Hey guys! Today, I&apos;m taking you on a quick trip to #Rye, #England! I&apos;m calling this the English countryside. Am I right? Or wrong? I have no clue!!!Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinThis was a short #travel excursion to the countryside. #Rye was such a quaint town with a #castle, beautiful church, antiquing, but no #Uber!!! How does that happen?!If you have ever been to #Rye let me know what you think? And if you have suggestions for other beautiful places in #English countryside, shout out at me on social media!

Live Free with Angela Kay Austin

Travel Interlude: Rye, England

There is a balance to everything, right? Life balance is about priorities. But how do you do that when you&apos;re a mom, travel nurse and #indiepublished #author?Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustin#HeatherRae is a #self-published author who has been #publishing for six years. She also work full-time and is a mom of three. Now, throughout my #indiepublishing career, I&apos;ve always worked while I pursued my dream, and it has not always been easy to find time to #write. This why you find there are times when I&apos;ve fallen off and I haven&apos;t #published #books.#HeatherRae and I talk about this illusive balance, and just what it takes to try to stay relevant in the world of #indiepublishing. We also chat about her career and a travel nurse and why I need another degree :-)

Author's Mindset: Heather Rae

Can anyone say, "Road Trip"? Yay! We were able to hop on a train and take a quick trip to #Liverpool. I don&apos;t really know what I expected, but I did enjoy each moment!Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinMy mother once told me that she loved #TheBeatles, and so now that I have the opportunity to visit their land of The Beatles, why not visit?! To watch this video, check out my #YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/AngelaKayAustinCan I tell you that this trip surprised me in more ways than one!!Have you ever done something in honor of someone else and then discovered something new for yourself?

Travel Interlude: Liverpool, England

I&apos;ve heard a lot about Brian&apos;s work through book clubs out of #Memphis, #Tennessee. The organizer of one club DM&apos;d me and told me of her love for his #books and asked me if I planned to interview him.⁠⁠Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustin⁠⁠You know that if someone in my hometown vouches for anything, I have to check it out!!! So, I looked him up and reached out to ask him to join me, and he said yes!⁠⁠If you&apos;re not familiar with #BrianWSmith, now is your chance to get to know him.⁠⁠To view this video, check out my #YouTube channel!⁠Here&apos; more about Brian:⁠⁠Brian W. Smith is the award winning, bestselling author of thirty-three novels and screenplays. The following is a list of his educational background and literary accomplishments during his sixteen-year career:⁠⁠Literary Accomplishments:⁠⁠• Dallas Morning News Bestseller⁠• Amazon Bestseller⁠• Target Retail Stores Bestseller⁠• Black Expressions Bestseller⁠• Received the “Key to the City” from the city of Daytona Beach, Florida, for literary contributions.⁠⁠Professional Background:⁠⁠• Owner, The Script Repository (company specializes in adapting books to screenplays)⁠• Professor of Creative Writing at Collin College.  (2012 to Present)⁠• Currently signed to Simon and Schuster (the largest publishing company in the world).⁠• Lead Writer for Legitimately Mallie television show.⁠• Has ghostwritten 10 novels and memoirs for other authors.⁠• Owned a publishing company for seven years.⁠• Bestselling Mystery Series (The Sleepy Carter Mysteries) is currently being considered for television adaptation. ⁠⁠Educational Background: ⁠⁠• Master of Business Administration (MBA), (2006), University of Dallas ⁠• Bachelor of Science, Social Science, (2002), Mercer University⁠• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, (2000), University of Phoenix ⁠⁠⁠Brian is a native of New Orleans, La., and currently resides in McKinney, TX.⁠⁠Contact him:⁠bws@authorbrianwsmith.com⁠bws@scriptrepository.com⁠

Author's Mindset: Brian W. Smith

Well, kind of! I was invited to a #jazz concert. The cover band were covering the fabulous #NinaSimone! Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinIn case you didn&apos;t know, I played the clarinet and saxophone for about twenty years. (No, I cannot still play, but my beautiful niece has picked up where I left off!) That being said, I love music, and #jazz is one of my favorites. Literally, I turn it on when I wake in the morning and it eases me into the world!With the change in the rules around #lockdown and #COVID, this was my first post-lockdown muical event. And it was worth the wait. The band covered Nina Simone&apos;s "I Feel Good," "Sinnerman," "My Baby Just Cares For Me," "Misunderstood," "Mississippi GodDamn," and other favs! To view this video, visit my #YouTube channel!#OvalSpace was new to me, but I would definitely visit again. The staff were friendly and the venue was quaint. I will definitely visit again!!

Night out in London: Nina Simone and Me

I want to introduce you all ot Afton Locke. She is definitely one of the most surprising women I&apos;ve met on the #indieauthor circuit. She&apos;s always so soft spoken and quite, but don&apos;t put a microphone in her hand!!!Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinAfton has published #Romance #books and for many years has written several #interracial #Romance #books. One of the things that I like about her is that she&apos;s taken this chance. For those of you who are new to my channel, you may not understand that #writing #books that feature women of color is taking a chance. I and other Black women #authors have been turned away from some publishing houses because of this face. Which is why it makes it so unique that Afton, who is not a #Black woman, takes this step and writes many of her #books from this POV.I hope that you guys will join me as I chat with Afton to learn more about this quiet woman who took a chance with her #writing and chose to publish  #novels rich with history and diversity.Here&apos;s more about Afton.Afton Locke is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes outside the box. Her trips always inspire her, sometimes years after they’re over. She lives with her husband, usually surrounded by animals, both wild and domestic. When she’s not writing, Afton enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and watching retro T.V.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AftonLockeAuthorTwitter: http://twitter.com/aftonlockeYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/aftonlockeWebsite: http://www.aftonlocke.com/

Afton Locke On Writing

Yep, you read that right! I walked a #half-marathon through the scenic streets of #London! It took me four and a half hours, but I saw parts of #London that I&apos;d never seen before.Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinWhen I decided to move to #London, one of the reason I chose the city was because of it&apos;s transportation system and the simple fact that so much of it is walkable. So, of course, I had to take advantage of an opportunity to walk through the city streets with a friend. I thought it would be a great way for me to learn so much about this beautiful city.Let me say, I don&apos;t have any half-marathon tips. I trained for the half-marathon by #walking and #running. And as far as #nutrition for the half-marathon, of course, I ate a healthy breakfast, but the organizers also provided snacks. If you look closely, you will see a banana in the pockets of my pants :-) If you decide to do a walking event like this one, be sure you research how to do it safely.Through the #UltraChallenges platform, I was able to explore this city that I call home. If you ever find yourself interested in doing something like a #half-marathon or #marathon #walk, you should check them out.And bring a friend!!!If you&apos;d like to watch this video, visit my #YouTube channel!!

I Walked A Half-Marathon Through London

Whenever I meet a "new to me" #indieauthor, I always ask why they jumped into the world of #Indiepublishing. I asked that question of #SanGriffin. Her love for her son and the desire to uplift young Black men and women through your poetry and art shone through in this conversation.Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinWhen I started writing it was because I wanted to see more Black women on the pages of #books. Fast-forward fifteen years, and we have so many #self-published authors who are proudly writing about the Black experience. However, what struck me about San is that part of her inspiration came from her son.  There is something so amazing about wanting to carve out a path that allows your children to feel a sense of pride in who they are. We all are unique and amazing in our own way. Through her work, San Griffin tries to remind us of that simple truth. To view this episode, visit my #YouTube channel!Here&apos;s more about San.A skilled professional in child development and family relations, has worked with youth and their families for over 15 years.  Black Hair Love is her second book, and first poetry anthology, which she plans to follow with more titles that empower, inspire, and powerfully impact readers of all ages. Her initial book is the Amazon bestseller, The Superheroes’ Guide to Dominating Their Universe.  As CEO of Aggrandize Your Life, LLC., her goal is to provide tangible and intangible transformative tools and resources through the literature and workshops she creates.San earned both a bachelor&apos;s degree in child development and family relations, and a master&apos;s degree in human development from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., where she lives with her husband, Milton, and three sons. Connect with her at www.aggrandizeyourlife.com .Social media links:Website: https://blackhairlove.info/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Blackhairlove1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blac_khairlove/

Author's Mindset: Purpose Behind The Indie Books

So... Yeah. I went to see a #football stadium in the #UK.  The #TottenhamHotspur team stadium located in North #London.Don&apos;t forget to follow me on your favorite social media: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinI&apos;m sure you guys know that I know nothing about #football (for the #Americans #soccer), but when I was told about the stadium, I wanted to see it. I mean why not. I&apos;m in #London, how could I not visit a #football stadium.First thoughts -- I was amazed at the sheer size of the stadium. And the amount of love they put into the design. Also, they play #American #NFL games at the stadium. I found a little piece of home during the visit. Shout out to the #Tennessee #Titans!!!I don&apos;t know the #TottenhamHotspur song. I&apos;ve never seen a match between them and #Arsenal or #Chelsea or any other team. But this stadium is amazing and I most definitely will be returning to see a game. But now, I have to compare the stadium :-)!! I wonder which #football team&apos;s stadium I will visit next. Ha!!!Don&apos;t forget to check out my #YouTube channel!!

Travel Interlude: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

I don&apos;t remember how many years ago I met Olivia Gaines, but I rememer that the first time we spoke, she complimented me and I never forgot it. #Indiepublishing can be complicated, it is nice when you find someone else doing what you do who supports you along your journey.Find me on your favorite social media platform: https://linktr.ee/angelakayaustinOver nine years, Olivia Gaines has published fifty #books. She&apos;s been nominated for and won several awards. Olivia&apos;s humor is one of the things that always shines through to me. I think that you will see it in this interview as well as in her #books. Here is more about Olivia.Olivia is a USA Today Best Selling and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of "I love you." An author of contemporary romances, she writes heartwarming stories of blossoming relationships filled with heart and humor. The Technicians, The Blakemore Files, and the Modern Mail Order Brides, are one clicks for thousands of readers.When Olivia is not writing, she enjoys quilting, playing Scrabble online against other word lovers and spending time with her family. She is an avid world traveler who writes many of the locations into her stories. Most of the time she can be found sitting quietly with pen and paper plotting more adventures in love.Olivia lives in Hephzibah, Georgia with her husband, son, grandson and snotty evil cat, Katness Evermean.Learn more about her books, upcoming releases and join her bibliophile nation at www.ogaines.comSubscribe to her email list at http://eepurl.com/OulYfFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.gaines.31Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviagainesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaines.olivia/

Author's Mindset: Olivia Gaines

Live Free with USA Today Bestselling Author Angela Kay Austin. Angela explores the world of books and travel, one person and one country at a time! Is that an odd mix? Hmm. As she travels, she’ll introduce you to the people, culture and books of the community around her.

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