Blog Archives
Meaningful Work
Emetophobia & Me follows your transformation from a childhood shaped by fear to an adulthood grounded in courage, compassion, and the radical act of choosing to live fully even when anxiety whispers otherwise. Why was this an important book for you to write?
What a great question. It brought up quite a lot for me. I will try to summarise it. Having battled crippling anxiety throughout most of my childhood and adult life, I wanted nothing more than to help others who were suffering too. When I saw someone suffering with anxiety and/or emetophobia and heard them speak of their experience in ways I deeply resonated with, my heart would literally hurt. For many years, I would just listen and try to offer any understanding and …. well, just love really. It felt like a lifeline for me to have someone who would just listen and remind me that I was not alone. So when I decided to write this little book, it was really to create a lifeline for those who feel lost and to remind them that they were safe. There is hope, and they are deeply loved.
What feels important to me is that, even when I am gone, my books might still bring comfort to others. That feels like meaningful work to me.
What was the hardest memory to revisit while writing Emetophobia & Me, and how did you care for yourself during that process?
Writing the book really did bring up some old feelings and fears, but it was therapeutic in a way too. I think the hardest part to revisit was those times, as a child, where I felt so unsafe. I had the phobia, anxiety, and panic ( I had no idea they had names then), there was violence at home, and my sister was diagnosed with cancer.
I felt so sad for that frightened little girl, who tried tirelessly to control what was never in her control. I guess that is why I turned inward more and more, to try and control myself. To try and keep myself safe with rituals, behaviour, and fear.
Was there a specific moment when your relationship with fear shifted from something to avoid to something you could coexist with?
You know, I wish there was a light bulb moment when it all changed. We are all looking for the magical quick fix, right? But, actually, it was a slow process. A process of seeing, then not seeing, then seeing more. The real change came from being open to being wrong …. about who I thought I was, my beliefs, and my misunderstanding about fear.
Being open. Being prepared to change your mind. Being aware that there is a lot you don’t know yet, is huge.
What do you hope readers who don’t struggle with phobias take away about empathy and the lived experience of anxiety?
It has always been important to me that loved ones and family members have some understanding about anxiety and Phobias. The one thing a sufferer needs is understanding. Followed by time and love. Just listen, not always to fix, but just to hear. Often, we sufferers of anxiety feel unheard, and that increases fear and insecurity.
The answer to everything always is love.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Finding Peace | Website | Books.By | Amazon
She could control everything—
except her own fear.
From the outside, Jess Smith looked fine. A wife, a mother, a woman doing her best to hold it all together. But behind every smile hid a secret terror—an obsessive fear of vomiting so intense it ruled her every decision. Every meal was measured. Every outing calculated. Every day, a battle with her own mind.
Until the fear began to consume her life completely.
In this raw and beautifully written memoir about emetophobia, anxiety and panic attacks, Jess takes readers inside the hidden world of a phobia few dare to talk about. Her story unfolds like a psychological thriller—every symptom, every panic episode, every desperate attempt to stay “safe” pulling her further from the life she longed to live.
But when she finally hit breaking point, something miraculous happened.
She stopped running.
She turned inward.
And she began the journey home—to herself.
Part memoir, part self-help guide for anxiety and recovery, Emetophobia and Me will make you feel every heartbeat of fear—and every breath of freedom that follows.
If you’ve ever lived your life controlled by fear—whether of panic, sickness, or simply losing control—this story will hold your hand through the darkness and show you that healing isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about finally allowing yourself to be free.
A powerful, honest, and inspiring read for anyone navigating anxiety, emetophobia, panic disorder, or trauma recovery.
You are not afraid of what you think you are.
It’s time to see the truth — and take your life back.
Illuminating Human Connection
Navigate Family Technology explores the modern family’s dilemma of how to help children thrive without letting technology consume them, focusing on topics such as communication struggles, social media traps, empathy loss, anxiety, and sleep disruption. Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
I learned so much while researching the book, I’ll try to narrow the answer down to a few!
- That most Modern Tech executives strictly limit their family’s tech-use time and send the kids to low-tech schools
- The number of online predators actively working every day
- The amount of information we take in daily compared to 20 years ago
- The staggering number of hours of screen time displaces connection and well-being activities
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
My mission is about illuminating human connection in a disconnected modern world. Technology is one of the key drivers of this. We are often alone together on individual devices.
I also found it important to cover technology’s impact on empathy and distress tolerance.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Navigate Family Technology?
That overuse of technology is not our fault. Or our kids’ fault. But now that we understand the problem, it’s our responsibility to be intentional about it. And that we can do it – we have so much living to do and real-world connections to make.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Website | Amazon
Modern tech is an invaluable resource though its rapid development has created downsides. Nora provides accessible strategies to live our tech lives with intention rather than constant reaction mode. The content inspires hope for connection and comfort in knowing we do not face tech challenges alone.
Entertain a quest to level up your knowledge of modern tech’s influence and explore how to navigate its challenges
Digital Stressors
Anxiety Reset 30 Days to Find Calm is a structured 30-day guide to understanding and managing anxiety based on science-backed strategies to assist readers in identifying patterns and mastering self-regulation techniques. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The city that I live in has the youngest average population age in Canada. Also, the highest suicide rate. This comes along with depression and anxiety. Initially, I wanted to help children, but I realized that children learn by mirroring their parents. Thus, I needed to write an anxiety book for adults, not in a lazy way, and also doing something that other books in the genre are not doing.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
Great question, it took many months of research and around 23 updates leading to the current version available on Amazon. It has been a second full-time job on top of my regular day job. My 3-week vacation this year was almost entirely spent on the book in some component of its updating/advertising, etc.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The idea that we have not evolved to deal with all the modern-day digital stressors and combined inputs that the world demands our attention/focus. Even when grieving, there are so many triggers that our ancestors never faced. Digital Pictures, radio music, connected yet disconnected friends.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Anxiety Reset 30 Days to Find Calm?
Any tool that they find beneficial. I realize that most people may not have the energy or time to complete the full 30 days; however, using the summaries at the back and emergency regulation sheets, the chances are high that someone finds a tool that improves their life or someone in their circle’s life. That is a win for me and for humanity.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Anxiety overwhelms body and mind, impacting millions of adults in today’s chaos. Anxiety Reset: 30 Days to Find Calm delivers a science-backed, 30-day program tailored for busy adults—a 463-page workbook with narrated pages, relaxing videos via scannable QR codes, and emergency relief cards for instant support.
Inside: • 4-part system to build skills daily • Practical exercises for adult life • Emergency relief techniques and cards • Flexible, schedule-friendly practices • Advanced resilience strategies
What Sets It Apart: Combat workplace stress and digital overload with neuroscience and psychology, enriched by color illustrations, tracking sheets, and multimedia—every page narrated, with day-specific video QR codes.
Your 30-Day Journey: • Days 1-5: Unravel Your Anxiety Triggers • Days 6-10: Master Emergency Techniques • Days 11-20: Cultivate Daily Calm • Days 21-30: Achieve Lasting Mastery • Bonus: Quick-reference guides
Ideal for professionals, parents, or anyone seeking clear, comprehensive tools. Launch your reset today and take control of your emotional well-being!
Self-Care for the Creative: A Survival Guide for Creatives, Empaths and Highly Sensitive People
Self-Care for the Creative is part memoir, part survival manual, and part pep talk for empaths, highly sensitive people, and artists who are burning themselves out in pursuit of their craft. Fryzel draws on her own life of gritty lows, career highs, and all the messy middle, to explain how sensitivity and creativity often walk hand in hand, and why that combination demands intentional care. The book blends personal stories, practical tips, and a hefty dose of humor to guide readers through setting boundaries, managing overwhelm, and building a self-care toolkit that actually works in the unpredictable life of a creative.
Fryzel writes with a voice that is equal parts tender and unapologetic. She’s funny without being flippant, and her swearing isn’t there for shock value; it’s exactly how a real conversation with her would sound. I appreciated that she never veered into airy, vague “just love yourself” territory. Instead, she gave concrete, actionable steps, all while weaving in stories that made me laugh, wince, and occasionally nod in recognition. That mix of vulnerability and authority made me trust her completely.
What I liked most was how well she captures the emotional reality of being both highly creative and highly sensitive. She doesn’t romanticize the struggle or paint it as a necessary price for great art. She calls out toxic patterns, talks openly about depression and burnout, and reminds the reader that martyrdom isn’t a badge of honor. At the same time, she treats sensitivity as a superpower worth protecting. Her framing felt liberating, especially for those of us who have been told our feelings are “too much” for as long as we can remember. The book also gave me a few new self-care strategies that I immediately wanted to try.
I’d recommend this book to any creative who feels overwhelmed, stuck, or simply too drained to make their best work. It’s especially powerful for empaths and highly sensitive people who haven’t yet learned how to protect their energy without shutting down their gifts. If you’ve ever felt like your art is costing you more than it’s giving back, Fryzel’s words might just be the reminder you need to step back, take a breath, and start taking care of the most important tool you have… yourself.
Pages: 369 | ASIN : B0CLK5HRQ8
Anxiety Reset 30 Days to Find Calm: A Self-Regulation Workbook for Busy Adults
Anxiety Reset 30 Days to Find Calm: A Self-Regulation Workbook for Busy Adults is a structured 30-day guide to understanding and managing anxiety. It blends science-backed strategies with practical exercises, moving step-by-step from identifying personal anxiety patterns to mastering self-regulation techniques. The book begins with self-assessment mapping triggers, physical symptoms, and thought patterns before teaching both in-the-moment relief skills and long-term habits. It covers modern stressors like digital overload, workplace pressure, and life transitions, offering tools for building emotional resilience. The program feels intentional, with each day adding a piece to an integrated framework, culminating in a personalized plan for ongoing calm.
What struck me most was how grounded and personal the approach feels. Many books on anxiety either drown you in theory or throw a list of tips at you without context. This one makes you slow down and really notice your own patterns, which was surprisingly emotional. I found myself reflecting more deeply than I expected and connecting dots between physical sensations, old thought habits, and the modern chaos that feeds them. It’s not preachy, and it doesn’t assume you can drop everything for two hours of meditation each day. It works with real-life, messy schedules and all.
The writing is clear, warm, and refreshing. I appreciated the mix of science explanations with relatable stories from people like “Sarah” and “Michael,” which made the material easier to connect with. Sometimes the number of exercises felt a little intense, especially if you’re already stressed, but that’s where the “do what you can” attitude helped. I also liked that it didn’t stop at symptom relief, it’s about rewiring habits and building resilience.
This book is ideal for busy adults who feel stuck in an ongoing cycle of stress and want something more than quick fixes. If you like practical structure but also want space for self-reflection, this will likely hit the mark. It’s a guide you can work through once, then revisit whenever life ramps up again, and it leaves you feeling not just calmer, but more in control.
Pages: 463 | ASIN : B0FH1SK85C
Worries and Anxiety
Carnival Chaos follows a curious, anxious young boy visiting his first carnival who finds it to be a sensory overload experience, learns to face his fears, and ends the day not just braver, but full of joy and pride. What was the inspiration for your story?
The Inspiration for this story is as with my previous two in this series, my son Kale. Kale represents the child of today’s world. Worries and anxiety are prevalent everywhere. These stories are a wonderful way to start a conversation about feelings.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
This book is about trying new things and having new experiences. Trying something new can be scary, but it can also be a great accomplishment for anyone.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
The child running off the ride looking sickly was my favourite. Kale’s response is exactly how he would respond to seeing such a sight. The calm demeanor of Mama as she tries to just brush it aside so as not to worry poor Kale even more is perfect.
What will the next book in that series be about, and when will it be published?
I am going to concentrate on these three books in this series for now. I do however have a few ideas rumbling around in my brain, but right now I want people to understand the message behind my books and realize that they are teaching tools for not only parents but also teachers to start that all-too-important conversation about feelings with their children or students.
Author Links: Goodreads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | AllAuthor | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Kale will want to go to the carnival every year knowing how much fun new experiences can be. Trying something new can be scary, but it can also be a great accomplishment for our little ones.
We Simply Are
Good Boy Bad Boy is a heartfelt exploration of self-acceptance and the battle within ourselves between societal expectations and personal authenticity. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Thank you for your kind words!
The last time I wrote a book, I was so burnt out that I vowed never to write again. Yet, less than a year later, I found myself back at the keyboard at 5:30 AM, eager to write again.
Writing can be a cathartic experience, and I had been contemplating “Good Boy Bad Boy” for quite some time. I had also written numerous blog posts centered around its themes. The turning point came when I discovered we were expecting our third daughter. This news motivated me to properly explore my struggles with self-worth as a man and my feelings of inadequacy as a father. I hoped that by sharing my journey, I could help my children navigate their own inner critics and, selfishly, one day understand where I had fallen short.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The hardest part for me to write about was my relationship and healing journey with my mother. It was challenging not only because it was deeply personal, but also because I was concerned about portraying her in a negative light (which would not have been representative of what I was attempting to convey). She graciously supported my efforts to share our journey, which I believe will resonate with many parents and their children.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
In this book, I aimed to convey a few key ideas that I found particularly important. First and foremost, we are neither inherently good nor bad; we simply are. While are the moral standards of right and wrong, to often we give meaning to experiences that result in unneeded and unwarranted feelings of guilt and shame. By embracing our shadow selves—the parts of ourselves that we often deem “not good enough”—we can liberate ourselves to live more fully and purposefully.
I also wanted to highlight the destructive impact that the structures and influences of modern society can have on us, both intentionally and unintentionally. These influences play a significant role in shaping our actions and our perceptions of what is good and bad within ourselves. I hope that by raising awareness of these often harmful influences, we can find greater freedom from them.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from Good Boy Bad Boy?
What I hope readers take away from “Good Boy, Bad Boy” is that the forgiveness of our feelings of guilt and shame stemming from past experiences is a gift we can give ourselves. This gift is available to us at any moment.
Author Links: GoodReads | YouTube | Website | Instagram | Substack
Author Joel Primus grew up believing he needed to “do good” and “be good” to earn his parents’ love and society’s acceptance, but no matter what he accomplished, he never felt good enough. This underlying feeling of “badness,” which he tried desperately to ignore, permeated much of his life.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung calls the unsavory aspect of our personality the “shadow self,” and the more we distance ourselves from it, the more anxiety, shame, and unworthiness grows. From the media, society, religion, our parents, and other external voices, we learn to condemn the bad in others and push it away in ourselves. But what if good and bad aren’t actually opposites?
That’s what author Joel Primus explores in this book. Combining research and parables with his
own experiences as a long-distance runner, entrepreneur, traveler, and father, Primus asks us to challenge our perception of good and bad. When we embrace the idea that our shadow is not the antithesis of our light, but rather a vital piece of our whole, we free ourselves from self-imposed constraints and give our children permission to do the same. By healing ourselves he believes we can “heal the line” and redefine what it means to live a good life.
Good Boy Bad Boy
Joel Primus’s Good Boy Bad Boy is a heartfelt exploration of self-acceptance and the battle within ourselves between societal expectations and personal authenticity. Drawing on his own experiences and blending them with psychological insights, Primus dissects the binary notion of “good” and “bad” that often traps us in cycles of guilt and shame. Through personal anecdotes, philosophical musings, and practical advice, he invites readers to confront their “shadow self,” embrace their complexities, and ultimately, find harmony. The book is both reflective and actionable, moving from the roots of our struggles to solutions for overcoming them.
From the first chapter, when Primus shares his teenage feelings of inadequacy in front of a mirror, you can feel his pain and relate to it deeply. His journey is woven with relatable examples, like the dichotomy of being a “good kid” who follows the rules but internally feels hollow. The chapter on duality, with its Cherokee wolf parable, offers a powerful metaphor for the internal struggle between our better and darker selves. It’s not just abstract philosophy; the examples, like balancing societal expectations with personal truth, felt refreshingly real.
The book’s strongest moments come when it challenges the idea of external validation. For instance, Primus describes a poignant moment when his coach urged him to race for the love of the sport rather than for others’ approval. That conversation resonated with me, as I’ve struggled with the same perfectionist tendencies. His ability to balance personal anecdotes with universal lessons—such as recognizing and integrating your shadow self—made the book incredibly thought-provoking.
Good Boy Bad Boy is a book for anyone seeking personal growth and self-acceptance. Its candid tone and relatable stories make it accessible to readers who feel weighed down by the need to be perfect. Whether you’re grappling with feelings of inadequacy or simply looking to better understand yourself, this book offers a compassionate guide to navigating the messy, beautiful middle ground of being human. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a blend of introspection and practical advice wrapped in genuine emotion. It left me inspired to look in the mirror with more kindness and curiosity.
Pages: 166 | ASIN : B0DL8H6HVC
LITERARY TITAN 