Cyrus Webb invites you to join the WORDS I CHOOSE TO LIVE BY campaign

Media personality Cyrus Webb is excited to announce the release of his inspirational book WORDS I CHOOSE TO LIVE BY. Want to help him in getting the word out about it? Watch this video to find 3 simple things you can do. www.wordsichoosetoliveby.com

Veteran Actor William Shockley: Finding Success By Following His Passion

by Cyrus Webb

He's a man that for over twenty years has made his mark on the entertainment industry as an actor, writer and producer. William Shockley has allowed his passion for the craft to guide him, and the result has been not just personal satisfaction but a worldwide following of his work

Many got to know him through a variety of roles including the hit show DR. QUINN: Medicine Woman, but it's obvious that he is so much more than just a one-note. As he has shown in 2014 alone he is able to slip into the skin of a variety of characters on television and in movies---and loving every moment of it.

"It's a blessing," he told me during our recent conversation about his career and the year that has been 2014. "It's really great to be able to do what you love and make a couple of dollars along the way. You put your nose to the grindstone, work real hard and sometimes you get lucky."

It's obvious that what he has achieved is about more than just luck, and he admits as much when he adds: "A lot of hard work goes into being an independent producer of films. There's a little bit of glory and a lot of hard work. We've had a great run, and the run is going into 2015. I have a lot to be thankful for."

This year has seen William not just filming movies but being a part of an episode of the successful television show NCIS. No matter whether you go back to his appearances in RoboCop, Good & Evil or his Dr. Quinn days, he definitely has not been type-casted. "I don't think it hurts anybody that's an actor to be willing to 'act'," he told me. "I love character acting. I love assuming different identities, different people, different walks of life. That's part of the thrill for me. I equate it to going undercover. Perhaps that's part of the thing that keep myself interested and the people who are nice enough to watch the tv shows and the movies."

William told me that the courage to go after his dreams is something that has been with him since he can remember. "I grew up with the belief system that if you work real hard and stay dedicated and keep focused you have a shot at being successful," he says. "Nothing's easy or for free. You have to pick something and never waver."

The next project he is looking forward to releasing is the the movie BORN WILD, which is set to be released in mid. December. Part of the way he and others associated with the product have been promoting the film is through social media.

Asking him about the way that the power of social media has grown I wondered what it's been like to have that tool at his disposal. "Social media is here," he told me. "This is the world we live in. I think it's remarkable what social media provides and the people you can touch. It's something else to have people who care about you and what you do. I like to interact and appreciate it."

Talking about BORN WILD, William says "it's so near and dear to my heart." Why? "It's a story I've been wanting to tell for a long time. It's about family, lost love, lost time, heartache and then mending the wrongs that were done. It's a very heartfelt movie."

For those who pre-order an autographed copy of the BORN WILD DVD at www.bornwildmovie.com they are entered into a sweepstakes with a chance to win some amazing prizes. The deadline to enter the contest is Mon. December 8th. The film will be released on DVD and VOD (Video on Demand) Tues. December 16th.

What advice does William share for those looking to break into acting or some other profession? "Have your dream and never lose your focus and your laser vision," he says. "Don't let anyone talk you out of your dream. It's not a part-time gig. It's a full-time pursuit."

Stay connected with William through his website at www.williamshockley.com and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/willshockley.

*Photo credit: Tiiu Loigu

Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2014

Media personality and Conversations Book Club President Cyrus Webb introduces his Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2014.

"I love a great book,"says Webb, "and this listing gives you some great titles that are not just entertaining but thoughtful."

Without further ado here are Webb's Top 50 Fiction Titles of 2014 (Listed in no particular order):

1. Confessions of a Wild Child by Jackie Collins (St. Martin's Press)
2. The Headmaster's Wife by Thomas Christopher Greene (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press)
3. Revolutionary by Alex Myers (Simon and Schuster)
4. Saint Monkey by Jacinda Townsend (W. W. Norton & Co.)
5. Forty Acres by Dwayne Alexander Smith (Atria Books)
6. Graveyard of Memories by Barry Eisler (Thomas & Mercer)
7. What's Done in the Dark by Reshonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books)
8. Death Logs In by E. J. Simon (Simon Zef Publishing)
9. Magnolia Mud by Randy Pierce (Dogwood Press)
10. Your Perfect Life by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke (Washington Square Press)
11. Tap Rack Bang by Robert Blake Whitehill (Calaveras Media)
12. The Lodger by Louisa Treger (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press)
13. My Wife My Baby...And him by Sheila Bell (North Star/Bonita & Hodge Publishing)
14. It Won't Always Be This Great by Peter Mehlman (Bancroft Press)
15. Virtuous Deception by Leiann B. Wrytes (A Million Thoughts Publishing)
16. The Tumble Inn by William Loizeaux (Syracuse University Press)
17. Christopher's Diary Secrets of Foxworth by V. C. Andrews (Pocket Books)
18. Pressed Pennies by Steven Manchester (The Story Plant)
19. Family Values by Anderecco (Alphagraphics)
20. The Flip by Michael Phillip Cash (unknown)
21. When the Drum Major Died by Anjuelle Floyd (NOJ Publications)
22. Russian Roulette by E. E. Smith (Phoenix Intl)
23. A Flight to Romance by John Fishwick (CreateSpace)
24. Aftershock by Joe Lane (Bancroft Press)
25. Not My Will by Khara Campbell (Delphine Publications)
26. Jack Icefloe Jackson's Romance For Men by Dean Lorey (Disobedient Dragon)
27. The Love Letters by Bruce Davis (Grave Distractions Publications)
28. Nowhere Out by Vincent J. Sachar (Divont Publishers)
29. Death's Way by Christopher Valen (Conquill Press)
30. The Promise by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson)
31. A Pinch of Ooh La La by Renee Swindle (New American Library)
32. Paw and Order by Spencer Quinn (Atria Books)
33. Her Heart's Desire by Lisa Watson (Kimani Romance)
34. Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press)
35. Murmurs of Insanity by Gerrie Ferris Finger (Gale Cengage Learning)
36. Forever An Ex by Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster)
37. Skewed by Anne McAneny (Farrington Press)
38. In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin (Revell)
39. Let Me Just Say This by B. Swangin Webster (Intrigue Publishing)
40. Quiet Dell by Jayne Anne Phillips (Scribner/Simon & Schuster)
41. Arts and Crafts by J. T. Prescott (Two Harbors Press)
42. Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney (Abingdon Press)
43. Thread of Life by David W. Huffstetler (Becher House Publishing)
44. Unfaithful by Karyn Grice (Karen Hunter/Pocket Star Books)
45. No Turning Back by Dan Burns (Chicago Arts Press)
46. Four Ladies Only by Alretha Thomas (Diverse Arts Collective)
47. Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll (Abingdon Fiction)
48. Lost in the Ivy by Randy Richardson (Eckhartz Press)
49. Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore by Walter Mosley (Doubleday)
50. The Third Rule of Ten by Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay (Hay House)

Cyrus Webb Presents... Top 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2014

Media personality (and avid reader) Cyrus Webb is excited to announce his picks for the Top 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2014.

"After reading over 300 books this year I can honestly say this was not an easy list to compile," says Webb. He began his list in 2006 with the formation of Conversations Book Club, and each year it is seen as one of the most diverse because of the amount of independently published titles that appear alongside the larger publishing houses.

"It was important for me to highlight the best of the year, no matter how it was published," Webb explains. "I also think it is a great opportunity for readers to discover new books."

Here are his picks for... Top 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2014 (listed in no particular order):

1. Connected to Goodness by David Meltzer (Balboa Press)
2. This is Ridiculous. This is Amazing by Jason Good (Chronicle Books)
3. All You Need Is Less by Madeleine Somerville (Viva Editions)
4. Burning the Midnight Oil by Phil Cousineau (Viva Editions)
5. Stop. Breathe. Believe. by Dianne Morris Jones (unknown)
6. The Wisdom We're Born With by Daniel Gottlieb (Sterling Ethos)
7. The World Is (Y)ours by Kurtis Lee Thomas (Brainyacts Publishing)
8. Jazzchild: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan by Ellen Johnson (Rowman & Littlefield)
9. Fire Shut Up In My Bones by Charles M. Blow (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
10. Elvis & Ginger by Ginger Alden (Berkley)
11. 9,000 Miles of Fatherhood by Kirk Millson (Plain Sight Publishing)
12. Burning Down the House by Nell Bernstein (The New Press)
13. Rescuing Julia Twice by Tina Traster (Chicago Review Press)
14. Built to Lead by David Long (Next Century)
15. Never Ever Give Up by Erik Rees (Zondervan)
16. Resister by Bruce Dancis (Cornell University Press)
17. I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich (Penguin Press)
18. One Less. One More. by Robbie Vorhaus (Storytelling, Inc.)
19. The Harm In Asking by Sara Barron (Three Rivers Press)
20. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin)
21. Jerry Lee Lewis by Rick Bragg (Harper)
22. Invincible by Brian F. Martin (Perigee/Penguin)
23. Mojo For Sale by Katandra Jackson Nunnally (FreedomInk)
24. Secrets to Surrender by Debby Akerman (New Hope Publishers)
25. Reboot Your Life by Chicken Soup for the Soul (Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing)
26. The Concrete Killing Fields by Pat Morgan (Mile High Press)
27. Tomlinson Hill by Chris Tomlinson (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press)
28. Be An Icon by Kenneth Nkemnacho (Kenneth Vision Media)
29. Fulfilled by Joey Lankford (B&H Publishing Group)
30. The Budget-Friendly Fresh and Local Diabetes Cookbook by Charles Mattocks (American Diabetes Assoc.)
31. Missing Class by Betsy Leondar-Wright (Cornell University Press)
32. Both Sides Now by Nancy Sharp (Books & Books Press)
33. The Grateful Life by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons (Viva Editions)
34. Extraordinary People by Scott S. Smith (Motivational Press)
35. Out of the Depths by Glenda L. Hunter (unknown)
36. Where Excuses Go to Die by John Espinosa Nelson (Highrise Press)
37. Raw by Fiona Finn (unknown)
38. Too Loved to be Lost by Debora M. Coty (Shiloh Run Press)
39. Having the Time of Your Life by Allen Klein (Viva Editions)
40. Breaking the Chains by Dr. Catrina Pullum (Dart Consulting & Professional Services, LLC)
41. Why Science Does Not Disprove God by Amir D. Aczel (William Morrow)
42. The Coldest Season Ever by Vino Davis (Standing on the Word)
43. Postcards from Cookie by Caroline Clarke (Harper Collins)
44. Off My Rocker by Kenny Weissberg (Sandra Jonas Publishing House)
45. The Gifted by Daphne Michaels (Daphne Michaels Books)
46. Garden Blessings by June Cotner (Viva Editions)
47. Stand Up Straight and Sing! by Jessye Norman (Hougton Mifflin)
48. War Babies by Richard Pells (Cultural History Press)
49. Find Your Inner Strength by Chicken Soup for the Soul ( Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing)
50. Moms' Night Out (and other things I miss...) by Kerri Pomarolli (B&H Publishing Group)

Stay connected with Cyrus Webb and his upcoming projects at www.cyruswebbpresents.com. To stay abreast of what is going on with Conversations Book Club visit www.conversationsbookclub.com. 

Ex-Federal and State Inmate Yvette W. Jones Gets Her Second Wind

When Yvette W. Jones heard her name called over the loud speakers, she began to take her last walk across the yard at Fluvanna Correctional Facility in Troy, Virginia on August 9, 2002.  Dressed in burgundies with memoirs of what was home, she carried her faith and hope for better days to come.  It was a beautiful day and the smell of a freshly manicured yard greeted her every step.  As she took one last look back, she sighed with tears because it was there where the journey of freedom began.

Growing up in a small town in Virginia, Jones was dealt a losing hand at birth.  She was born with Blount’s disease, a rare bone deformity of the lower extremities and struggled with a gaited walk that is still present today.  With the weight of braces on her legs, childhood obesity, and absence of her biological father, Jones played her hand of hope with determination to win.  As a result, the amenities of life have favored her pathway to freedom.
Yvette W. Jones was cut from the cloth of wisdom and knowledge.  The threads of education were sown into Jones at an early age.  As pillars of higher learning, her mother and grandmother were educators in the community for over 40 years.  After high school, Jones continued her education at a small private college in Virginia.  It was during her sophomore year that she decided to explore the wiles of the
world.  As a result, Yvette W. Jones discovered herself in the wilderness for five long years.

Life experiences have become the foundation for Jones’ “second wind.”  In 2004, she received an associate degree in Administration of Criminal Justice.  The same year, her father (stepfather) was killed in a car accident.  In 2007, her mother was diagnosed and lost her battle to leukemia.  In 2012, she received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling from Liberty University.  In October 2014, Jones completed her Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling specializing in Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University.    

Today, Yvette W. Jones is a Christian counselor and founder of Freedom Chain Ministries.  She is also the Executive Producer/Host of The Yvette W. Jones Show and founder of My Career Path, Inc.  She is married to Wayne Jones, a Christian Life Coach, who has greatly influenced her spiritual growth.  She is also an active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.  As part of her mission, Jones offers her platform to support others to get their “second wind”.    

Yvette W. Jones is committed to empowering others find the right path to success.  She provides career counseling and helps prospective students find schools and programs of interest.  Since 2010, Jones has helped thousands of prospective students find the right path for their academic growth.  Additionally, she works with at-risk youth to create an environment that encourages learning and social growth through character building and high expectations.  Jones also offers her counseling ministry to support ex-offenders, at-risk youth, and their families to break barriers with resilience.  In addition, Jones shares her weekly radio show to help her listening audience find a solution-focused approach to real challenges in a real world.  

Jones contributes her achievements to her faith and several other key factors.  In spite of her challenges, she has learned how to turn her wild card into a winning hand.  As a result, she discovered her partner had already won the battle.  All she had to do was accept the reward of Grace.  She contributes her success to the biblical teachings of Dr. Creflo Dollar and her husband, Wayne Jones.  In addition, she thanks God for her sister, who has encouraged her to spread her wings and soar beyond her limitations.  Jones also credits her stepfather for nurturing her with
sacrificial love that endures forever.  In spite of her physical challenges, Yvette W. Jones is a champion for Christ and delights in helping others break barriers to freedom.

Yvette W. Jones will release her first book entitled, My Second Wind on January 6, 2015.  This a true story about an ex-federal and state inmate who discovers the TRUTH that breaks the chain of bondage.  My Second Wind shares the access code to freedom and how a prisoner of darkness becomes a slave to righteousness. Learn how Yvette W. Jones unlocks the door of freedom in an imperfect world and gets her “second wind”.  Pre-order today, www.yvettewjones.com.

Cyrus Webb Presents... #IfLovingYouIsWrong Cast Conversations

Once again Tyler Perry has brought his creative genius to television, this time with the highly addictive show IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Conversations LIVE host Cyrus Webb is speaking with the cast, sharing their stories and letting you hear directly from them what it's been like to live their dreams.

Below you'll find Webb's conversations with actors Denzel Wells, Octavio Pizano, Eltony Williams and Dawan Owens. Enjoy!

Check Out Motivation Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Inspirational Conversations on BlogTalkRadio

Check Out Entertainment Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Cyrus Webb Presents on BlogTalkRadio

Check Out Motivation Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Inspirational Conversations on BlogTalkRadio

Check Out Motivation Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Inspirational Conversations on BlogTalkRadio