As the soulful echoes of Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" reverberate in our hearts, we honor her musical legacy and the art of song interpretation. Our guest, Jacquiline Cox, embodies the spirit of resilience and transformation, journeying from a turbulent Chicago childhood to becoming a bestselling author and podcast host. She opens up about her personal battles with lupus, thyroid cancer, and domestic violence, while passionately advocating for those without a voice.
In the intimate spaces of our conversation, Jacquiline imparts her wisdom on crafting captivating author interviews. Her podcast, "Listen Linda," is more than a platform; it's a beacon for diverse stories and experiences. Meanwhile, I peel back the curtain on my own interviewing methods, ensuring no stone is left unturned to foster genuine connections. The discussion takes a poignant turn as we address the complexities of appreciating art, such as R. Kelly's music, amidst personal controversies.
We round out the episode by celebrating the power of poetry and storytelling in healing and personal growth. I share how writing has been my sanctuary during life's storms, much like it has for the influential voices that have shaped my creative path. Our family of authors exemplifies this therapeutic journey, with their bestsellers born from deep-rooted support systems and unshakable faith. Join us as we also share practical podcasting insights, reminding fellow creators of the immeasurable value in honoring one's craft with authenticity.
As the soulful echoes of Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" reverberate in our hearts, we honor her musical legacy and the art of song interpretation. Our guest, Jacquiline Cox, embodies the spirit of resilience and transformation, journeying from a turbulent Chicago childhood to becoming a bestselling author and podcast host. She opens up about her personal battles with lupus, thyroid cancer, and domestic violence, while passionately advocating for those without a voice.
In the intimate spaces of our conversation, Jacquiline imparts her wisdom on crafting captivating author interviews. Her podcast, "Listen Linda," is more than a platform; it's a beacon for diverse stories and experiences. Meanwhile, I peel back the curtain on my own interviewing methods, ensuring no stone is left unturned to foster genuine connections. The discussion takes a poignant turn as we address the complexities of appreciating art, such as R. Kelly's music, amidst personal controversies.
We round out the episode by celebrating the power of poetry and storytelling in healing and personal growth. I share how writing has been my sanctuary during life's storms, much like it has for the influential voices that have shaped my creative path. Our family of authors exemplifies this therapeutic journey, with their bestsellers born from deep-rooted support systems and unshakable faith. Join us as we also share practical podcasting insights, reminding fellow creators of the immeasurable value in honoring one's craft with authenticity.
to pray. Oh Heavenly Father, lord God, we just thank you. Lord God, we just ask you for your grace and for your mercy. Lord God, we thank you for Jesus. Lord God, oh, blessed are you in every family that's represented here today. Lord God, lord, these and other things, just meet them at the point of their need. These and other things, we ask in your son, jesus' name, amen. Now we're going to start with a song, and then I'll let you introduce yourself, and it is Whitney Houston. I'm Every Woman. Okay, I'm Every Woman.
Speaker 3:Whatever you want, whatever you need, anything you want done baby, I'll do it naturally, cause I'm every woman, it's all in me, it's all in me, me, I'm every woman, it's all in me, it's all in me, it's all in me. If anything we want done baby, I do it naturally. I'm every woman, it's all in me. I can read your thoughts right now, every word from me today. I can cast a spell, secrets you can't tell. Mix a special rule put fire inside of you Anytime you feel danger or fear, then instantly I will appear. Oh, I'm every moment, it's all in me. Anything you want done baby, I do it naturally.
Speaker 3:Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, got it, baby, baby, I'm every woman, it's all in me. Anything you want done baby, I do it naturally. I'm every woman, it's all in me. I can read your thoughts right now, everyone from me to say Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's all in me. I can read your thoughts right now and remember me today.
Speaker 3:Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh. I ain't crying yet, cause I am the one Just ask me what shall be done. Don't bother To compare. I've got it and we will. It shall be done. Don't bother to compare. I've got it, I've got it. Whoa, whoa whoa, I've got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Whoa, whoa whoa. I've got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Whoa, whoa whoa, I've got it. Got it. Got it. Got it.
Speaker 1:Whoa, whoa whoa, my favorite woman, my favorite woman, my favorite woman, my favorite woman, my favorite woman, my favorite woman. Thank you Now, mrs Cox. Yes, ma'am, what'd you think of Whitney and her shout out to Chaka Khan?
Speaker 4:You know what? That's one of my favorite songs. You know she loves Chaka Khan, but Chaka Khan was acting a little funny when she remade that song, because you know Chaka Khan made it and it was cool and everything you know. But when Whitney put her, when Whitney put her spin on something like that, I get that.
Speaker 1:Honestly I do. But you know, when a person shouts you out, you know that's paying homage to you. You know that's paying homage to you and that's what I like about when she ends it that way. I honestly do. I'm like. You know it ain't about me, but no, whitney had truly that voice. But you know they're all great singers. Now let's get started. I'm looking at your book. It can't always be nice and I have read it and I have some poems in there that I enjoy. It's called A Poetic Memoir of a Troubled Grown Girl, you know. So tell us a little bit about yourself first before we dive into your work, your literary work.
Speaker 4:A little bit about me. I'm Jacqueline Cox. I am a three time bestselling author. I'm a world record holder for the Ruby Bridges Foundation Black Women of Excellence. I graduated cum laude from University of Arizona Global Campus. I have five wonderful children, ages 23 through 7. I have a loving and wonderful husband, marvis Cox, senior retired military veteran Also. I grew up, you know, in the trenches, you know in Chicago, know in chicago, on every side of town. I was a foster child, um a survivor of domestic violence, um lupus advocate, thyroid cancer advocate, a survivor of parental abandonment and um um incestual rape, um so I am um just happy to be here, happy to be on your platform. Thank you so much for opening up your space and giving me a chance to tell my story for once. Thank you.
Speaker 1:You're more than welcome Reading your memoir and reading Mountains and we'll get into that later and reading mountains and we'll get into that later um, was really eye-opening uh, your transparency, your vulnerability, you know you can't help but to admire that. Uh, we all have struggles in one way or another, whether it's emotional and mentally growing up, uh, but you know to have to live, but you know to have to live that way and then be open, honest and come out on the better side of so much, you know is truly a blessing and we can say nobody but God, okay, nobody but God. But let's talk about your podcasting here for a minute. How long have you been a podcast host?
Speaker 4:I've actually been a podcast host for two years. I started on Station Head under Spiritual Sunbeam, but my title has always been Listen Linda. So I did that for about six months and from there I did Facebook Live Listen Linda on Facebook Live, where I would get on and I would actually just answer questions, kind of like the strawberry letter type of thing, and people would call in or they would send me messages in my inbox and ask me for my advice. And so I did that for about a good six to seven months and that's when I joined and I started doing a virtual podcast on a network. And that was that was an experience within itself and it took me to do those things, to be able to say you know what? I can do this on my own. I got this because it was things that I wanted to do with my platform, that I needed freedom to do, and that's just really what it was. I wanted to maintain friendships and in order to do that, I knew that I had to kind of branch away and do what it was that God wanted me to do and not what other people felt that I should be doing. So now it's about two years that I've been podcast hosting and I love and I enjoy every single bit of what I do.
Speaker 4:I don't just work with authors, I work with everyone. I work with real estate agents, anybody that's in business, entrepreneurs, artists I've had artists on the Listen Linda show on the network that I was on before. I've had multi-platinum selling artists, dancers, you name it. If you have a story and you want people to know it, if you have a book, business or brand and you want that exposure for that, I always say we would pay ComEd quicker if we knew who that person was and what they went through behind the scenes. That would make us want to pay them quicker. So people will want your business more if they knew the darkness it took you to go through to get to the light. And I'm the one who would very, very much appreciate it to be the one to tell that story and to help you get that story out there.
Speaker 1:I agree with you totally on that. Just me personally. Totally on that. Just me personally. I was putting things in place to do a podcast, but that was last year and then a merger took place and I put it on hold. I had the title, I had set it up, but I never got on it. And so you introduced me to this platform, which I'm thankful that you did, and I have enjoyed it as well.
Speaker 1:So one thing I can say you don't mind sharing your talents, you don't mind sharing your knowledge and things of that nature, and it would be a little bit constricted to only do authors, because there are so many businesses, startup businesses, so much information out here that someone else had that they can share, you know, with the public, and I think, I think that is perfect. You know you have to. If it aligns with your beliefs, if it aligns with your belief system, then I think that would be truly something that needs to be shared, talked about, discussed with others. Now let me ask you, since you are an author and a podcast host, how do you go about preparing for an interview with another author? What do you put in the place to get that done?
Speaker 4:you know what? Preparing for a podcast, um, especially for a new guest, it could be challenging, um, especially if they're an author, because I take their craft and my craft very seriously, as well as their time. So I always tell people to book me in advance. Uh, I'll try to get a Kindle copy. If not, they will have to send me a copy. Hopefully they sign it and appreciate me. Uh, but also, I, I actually read the books. Um, I read the books. I.
Speaker 4:I come up with a thought provoking questions that I know that I would want to know. So, if I would want to know these questions I know the audience will want to know and their prospective readers will want to know I try to come up with questions that gives insight into the book without telling the book if that makes sense. And that's the same thing with their brands, with their businesses, with their whatever it is that they're trying to promote. Um, if you have a brand, I'm going to research your website. If you and when I say research, I mean Google, I mean Reddit I'm reading reviews, I'm trying to get to know you as a person. I'm reading your bios. I'm digging into your Facebook pages. Like, I really do the work.
Speaker 4:I went to Columbia College for a year and a half of broadcast journalism and I take my skills that I learned there as far as journalism and I put them to work. I don't use Wikipedia. I go deep and dive into you, into your Facebook pages, to your Instagram pages. I'm looking at pictures, I'm looking at statuses, I'm looking at everything that you got going on to ensure that I give you the best interview possible without insulting you and everything. And then I come up with my prayers. I speak to God. I ask him hey, what do you want me to say? What should be said that would make sure that this, that this episode and my guests on there are blessed as well?
Speaker 1:Well, that's great. I mean that is great that you really take that time to do that.
Speaker 4:Now do you have any tips or techniques or strategies in order to make your guests comfortable and so that they can become more engaging when you guys are interviewing, I try to build a rapport with my guests so when they come, before they come on, I try to build a relationship with them. I have consult calls with them at least two to three times a week before they come on and just see how our personalities mesh, if their brand aligns with mine and it's like a family. When people come on my show, I want them to be able to relax, enjoy themselves and just have a good time.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay. Well, let's go to an artist. You know, you from Chi-Town, so let me. Then let's go to R Kelly and see what I selected for you on here. You might want to get a sip of water.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh, oh.
Speaker 3:I used to think that I could not go on and life was nothing but an awful song. But now I know the meaning on true love, I'm leaning on the everlasting arms. If I can see it, then I can do it. If I just believe it, there's nothing to it. I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away. I believe I can soar. I see me running through that open door. I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly. See, I was on the verge of breaking down.
Speaker 3:Sometimes silence can seem so loud. There are miracles in life I must achieve, but first I know it starts inside of me. Oh, oh. If I can see it, then I can see it, then I can be it. If I just believe it, there's nothing to it. I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away. I believe I can show I see me running through that open door. I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly.
Speaker 2:I believe I can fly. Oh, I believe I can fly. Hey, cause I believe in you.
Speaker 3:If I can see it, then I can do it. I can do it. If I just believe it, there's nothing to it. I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away. I believe I can soar. I see me running through that open door. I believe I can fly. I can fly, I believe.
Speaker 2:I can fly, I can fly.
Speaker 3:I believe I can fly. I can fly. If I just spread my wings, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly. Hey, I can fly. If I just spread my wings, I can fly, I can fly. I can fly. I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can talk, I can fly.
Speaker 1:I can talk. All right, Jackie, what do you think about R Kelly?
Speaker 4:I love R Kelly's music. I think he's a phenomenal talent and I love the lyrics to that song as well. Yeah, I think he's a phenomenal talent. I'm not a judge. I don't know what he's going through in his life. I know maybe he's done some wrong things. But he who was without sandcast, the first stone y'all write in my book always.
Speaker 1:I hear you, I do understand. I do understand. I want to ask you another question before we go into question. Before we go into, it can't always be night. How do you navigate potentially sensitive or controversial topics during an interview, still maintaining a respectful First, I try to remain respectful for any and all people who come on my show.
Speaker 4:I try to really root it in the word. I come in with prayer, I leave out with prayer and I try to make just a good rapport with everybody. I am who I am. I don't change who I am. I come in one way, I leave out. The same way, I don't change my personality based on the environment and the group that I'm in. I'm going to be who I'm going to be. Those who respect it is my audience. Those who don't are not.
Speaker 1:I get that. I definitely get that. Now can you tell me a little about it? Can't Always Be Night.
Speaker 4:It Can't Always Be Night is so funny. It as a uh a literary work that me and my husband were doing a book challenge with a publisher, uh, by the name of bookly, and it was like a $50 21 day challenge where you, you write uh poetry for 21 days and they published the book. I took some poetry because I've been writing since I was in fifth grade and I took some poetry that I've been writing my whole life and entered that as well as some new poetry that I've decided to write to kind of complement the book. And it just meshed and I took that and I joined a group called Black Women's Authors and took that and actually turned it into an actual book that ended up becoming a bestseller.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great. That's great. Okay, now I have a favorite. One of the poems has. I say it's one of my favorites. Do you mind if I read that?
Speaker 4:I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?
Speaker 1:I said I have a favorite poem in here. Do you mind if I read that for the audience? Absolutely, go ahead, okay. Healing, healing Some call it healing, others call it peace. I call it a blessing when you leave it all, which would explain why you're never here. Anything I call I met with bitterness and your intentions are never clear. Let me rephrase that Anytime I call I met with bitterness and your intentions are never clear. The year is 2010 and I will say this I'm not the one nor the two, and you don't realize until you see I'm truly done with you. God has someone essentially made for me Now that not the entire poem one, but I really did enjoy it. Can you tell us a little bit about that particular, uh, poem one?
Speaker 4:that particular poem. I was going through a very, very tumultuous relationship and, um, I knew that it was time for me to go. I knew it was time for me to leave and it was kind of like a goodbye letter to that person. Goodbye letter to not just that person, but the person who I was when I was writing that poem. That poem was actually made for me as well. It was like two birds and one stone. I was talking about that person, but I was also talking about the person that I was in that moment as well. I was pregnant with my son. I was going through a lot of emotion and that person was absent, not in presence, but just in emotion, and I knew that God had something better for me and I wrote about it and, uh, that's great.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's great that you could put your feelings into work. I think a lot of times if people would just find a healthy way to express themselves, um, you can release some of that pressure, or would you agree with that? You can release some of that pressure, would?
Speaker 4:you agree with that Absolutely. I always agree with expressing and getting emotion out. When you bottle things like that in, you're not doing anything but hurting yourself, the people or the person who causes that type of hurt or those type of triggers in your life. They don't deserve your mentality, they don't deserve your mental health, they don't deserve your heart, your time, your tears. Only person that deserves that is you. So when you find yourself in that type of situation where you feel like you don't have an out, write it, say it, speak it, sing it, go to karaoke, go to open mic night. Write letters to yourself, write letters to God. Just get those thoughts out of your brain and watch how your life transforms.
Speaker 1:I agree with you. It is a weight that is lifted off you and people will say, oh, you're just only writing, but it is so therapeutic, it is so very therapeutic. So, like I said, find a healthy way.
Speaker 4:Saves you a lot of money with therapists too. You don't got to tell everybody. You don't have to tell a couple of strangers no business, you don't. You could tell them a piece of white piece of paper and a pen, or you could talk to Siri. A lot of times I talk to Siri, I do. I pick up my phone, I talk to Siri, I ask Siri, questions me and Siri have battle raps, all types of. Siri is my friend when I need one, and that's all types of stuff. Siri is my friend when I need one, and that's all you need. You talk to Siri on your phone. Just get it out and it'll save you a lot of co-pays, I'm telling you.
Speaker 1:I do agree with you. I do agree. Now, I never thought about talking to Siri, but hey, that's an idea for someone out there. You have to get it off your chest, because I'm not one who's going to just sit up and debate, go word for word with you. It's such a waste of my time. I don't feel as though that is therapeutic for me at all. So, yes, you have to get it off. You have to get it off your chest. You need to get it off your mind and once you put it pen to paper, it off your mind. And once you put pen to paper, it's called journaling. A lot of people call it journaling. If you just say I just want to write out my feelings, you can say I write out my feelings, um, but it is a healthy way, uh, to de-stress. It really is now. Um, anything else you want to say about it Can't Always Be Nice.
Speaker 4:I just I love that work that I did. In the book I did a tribute to Maya Angelou and I actually I'm on the road right now and I don't have it but I just want to shout out my favorite authors who I grew up with, um, and my favorite poets, because I got into poetry um first, uh, actually by listening to nina samal and her music, and then it went from there to zora, neale hurston, langston, hughes, uh, tony b, morrison, zane, um, just a lot of my favorite authors, uh, sister soldier especially, oh, like these authors um to me, um really paved the way for a lot of not just authors and writers but also performers. A lot of their literary work is in the music, and Nina Simone was probably one of the best spoken word artists that I've ever heard, and people say she's a jazz artist. She did that.
Speaker 4:I just can't. I can't put her in that box as a musical performer. I see her as a spoken word artist and the way that she crafts her music is poetic and it is phenomenal. And, to be honest with you, between her and Maya Angelou, I haven't heard Maya Angelou and I'm missing somebody. I'm missing somebody and Lord, charge it to my head and not my heart, but it'll come to me before the end of the show those three, those three, those three women.
Speaker 4:Till this day I haven't met a person that can top their work. And, yeah, I haven't met anyone that can top their work. Nikki Giovanni, I knew I was, knew it was going to come to me. Miss Nikki, how can I do you like that, nikki Giovanni? Miss Nikki, how could I do you like that, nikki Giovanni? I don't miss Nikki Giovanni, boy. She had James Baldwin in a rap. Okay, man, nikki Giovanni was the coldest. Okay, she gave Maya one of her money. But those three women, absolutely phenomenal writers, hands down, nobody can touch them. Till this day and I try to correlate, it can't always be night in the poetic literary work that I have in that book, to kind of pay homage to those women. And that's why I have at the end of the book it is a poem called Ode to Maya.
Speaker 4:And I want all the phenomenal, wonderful women to Read the book. Get the book right now. It's actually free If you have a Kindle unlimited profile, but you can also find it on Amazon For $7.99. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book.
Speaker 1:I'm very proud of it as you should be. Do you mind if I read a portion of Ota Maya? I'm not going to read the entire poem.
Speaker 4:Yes, I would love.
Speaker 1:That Okay, and after that then I'm going to play a song and we'll come back and start back with some more questions. Ota, maya, plastic women wonder where my secrets lie. I'm cute, not built to suit a fashion model's size, but when I start to tell them they think I'm telling lies. I say it's in the reach of loyalty, of my character, the span of my mind, the stride of my step, the need of my kind. I'm a woman, wonderfully wonderful woman. That's me. Now for you readers out there, pick up Jackie's book, let's hear another song and then we'll further discuss, as if she desires, on the other side could only see the worst in me.
Speaker 3:I wish I had a witness tonight that he saw the best in me.
Speaker 5:I guess I'm the one who got this testimony. When everyone else around me could only see the worst in me. Can I tell y'all one more time, one more time?
Speaker 3:I said he saw the best in me when everyone else around me could only see the worst in me.
Speaker 5:I wish I had a witness tonight. All I need is one when everyone else around me. Does anybody have that testimony? When fuck walked you off, said you would never make it.
Speaker 3:What did he see? He saw the best in me.
Speaker 5:When everyone else around me when everyone else around. You'd only see the worst in me. Can I tell y'all one more thing? I just need to tell you one more thing. Listen to this. See, he's mine and I am his. It doesn't matter what I did.
Speaker 3:He only sees me for who I am.
Speaker 5:Does anybody know that tonight?
Speaker 3:Oh see, he is mine and I am his, Said it doesn't matter what I did.
Speaker 3:See, he only sees me for who I am. Help me sing it. That girl said that he is mine, he's mine, I'm his, I'm his, said it doesn't matter what I did, it doesn't matter what I did, he only sees me for who I am. He only sees me for who I am. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's mine. I said he's mine, he's mine, I am His. It doesn't matter what I did, he only sees me, he's mine, I am His. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I am his. It doesn't matter what I did, for he only sees me for who I am. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm so glad that he is mine and I am his. It doesn't matter what I did, I'm so glad that he is mine and all of it is. It doesn't matter what I did, he only sees me, he only, he only sees me. Yeah, one more time he's mine. Yeah, it doesn't matter what I did.
Speaker 3:Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh.
Speaker 2:He saw the best in me.
Speaker 5:When everyone else around could only see the worst in me. I wish I had a witness tonight that may be somebody else's testimony. Help me say it. Help me say it.
Speaker 3:He saw the best in me.
Speaker 5:When everyone else around me. I can't get no help up in here because there are some folk in here that people have wrote you off, said you would never amount to anything, said that you would never end up being anywhere. But my return the one more time. When did he see? When mama said you would never be nothing, when aunties and uncles said that you never might do anything, when daddy didn't come home anymore, he didn't look at you and say that you are going to make it.
Speaker 3:God looked at you and what did he see? What did he see? Is there anybody here tonight that's so very thankful that God did not write you off, that he did not throw you away, that he picked you up. Oh hey, he saw. He saw the best, the best. What did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? I said what did he see the best? He saw all the best in me. Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord.
Speaker 5:Can I sing the verse one time? Listen to this y'all. I love this. I love this Sing. See, he's mine and I'm his.
Speaker 3:It doesn't matter what I do.
Speaker 5:But he only sees me for who I am.
Speaker 3:Oh Lord, yeah, he's mine and I am his. It doesn't matter what I did, he only sees me for who I am. Sing it one time we're going to go past this. He is my hope. He's mine and I'm his. It doesn't matter what I did, he only sees me for who I am. He only sees me for who I am.
Speaker 5:He only sees me for who I am and the reason why he sees me for who I am, because he created me in his image and his likeness. He's mine, he's mine, I am his and I am his. It doesn't matter what I need, it doesn't matter what I did.
Speaker 3:He only sees me. He only sees me. He only sees me From whom I am. He saw the best. He saw the best. Thank you. See, he is mine.
Speaker 5:I am his. It doesn't matter what I did, for he only sees me for who I am.
Speaker 2:Oh Lord.
Speaker 3:He's my King. He's my King. It doesn't matter what I did.
Speaker 1:It doesn't matter what I did okay.
Speaker 4:Jackie, I still got you.
Speaker 1:I'm still here, okay, okay, um, your poem to Maya was beautiful, uh, and, like I'm telling the audience, that's just a portion of it, so just feel free to pick up a copy of that. Um, so it can't always be night a poetic memoir of a troubled young girl, and that's by jacqueline cox. Now, since we're still we're talking about books, you have another work, literary, literary work out there. You want to tell us a little bit about that before we go back to podcasting questions?
Speaker 4:Yes, I do. I have another number one bestselling book called Mountains Can't Rise Without Earthquakes and that book actually hit number one bestseller on Amazon. Just by pre-orders alone. You can get it right now on pre-order on Amazon for $2.99. And that one is called Mountains Can't Rise Without Earthquakes A Memoir of a Grown Girl, and that one is basically speaking about my life, things I have went through as a kid, things that lead it up to me being born. You know a little back history on my mom, my dad, how they met, how they made five children and lost us, you know, and I went through parental abandonment, foster care, homelessness and a lot of other things, a lot of roads that I have traveled in these streets of Chicago, where no one but God on my side. So you will. You will get the ins and outs of my story, my life and what all God has brought me through to be who I am today.
Speaker 1:And I had the pleasure of being a beta reader on Mountains and, as I said earlier, very transparent, very vulnerable. I think the audience will appreciate your openness and your honesty and we're going to let that rest right there, because that's the number one bestseller already just on pre-orders, correct? So congratulations to you on that. And did you tell?
Speaker 4:me that I want to say this for the record while I'm on journey no, I did not have a public. No, I did not have a team. No, my team was the Lord and prayer and my real true story. I'm going to say it like everybody else, since everybody else can so eloquently say this no, it was not written with AI. No, ai did not do my story. I did my own story. I lived those words through and through and I wrote it.
Speaker 4:Ai didn't write it. Nobody, I didn't. I wasn't inspired by somebody else's story and I did not have a ghostwriter. It was me and the Lord and Siri typing as I spoke. And it is my true story and that's why it is blessed and anointed and went number one with no publicist. No, nothing. The Lord was my publicist. And people like Carolyn and Dr Velma and Laquita and my husband and Dr Audrey Ann and Dorian Evans and all the people who rallied behind me with mountains and Chanel Wesley Coleman who rallied behind me with mountains and really, you know, help me. And the book slam I cannot discredit the book slam and Melanie Johnson and all the people on the book slam who purchased pre-orders, who dove into my story and really, really, you know, cheer me behind me to get this book out. So thank you to everybody, especially Laquita Parks, my husband, who always hold me down, mr Marvis Cox and my kids, and just everyone who say you know what you got a story to tell?
Speaker 1:get it out there because, like Laquita say, there's always someone waiting on the other end of your story of your story and when she said that, because I met you all on the books, lamb, and I was like her. Basically, her phrase is everyone living or it's so, so, very true, and no one can tell your story. Basically, the way that you can, um, the transparency of your story, the openness, the honesty, um is very touching. It is very, very touching. So, um, even though she's number one, please, audience, feel free to pick up her book. Mountains can't rise with that earthquake. Mountains Can't Rise With that Earthquake. And it is still on pre-order, I do believe. Am I correct?
Speaker 4:You can get a pre-order of Amazon for the e-book or you can go to youngsaveleadersmyshopifycom for a signed copy.
Speaker 1:That's great. That's great. Now you're not the only writer in the family, so tell us about that part.
Speaker 4:You know what? My husband is also a bestselling author. He has a book called my Box of Chocolates and he's also in an anthology himself called Unknown Battlefields. And my both of my children have books coming out as well. Jaden has a book coming out called the Honorable Bee that will be out actually this week, and Marvis Cox Jr has a collab with his dad called my Superpowers Are Not Weird. And also my mother-in-law has an album that I play all the time on Liz and Linda, called the Secret Place, and it's a gospel album and she speaks on everything that is the Lord and what is right, but she put her own spin and twist on it. It's it's a beautiful, beautiful album. So we definitely, the Cox family, is definitely rooted in Christ. Our foundation is rooted in the word and everything is anointed. Everything is anointed.
Speaker 1:Marvin Sapp said the best in me, the best in me. He saw the best in me. No matter what trials or tribulations we go through, know that God sees the best in us. Now I'm going to do to get us back on track with the podcast hosting interview type questions. Let's do a little, keisha Cole, so I can get my head right, because you and your talented family, you know y'all really just knocking me off my chair right about now.
Speaker 3:I love you. Sit from heaven. Sit from heaven. Now. You can wait your whole life wondering when it's gonna come or where it's been. You may have got your heart broken a few times in the past, but never last as strong as it used to and don't feel as good as it used to before, and all the things you used to say, things you used to do, went right out the door. Ooh, no more will you be the one. That's what you tell everyone around you. But you know they've heard it all before. What more can you say when love won't let you walk away and you can't help all your love and you find yourself giving it all away when you think you're enough? I want to be the one who you believe in your heart. Heart is in front, front of us. There's a piece of me who leaves when you're gone because you're sent from, sent from heaven. I wanna be the one who you believe in. Your heart is in front, sent from heaven, and there's a piece of me who leaves when you're gone because you're sent from, sent from heaven.
Speaker 3:Now you can wait your whole life trying to change what they did, from what it's been. You may have put your whole life into a mess, loving what you thought it could have been. I'm loose when you change and you don't feel as good as you used to before and everything you used to say, everything you used to do, went right out the door. Ooh, no more will you be the one. That's what you tell everyone around you. But you know they've heard it all before. What more can you say when love won't let you Walk away and it can't help who loves and you find yourself giving it all away when you think you're in love Cause I wanna be the one who you believe in? Your heart is so far, so far from me. There's a piece of me who needs when you're gone, because you're so far, so far from me. I wanna be the one who you believe in your heart is super round and there's a piece of me who leads Because you're super round.
Speaker 3:Everybody say I wanna be the one you love. I wanna be super round. Everybody say I wanna be the one you trust. I wanna be super round. Everybody say I wanna be the one you trust. I wanna be supernova. Everybody say I wanna be the one you need. I wanna be supernova. Everybody say I wanna be the one. I wanna be the one Supernova. I wanna be the one who's leaving your heart. Supernova, it's a piece of me who leaves when you don't, because you're set down. Superheaven. I wanna be the one who you believe in your heart is set down Superheaven.
Speaker 1:There's a piece of me who leaves when you don't, because you're set down Superheaven. I wanna be the one who you believe in your heart Superheaven. And there's a peace in me who leads when you're gone, because you set me free Superheaven. Okay, mrs Cox, can you share with us any memorable or inspiring experiences you've had while interviewing authors on your podcast?
Speaker 4:absolutely. I just had the pleasure of interviewing the ladies of she Say yes to Herself unapologetically, the anthology and, um, we did the podcast and that night we did it at six, at like six, six thirty I believe, and we were like number 40, 50 and, I think, number four on the on the ranks for bestseller. And after the show I get a call at six o'clock the next morning we're number one bestseller and the publisher called me and said girl, last night we sold over a hundred books and I know it was from your podcast. But not just that. I've had other people like Ivy Caldwell, expose it.
Speaker 4:I've had Bianca Rebels, who is a professional dancer and lyricist and songwriter, who actually danced with Rihanna and Neo and a lot of other famous people and a lot of other um famous people. She was actually on um I think it's called um who said you could dance or something like that. It was a dance. Who said you could dance and she won. She's a tap dancer, ballet dancer. We went to columbia together, columbia college and um, just an all-around great girl, um, but everybody who comes on my show, dr Velma, everybody who comes on my show always has an interesting story, um, and they always, whatever they come on doing, they sell whatever it is that they're marketing that night. They see instant results and I can only give you know, honor to God for that. I come in with the word, I leave out with the word, and I truly believe that's why my podcast is anointed amen, amen.
Speaker 1:That sounds great. Um now, how do you stay connected with your audience and incorporate their feedback or questions into your interviews?
Speaker 4:I stay connected with my audience by always being myself. I don't mimic or copy anybody else. I don't try to be nobody else. I just I am who I am. So I honestly, to keep the audience engaged, I just be who I am. I really don't have a strategy for that. That's why I guess that's why they call me the personality. My audience is who my audience is.
Speaker 4:I don't have a certain target audience when it comes to podcasting, because you can say, oh, my target audience is ages 18 through 29,. But it may be somebody who 49 that resonates with you or whoever it is. And I also try to make sure that my guests promote themselves. I can only promote you so much. I can only do so much. You have to promote and say, hey, I'm going to be here, I'm going to be there, tune in, watch out, look out for me, because I can only do so much. But your audience is your audience and to keep them engaged, like I said, I am who I am. It can't be mimicked. You can't steal the ingredient. You could try, but the salsa never tastes the same. I tell everybody the same thing. The sauce will just never taste the same. I can give you a textbook on how I do it, but that means that your dish is going to come out like mine, absolutely not you. Just you be who you are in your audience. Your specific audience will gravitate to you.
Speaker 1:And that is true, and that is with basically anything, that is, basically with any, any, any goal that you try to accomplish or that you seek to accomplish. You have to be you Definitely, you have to put in the work, but you have to really sit back and see if you're fitted for certain things, because everybody can't do the same thing, everybody's topic can't be the same because we're all individuals. Now, what advice would you have for any aspiring podcasters who may want to interview authors or just do interviews on various levels? What would be your advice to them?
Speaker 4:My advice would first be who you are, be yourself. My second advice would be build your following, create content, be engaged more with the media world, support other people, put God first and just know that the people who gravitate to you will always be your audience. And be loyal, have moral, have integrity in what you do and just be you. Don't try to be anybody else and whenever you are yourself authentically, you God will bless it. But he don't bless no mess. So you can't go in trying to be underhanded, trying to be sneaky, trying to backstab, trying to manipulate and, you know, to try to feed off of other people. I'm not Jesus. I'm not expecting nobody to be trying to run up after me and touch on my cloth. Okay, your anointing is your anointing and mine is mine. Now, if I can help in any way, shape or form, I will do that. But you know, carolyn we talked about this the other night Don't be trying to be near me to try to get rubbed off on my anointing. The Lord say touch not my anointing, do my profit, no harm, okay. So if you ain't around me genuinely to just really try to be my friend and you only around me to try to feed off of what you can get. I'm not for that and I I don't advise other aspiring podcasters be that as well.
Speaker 4:It takes really, really hard work and it takes money, because it's not free and it's not easy. And it takes hard work and it takes dedication, especially if you're your own producer, if you're not booking podcast rooms and having a whole team around you to help build it and you're doing it yourself. It is a lot of work, but if this is something you truly aspire to do, you will never work another day in your life. Oh, and always charge for interviews. Always charge for interviews because your time is what's giving them the interview. It's not a blessing for you to have them on your show. You are the blessing because you are the one that is advertising. That is advertising and marketing and it they they can write that off on their taxes and they're going to get that back.
Speaker 1:But own your craft, know your worth and add value to it and all of that is wonderful advice and I think it is well needed. Um, it is well needed because people have a lot of questions but you don't know what you're getting into until you start working into a particular field. You know whether it's being a podcaster, whether it's being a nurse, jackie, some of the occupations and professional positions you have been in. You can't just walk in and get this stuff started. You have to take it bit by bit to become proficient in what you do.
Speaker 1:So I agree with you Take your time, get it together, set your price, do what you need to do, because it is a work and it is marketing, it is advertising, it is truly that. So I thank you for your time Now. Is there any closing remarks? And please still give us the information regarding where we can pick up your books, you and your family's books. Give us that information, any closing remarks? And we're going to close out with a prayer, as we do, and we'll see CC wine as we'll get the end.
Speaker 4:I just want to thank you so much for allowing me to come and and share your space today. Um closing remarks I would leave is um believe in yourself, believe in the Lord or whatever higher power you choose to believe, honey, because I'm not one to tell nobody who to believe in. But what I will say is believe in yourself enough to know, like Aretha say, love yourself enough to know that without anybody else, your life will still go on. If you can breathe without them, you can be without them, and that is true tea. Own your worth, know your worth, set your boundaries and and and follow in the steps that, like Jeremiah 29, 11, god knows the plan he has for you. Okay, god knows the plans that he has for you. You follow God's plan, you lead by example and you just be the best person that you can honestly be in life and watch how God blesses it.
Speaker 4:You can find my books. It can't always be night. Mountains can't rise without earthquakes. You can find both of those on Amazon right now. Or, if you would like a signed copy from me, you go to youngsaveleadersmyshopifycom. Or you can follow me on Facebook under Jacqueline Cox jacquelinecoxcom. Or you can follow me on Facebook under Jacqueline Cox, j-a-c-q-u-i-l-i-n-e Cox, or you can follow me here ListenLinda23. You can find me on Stationhead, listenlinda23, on all social media platforms anything that's podcasts. My was there as well, and I thank you again for your time. And also you can find all all of my family's books and music on. You can find the books. My husband, my box of chocolates and unknown battlefields is also on amazon as well as the website. My both of my kids books are on pre-order on the website, and the honorable b, as well as my superpowers are not weird are both on amazon and on the website as well okay, uh, jackie, thank you so much for that, and thank your husband, uh, mr marvis cock, for his service.
Speaker 1:Um, uh, being a retired veteran, we do appreciate his service. Um, it does not go unnoticed. Thank you so much, jackie. I have really appreciated having this conversation with you. Thank you for blessing us with your presence. So we're going to go into prayer and then we're going to close out with CC Wine. Heavenly Father, lord God, we thank you for just honoring and blessing this day. Lord God, we thank you for everyone who tuned in to listen. Meet them at the point of their needs. Lord, we have spoken and unspoken prayer requests. Lord God, hear the cries of your people. Lord God, we thank you for their suddenly, whatever their hearts desire. Lord, we know that you will meet them at the point of their needs. For these and other things we ask in your son, jesus' name, amen. And we're going to close out with Believe for it by CeCe Wynand.
Speaker 3:They say this mountain can't be moved. They say these chains will never break, but they don't know you like we do. There is power in your name. We'll see you next time. Change. They haven't seen what you can do. There is power in your name. So much power in your name.
Speaker 3:Move the immovable, break the unbreakable. God. We believe God, we believe for it. From the impossible we'll see a miracle. God, we believe God. We believe for it. We know that hope is never lost, for there is still an empty grave. God, we believe, no matter what. There is power in your name. So much power in your name. Move the immovable, break the unbreakable God. We believe God, we believe for it. From the impossible we'll see a miracle. God, we believe. We believe for it. You are the way when there seems to be no way. We trust in you, god. You have a final say. You are the way when there seems to be no way. Yes, you are, we trust in you. God, you have a final say. You have a final say Move me and move the Lord. Break me. I'll break the Lord. Break the unbreakable God. We believe God. We believe for it From the impossible.
Speaker 1:We'll see a miracle. God, we believe God, we believe for it. God, we believe God, we believe for it. God we believe God, we believe for it. Thank you everyone. This is Carolyn Coleman. Thank you for tuning in to Gentry's Journey. You all have a great day. Be blessed.