Pages To Impact Podcast

James Real
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Pages to Impact explores the journey of authors who believe their stories can make a difference. Hosted by James Real, this podcast highlights writers who are creating meaningful change through their books while also exposing the realities of the publishing industry — including the scams that many authors face. Through powerful conversations, practical insights, and real author experiences, the show helps writers navigate publishing with confidence and purpose. Because every powerful book starts with a story — and the courage to share it.

  1. 6h ago

    She Was Adopted at 5 Days Old—Then Learned to Choose Herself

    She Was Adopted at 5 Days Old—Then Learned to Choose Herself What if the biggest turning point in your life isn’t finding the right person, but finally choosing yourself? Sherry Lynn shares the candid story behind her Chosen memoir series—from being adopted at five days old to navigating heartbreak, multiple marriages, motherhood, loss, and the hard lessons that helped her rethink what love means. Host Joe James Real guides a thoughtful conversation about identity, self-worth, and the moment Sherry realized that being chosen by others wasn’t enough. Sherry speaks openly about her past, including the choices she wishes she could have made differently, and why she refuses to rewrite her story to make it look neater. In this episode, Sherry shares how knowing she was adopted shaped her sense of self, what she learned from rushing into marriage as a teenager, and how her relationships challenged her ideas about love and loyalty. She also reflects on recognizing when it was time to stop accepting behavior that hurt her, and the courage it takes to tell the truth—even when it’s uncomfortable. If you’ve ever stayed too long, rushed into a decision, or wondered how your past shapes your future, this conversation is a reminder that your history may explain you, but it doesn’t have to define you. You can learn, unlearn, begin again, and choose yourself.

    She Was Adopted at 5 Days Old—Then Learned to Choose Herself

  2. 1d ago

    What One Writer Learned About Africa, Propaganda, and Human Survival

    A Peace Corps volunteer goes to Africa to teach, help, and do good - then walks straight into a Cold War maze of spies, bandits, propaganda, and a truth he barely understands. David Litwacks reveals the real-life experience, historical tension, and moral collision behind Land of the Sun, Land Without Light. James Real sits down with Litwacks to unpack the novel’s unusual blend of fact and fiction, drawing from his own overseas service in Africa while transforming lived experience into a suspenseful story set against decolonization, regional conflict, and shifting alliances. The result is a book where idealism gets tested by politics, law, culture, and survival at every turn. You’ll discover: Why Litwacks chose Cold War-era Africa as the backdrop for a story about power, confusion, and unintended consequences How a young volunteer with good intentions becomes entangled in espionage, government deception, and a mission he never fully understands What the title means, and how light and darkness operate as both literal setting and symbolic warning Why the line between helper and operative is so dangerous in this story How bandits, government forces, a Russian doctor, a pair of rival twins, and even an almost-talking cheetah shape the novel’s world Litwacks also shares how historical research changed his perspective, including revelations about violence, hidden conflict, and events that were never widely reported at the time. If you’re drawn to historical fiction with moral tension, geopolitical stakes, and a protagonist forced to confront the limits of idealism, this conversation will pull you in fast. Perfect for readers, writers, and anyone fascinated by how real history can become gripping fiction - and how the desire to help can become the beginning of something far more complicated.

    What One Writer Learned About Africa, Propaganda, and Human Survival

  3. 6d ago

    Fatherhood Is More Than Biology—It’s a Leadership Responsibility

    What does it really mean to be a father—and are you leading by example, or just carrying a title? David Michael Litwack’s chapter Fatherhood and Leadership makes the case that fatherhood is bigger than biology, and that every man shapes the people around him, whether he realizes it or not. Host James Real sits down with David Michael Litwack to explore the leadership lessons behind fatherhood. Their conversation gets personal, with honest reflections on anger, impatience, mistakes, and the hard-earned growth that follows. In this episode, discover: Why fatherhood is about responsibility, care, and leadership—not just biology. What Atticus Finch can teach us about humility, courage, and empathy. How George Washington models integrity, resilience, and self-sacrifice. Why anger can get in the way of parenting and leadership. The difference between authority and leading by example. David shares how his own experiences—including losing patience while teaching algebra and learning to trust his colleagues—shaped his understanding of influence, discipline, and what children learn from the adults in their lives. This is a conversation about the men we become, the example we set, and the legacy we leave with the people closest to us. It’s for fathers, mentors, leaders, and anyone asking: What kind of man am I becoming—and what am I teaching others by the way I live?

    Fatherhood Is More Than Biology—It’s a Leadership Responsibility

  4. Oct 1

    How One Survivor Turned Trauma Into Memoir, Mystery, and Advocacy

    What if the question everyone avoids is the one that finally sets someone free? Kathy Sechrist shares how truth, silence, and survival shaped her memoirs and inspired her mystery novel Bodies Under the Blue Bonnets. Author, speaker, and advocate Kathy Sechrist brings hard-won insight from her experience with domestic violence into a conversation about what can happen when a survivor decides that silence is no longer the safest option. In this episode, Kathy discusses: Why she wrote Success Is the Best Revenge as a raw memoir for anyone who needs to know they’re not alone. How a friend’s direct, judgment-free questions helped open the door to sharing her story. Why silence can protect an abuser, and why speaking up may involve many small, difficult decisions. How Bodies Under the Blue Bonnets transforms secrets, a photograph, and a town’s reluctance to ask questions into a mystery. What “one step forward, two steps back” can look like in recovery—and why healing isn’t linear. Kathy also reflects on the fears and triggers that can follow someone after leaving abuse, the importance of nonjudgmental support, and her hope that her writing helps others find the courage to tell one safe person the truth. For anyone wondering why people stay silent, what it can take to break that silence, or how fiction can carry the weight of lived experience, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: your voice counts.

    How One Survivor Turned Trauma Into Memoir, Mystery, and Advocacy

  5. Oct 1

    How Cancer Forced a Poet to Confront the Truth Beneath Her Surface

    What if the bravest thing you could do is admit you are not fine? Luciana Fisher turns that question into a deeply human conversation about identity, grief, cancer survivorship, and the freedom that comes from telling the truth about your own life. Brazilian American writer and poet Luciana Fisher joins Joe James Real to talk about Beneath the Surface, the debut collection born from years of hidden writing, childhood trauma, corporate exhaustion, and the shock of a cancer diagnosis. What emerges is not just a poetry book, but an invitation to stop performing, face what you have been carrying, and finally ask yourself the question that changes everything: are you happy? Luciana Fisher is a Brazilian American writer and poet, and the author of Beneath the Surface. Her work blends poetry, reflection, and vulnerability, drawing on her experiences with illness, family trauma, healing, and rediscovering purpose. Joe James Real guides the conversation with warmth and curiosity, pressing into the book’s deeper message and the real-life experiences behind it. You'll discover: why Luciana says the book was already inside her long before she published it how writing in chemo waiting rooms became part of her healing process why she believes healing is not candles and affirmations, but walking through the fire the surprising role her therapist, Dr. Gus, played in deciding what to share how childhood experiences, curly hair shame, loss, and resilience all shaped the poems why she includes the backstory behind each piece and still leaves room for your own interpretation. We also break down Luciana’s unconventional approach to connecting with readers in Union Square Park, where strangers stop, cry, hug, and share their own stories after meeting her in person. That community, along with her work with cancer survivors and the dyslexia-focused Diversity Alliance, shows how her book extends far beyond the page. This episode matters because so many people are carrying pain they have learned to hide behind success, busyness, and appearances. Luciana makes the case that unprocessed wounds do not disappear - they wait. And when you finally face them, you do not just heal yourself. You become someone who can help others heal too. Perfect for anyone craving honesty, emotional clarity, and a reminder that your story is still becoming. If you have ever wondered what lies beneath your own surface, this one will stay with you long after it ends.

    How Cancer Forced a Poet to Confront the Truth Beneath Her Surface

  6. Oct 1

    How Grief Became a Book That Helps People Heal

    Loss does not have to end a relationship - sometimes it becomes the force that turns memory into something readers can hold onto. Tammy Spears reveals how Flutter of an Eye grew from grief, faith, and the enduring love of her mother, Diana Hullings, into a poetry collection that comforts families navigating loss and reminds everyone to cherish the time they have. Tammy shares the deeply personal story behind the title poem, the moment she realized those private words could become a published book, and why her writing has always been rooted in more than sorrow. Instead of centering grief alone, she builds a larger portrait of love, family, blessings, dreams, and the small signs that keep us connected to the people we've lost. You'll discover: Why Tammy says her mother still shows up through nature, including the butterfly moments that inspired later writing How a poem written at the end of her mother's life became the emotional center of the book Why she believes people should keep pursuing their dreams, even after hardship How poetry can become a bridge for families, including those grieving parents, children, and loved ones lost too soon Why publishing the work matters more than keeping the memories only in photographs or private journals. Tammy also opens up about writing through multiple losses, including the unexpected death of her nephew, and how her work has reached strangers in powerful ways - even touching one reader whose dying father asked for her poetry to be read aloud at his bedside. This conversation is a reminder that the most personal stories can become the most universal. If you need encouragement to honor someone you've lost, reconnect with your own purpose, or simply appreciate the people still in your life, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Perfect for anyone grieving, anyone who writes from the heart, and anyone who needs a gentle nudge to call their mother, chase a dream, and say "I love you" before it's too late.

    How Grief Became a Book That Helps People Heal

  7. Sep 30

    How a Fever Dream Became a Novel About Love, Secrets, and Survival

    A man wakes up as an alligator in the swamps of Louisiana—and that bizarre premise opens into a story about family secrets, generational trauma, love, and who we become when life takes an unexpected turn. Teresa Swanbeck, author of The Alligator Curse, joins James Real to share how a vivid dream became a novel, why absurdity can be a doorway to deeper truths, and how Bucky Nonsense’s transformation reflects the way buried family history can surface and change everything. In this conversation, Teresa discusses how Louisiana folklore shapes the story, why journals let the past speak to the present, and how Nora becomes a resourceful partner and moral anchor for Bucky. She also reflects on the real-life family revelations that informed the book’s emotional core. At its heart, The Alligator Curse is a story about identity, belonging, and finding a way forward when life becomes unrecognizable. Bucky’s journey offers a powerful reminder: your past doesn’t have to define your future. If you love supernatural mysteries, Louisiana folklore, humor, and character-driven stories with emotional depth, join us for this episode of Pages to Impact Podcast.

    How a Fever Dream Became a Novel About Love, Secrets, and Survival

  8. Sep 29

    How Writing My Story Turned Guilt Into Redemption

    What does prison really do to a person—and what does it take to face the consequences of your choices? On Pages to Impact Podcast, host James Real speaks with author, podcaster, and speaker Carl Battie about the story behind his book, Risk Against Reward. After more than 10 years in prison, Carl wrote his story not to make excuses or seek sympathy, but to be honest about his decisions and the impact they had on others. Carl shares the realities he experienced in prison, how those years shaped his outlook, and why writing his story led him to think more deeply about accountability, redemption, and self-forgiveness. He also reflects on the power of writing honestly and his hope that sharing his experiences can help someone else feel less alone. This is a candid conversation about consequences, personal change, and turning difficult experiences into lessons that might help others.

    How Writing My Story Turned Guilt Into Redemption
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About

Pages to Impact explores the journey of authors who believe their stories can make a difference. Hosted by James Real, this podcast highlights writers who are creating meaningful change through their books while also exposing the realities of the publishing industry — including the scams that many authors face. Through powerful conversations, practical insights, and real author experiences, the show helps writers navigate publishing with confidence and purpose. Because every powerful book starts with a story — and the courage to share it.

Information

  • Creator
    James Real
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 James Real
  • Show Website
    Pages To Impact Podcast