Called to Create: An LDSPMA Podcast
82 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago -Called to Create is a podcast where your desire to create will be supported and celebrated through interviews with inspiring Latter-day Saint creators who are passionate about their craft and share helpful, real-life experiences that will guide you on your creative journey. Look for new episodes on the first and third Wednesday of each month.
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Episodes
Laurel Day
August 03, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBTwenty-five years ago, Laurel Day was a college graduate with a useless degree who felt called to move to Utah and work at Deseret Book. When a friend told her about a part-time position as an event specialist with Deseret Book, she applied for and got the job. Opportunity followed opportunity until she came to work under Sheri Dew, who became her mentor. Now president of Deseret Book, Laurel looks back on the unique experiences that helped prepare her to innovate a communication company dur...
Tiffany Rosenhan
July 20, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MBThe hero of Tiffany Rosenhan’s heart-pounding spy thriller, “Girl from Nowhere,” is a common, everyday teenage girl who uses her unique abilities to conquer the bad guys. Tiffany’s hope is that her book will help young women “feel empowered to magnify their skills and talents…and embrace [their] different characteristics and unique qualities.” In this week’s “Called to Create” podcast episode, Tiffany also talks with Connie about how she put her writing career on hold to take care of her hu...
Cheryl Knowlton
June 25, 2022 22:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBCheryl Knowlton is a popular speaker brimming with enthusiasm for helping people in her profession learn the craft. She has won numerous awards, most notably the coveted Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association. As a 22-year veteran in the real estate and mortgage industry, Cheryl is a teacher, storyteller, author, and influencer. In this week’s episode of the “Called to Create” podcast with Connie Sokol, Cheryl shares her heroic journey as a profess...
CJ Madsen
June 22, 2022 19:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBConductor, composer, pianist, CJ Madsen, with his mom, Laura, won LDSPMA’s 2021 Praiseworthy Award for “I Saw a Pillar of Light” in the Audiovisual-Recorded Music category. A recent graduate of Brigham Young University, CJ earned both a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a master’s degree in choral conducting. CJ’s most recent project culminated in the June 2022 world premiere performance of his opera, "He Shall Prepare a Way", based on events from the first seven chapters of “The Bo...
Dan Allen
June 15, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MBDan Allen, a scientist, writer, and comic who is out to fill the world with funny, is the award-winning author of “Pizza Boy and the Super Squad”. From his secret-not-so-secret laboratory in the attic, he shares his experience writing his first book on a dare and how he has looked to his kids for character ideas. Dan has also lit a three-story electron accelerator on fire, designed sensors for smartphones, and enjoys having fun with his kids and his drummer-artist wife. Webpage Amazon Goo...
Dr. Jeffery A. Thompson
June 01, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBDr. Jeffery A. Thompson is an author, speaker and professor who knows the secret to finding one’s calling in life. He learned from his own winding and twisting experience that life is a bewildering journey, and those who succeed at discovering their talents and gifts are those who persist through the uncertainty and anxiety to a better place. His and a colleague’s study of “work as a calling” among zookeepers led them to write “The Zookeeper’s Secret,” a book that applies research, personal ...
Heather B. Moore (a.k.a. H.B. Moore)
May 18, 2022 10:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBHeather B. Moore’s beginner attempts to write books were akin to making tossed salad; She threw in ingredients and hoped they’d turn into a good story. Now, as a USA Today award-winning author of over 70 books in multiple genres, she views those early experiences as her version of “going back to college and learning how to write a novel.” Heather, who has also published as H.B. Moore, attended high school and college in the Middle East and thought of her first story idea while compiling her ...
Susan Easton Black
May 04, 2022 10:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBSusan Easton Black’s accomplishments range from becoming the first female professor of religion at Brigham Young University to writing 170 books, including President M. Russell Ballard’s biography, to being a key partner on her pickleball team. Tune into her delightful conversation with our host, Connie Sokol. You’ll be glad you did. Email: [email protected] Amazon Instagram Susan & George: Devotional
"The Faith to Create" 2022 LDSPMA Conference: Connie Sokol with Jen Brewer and Rachelle J. Christensen
April 29, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBBack for its 8th year! The annual conference of Latter-day Saints in Publishing, Media & the Arts (LDSPMA) is the best networking, learning, and professional development opportunity for all Latter-day Saint creatives. In this podcast bonus episode, our host, Connie Sokol, and her guests, Rachelle J. Christensen and Jen Brewer, share fun and life-changing conference experiences that have propelled their careers forward. Registration for the October 20 - 22 conference is open now! Choose virt...
Nate and Emmy Eaton
April 20, 2022 10:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBEight-year-old Emmy Eaton’s “7 Questions with Emmy” segment on “The Drew Barrymore Show” resulted from a comment on Facebook suggesting she swap roles with her news reporter dad. She accepted the challenge and has gone on to interview over 40 high-profile people, including Elmo, Jeff Foxworthy, Dana Perino, Keith Morrison, and Joy D. Jones. Her dad, Nate Eaton, an Edward R. Murrow Award recipient and four-time winner of Virginia Associated Press’ Outstanding Reporter of the Year Award, has i...
Josi Kilpack
April 06, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBJosi Kilpack, an award-winning author of over 30 books covering multiple genres, distinguishes her stories by creating likable, relatable characters with quirks. Never intending to become an author, she wrote her first manuscript while pregnant and bedridden with her third child. In this interview, she shares tips and tricks she uses with every book that have kept her writing when she didn’t want to write. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/josi.s.kilpack Instagram https://www.instagram.com...
Heidi Tucker
March 30, 2022 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBHeidi Tucker is an award-winning author and speaker. She has won multiple “best inspirational” awards for her books which include "Bridge of Miracles", "The Secret Keepers", "Finding Hope in the Journey", and "Servie’s Song". Her passion for writing and speaking about light and hope has inspired thousands. Heidi is known as a great storyteller who believes that every story not only teaches an important principle but can make you feel it. She has inspired many to rise up, cling to their faith...
Jenny Oaks Baker
March 16, 2022 10:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBDubbed ‘America’s Violinist’ for the magic of her artistry, Jenny Oaks Baker is a Grammy nominee and Billboard No. 1 recording artist who knows the thrill of soloing at Carnegie Hall. A devoted wife and mother of four children, Jenny has experienced highs and lows in her life and career but has always trusted God to guide her. “I knew I needed to work really hard, stay very close to the Spirit and do what is right, and everything would work out.” YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/u...
Lisa Mangum
March 02, 2022 11:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBLisa Mangum knew from her earliest years that she wanted a life surrounded by words and books. Growing up, she and her mother “bonded over punctuation marks and paper clips.” Now as managing editor at Shadow Mountain Publishing, Lisa has guided several writers who have become New York Times bestselling authors. In this episode, Lisa tells all writers, “You are important, and the story that you have is important.” Facebook Twitter Instagram Lisa Mangum Books Shadow Mountain Publishi...
Al Carraway
February 16, 2022 05:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBAl Carraway’s infectious enthusiasm and “wild optimism” has helped propel her forward through her difficult and uncanny journey of faith. A multi-award-winning author and international speaker, she shares her passion for life, happiness, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. True to her bold New York authenticity, Al talks about her disappointments and frustrations and how bringing them to God makes all the difference. Al Carraway Books Instagram Youtube channel
Lisa Valentine Clark
February 02, 2022 05:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBKnown for her work as an actress, writer, radio show host, and co-producer of Once I Was a Beehive, Lisa Valentine Clark has “stumbled into” a variety of roles throughout her life and career. With her trademark humor, Lisa shares what she has learned from her experiences and how she feels “called to create a beautiful life” to honor the legacy of her late husband, Christopher. Real Moms: Making It Up As We Go BYU Radio's: "The Lisa Show" BYU Devotional Speech “Yes, and . . .”: The Creative ...
Connie Sokol
January 26, 2022 05:00 - 12 minutes - 8.94 MBAn experienced podcast host, Connie Sokol brings her trademark enthusiasm and positivity as the new host of the LDSPMA podcast Called to Create. She is a bestselling author, media personality, speaker, and devoted mother of seven children. Connie describes the Called to Create podcast as “part devotional, part scripture, part life experience, and part kitchen table chat.” With her expert guidance, podcast guests will share their successes and struggles as Latter-day Saint creatives, along wi...
Connie Sokol
January 26, 2022 05:00 - 12 minutes - 8.94 MBAn experienced podcast host, Connie Sokol brings her trademark enthusiasm and positivity as the new host of the LDSPMA podcast Called to Create. She is a bestselling author, media personality, speaker, and devoted mother of seven children. Connie describes the Called to Create podcast as “part devotional, part scripture, part life experience, and part kitchen table chat.” With her expert guidance, podcast guests will share their successes and struggles as Latter-day Saint creatives, along wi...
Sherry Meidell: Call Yourself an Artist
October 21, 2021 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBSherry Meidell is a watercolor illustrator who often sees in life what others miss. For her, art is a way to connect with people and highlight the grandeur of life. Sherry serves as president of the Utah Watercolor Society and has received acclaim for illustrations of children’s books and landscapes. Watercolor is magic, she says. You don’t always know how water is going to react to paper. “Often,” she says, “it turns out better than expected. ” For Sherry, creating art is a spiritual experi...
CJ Madsen: What I Feel Through this Music
October 07, 2021 04:00 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MBCJ Madsen is a graduate student studying choral conducting at Brigham Young University. CJ received his bachelor's degree in piano performance, also from BYU. CJ is fluent in composing, piano accompanying, arranging, and singing. He has performed in over 275 concerts and recitals during his time at Brigham Young University. CJ's recent choral/orchestral composition, One Fold, One Shepherd, has been performed seven times and was recently released as an album. He is currently writing "He Shall...
Becky Fawson: Separating Success from Self-Esteem
September 16, 2021 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBBecky Fawson pursues her passion for art with the same ferocity she did as an 18-year-old first-generation college student. Over the years, as she raised her family, she continued to hone and refine her skills as a graphic designer and illustrator. But it wasn’t until the grandchildren needed better picture books that she found her niche. “There are books that you want to hide from your children because you don't want them to bring it to you one more time,” she says. Great children’s books,...
Margaret Blair Young: Be Open to Anything
September 02, 2021 04:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBSince 2014, Margaret has worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help start the film industry there. Her Congolese team recently released its first feature--Heart of Africa--in both the Congo and the USA. Margaret worked for twenty years with Darius Gray telling stories of Black Latter-day Saint pioneers. She taught creative writing at BYU for thirty years and is a much-published author.
Jeff Wheeler: Truth in Fiction
August 19, 2021 04:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBJeff Wheeler is a sensitive soul. He once broke into wild tears as a young teen after reading a novel. But now, as a writer who creates books so engaging that readers stay awake late into the night, he feels no guilt for their loss of sleep. In this week’s podcast, Jeff shares his desire to create spellbinding fantasy fiction using religious themes that depict protagonists of strong moral character. His books, many of which are on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list, stand in stark contr...
Gregg Deal: Compelled to Create
August 05, 2021 04:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBGregg Deal is a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Husband and father of four, Deal describes himself as a professional disruptor of the cowboy/Indian stereotype. He combines his artistic skills with a love of history to tell the story of his people, stirring new appreciation and soul searching in his audience. On this episode Deal and host Ted Finch talk about the compelling drive to create, having persistence and faith despite setbacks and misunderstandings, the need to be true to y...
Ka Hancock and Spencer Hyde: Writing Honestly and Accurately about Mental Illness
July 15, 2021 04:00 - 39 minutes - 27.5 MBBe prepared to be stirred by two authors, Ka Hancock and Spencer Hyde. They both share how they portrayed the delicate subject of mental health by drawing on their up-close and personal perspectives. Ka Hancock, the author of Dancing on Broken Glass, is a former psychiatric nurse, and Spencer Hyde, professor at BYU and author of Waiting For Fitz and What the other Three Don’t Know uses his experience with severe OCD to speak through his characters. This subject is real and plucks at the deep...
Heidi Tucker: The Power of Nonfiction
July 01, 2021 04:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBThis week’s podcast features Heidi Tucker, a grandmother of 10 whose irrepressible happiness and deep-rooted hope have inspired many to take heart and rise to their opportunities. She is an award-winning speaker and writer who has been awarded Book of the Year, Best Inspirational, and Best Cover awards for her first two books Finding Hope in the Journey and Servie’s Song. Her latest release, The Secret Keepers is catching traction with readers around the world. Heidi is a mesmerizing storyte...
Jason F. Wright: Our Very Best Effort
June 17, 2021 04:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBJason F. Wright is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. He is also a popular speaker about the miracle of opening doors, faith, failure, the Christmas Jars movement, the lost art of letter writing, and many other topics. Each year Jason visits schools across the country and presents assemblies and writing workshops to students at all ages. Jason grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, but has also lived in Germany, Illinois, Brazil, Oregon and Utah. In 2007...
Clark G. Gilbert: The Opportunity of Disruptive Innovation
May 31, 2021 04:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBIn 2017, President Clark G. Gilbert became the first president of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, a global online organization serving over 50,000 students in over 150 countries. President Gilbert previously served as the president of BYU-Idaho, the CEO of the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media, and on the faculty of the Harvard Business School. President Gilbert currently serves as an area seventy, assigned to the Utah area. He and his wife Christine are the parents of 8 children.
Abigayl Finch: Aspiring and Mentoring
May 20, 2021 04:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBAbigayl Finch is a writer, baking expert, theatre aficionado, and might be a little obsessed with musicals. She is currently a public policy major at BYU-Idaho. On our journey to become voices of light, we don’t travel alone. Sometimes you are the hero. Other times you might be the mentor or an ally. You might even be all of these roles at the same time across several different life stories. In today’s interview Abigayl and I talk about how you can be a mentor or ally to the creatives in yo...
Rob Eaton: Moving Forward with Unexpected Opportunities
April 15, 2021 04:00 - 42 minutes - 29.4 MBRob Eaton has authored or co-authored multiple books for an LDS audience, including President Eyring’s biography, I Will Lead You Along. He is currently a professor of religious education and a Learning and Teaching Fellow at BYU-Idaho, and he serves as a stake president. Rob has worked as an attorney, institute director, seminary teacher, and other leadership positions at BYU-Idaho.
Al Carraway: Faith and Optimism
March 18, 2021 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MBAl Carraway is a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ, writer, multi-award-winning international speaker, and author of the best-selling books, “Wildly Optimistic,” “More Than the Tattooed Mormon,” and “Cheers to Eternity!” After a decade spent in Arizona & Utah, she is now living with her husband, Ben, and her three kids back where she was raised, in New York, She has spent the last 10 years traveling worldwide inspiring others of her conversion and faith through difficult times. Her passi...
Steven Piersanti: We Need Voices of Light in Publishing
February 16, 2021 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBSteven Piersanti is one of the founding members of the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association. He currently serves as the director of conferences and programs. Steve is also the president and publisher of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., a leading independent publisher of books on current affairs, personal growth, and business and management.