“With the intense changes in our country over the past few years fueled by the Covid crisis, it’s challenged me to look at my allegiance to this place, this country, I call home.”
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“I’d had some ideas rolling in my head for months and wanted to address in a short film the cyclical nature of abuse in families. No Escape was born from those thoughts and came to life with just two dedicated friends who focused on making a movie with what they had!” - Shanna Forrestall
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What a year this has been already. After a very painful and challenging 2020, I am happy to say that 2021 has started off with the “better kind of bang”.
After losing my husband last May I started on a song-writing spree that hasn’t quit, and thanks to my creative music partner Jeff Gold of My Calm World (and our newly formed Fire & Water Music Project), we’ve been churning out the songs.
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“Happy is not about perfection or having everything just like we planned. It’s about allowing ourselves to experience the pleasure available to us and in choosing contentment with what is.” - SF
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I am so very grateful for the creatives I get to collaborate with as I work my way through this challenge called life. Art gives me a place to feel authentically, to express, to define, to develop to evolve.
A HUGE Thank you to Michael Whitehurst Photography (IG @michaelwhitehurstphotography) and HMU Artist Maria Zavala (IG @_mariazav_) for helping me to develop this idea. Sometimes I have to establish my intention in art so that I can live it in life. This phoenix will rise, but first I must burn it all down…
Sincerely, Shanna
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“Just like the #metoo movement triggered me because of past trauma, the #icantbreathe movement did as well. Being a survivor of sexual, emotional, physical and spiritual abuse I somewhat understand what that feels like - not being able to breathe. And, with all of the discord churning in our country, it reminded me once again that our focus should always be on love, compassion, empathy and recognizing how much more we are ALIKE than we are DIFFERENT.
We are intertwined.
When one of us can’t breathe well, none of us breathe well.”
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We are in an unprecedented season of change, and so many people I know are dealing with anxiety and uncertainty about the future. We moved up the release dates on our soothing bedtime stories for children, but we’re also adding some peaceful meditations to help adults chill as well.
I’m proud to announce that I am also partnering with MY CALM WORLD to release this series, and the first one - Butterfly Kisses for the Mind - will be available very soon.
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Author Shanna Forrestall discusses her new bedtime story - MARCIE LOU WAS AN ARTIST. “Each of the children’s bedtime stories I’ve written has a personal meaning, and Marcie Lou is no exception. This story brought up quite a few emotions as I was writing. These voices, the voices of encouragement, inspiration and support for “art for art’s sake” are the voices I wish I’d heard as a young girl.”
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Sometimes in life you find your “purpose” in a project, and this little project has done that for me.
I am a storyteller, but after releasing my 1st children’s book WHY THE GIRL BECAME A CAT (proceeds help to raise funds to mentor and hire young people on the spectrum), I received a call from a trusted friend who asked if I would be interested in writing additional children’s stories for an LP of bedtime stories to soothe young children… and of course, I answered with a resounding YES!
SING YOURSELF TO SLEEP was the story that summed it all up perfectly and helped me to realize WHY this work is so important to me. In writing and performing these stories I am able to say all of the things I wish had been said to me when I was a young girl growing up in South Louisiana.
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 24 features special guest Dana Boisseau, a spiritual medium based in New Orleans, LA about "Speaking with Spirit". Follow Dana on FB at @dana.boisseau. Follow Shanna on IG at @shannafromla or FB at @shannaforrestall.
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 23 features special guest Tracee Dundas, a fashion stylist, style icon and the founder of New Orleans Fashion week talking about "Fashion Week Finesse".
Follow Shanna on IG at @shannafromla. Follow Tracee on IG at @fashionablyyoursnola and @nolafashionweek. http://www.neworleansfashionweek.com.
This interview was shot at the beautiful Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery in New Orleans, LA. https://old77hotel.com
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 22 features special guest Danny Delancey talking with Shanna about "French Quarter Art".
Danny Delancey is a recognized professional artist who paints daily on Royal Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Learn more about his current series on IG or FB at @delanceyart.
This interview was shot at the beautiful Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery in New Orleans, LA. https://old77hotel.com
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 21 features special guest transgender actress Sophie Marie White talking about "Taking Control of the Narrative."
Sophie Marie White is a native of South Louisiana. She is married with three kids. She draws from her varied experiences as an actress, filmmaker, Director of Photography, Chiropractor, EMT, firefighter, race car driver, and boxing promoter to inspire her writing. She has been seen on television shows such as "Chicago Med" and "Tell Me Your Secrets" and in movies such as We All Think We’re Special and Hummingbird.
Learn more about Sophie at http://www.sophiemariewhite.com. This interview was shot at the beautiful Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery in New Orleans, LA. https://old77hotel.com
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 20 features special guest voice-over artist and coach Marc Preston talking "Visions of Voice over" . http://www.forrestallconsulting.com Marc has spent over 25 years as a successful voice-over talent in radio, film and TV. He is heard by millions of people around the world daily. He is also a professional coach for aspiring voice-over talent. Learn more about Marc and his work at http://www.marcpreston.com
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WHY THE GIRL BECAME A CAT is a holiday gift with a give-back - proceeds go to help us hire and mentor more young people on the autism spectrum.
Learn more about the project at http://www.whythegirl.com.
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 19 features special guest international award-winning magician Michael Dardant, also known as the Original "Magic Mike" talking with Shanna about "Making Magic". http://www.michaeldardant.com
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 18 features special guest Jason Buch talking about "How to Tell Stories with Technology".
Jason D. Buch is a writer and filmmaker who has been making movies based in Louisiana for the last 12 years. He is a graduate of the University of New Orleans Creative Writing Workshop, earning his MFA in 2008. He also holds a B.S. In Computer Science from the University of South Florida and worked for AT&T and IBM, before pursuing screenwriting. Drawing on a background as a software developer, Jason’s work explores the merging of technology and narrative as in his interactive video app So You’re Dating a Vampire. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University and a principal with Neutral Ground Films.
http://www.neutralgroundfilms.com
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 17 features special guest photographer Marc Pagani talking about - "Getting Back to the Basics" . http://www.forrestallconsulting.com
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This holiday season we’re going LA to La. We will be in Pasadena on December 3rd and in New Orleans for an LGBTQ event on December 7th. Learn more at www.WeCanHearU.com.
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Not Just Small Talk w/ Shanna Forrestall - Episode 16 features special guest Ajax Jackson, the owner of Magnolia Yoga in New Orleans, talking with us about how - "Sweat + Yoga = Success".
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