week on her family's farm. That invitation sparked an unlikely friendship that crossed racial boundaries, captured national attention, and left an indelible impression on Rosalyn's young daughter, Joyce. Decades later, Joyce dreamed of telling the story through the families' original letters. But declining health prevented her from finishing the project. Two days before she died, she asked her husband, Eric Christianson, to complete what she had started. He promised he would. What followed was a remarkable journey through grief, guilt, shaken faith, and ultimately healing. In this deeply moving episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes author Eric Christianson to discuss his book, South Bend to Spring Valley: The David-Sims Story, and the two extraordinary love stories behind its creation. Eric shares how he pieced together a forgotten chapter of American history from handwritten letters, newspaper clippings, and family memories—and how the writing process helped him find purpose again after losing Joyce. You'll discover how a courageous invitation challenged racial divisions in 1950s America, why the two families' friendship still offers lessons for our divided world, and how Eric's determination to honor his wife's final wish brought him something he never expected: a way forward. The conversation also explores Joyce's own remarkable life, including her experience attending a historically Black college, and the emotional reunion of the David and Sims families more than six decades after their friendship began. Perhaps the most powerful moment comes when Jill offers Eric an unexpected insight: Sometimes we become trapped in the painful stories we tell ourselves, and it takes telling someone else's story to find our way out. This is an episode about the courage to reach across differences, the promises that outlive us, and the extraordinary healing power of love. Because sometimes the story you promise to tell becomes the story that changes your life.

  6. Oct 13 ·  Video

    Episode 75: The Soul of the Machine: Alan Sztaba on Porsches, EVs & the Future of Cars

    What makes us fall in love with a car? For Alan Sztaba, it might be the sound of an engine, the feel of the road, the challenge of bringing a classic back to life, or the satisfaction of solving a mechanical problem that refuses to follow the manual. In Episode 75 of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson talks with Porsche Classic-trained technician Alan Sztaba about a rapidly changing automotive world and what may be getting lost along the way. Alan spent a decade working at Porsche before joining SLR Autowerke Inc., where he now works on Porsches, Mercedes and other high-end vehicles. His career has taken him from everyday repairs to painstaking restorations and ambitious custom builds—including a remarkable Safari 911 project that transformed a rough older Porsche into an extensively modified off-road machine. Alan takes us behind the scenes of what it actually means to restore and build a classic Porsche, why working on collector cars requires both technical precision and creative problem-solving, and why sometimes the favorite car in a multimillion-dollar collection isn't the rarest or most valuable one; it's the one the owner actually loves to drive. The conversation also turns to one of the biggest disruptions the automotive industry has faced in decades: electrification. Alan shares his perspective on Porsche's move toward EVs, why he believes some luxury buyers still want the sound and visceral experience of a gasoline engine, the challenges surrounding EV charging and battery repair, and why automakers may be reconsidering some of their recent decisions. And as cars increasingly become "driving computers," Alan explains why today's technicians need an entirely different skill set from mechanics of the past, and why experience, patience and thinking outside the box still matter even in an increasingly software-driven industry. From a 1960s Porsche 356 to modern EVs, disappearing convertibles, dream cars, collector garages and the elusive Porsche 959 Alan still hopes to work on someday, this is a conversation about far more than cars. It's about craftsmanship, technology, passion and whether progress can preserve the soul of the machine.

  7. Oct 11 ·  Video

    Can AI Replace the Soul of Music? Daniel Silberman on Creativity, Technology & the Human Touch

    What happens to creativity when artificial intelligence can generate thousands of songs in the time it takes a human musician to write just one? And in an industry increasingly driven by technology, shrinking budgets, and instant gratification, does the human touch still matter? In Episode 76 of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes Daniel Silberman, a Chicago-area audio engineer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and educator whose career has taken him from working with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to helping independent artists bring their musical visions to life. But as Daniel explains, making great music isn't simply about knowing which buttons to push or how to capture the perfect sound. It's about understanding people, navigating egos, recognizing vulnerability, and helping artists discover what they're really trying to communicate. In this candid and thought-provoking conversation, Jill and Daniel explore the rapidly changing landscape of music production, including the controversial rise of AI-generated songs, the economic pressures reshaping creative careers, and the complicated questions surrounding artistic ownership and authenticity. Daniel offers a surprisingly nuanced perspective on artificial intelligence. Rather than rejecting the technology outright, he discusses where it can genuinely help artists, where it threatens livelihoods, and why he believes clearer rules and accountability are essential. The conversation also takes some unexpected and deeply personal turns. Daniel reflects on choosing music over football as a teenager, the social consequences of that decision, and a devastating hand injury years later that could have threatened his ability to play. He shares why getting older has changed his relationship with regret, why learning to say no has become essential to his professional happiness, and how fatherhood has influenced his ideas about nurturing creativity without forcing expectations on his young daughter. And perhaps most importantly, Daniel challenges one of the music industry's biggest misconceptions: that success means becoming a star. What if the most rewarding creative career isn't the one in the spotlight? What if making a meaningful contribution matters more than fame? Whether you're a musician, writer, artist, entrepreneur, parent, or simply someone wondering how human creativity will survive in an increasingly automated world, this episode offers a fascinating look at what technology can accomplish and what it still can't replace. Because sometimes the most important part of making art isn't the finished product. It's the human experience behind it.

  8. Oct 6 ·  Video

    Episode 74: Getting My Life Back: Julianne Browne on Invisible Illness, Chronic Pain, and Rediscovering What’s Possible

    What happens when pain quietly takes over your life—and then, after years of adjusting, sacrificing, and missing out, you finally begin to get pieces of that life back? Julianne Browne is a writer, gamer, student, aspiring polyglot, animal lover, and self-described “yapper” who can make a new best friend almost anywhere. But for more than 15 years, chronic migraines shaped nearly every part of her life. The illness became so debilitating that Julianne had to leave high school during her senior year. Over the years, migraines interrupted college, made employment difficult, affected friendships and relationships, and even pushed her away from theater—something she deeply loved. At her worst, she spent long stretches largely bedridden, unable to tolerate light or sound and sometimes requiring hospital treatment for the pain. In this candid and surprisingly joyful conversation with host Jill L. Ferguson, Julianne talks about something people living with invisible illness know intimately: the exhausting uncertainty of never knowing what kind of day you’re going to have. Can you make plans? Can you go to class? Can you work? Can you drive home safely? Can you make dinner? Can you even take a shower? And what happens to your sense of self when the answer is so often, “Maybe”? Julianne also shares the dramatic change she has experienced since beginning Botox treatments for chronic migraine. With her symptoms significantly improved, she has returned to school, started working again, begun making plans with friends, and started imagining a future built around writing, gaming, streaming, and creativity. But perhaps the most moving changes are the smallest ones. Making eggs and toast. Cooking again. Going somewhere without constantly calculating an escape plan. Saying yes to a friend. Waking up and not immediately measuring the day by pain. Julianne and Jill explore invisible illness, identity, friendship, mental and physical health, finding work that fits the life you actually have, and the strange process of rediscovering yourself when the condition that once dominated your identity no longer controls every decision. It’s a conversation about chronic pain, but even more, it’s about possibility. Sometimes getting your life back doesn’t arrive as one enormous, triumphant moment. Sometimes it looks like making yourself eggs and toast.

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About

Stories from Everywhere is a weekly, unscripted journey into the lives, ideas, and adventures of people from all walks of life. Hosted by award-winning author and journalist Jill L. Ferguson, each episode features candid, heart-centered conversations with guests from around the globe—artists, authors, entrepreneurs, students, elders, innovators, and dreamers—sharing the stories that shaped them. Produced by Let’s Talk About Love SPC, the show celebrates the universal threads that connect us, while honoring the unique voices that make our world endlessly fascinating. Come for the stories, stay for the connection.

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