Aparna Verma

Author - Eric Koester

Debut fantasy novelist with a Stanford English background who approached publishing as a full creative ecosystem. Rather than treating the book as a one-time release, Aparna positioned The Boy with Fire as the nucleus of her identity, content, and community.

Modern Author Program

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“My identity became this book. I talked about the tropes, the scenes, the characters. Once people connected with it, everything started to snowball.”

—Aparna Verma

What Changed?

The book transformed from a finished manuscript into a cultural object. By consistently creating content around themes, tropes, and characters, Aparna cultivated a highly engaged readership that drove speaking invitations, media coverage, sold-out special editions, and international book box partnerships.

Goal

Publish a legacy or mission-driven book

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
First-time author
Not a confident writer
Needed structure and accountability

Role

Memoir & Fiction Project

Morgan Wider

Author - Eric Koester

Former retail executive and economist who transitioned into entrepreneurship, Morgan entered the process believing a book should package her existing presentations. Instead, she confronted a deeper question: was she willing to step beyond service delivery and articulate a defensible point of view about identity, worth, and executive presence?

Modern Author Program

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“I thought I needed a book to support my speaking. I was challenged to decide whether I wanted to write a commercial or actually become a thought leader. That changed everything.”

—Morgan Wider

What Changed?

The book became the mechanism that forced Morgan to move from intuition to insight. Through interviews, pattern recognition, and editorial challenge, her lived experience and client work evolved into a cohesive framework about confidence, body image, and executive presence. What emerged wasn’t a how-to manual, but a philosophy she could stand behind.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Establish a category or methodology
Use a book as a business asset

Constraints

First-time author
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Founder / entrepreneur
Consultant / advisor

Paula Doroff

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Author - Eric Koester

Former Wall Street executive who rebuilt her life from childhood poverty in Brazil, climbed to senior leadership at top financial institutions, and ultimately faced a pivotal question: could her value exist beyond the career she spent decades building?

Modern Author Program

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“I never believed someone with my background would write a book. The structure helped me turn a lifelong calling into something real I could hold in my hands.”

—Paula Doroff

What Changed?

The book became the bridge between Paula’s past success and her next chapter. What began as self-doubt and uncertainty evolved into a clearly articulated framework for intentional life design. The process helped her translate lived experience into a mission-driven body of work that now anchors her speaking, coaching, and leadership platform.

Goal

Publish a legacy or mission-driven book
Clarify and organize my ideas
Build authority or thought leadership

Constraints

First-time author
Not a confident writer
Needed structure and accountability
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Consultant / advisor
Executive / C-suite

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Traci Mitchell

Author - Eric Koester

Emmy Award–winning journalist and media professional who translated decades of interviewing leaders, politicians, and public figures into a conversational, action-oriented book focused on communication, courage, and showing up fully.

Modern Author Program

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“I wasn’t sure anyone would actually read the book. Then someone told me it changed how they showed up in their life. That’s when it became real.”

—Traci Mitchell

What Changed?

The book became a portable credibility engine. Beyond individual readers, it unlocked local and national media appearances, bookstore partnerships, bulk orders, and speaking opportunities. What had once been episodic exposure through TV segments became a repeatable platform built around a clear point of view.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Support a consulting or speaking business
Use a book as a business asset

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting

Role

Founder / entrepreneur
Consultant / advisor

Mayumi “Umi” Grigsby

Author - Eric Koester

Attorney and long-time policy advocate who turned a personal experience with dismissive medical treatment into a broader examination of systemic failures in U.S. health care, particularly for Black women and other marginalized communities.

Modern Author Program

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“My book is about stories of predominantly Black women who had dismissive experiences with health care providers. I had the personal story, but I also had the research. You can’t deny someone’s existence.”

—Mayumi “Umi” Grigsby

What Changed?

The book transformed Umi’s advocacy from situational to structural. What began as personal frustration became a documented, research-backed body of work amplifying voices that are routinely dismissed. The book expanded her reach beyond her immediate network, contributing to national conversations and opening doors to unexpected platforms and recognition.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Publish a legacy or mission-driven book
Use a book as a business asset

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting

Role

Consultant / advisor
Nonprofit or mission-driven leader

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https://umistales.com

Ahmed Siddiqui

Author - Eric Koester

Senior fintech product leader and VP of Product at high-growth payments companies who had accumulated years of internal writing, diagrams, and explanations, but lacked a single, durable way to codify his thinking for investors, operators, and the broader fintech ecosystem.

Modern Author Program

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“I get calls from investors who just want help understanding what these companies actually do. Payments are complicated, and if you can explain them clearly, that’s incredibly valuable.”

—Ahmed Siddiqui

What Changed?

The book became a clarity engine. What had previously lived in slide decks, internal docs, and ad hoc conversations turned into a structured framework that helped outsiders understand an otherwise opaque industry. That clarity expanded Ahmed’s reach beyond his immediate network, influencing investors, founders, and even unexpected audiences.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Establish a category or methodology
Use a book as a business asset

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Executive / C-suite
Founder / entrepreneur

Watch Deep Dive

Rachell Kitchen

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Author - Eric Koester

Founder and CEO of Level Up For Life Coach, a professional coach working with women leaders to overcome self-doubt, who had long believed she was meant to write a book but lacked a clear path to turn that identity into a finished, usable asset.

Modern Author Program

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“Just before the book was published, I gave a keynote to 150 women and converted about $30,000 of business from that single talk.”

—Rachell Kitchen

What Changed?

The book became a credibility anchor that translated Rachell’s coaching philosophy into a clear message she could bring on stage. What had previously lived in one-on-one coaching sessions became a repeatable framework that opened doors to keynote speaking, audience trust, and immediate business growth.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Support a consulting or speaking business
Use a book as a business asset
Publish a legacy or mission-driven book

Constraints

First-time author
Not a confident write
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting

Role

Consultant / advisor
Founder / entrepreneur

Watch Deep Dive

Nicole Bianchi

Author - Eric Koester

International keynote speaker and leadership advisor who had spent years teaching bravery and leadership but wanted a durable asset that could carry her frameworks into organizations at scale.

Modern Author Program

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“The book didn’t just support my speaking, it created demand for deeper work inside leadership teams and organizations.”

—Nicole Bianchi

What Changed?

The book became the centerpiece of Nicole’s leadership platform. Organizations began using it as the foundation for workshops, executive programs, and multi-touch engagements. Instead of one-off speaking, the book created demand for deeper, longer-term work, including bulk orders tied directly to leadership development initiatives.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Support a consulting or speaking business
Establish a category or methodology
Use a book as a business asset

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
First-time author
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Consultant / advisor
Founder / entrepreneur

Watch Deep Dive

Dean Rustin Moore

Author - Eric Koester

Dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and nationally respected veterinary leader who had spent decades studying and living the human–animal bond, but had never formalized that work into a single, accessible body of thought.

Modern Author Program

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“I never intended to write a book. But once I started, I realized how many stories and insights needed a home.”

—Dean Rustin Moore

What Changed?

The book became a way to translate years of leadership, research, and lived experience into a durable framework that could reach far beyond academia. What had existed as talks, stories, and intuition was transformed into a structured narrative that now educates, influences policy conversations, and shapes how people understand the human–animal bond.

Goal

Build authority or thought leadership
Publish a legacy or mission-driven book
Establish a category or methodology

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
First-time author
Needed structure and accountability
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Executive / C-suite
Academic / educator
Healthcare or technical professional

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https://www.rustinmooredvm.com/

Terry McDougall

Author - Eric Koester

Executive coach and former corporate marketing leader who wanted to turn years of experience helping high achievers into a clear, portable framework she could use across coaching, speaking, and media.

Modern Author Program

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“The book became content I use every day in my coaching and the foundation for the visibility and opportunities that followed.”

—Terry McDougall

What Changed?

The book transformed Terry’s coaching philosophy into a clear point of view she could share at scale. What began as internal insight became reusable intellectual property that supported hundreds of podcast appearances, expanded her coaching practice, and eventually led her to launch her own podcast. The book didn’t just raise visibility, it created a repeatable platform.

Goal

Publish a legacy or mission-driven book
Build authority or thought leadership

Constraints

Limited time / full-time job
Needed structure and accountability
Wanted editorial guidance, not ghostwriting
Balancing book with business or leadership role

Role

Healthcare or technical professional

Watch Deep Dive