Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest Pamela Burke author of 20 Women Changemakers: Taking Action Around the World and 20 Women Storytellers: Taking Action with Powerful Words.

Pam is a member of the broadcasting industry and print media for more than 30 years, journalism and writing has always been a passion for her. Her first foray into the industry started at the age of 8 when she started her own newspaper. In more recent years, She held titles as a television executive, bureau chief, producer and reporter.

Throughout her career, she has produced several female-oriented television programs including the award-winning Working Mother, Attitudes and The Working Women’s Survival Hour.

Since the age of 8, Pamela started working for her neighborhood newspaper and later worked her way up to become a producer and/or executive for NBC; LIFETIME Cable Network; USA Network; USA TODAY–The Television Show; King World and CBS; A&E Cable Network; and DISCOVERY Planet Green.

Good day Pam and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Norm: What do you consider to be your greatest success (or successes) so far in your various careers?

Pam: Thank you for the invitation.

I have been able to have a wonderfully talented staff help me throughout my career. I am grateful that they have had the passion to work hard and to produce excellent programs and stories. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish what I have.

A program that I am very proud of is Attitudes that we produced out of thin air in NYC for the LIFETIME channel. At the time, there were no daytime television programs with two female hosts.

Our goal with the show was to introduce the audience to a multi-faceted tv magazine that would highlight the many interests of the 80’s woman, everything from high profile interviews to fashion “how-tos” with top designers to food and fitness tips and life-changing advice.

Our live-on-tape show was done from the Macy’s Department Store in in Times Square and it was a first which enabled us to meet some of our audience in person.

Norm: What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today?

Pam: A challenge for all of us who work in the media world is being able to “bend with the punches” as they say. Programs and magazines come and go on a dime sometimes, and those of us whose passion it is to work in broadcasting and publishing face a constant challenge to find jobs and switch goals.

It happened to me at LIFE Magazine when it folded after decades of success as a weekly. Unexpectedly, I had to refocus my job goals and repurpose myself into another career. 

When and why did you become interested in women who are making a difference as journalists, writers, bloggers, writers, gardeners, athletes, chefs, activists, etc.?

I’ve always been interested in people making a difference and changing the world in positive ways. I am a glass half full person and think these are the people whom we need to listen to and learn from. After the recession of 2008, I felt there was a great need to find people, women in particular, since

I had done a lot of programming which highlighted their efforts and those who were coming up with interesting solutions to our financial slump.

I wanted to find a new medium to display these stories and was attracted to the internet and the way it could spread information. I have always enjoyed finding new ways to connect with an audience and this seemed to be a good new option for me to experiment with. I learned how to build a website which became The Women's Eye  and was off and running.

Norm: What motivated you to put together 20 Women Changemakers: Taking Action Around the World and 20 Women Storytellers: Taking Action with Powerful Words?

Pam: After seven years of doing stories and radio interviews for the website, I thought we had a powerful selection of interviews with changemakers that would make an inspiring book.

Those who didn’t know of our website could go to this anthology and meet remarkable women who might be the catalyst that they were seeking to make a difference.

Also, the reader might enjoy knowing how ordinary people like themselves were able to accomplish life-changing goals.

20 Women Storytellers evolved similarly. I have always been interested in how women in the media tell their stories and help us to understand our universe. They are changing the world in a different way by connecting people, sometimes very courageously.

These journalists and members of a rapidly changing media are often overlooked and not recognized for their skill and the amount of passion that it takes to tell their stories.

I wanted to gather them together in this second book to emphasize the importance of their craft and suggest storytelling is something we might all consider.

Norm: How did you go about choosing the women in your two books?

Pam: They are all culled from our website. We have interviewed over 300 women now so have many terrific people to choose from. Hopefully, we can continue these anthologies and include many of the others in future books.

Norm: Were there any women that turned you down or did they all accept to be interviewed? What was their reactions when they did accept your invitation?

Pam: I can’t think of anyone who has turned us down other than because of scheduling reasons. They seem excited to be part of our venture, knowing that our goal is to inspire and spread positive information that might help a reader or listener.

Norm: What purpose do you believe your books serve and what matters to you about the books?

Pam: I believe that our books are inspirational. In our challenging world, we introduce the reader to women who are passionate, purposeful and manage to follow their dreams in spite of difficult odds in many cases.

Our changemakers have taken action globally - from building schools where there were none, to attempting to end homelessness by building unique shelters to solving the digital divide with a “brilliant” bus.

Our storytellers find purpose connecting their readers and listeners and shedding light on the human condition. 

Their powerful words and images inspire me (and I hope others) to do what can be done to change the planet in positive ways, however big or small.

Norm; As a follow up, why do you think these are important books at this time?

Pam: We are living in a time of constant change. The internet provides constant awareness of the positive and negative news in the world, in America and on our own street.

If we want to preserve peace and productivity, we need to connect, solve problems, come up with new ideas and have the passion to make positive change happen.

The pandemic has shown us how fragile life is and how we must come up with solutions to help each other, whether it be a country or a neighbor.

These women give us hope that there is a lot of positive energy in the world and people with innovative ideas and thinking whom we can learn from. I do.

Norm: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Pam: One surprising thing is that we constantly find more and more fascinating people to interview.

I wish we had the opportunity to introduce more of them to the readers and listeners of our podcasts, but we would need a larger staff.

In spite of the negative information and despair we hear about, we are constantly encouraged by all the people we find doing good work to solve problems and who care about our future. 

Norm; Many people have the skills and drive to write a book, but failure to market and sell the book the right way is probably what keep a lot of people from finding success. Can you give us 2-3 strategies that have been effective for you in promoting your book? 

Pam: We are still learning about marketing as we go along. We have a newsletter we offer readers to spread the word, also our website. Social media including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook help.

Norm: Can you share a little of your books with us?

Pam: From Storytellers: After we viewed Lindsey Seavert’s documentary Love Them First, we knew we had to interview her.

This television reporter told us about her award-winning film, the compelling story of a principal in a neglected Minneapolis elementary school where students were failing and facing violence on the streets nearby. Lindsey saw the pain there and documented it for all to see.

The school eventually found a way to succeed, saving children from failure.

You’ll read how a very special school principal was able to change the direction of students’ lives in a most caring way.

Seavert: “One girl in the film said, ‘You just got to hope. You can always find light in the darkest of places.’

Building understanding and empathy is probably one of the greatest gifts that have come out of the film.”

From Changemakers: We learned about Doniece Sandoval’s unique non-profit from an intriguing photo of a retrofitted bus named Lava Mae parked on a street in San Francisco.

Doniece has found a way to make a small but significant difference in the lives of the overlooked. That bus and many more projects that followed are bringing dignity to the homeless “one shower at a time.”

Sandoval: “I thought if you can put gourmet food on wheels and take it anywhere, why not showers and toilets? So, the idea for Lava Mae was born!”

Norm; Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Pam: Readers send us suggestions about people they think we should feature who are making a difference.

One reader wrote about a unique project she helped as a founder, assisting women with breast cancer in Africa. We did a story with her.

Norm: How can readers find out more about you and your endeavors?

Pam: We have a WEBSITE where you can find our newsletter. Both can put you in touch with us.

Norm: Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Pam: We are excited about publishing our 20 Women Storytellers book. That is our current project.

We continue to spread the word about amazing women with our interviews and podcasts that you can find on Apple Music, Spotify and Stitcher.

We also do additional podcasts with Catherine Scrivano, our financial contributor, who gives helpful advice about Building Money Power.

It’s our way of sharing financial know-how and advice for women during these challenging economic times.

Norm; As this interview comes to an end, if you could invite to your dinner table 3 well-known women (dead or alive), who would they be and why? What would you ask them?

Pam: Former First Lady Michelle Obama: She is one of the most authentic people I have observed. I am constantly amazed at how involved she is with women’s causes around the world, environmental issues in America and the diet of our children, among other things.

I would ask her where and who she gets her inspiration from and how she manages to accomplish her goals.

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt: This longest-serving first lady transformed from her role in the White House to world citizen and activist. Her ability and passion to change the world is awe-inspiring.

I would ask her what causes meant the most to her and how she was able to accomplish so much in her lifetime.

Melinda Gates: Ranked as one of the world’s most powerful women, Melinda Gates is a changemaker for this decade. Her involvement in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and her new book, The Moment of Life: How Empowering Women Changes the World, gives me hope that people can make a difference.

I would ask her what her secret is to lifting people up; what is the most important issue facing women today; and what can be done about it.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your endeavors