More Books with Disabled Protagonists, Please

T.L. McCoy is the founder of Blue Round Book Group, LLC, and the author of DELILAH VERSUS THE GHASTLY GRIM, a magical middle-grade fantasy novel inspired by her real-life granddaughter, who lives with a rare and life-threatening seizure disorder known as Dravet Syndrome.

The story follows a young girl who, after a life-threatening seizure, is transported through an indigo door in her mind into a strange and perilous world. There, she must unlock her hidden powers to survive — and save others.

T.L. didn’t set out to write a book — she set out to give children like her granddaughter a hero they could see themselves in. According to a 2019 study, only 3.4% of children’s books feature disabled protagonists. T.L.’s story blends fast-paced fantasy with emotional depth, creating a bridge between real-world challenges and epic adventure.

She brings warmth, purpose, and honesty to every interview and is passionate about disability representation in fiction, family storytelling, neurodiversity, and empowering children through inclusive literature.

Website, Facebook, Facebook Group, X


Reedsy

Drumdumbs, YouTube channel

Blue Round Book Group, YouTube Channel

The Space Between Time, on Apple Books

Prolific Writers Life

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

NORD, National Organization for Rare Disorders

The House on the Cerulean Sea, T.J. Klune

Affiliate links below.

PodMatch for Podcasters

This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to T. L. (Tammy) McCoy, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.

Prolific Writers Life

My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.

They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for. 

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

The Search for Meaning: The Razor’s Edge

The lastest Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters episode aired on Wednesday. I’m getting this to you a little late because I’m finishing the revisions on my second novel, Time’s Echo. Even though this movie was released in (1946) Larry Darrell’s search for his life’s purpose is a universal theme most of us go through at one time or another. Here’s the IMDb description. We hope you’ll watch our video, subscribe, share with your friends, and then go watch the movie. It’s fantastic!

Larry Darrell is in search for the meaning of life after he was saved at the end of WW I by a friend. His socialite Fiancée doesn’t understand. It’s the story of W. Somerset Maugham observing a group of friends from Chicago.

Autumn Reading:Cozy Up to the Fire with a Good Book

Diane Merrill Wiggington was a Story-Power guest way back in December of 2023. We connected again recently and I finally read a couple of her books that I think you will enjoy as the weather becomes cooler. One is a political/romance, A Compromising Position, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and her venture into the mystery genre, The Magician Killer. Many of her books are award winners. I highly recommend both of these books and encourage you to check out all of her previous work. We also talk about her children’s books, which I want to check out as well. For those of you who weren’t members of Sage Woman Chronicles in 2023, or were not following my podcast, Story-Power at that time, here is Diane’s bio from her episode way back when.

I’m an Author/Publisher at Jeweled Dagger Publishing. I love helping other authors and connecting with authors of all Genres. Maybe you do too. My main genre of writing is Romance but tell me about what you are writing and how we can help each other connect and reach out. I have 5 novels published and counting. Let’s help each other out

My first Novel “Angelina’s Secret,” Lady Angelina Marguerite Amelia Stewart was born in a time when women were valued for their beauty and titles but little else. As a beloved daughter, Angelina was blessed with a quick mind and a sharp wit which she used liberally regardless of the consequences. Determined never to be owned by any man, she shunned societal rules to live life on her own terms. Surprised by her parents for her nineteenth birthday, Angelina sets out on a sea voyage that will challenge her resolve. She discovers a family secret that changes her life. Captain Jude Deveraux is living a double life. He is the Captain of a band of French privateers sanctioned by the King of France to steal and plunder unsuspecting ships that sail into his territory. Jude was awarded the title of Duke of Bayonne for services rendered to the Crown. He was educated in the finest schools in London alongside other aristocratic noblemen, so he knows how to blend in. Jilted in his youth, Jude is determined to take what he wants and he soon discovers that he wants Lady Angelina Stewart.

Diane’s social media: Website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter (X), Franklin Publishers, Plot Twist Books

There are affiliate links below.

Story-Power on Patreon


I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

My husband, Barry and I recently joined Prolific Writers Life which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching sessions with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their writing projects, come join the community.

They also have fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.

PodMatch for Podcasters


This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to Diane Merrill Wiggington, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. We think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, who we want to be, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

Kendra: Singing Tributes to the Women of the California Gold Rush

Highwater & The Kin:

Accompanied by Kyle Carr (lead guitar) & Jon Michael (mandolin), the bardic wanderer of Nevada City, Kendra Leigh Highwater, has been playing the guitar and stomping her boots in the gold rush towns of California since she was a kid. Her lyrics are salty and sweet, blending together the history of the brave women that pioneered the west with her own stories of roughin’ it in love, loss, & life.

YouTube Channel, Instagram

Nevada City, CA

Performance links:

https://soundcorset.com/r/az-FZU-5lO

The Ballad of Mt. Silverheels

Cody Meets Kendra the Singing Waitress

Affiliate links below.

Story-Power on Patreon

I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

PodMatch for Podcasters

If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. I call them a dating service for podcasters. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.

Prolific Writers Life

My husband, Barry and I recently joined Prolific Writers Life which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching sessions with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their writing projects, come join the community.

They also have fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. We think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, who we want to be, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

Where We are Now Explained: Keeper of the Flame

Keeper of the Flame (1942) is a perfect example of a classic movie that foreshadows events that are happening right now. It was filmed before the United States entered WW II but shows the growing power of the American Nazi Party, though it was called something else at the time, and how that party wanted to keep the U.S. out of the war. They didn’t succeed, of course, but even though we entered the war in Europe and in the Pacific, those who were part of that party did not just fade away. They kept working to undermine our government. Which makes this movie chilling but important to watch. 

There are excellent performances from all the actors, but Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy are at the center of the story. It’s an important film to see, if only to understand that not all Americans wanted to come to the aid of those in Europe who had been trying to stave off the Nazi threat for years.

Join our YouTube channel and/or our Facebook group and tell us what you think of this movie. Or leave a comment here.