Before books, before blogs, before Wi-Fi and fancy slide decks—we had stories. Passed down around campfires and on cave walls, shared over supper tables and porches across generations. Story has always been how we make sense of the world. It's how we remember, how we teach, how we connect.
I believe in the power of the written word. But I also know this: Visuals bring stories to life in a way that words alone never could.
From ancient petroglyphs to museum art, we’ve always relied on images to feel what words tried to say. Our brains remember pictures. They anchor emotions. They help us see the lesson, especially in stories that are personal, vulnerable, and full of a life well-lived.
When I began writing The Expert Generalist, I knew I didn’t just want to tell my story—I wanted people to experience it.
Because my journey is a life less traveled. The stories are full of grit, humor, and characters you couldn’t make up if you tried:
Me, 7 years old, cleaning a honky tonk and being a runner for beer and smokes for my uncle and his circle of friends. Twelve years old, driving to town to run errands, working as an underage lifeguard, saving every penny to buy a camera and start documenting my own memories.
Brother Jed, a bullhorn-wielding preacher who stormed my college campus with fire and brimstone sermons, reminding me that not all messengers of truth deliver kindness.
The Snake Show, the infamous 5th-grade snake show, taught me when to walk away. Snake safety or not. The old King Cobra and I were not going to meet that day.
A Black Swan, be careful the company you keep and you will never question the destination. Trust me on this one.
These stories shaped me, but it’s the imagery that brings them home. Illustrations and photos are the perfect pairing for this visual joyride from bare feet in Alabama to global boardrooms. The book is an invitation to connect, to reflect, and maybe see your own story a little differently because the lessons in leadership are all the same.
We are all walking around with an archive of lived wisdom—stories worth telling, pictures worth sharing.
Thanks for being here.
Live a Great Story-
Monique
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