Odyssa Media

12/05/2024

Happy birthday to this girl right here. It’s fitting that it falls on Mother’s Day this year. If mothers are defined by their unconditional love, then she mothers my children almost as much as me.
Eight years old this year, she still has the energy and enthusiasm of a puppy, she contributes to the chaos of this house, and she is an attention hog, but she adores my children more than anything else in this world (more than I do, probably). She won’t go to bed without them, she goes to each of their rooms to say good morning to them, she jumps up to wait at the front window when she hears the Life360 notification on my phone, and she never, never, never denies anyone a hug, a kiss, or a cuddle.
Always there to lie on the floor with them when they’re down, ready to jump around when they’re up, and emotionally intelligent enough to understand the difference, she is one of the greatest dogs ever. I was told her name means “dawn” in Serbian, and that was a lucky choice—she brings the sunshine everyday. She’s more than a dog; she’s our family.
I appreciate and honor all mothers on this day—my own, my village, and all the other mothers loving their way through every day—but especially this mini-mom who lives in my house and loves my kids and takes care of us all.

29/04/2024

YES

19/04/2024

Something old or something new?

17/04/2024

15/04/2024

Let's chat.

https://odyssamedia.com/?page_id=15

Media

06/03/2024

I’m working on an update of my Odyssa Media Book Publishing Services website, and I gathered some of the book covers of book projects I’ve worked on. I’ve never seen them grouped together like this. I’m feeling very accomplished today!
All of these titles are on Amazon, and I can vouch for all of them.

13/02/2023

One of my authors just published her first book. If you love, know, or work with any children with intellectual disabilities, I HIGHLY recommend her book. She has decades of experience in this field--her knowledge, insight, and compassion shine through on every page. (The editing's not bad either ;-))

Life Skills: A Handbook for Parents & Teachers of the Intellectually Disabled

06/07/2022

In the past few months, I have edited a few exciting manuscripts and classes, written by people passionate about their work--a pilot's memoir of his 40 years flying, the story of the first private radio station in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, and a course on international private security, to name a few. I love working with writers on diverse projects. If you want to work with me, Reedsy is a great place to start. You can check out my profile to see some of my other work and what my clients think of me (link in profile--I promise it's good things).
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05/07/2022

Just returned home from some mega family travel-- a few countries and continents. So happy to be with my kids out in the big wide world again. I could post all our best trip photos, but I don't know who wants to see more vacation pics. So, I send out into the world one of the moments that stays in my mind and my heart and also says a lot about traveling with kids.
We went to see a bullfight in Seville. All of the pomp and circumstance of the corrida de toros still exists, and I really enjoyed being able to draw the line over centuries of raising bulls, honoring farmers, engaging in a community of tradition, and the glittery outfits aren't bad, either.
My daughter did not feel the same way.
She spent most of the night in tears, her sensitive heart feeling only for the bulls.
It was a clash of cultures, generations, sensibilities, and the reason I travel and take my kids with me. It's not always easy or fun (actually, not often easy), but experiencing things for ourselves, things outside of our norms and comfort zones, is the most amazing thing about being out in the world.
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09/05/2022

Working on some pitch ideas about my recent trip to Medellin, Colombia. What would you want to know about traveling to Medellin?

🇨🇴

06/05/2022

I've done it on the beach, on a bus, and in my backyard, but I don't think I've ever done it on a train.

Write, that is.

Odyssa Magazine has published a new piece after a looong hiatus, and we're stepping into the experience of best-selling music artist Cheryl B. Engelhardt as she creates an entire album on a cross-country train trip.

Where have you done it?

Link to Cheryl's story in profile.

25/04/2022

As much as I appreciate and enjoy my words and thoughts being published in the digital world, there is nothing like seeing your ideas in print. Something about the ink and paper being present in the physical world feels like giving birth to something. So, go read my baby. Page 86 And then hit the road.
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I'm throwing out some questions, too: Do you value print? Does a traditional book or magazine mean anything to you, or are you as or more comfortable with words, pictures, and ideas living in the digital world? Is it even an either/or question?

02/04/2022

WOW. Just finished this book and I can not recommend highly enough. I am not one to cry, and this book literally brought me to tears (Wally Lamb's I know This Much is True is the only other book that ever did that).
Family, identity, love, betrayal, friendship. Words that only come to life when they are actions in the world. Walking by the side of the complicated main character in this novel is a deep dive into the mess of life. Read it!

18/03/2022

Wouldn't life be much more fun if everyone jumped into situations as enthusiastically as my dog does?

Let's be more Zora.

15/03/2022

My daughter is completing the International Baccalaureate Elementary Years Programme this year, and for her final project, she has undertaken an exploration of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, Quality Education, and she's taking a deep dive into understanding the role of education in children's lives across the globe.
She is trying to bring awareness to the importance of education, so I'm sharing her video.
Please watch, share, and let us know what you think!
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14/03/2022

Release yourself from the pressure of being perfect.

When you are creating your first digital program, it's easy to lose sight of your big picture :
✶ you pour your all of your knowledge into every detail
✶ you have sleepless nights about how your slides look
✶ you worry that certain content won't resonate.

Then, you procrastinate on launching because you are waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, "Your course is a winner. Launch!"

This is what I want you to know: the first version of your course will not be your final version. It's going to change.

Once a beta program ends, it's time to make changes to it instantly. Edit lessons, add new content and move slides.

❌Perfectionism is the enemy to new course creators.

❌Perfectionism is a state of mind that slows down your progress.

❌Perfectionism perpetuates the idea that ONLY YOU have the ideas.

Here's the truth: the insight and feedback you want about your course will come from your students.

You are never going to do it perfectly the first time.

Enjoy the process of putting something out there, connecting with your learners, and learning from them how to make it better.

If this resonates with you and you're interested in learning about beta programs, DM me and I'll send you a video to show you the basics of creating and launching your first beta course.
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11/03/2022

I had coincidentally started this book the week before tensions started to mount in the lead up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Too many people had told me they loved this book, so I finally picked it up. I was not convinced. I slogged through the first 50 pages, convincing myself over and over again to keep going.

There's got to be something to it.

Am I missing something?

Finally, by page 100, I was enraptured of the Count and his sensibility. This is a quiet, nuanced book that shows deep insight into being human, being at odds with your changing country, but not at odds with your fellow man.

And it really demonstrates cultural differences so beautifully and deeply.

It urges you to scratch past the surface to understand where someone else is coming from, but doesn't obligate you to agree with them. That even when you understand something in a different light, ends never justify means. And in a time where understanding history may be more important than ever, an inside look at how Russia became the Soviet Union, and then Russia again, and maybe how Putin thinks it ought to be again.

Just read the book. 5 STARS.

08/03/2022

You play with fire, you get cut.
Don't you mean burned, Grandma?
You know what I mean!

Yes, we totally knew what she meant, and this moment went down as family lore forever. ‘Though she be but little she is fierce’ should have been hung on signs in the streets when she was born. That was my grandma.

I am honoring her on this International Women's Day because her fierceness taught me what a woman is capable of. She showed me the meaning of strength and wisdom.

I also wish to honor all of the women who don't know yet the fire that is inside them. Either they are afraid to be burned or don't even know there's a spark there because of their circumstance or culture or relationship or...the world.

But (to steal Pink's line) just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die.

Cheers to women.