Jess sits down with Jackie Pflug, author of Wake Up! It's Time to Say Yes to a Life Worth Loving. Join us for an inspiring conversation about breaking free from autopilot and consciously choosing joy. Jackie shares how to recognize when parts of your life aren’t working—and what it takes to release what’s holding you back so you can fully say yes to life.
The episode also explores the benefits of working with Soul Speak Press, from maintaining creative control and ownership of your book rights to having an authentic voice in every step of the publishing process.
Jackie Pflug is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and survivor of the 1985 EgyptAir hijacking—an event that left her shot at point-blank range and left for dead. While that moment changed everything, her greatest transformation came years later as she reckoned with what it means to create a life built on authentic joy.
Today, Jackie brings her story to intimate stages across the country—from women’s circles and bookstores to podcasts—inviting people into honest conversations about growth, healing, and reclaiming joy. With a rare blend of humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom, she shares insights on navigating change, listening to your inner voice, and finding your way home to yourself.
Jackie has been featured in People, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Times of Malta, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Larry King Live. Her story is unforgettable—and her message is universal.
This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.
Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six
Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.
