Day 10 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 Book Tour: Release Day!

Welcome to Day 10 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 book tour! Today is Release Day!!!

 

Greetings everyone!

Before we proceed with the official cover reveal and book release of Concordant Vibrancy 5: Extancy, All Authors Publishing House would like to thank our supporters and all of the outstanding authors who have participated in the Concordant Vibrancy collection. The thoughtfulness and creativity put forth on each theme question will mark Concordant Vibrancy’s place as literature that will transcend time.

For information on all things Concordant Vibrancy, please peruse its website: https://www.concordantvibrancy.com

 

 

With a proud and heavy heart, All Authors Publishing House presents the final installment of the Concordant Vibrancy collection, entitled “Extancy”.

Eight exceptional talents intermingle to share their interpretations on the following question: “What intangible elixir is paramount to one’s survival?”

• C. Desert Rose expands on the elixir of Awareness in her essay “Frequencies Towards Illumination”.

• Carol Cassada outlines the amount of Strength to tackle the medically unexpected in “Caregiver”.

• Beem Weeks explores the swiftness of Adaptation in his story “Five Minutes”.

• Da’Kharta Rising elicits dark humor and strange situations as the ingredients for Felicity in “The Unmasking”.

• Adonis Mann illuminates the subjectivity of Unity in “Axis … Redefined”.

• All Optimism needs is a window of opportunity to flourish, as demonstrated in Synful Desire’s tale, “Rome’s Debris”.

• Evolution is an intangible necessity through the many reincarnations showcased in “The Itinerant” by Queen of Spades.

• The synergy of the aforementioned elements from Concordant Vibrancy I – IV are given lives of their own through “Soul Searching” by Y. Correa.

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Day 9 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 Book Tour: Y. Correa!

Welcome to Day 9 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 book tour. Today we are introducing author and publisher Y. Correa. . .

Coming full circle … that was the most predominant feeling I got from the completion of “Concordant Vibrancy 5: Extancy.”

 

I feel like I have so much to say but I am finding it difficult to express.

The “Concordant Vibrancy” project was, in retrospect, executed with expediency. At the time it was being created things felt eternal, now that we’ve come to the end of the road, the time invested feels minute.

I am certain of one thing, however, the shelflife of this collection will be perpetual. The words encrypted within its pages, historic.

This is something that could not have been done without the participants. It was their skills, their wordsmithing, that led to the footprints made by Concordant Vibrancy.

I will never, ever, forget how much this project meant to me.

Now to answer some questions.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept? Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in? Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5’s theme question?

I was prompted to be part of the project because I was one half of the creation therein. I know it’s a short answer. I’m sorry but there isn’t much more I can add. LOL

I participated in all five books. My stories are as follows:

• Unity: Alma’s Unsung Angel
• Vitality: Genomegenics
• Lustrate: Twin Planets
• Inferno: Moxy
• And now, Extancy: Soul Searching

For each installment I attempted to utilize a theme word that would bring together the concept of the elements. In the very last installment, I wanted to,as I stated at the beginning, “come full circle”.

It was important for me to tie together the fabric of Concordant Vibrancy by showing the world how each element works in tangent. The elements are synergistic; the function together or not at all. Such is the entire collection.

With that said, I truly hope you love the Concordant Vibrancy Collection as much as we do.

Here is a tiny excerpt of my story, “Soul Searching”.

 

 

 

 

Day 8 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 Book Tour: Queen of Spades!

Welcome to Day 8 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 book tour. Today we are introducing author and poet Queen of Spades. . .

Greetings everyone. My name is Monica, professionally known in the writing community as Queen of Spades.

On Day One of the Concordant Vibrancy book tour, you received an inside look at the think scape that prompted the project.

Today, I am speaking as a contributor to the collection as I answer the following questions.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

For one, it would look a bit strange that the co-creator of  Concordant Vibrancy wouldn’t be a part of the undertaking. Moreover, I was curious as to what my imagination would conjure as answers to each theme question.

Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

I am featured in all of the books.

Unity: “The Authentic Snap”

Vitality: “Operation Restore”

Lustrate: “Threes”

Inferno: “The Calefaction of Insight”

Extancy: “The Itinerant”

Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5’s theme question?

I have always been an advocate for evolution, not just in my professional development, but in my personal development as well. I believe that if one is not open to the process of evolution, then it is impossible to survive the ongoing winds of change.

Share an excerpt from your story.

In addition to the Excerpt poster, I want to share this segment that slightly precedes that language. For me, it speaks volumes because there are probably many who deal with this conundrum:

Additional excerpt from “The Itinerant”

In institutes of learning, all my classes are advanced placement. The color of my skin is a fat fly in a pool of buttermilk. There is no commonality in my classes apart from our collective ability to learn.

 

When I leave that echelon, exterior forces deem me inferior because of my melanin. The very community that I should be connected to drives me further into isolation, perpetuating correlations between skin tone and patterns of behavior.

Before I sign off, I want to thank all the participants, past and present, who have been a part of Concordant Vibrancy. This collection would not have been possible without you.

To keep up with all of my endeavors, check out the following links:

Website: https://www.authorqueenofspades.com

Personal Blog – No Labels Unleashed: https://www.nolabelsunleashed.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/queenspades

Twitter (@authorqspades): https://twitter.com/authorqspades

Day 6 of the Concordant Vibrancy Book Tour: Adonis Mann!

Welcome to Day 6 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 book tour. Today we are introducing author Adonis Mann. . .

 

The Concordant Vibrancy Collection holds an exceptionally important space in my heart.

Through this channel, Adonis Mann, the author was born. I will be eternally grateful for the doors it’s opened up for me.

My story of joining the Concordant Vibrancy project is an interesting one.

In 2014 I just recently signed my contract to become an All Authors Publishing House author. I was, as yet, inexperienced in the field and knew very little about anything other than I was now being represented by All Authors and I would have to complete the book I was working on very soon.

One day I received an email asking if I would be interested in participating in the anthology project. I was delighted but there was one big issue … I wasn’t published yet.

Being that I had yet to have a book on the market, how would this impact my participation in the anthology?

I reached out to my publisher and asked, for I was uncertain if I’d been invited erroneously.

Following was our conversation, paraphrased of course.

“Dear Jazz and Monica,” I said, “are you certain that I can be a part of the anthology? I’m not yet published.”

“Yes,” responded Monica, “you’re part of the house.”

“But I am not yet published ….”

“Then you’ll be published for the first time in the anthology,” responded Jazz.

Oh, how the pressure mounted at that very moment. It was overwhelming and surreal. I could scarcely believe that my very first publication would be through these means. But there it was … about to come to pass.

And in short order, it did.

My very first participation with anything All Authors at all was “… and we” the short story which was included in “Concordant Vibrancy 1: Unity”. After that, I was included in all of the installments with stories entitled, “Barbershop”, “Luster Lingers”, “Express-Oh” and now “Axis … Redefined”.

It’s been a great pleasure having been part of the fray and my heart breaks as witnessing the end of the road. However, I do know that it was a stupendous ride while it lasted.

Now, please enjoy a short excerpt of “Axis … Redefined”.

 

Day 1 of the Concordant Vibrancy 5 Book Tour.

Greetings everyone! Welcome to the Concordant Vibrancy book tour. Before we dive into the wonderful answers and writings from our participants with the final installment Extancy, it is important that the origins of this collection are discussed.

 

The birth of Concordant Vibrancy took place many years ago.

During that time, All Authors was focused on the advocacy of all authors with the purpose of reaching all readers. We had expanded into many subsidiaries, two of which were All Authors Magazine and All Authors Publishing House. We had a handful of writers under our belt. Also, there were people who took part in the magazine, providing information, entertainment, and support.

Yes, the aspirations of All Authors were expansive and innovative. However, the funding we possessed was minimal.

With that said, we wanted to find a way to reward the participants of the Magazine and the Publishing House in lieu of monetary compensation.

After much thought, it was decided that those individuals would have the opportunity to be featured in a yearly publication, hosted by All Authors.

The 1st book of the Concordant Vibrancy collection Unity was released in January 2015. The 2nd and 3rd books, Vitality and Lustrate, were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

In late 2017, All Authors opted to go on hiatus for the purpose of relaxation, rejuvenation, and re-imagination.

What resulted from these three “R” was the redefinition of our organization’s existentialism, the luminosity of our expansiveness, and the degrees of transcendence that no longer was in alignment with the original credo of everyday inclusiveness.

Although smaller in design, yet more proficient, All Authors still believed that Concordant Vibrancy was adaptable to both our origins and our rebirth. It was only fitting that the 4th book Inferno hit shelves in January 2020.

It is with joy and a heavy heart that Concordant Vibrancy has reached completion with this upcoming release. However, please check out our brand new website with all the details of this fantastic work.

Ingredient 9 of Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno! EMPATHY by Queen of Spades

Day 9 of the Concordant Vibrancy Blog Tour.  The final is author Queen of Spades.

The Kindling

The creation of my submission for Inferno stemmed from an unusual place. Unusual in that I was working on a different story for this project. While working on the original story, an event occurred that I concluded only took place in the thick of my poetry writing—I lost the frequency that the story coasted on.

In order to better understand this, I must give a glimpse between what my approach to writing poetry is like versus essays and story writing.

When I write poetry, it’s an unplanned thing. It’s uncaring of the time of day or what else I have going on. When the inspiration strikes, I have to get the words down right at the moment. Flow, meaning, and rhythm can get lost if I don’t complete the process right then and there.

Typically, with essays and story writing, I have an outline and set rhythm in my head. One that I can return to whenever I get ready. All I have to do is sit down and get the words down. I never had to worry about the algorithm going awry … until recently.

It’s comparable to a GPS malfunctioning when one is halfway at the destination. No matter how many times one re-calibrates the machine or how many time it recalculates, you’re stuck with nowhere to go.

On top of that, the area lacks WiFi and one’s cell phone has just two bars.

For the first time in my short story writing career, I declared the original story a no-go but didn’t have a backup on hand to take its place.

This was around mid-April. Mid May arrived. Still no spark to guide me to an answer to the theme question:

What are the ingredients to a sustainable blaze?

In late May, I went on a personal sabbatical to Ocean City, Maryland. Solo vacations serve to be inspirational as well as invigorating. I read a lot of Michelle Obama’s book Becoming. I did some personal journaling, awaiting the arrival of the short story muse.

He (I only call the short story muse He when I’m annoyed) was being ornery.

One June day—Juneteenth to be exact—an image formed in my mind. It was of a person sleeping on his back. The ceiling had a water spot. Condensation was forming.

I opened my word processing application and typed. It came out in present tense, one I had never dabbled in but felt right for what was developing.

Not too long after, a name. Keller.

Up until I finished the story, the working title was Keller. Another staple for me is to already have the title either near the beginning or in the middle.

Nothing about this was my signature.

After doing a preliminary read—immersing in the words as a reader not an author—I thought, “This is a pretty insightful work. Keller experienced varying degrees in his perception of himself and other people.”

Insight … Insight … Insight. That could work as part of the title. Keller’s Insight? It was better than Keller but I still believed there was something missing. I wasn’t accounting for the temperature of his thoughts nor the heat of them.

Hence The Calefaction of Insight.

The Accelerants

 

 

The Calefaction of Insight is told in present tense by the main character Keller with bits of independent narration interwoven. Keller is a man who struggles with his weight. He is part of a group whose goal is to encourage him to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

An initial accelerant is “Mr. Jack Off”. A disagreement between Keller and “Mr. Jack Off” is where Keller’s tale begins.

What starts off as an activity challenge blossoms into much more when Keller encounters a woman at the park he refers to as “Goddess”. His interactions with her bring forth positive changes that are noticeable to everyone.

These positive vibes are met with negative accelerants. Some are external forces while others are of his own manufacturing.

The Fuel Which Binds

 

 

Overall, The Calefaction of Insight is a mirror on modern day issues (fat acceptance vs. fat shaming, illness and the surrounding stigma, perception of self vs. perception of others) and an ongoing battle of the mind, heart, and spirit.

No matter where one is in life, the presence of empathy is the differential between keeping one’s flame going and having one’s fire dissolve into embers.

Ingredient 8 of Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno! CONVICTION by Da’Kharta Rising

Day 8 of the Concordant Vibrancy Blog Tour.  Next up is author Da’Kharta Rising.

What’s good? The SASS here. I normally don’t get out of my cave but when I do it’s for a good reason. Also, when my publisher dictates I have to make an appearance.

However, I do like to talk about myself. Simply because I write pretty kick-ass stuff. Yes, it’s for a specific audience but it doesn’t make it any less killer.

Out of all the Concordant Vibrancy themes, this one spoke to me the loudest. Not because the title is “Inferno” but because it deals with fire. Fire is my favorite element, which you didn’t even know about me.

When it came to my response to the question, I originally concocted a literal perspective, dealing with a dragon and phoenix. Well, it wasn’t any dragon and phoenix. They were very entertaining characters, and the story was a mix of drama and humor, which would have been a big out-of-the-box leap for yours truly.

However, my main characters were getting off track and trying to steal my thunder. Therefore, a quarter of the way through, I abandoned those noisy, wayward animals. Not to say they won’t get their own independent spotlight a bit later, but they did not suit the succinctness I was going for.

You know me by now. I’m the type of writer that is like a strong drink. Little to no ice and no extra stuff to cut through the potency of the main integrant. Or for those who don’t drink alcohol, like a piece of lean meat. Little to no fat, although I think fat is yummy.

If you don’t like meat … um, then I’m all out of comparisons.

Let’s move this along, shall we?

Axing the idea so close to the deadly was a risky move but I was convinced that it would pay off.

See what I did there?

That is the thing about conviction. It is a powerful ingredient in the human existence. It acts as pliable clay, possessing the ability to warp perception and reality. The foundation and steadfastness of conviction marks humanity’s temperature. In my analysis, it is why there’s ease in starting an inferno but challenge in dousing the flames.

My contribution to the anthology, “The Chronicles of Aidan”, begins when Aidan starts speaking on the sad condition of the world to anyone who hears. Fearing that his opinions are signs of a mental break, Aidan is placed in a facility that’s supposed to tackle his ailment.

Dissatisfied with the bleakness of his surroundings, Aidan receives permission to decorate the walls by convincing the facility’s board and psychiatrist Dr. Deitrich that it aids in his therapy.

Through Aidan’s day to day, several events happen which makes one question the power of a mind’s conviction.

Find out more by reading “The Chronicles of Aidan”.

DR

Ingredient 6 of Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno! TENACITY by Y. Correa

Day 6 of the Concordant Vibrancy Blog Tour.  Next up is author Y. Correa.

To describe “Moxy” is to say that it is a mesh of science fiction, comedy and fire. And if that wasn’t enough to explain the essence of the story, I could add “fun” to that description.

When I started writing for Inferno I had something entirely different in mind. Never did I plan on coming up with the impromptu story that eventually became “Moxy”.

As a matter of fact, the initial idea was to write a follow-up story to my contribution to “Concordant Vibrancy 3: Lustrate”, “Twin Planets”, which I’d left as a cliffhanger on purpose. But, as luck would have it, fate chose differently. It was a combination of things. At first I was having trouble figuring out how to continue “Twin Planets” and when I finally did, the story went completely array. Something that I didn’t notice until well into writing it. Of course, this stopped me dead in my tracks and the only other option would be to come up with another story altogether lest I have no contribution to a collection that I was a pivotal part of. How embarrassing would that be?

Hence, “Moxy” was born.

You see, the thing is that most people consider me to be some sort of grim and serious writer, but the fact of the matter is that I have a great sense of humor. So I dared myself to do a little something different. I dared myself to tell a worthwhile story about tenaciousness and continuity through a science fiction tale drenched in comedy.

The first character to pop his head up and say hello was Joe, the alien. At first glance, Joe is just a funny, interesting and witty character who sort of pops up out of nowhere, but we quickly learn that he is a major player in this story. Ultimately my favorite character of the story, Joe is the catalyst to Melissa’s self-discovery.

Melissa is a headstrong person with her own understanding of how the world works, and frankly, she had no interest in investing her emotions into a world that she thinks is shallow and unfair. Furthermore, life’s struggles have inadvertently taught Melissa that avoidance is sometimes the best policy. Joe comes to challenge her views in a way that Melissa would have never expected. Truthfully, in a way that no one could ever expect.

Taking Melissa on the trip of a lifetime, Joe teaches Melissa what it is to put forth a little effort, tenacity and, well, moxy.

Now, for your entertainment, let me share a small excerpt of “Moxy” my short story contribution to “Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno”.

 

---

 

 

 

Excerpt:

 

The man continued waving as Melissa got closer. The luminosity practically blinding her, Melissa cupped her eyes trying her hardest to see better. The closer she got the more she could make out the man’s features. He was an older gentleman with a salt and pepper beard and dressed awkwardly. He wore tattered khaki cargo pants with an opened red and blue plaid shirt with a polka-dot t-shirt underneath, an aviator jacket and striped bomber hat. Most peculiar of all were the Gladiator style slip-on sandals and bright neon green fanny pack.

“There she is!” he said with a chuckle. “I thought that would catch your attention.”

Melissa’s mouth fell open in shock.

Snapping his fingers, the parabolic aluminized reflector lamp disappeared to which Melissa immediately took note and jumped in astonishment. As if by instinct, that light was replaced by the moonlight’s glow. Melissa looked at him, then looked at the floor where the lamp used to be, then back at the man.

“They say ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. Well, whoever ‘they’ are … they’ve never seen that look on your face. Ooph … if eyes could talk.” The jolly old guy chattered as he chuckled. “Alright. No time to waste, let’s get on with it.”

“Bu- bu- I- I mean- Whaaaat?” Melissa stammered still in unadulterated stupefaction.

“Come on, come on, come on, young lady. I just said we don’t have any time to waste. Time is money, or so the proverbial ‘they’ say.” Throwing his arm around Melissa’s shoulders, the old man coaxed her forward. “You’ve got some learning to do and I’m just the person to learn you something.”

 

 

---

 

Well, thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the baby snippet of the fun adventure that is “Moxy”. Until next time, y’all.

Ingredient 5 of Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno! REINVENTION by C. Desert Rose

Day 5 of the Concordant Vibrancy Blog Tour.  Next up is author C. Desert Rose.
The Wagon Wheel Watusi …? But, WHY?

Let me ask …

Can we really dance to the beat of a new tune and in so doing find a new way of life?

What brings out the best in people if not the ability to overcome adversity and in the process discover the things that we had inside us all along?

Inner strength, I believe, comes from the opportunity to find that which is hidden inside and bring it to the surface for all to see. But I think I am getting ahead of myself.

 

First let me introduce you to Calliope.

Calliope is the everyday girl that we all know. The fun, funny, awkward, kind but not stupid girl next door. She is confident in somethings and a hot mess when it comes to other things. She is quirky, aloof, but loves who she loves. Calliope is you and me.

More than that, Calliope has a unique way of looking at the world. She sees it through the lens of Dante, the famous poet who wrote “Dante’s Inferno”. This is how Calliope assimilates the world, how she processes things, events, and more than anything, the people she loves. Her eternal besties.

After breaking up with her long-time boyfriend Calliope finds herself in that mental limbo that we all know very well. That place of, “What the hell am I going to do with myself now?”

Throwing caution to the wind in a moment of asinine misadventures—or so she believes—Calliope joins a dance class. This is something she regrets deeply after the fact but now it’s too late and, well … c’est la vie.

What Calliope doesn’t expect is the outcome of such a rash decision to be exactly what she needed all along.

“Calliope’s Inferno” brings you a fun cast of characters, an upbeat and down to earth story, and something that we can all relate to.

If the theme question is “What are the ingredients to a sustainable blaze?” I believe that Calliope answers that question in the form of a relatable and idiosyncratic tale that’ll keep you hooked.

Now, without wanting to ruin the story for you, I’ll leave you with a tidbit of an excerpt for your enjoyment.

Toodles!

 

---

 

Excerpt:

It had been approximately six months since I’d broken up with Thomas Mason. Thomas and I had been together for three years. Those were the best and the worst three years of my life. Our union was the existential “vicious cycle”. We fought, we made up, we had makeup sex and we did it all over again the next day for three whole years.

Finally, I had enough.

I haven’t the faintest clue what our last fight was about but not even the makeup sex helped anymore. I felt empty. Like, I had nothing left to give. And so, deciding that throwing in the towel was more of a life saving factor then continuing to brawl, I said “enough”. I packed Thomas’ things, put them on the curb, changed the locks and left him in Fate’s deserving hands.

There was, however, a downfall to not having a poisonous relationship to occupy your time.

I was bored.

With nothing to do other than work and talking to the girls I opted to join dancing class. The dance of choice? The Wagon Wheel Watusi.

PS: Thank you, “Burlesque”. Oh, dear God.

The facepalm that inevitably followed was out of my control.

Dante, for the love of God, please help me out of this one.

Why that particular class appealed to me, I could not say. I think it was the combination of the image of Christina Aguilera at her finest along with the sound of the catchy name, if for no other reason.

Low and behold, I was caught off guard with a surprise that almost made me want to drop the class altogether. A couple of my classmates were none other than the Ricci twins. Stefania had regrown her luscious locks by now and Stefano had grown into a muscle-bound meathead.

“Oh my God, Cal! Look at you all grown up!” Stefania said as she swept her hair from her shoulders. The fake smile did little to divert my attention from her toned body and long legs. It only reminded me of how much I hated her.

Ingredient 4 of Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno! LOVE by Beem Weeks

  Day 4 of the Concordant Vibrancy Blog Tour.  Next up is author . . . Me, Beem Weeks.

     It is such an honor to be invited to participate in this newest All Authors anthology. That I’ve been asked to contribute to three editions at this point truly humbles me. The topic of choice for Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno offers a myriad of possible directions. Inferno suggests fire. And fire, to me, presents a variety of representations. We know its warmth is vital for survival in those cold winter months—without it, we would freeze to death. Fire’s orange glow chases away the darkness, offering sight and comfort in the dead of night. But there’s a dangerous side as well. It takes just one stray spark to destroy a forest, to wreck a home, to snuff out life.

     In addition to that which I’ve mentioned above, fire also represents passion. This is the angle I decided to pursue in my contribution. But even the subject of passion isn’t a fixed item. We humans develop many and varied passions over the course of our lives. We nurture passion for a spouse or a mate. Passions form for a much-loved job or hobby. I’ve been quite passionate about the sports teams I’ve followed over my lifetime—both college and pro teams.

     Passion often ignites a deep focus in the individual stoking its fire. It’s a drive that will block out the world around us while we engage in that which has captured us. My story, entitled “The Complications of Fire,” tells the tale of a young woman who suddenly finds herself in a tug-of-war with a new passion that competes with a long-standing one. This leads to serious—and even deadly—consequences. We all face these conflicts at various junctures in our lives. Perhaps it’s an innocent flirtation with a co-worker that ignites into a blaze that destroys a marriage and rips apart a family. Maybe a friendly wager on opposing football teams weakens a long-standing friendship. Passion and fire are the very batteries that keep life moving forward; both carry positive and negative charges.

     The POV character in my story is a young woman named Judith Zot. Her lifelong passion is archery. And having been born into a traveling circus family, Judith has become quite famous across the country for her marksmanship. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself is in awe of the woman’s prowess with a bow and arrow—he’s had her as his guest at the White House. So, what might stand a chance to wedge itself between Judith and her passion for archery? Well, that would be an age-old accelerant known as lust. When the bombing of Pearl Harbor pulls her young husband into battle, Judith finds herself attracted to another man recently hired by the circus. In a rare show of weakness, she gives in to this competing passion, allowing her focus to drift away from archery—if only for a moment. And that’s all it takes—a single, solitary moment. Life changes for everybody in the aftermath of the ensuing inferno. Nobody walks away unscathed.

     What I find to be a truly amazing aspect of the All Authors anthologies is a prompting of new stories from the authors involved. Give us a topic and see what we can do. As a writer, I enjoy these sorts of nudges. I find deep satisfaction in this challenge. Once again, I am truly grateful for the honor and privilege of contributing to another incredible volume in the Concordant Vibrancy series.