We were lucky to catch up with Shanna Forrestall recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shanna, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Out of all of the important work we do, our work with young people on the autism spectrum is very close to my heart. I have been working with young people on the autism spectrum for years since I published my first children’s book WHY THE GIRL BECAME A CAT.

Telling children’s stories and writing original music has become an important part of my life and hiring and mentoring these young people so they can use their talent, creativity and skills to help us tell stories is inspiring.

My music partner and I, Jeff Gold are working under the My Calm World and Fire and Water Music labels to do this work. Right now we have a dedicated team of young men on the autism spectrum helping us to create custom illustrations, animation and video projects to make people’s lives better. They are each a unique joy to work with and we hope that our listeners will continue to support the work (by listening/streaming/downloading) so we can keep doing this! Our published work is on all streaming outlets, including Youtube and links to our published works and information on what’s coming next can be found on our website at www.MyCalmWorld.com.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I fell into the film and television industry over 15 years ago and that led to me utilizing my creative gifts in a variety of fields including acting, producing, writing, directing and more. But, at heart I’m a producer and writer. Even as a child when I think of my playtime, I was coordinating complex “storylines” for my friends and I to act out. I love using the imagination to learn, teach and inspire.

Right now I’m working in the areas of film, fashion and music and also releasing ongoing work in the form of children’s bedtime stories. I started a powerful platform in Chattanooga, TN called Chattanooga Fashion Expo after I moved here in 2020 to elevate regional artists and this year we’re doing four days of packed events from Nov 17-20,2022.

I am also producing an ongoing series of original songs and stories with a variety of creatives around the world- right now we’re working with artists in Los Angeles, Chattanooga, India and France with Jeff Gold.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

What drives me in my creative work is bringing healing to the world, and more joy. My background (like many of us) includes a resume of resiliency – I’ve overcome physical/mental and sexual abuse, 3 major car wrecks and the loss of my partner to suicide to become the woman I am today. I know how many times a song or a movie or a story has kept me going, and I want to raise my creative voice in a way that people all around the world can be encouraged, soothed, inspired and loved by what we create.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My music partner Jeff Gold and I met not long after he’d lost his own wife to cancer. It was a drawn out and painful loss and we bonded immediately and started working together in the year after. We had already started working on children’s stories when I lost my husband, and Jeff was a true friend in that season of my life because he truly understood. I wrote my first original song for my husband a week before I lost him, but after he left us, songs started pouring out of me and it’s a perfect “marriage” of creativity because Jeff is a musician and producer, but not a lyricist. So my contributions when it comes to writing and producing have allowed us to create music different than he’s ever produced before. Also, his instrumental music that he’s been releasing for years (and has a world wide audience for) is perfect for many of the stories and meditations we’re also releasing now.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MyCalmWorld.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/mycalmworld
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/livewellseries
• Other: www.instagram.com/shannafromla.com www.ForrestallConsulting.com www.FireandWaterMusic.com

Image Credits
The only photos that would need credit are the ones with me and my music partner Jeff Gold (blue dress/suit) – these are by Keith Major.