Episodes

Michael Alcazar's journey to becoming a New York City detective is a testament to the unexpected paths life can take. Despite never intending to join the police force, he dedicated 30 years of his life to the NYPD, where he encountered moments of profound courage and resilience. One such moment was on September 11, 2001, a day that forever changed the world.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest this week is Trevor P. Wardlaw, a descendant of Elder John Parker, a victim of the 1836 Fort Parker massacre in Limestone County, Texas, and a cousin to Quanah Parker, the "Last Comanche Chief." Born in Waco, Texas, Wardlaw spent much of his childhood in South Bend, Indiana, and New York City.He is an 8th generation Texan and a lifetime member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Let's find out about Trevor's historic roots and other things that make up the Parker and Wardlaw story....

Boston-area bartender-turned-salesman Neil Rogers has been owner and Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Rogers Marketing for nearly 26 years. He built his career and business leveraging both old-school and new-school marketing & sales techniques.In his book, "Bar Tips: Everything I Needed to Know in Sales I Learned Behind the Bar," Neil shares the skills and tools learned during his early working years as a bartender that led to his success as an entrepreneur and industry leader.https://...

In this episode, I asked several people from all over the country to pronounce the following words. Their results are captured here in this fun and brief experiment.1. Oil2. Iron3. Naked4. Vehicle5. Wash6. Dawn7. Right8. Water9. Pecan10. Buggy11. Cement12. Can’t13. Light14. Night15. On16. Fixing17. Aunt18. Hairwww.podcastreallife.comGet full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Ben Marsh is a pastor at First Alliance Church in Winston-Salem, NC. He lives there with his wife and two teenaged daughters. He has a dog, Hank, and a cat, who apparently changed its identity. The story of how that happened is almost unbelievable.Ben has a heart for immigrants and is disturbed by what he is witnessing in today's political discourse.Before you listen, you should know that he puts olives in chili. Find out why.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.subs...

Nate Bell is an outspoken Never Trump conservative and has been politically homeless since 2016. A lifelong Republican until 2015, Nate served in the Arkansas State House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017 where he chaired the State Agencies and Government Affairs Committee, served as House Chair of the Legislative Audit Subcommittee on State Agencies, and as House co-chair of the Joint Committee on Constitutional Amendments.After 3 terms in office, Nate chose not to seek re-election, but he...

In today's episode of "Stories from Real Life," hosted by Melvin E. Edwards, we feature Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. She is a renowned international speaker, professor, and author with a diverse portfolio of books on topics from theology to literature, with a particular focus on 18th-century British Literature.Despite recent notable disagreements with the Southern Baptist Convention, her faith remains unwavering. Her passion for words and profound reverence for The Word are central to her life.D...

Our guest, Dr. Daniel Silliman, is the news editor for Christianity Today magazine. Three weeks ago, he released his newest book "One Lost Soul - Richard Nixon's Search for Salvation" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Nixon's resignation from the presidency.Nixon is a complicated historical figure who wrestled with God for most of his life. Today's episode will help us discover if he was eventually able to find what he was looking for.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromr...

Meredith Wills has a Ph.D. in solar astrophysics and is a sports data scientist. She's a physicist and a baseball analyst, who happens to also be a world-class knitter. Rumor has it, Lynda Carter wears a Meredith Wills costume for Halloween.Wills' grandfather may or may not have worked at Area 51.Let's see how she weaves these interests into another fascinating episode of "Stories from Real Life."Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Eriksen Dickens is a storytelling wizard, crafting "legacy documentaries" that spotlight businesses, foundations, or individuals with fascinating tales to tell. These cinematic gems capture life through a lens of positivity, preserving legacies for generational to enjoy.https://platinumpeek.com/Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Garret Williams is known on Twitter as @TexansCommenter and runs a page called Houston Stressans. He is a contributing writer for the Sporting News and covers the Houston Texans for that publication and his page. How many wins does he project for Houston this year? You might be surprised!Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Minnesota's very own Pat Kahnke is the Joey Chestnut of muskrat skinners, once taking the hides off hundreds of rodents in a single day. Though his sobering takes on Christianity and politics are serious, wondering if he once met Ted Cruz at a high school science conference is not.After Prince, Bob Dylan, and Mike Lindell, Kahnke is probably Minnesota's most famous resident.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Rodney Smith Jr.’s simple act of assisting a neighbor with lawn care has blossomed into a nationwide movement centered on compassion and kindness. Born in Bermuda on the Fourth of July, Rodney Smith Jr. is the hero Americans didn’t know we needed.https://weareraisingmen.com/https://weareraisingmen.com/donate/https://rodneysmithjr.com/products/one-lawn-at-a-timeGet full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Find out what would happen if our guests Michael Freeman and Doc Hubbard took the wheel as President of the U.S. or Commissioner of Baseball for a day. Spoiler alert: courtesy runners might be running for cover! Tune in to uncover the whys.It has been one year since we launched the first episode of this podcast and we are celebrating by bringing back the first two guests. Last year, they were on Episodes 1 & 2. This time, they're together for Episode Number 60!Get full access to Melvin E. Ed...

It’s time to change the conversation about divorce. And that’s exactly what our guest today is trying to do. Sarah Armstrong is a Vice President of Global Marketing Operations at Google, and she never expected to be in this situation. However, based on her personal experiences, she decided to write 'The Mom’s Guide to a Good Divorce: What to Think Through When Children are Involved'. She defines a good divorce as one that puts the children first.For anyone wondering how they will ever come out...

Today's guest, Heather Renee May, has a diverse background that gives her a unique perspective on life. Ballet was her first love, and she danced professionally until retirement. She's now an author, podcast host, musician, dog-lover, and wine-enthusiast, who tours wineries in her RV with her dog. Dotty.Music has always had an important place in her life. A singer-songwriter under the stage name “Heather Ré”, she has released two albums, and performs on guitar and fiddle throughout the US, mai...

Our guest today is a best-selling author of more than a dozen novels and essay collections. Acclaimed writer Sarah Bird is an NPR Moth storyteller, a winner of the Meryl Streep screenwriting competition, a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, a finalist for the Dublin International Literary Award, and the hologram greeter for the Austin Central Library near the University of Texas campus.Her latest book, Juneteenth Rodeo, is a homage to the Black cowboy because 1/4 of all early Texas ran...

Jonathan Janz is the pen name of Craig Shaeffer, an American horror author of 16 novels and one collection of short fiction.In 2011, Janz published his debut novel, The Sorrows. The book received praise from author Brian Keene, who called it "the best horror novel of 2012." Keene would also describe Janz as "One of the best writers in modern horror to come along in the last decade."In March of 2023, Janz won the Wilburn-Thomas Award at the Scares That Care event in Williamsburg, VA. This is ...

Lori Adams-Brown is an international speaker, business executive, and podcast host. She has lived all over the world and has a unique perspective when dealing with people from varying cultures and nationalities. It also helps that she speaks six languages.Lori is a connector who puts people first and values the lasting partnerships she builds. She is an active listener who cares about the stories people share and is energized by communication and teamwork. She is also a lifelong learner and kn...

Risa August was a triathlete until discovering she had a brain tumor that affected her motor skills. After surgery to remove the tumor, she dealt with her setbacks by riding her bike. Then she rode her bike from Canada to Mexico. Last month, she rode across Spain. Though her brain tumor, who she calls "Bubba," has returned and has presented a new set of challenges, she remains resilient and optimistic. Listen to this episode and feel inspired to do something you've never done before - or thought...

Joel Schwartzberg is a New Yorker with Texas roots - or a Texan with New York roots. Either way, he now lives in NJ and wants to be friends with fellow Jersey folks Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi. While he waits for that to happen, he trains business leaders make their words matter, writes about improving one's communications style, and helps average people give better toasts at weddings. If you want to know how to improve your next speech, listen in for some simple, yet significant improvem...

Bob LeMent is recognized as one of the first podcasters in the world. Now with over 1,500 episodes under his belt on his show, Static Radio, he joins "Real Life" to share his interesting and funny stories. He also discusses the past, present, and future of podcasting.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Donna Leigh Scott has some great stories to tell. She was a brief beauty contestant winner, an actress, singer, and model, Donna also built a high-profile court reporting business that kept her busy for nearly 5 decades. She's also the widow of character actor Tim Scott, who is best known as Pea Eye Parker in "Lonesome Dove." But her favorite stories are about her 4 grandchildren. Listen in!Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Texas high school tennis coach Jason Edwards graces the mic for the show's 50th episode! Through the family's confectionary lineage, Coach Edwards honors his grandfather's memory, intertwining the sweetness of that legacy with the joy of nurturing five adoptive boys alongside his wife.Introduction by Jon Williams.Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe