I am over the moon to share with you my brand-new podcast! I’ve been dreaming for years and years about producing a show like this one. Now, at last, that dream is a reality.

The Tara Show is a talk show style podcast. My intention is that it sounds like the best programs you hear on NPR, yet it has its own unique flavor. I’ve brought together a stellar group of contributors to share their stories in conversation and audio essays. We will be talking about all sorts of topics but the themes of authenticity, vulnerability, and life of the spirit are central.

The first episode is called The Sound of the Genuine. The contributors are

• Avrum Nadigel: Avrum is family and relationship therapist from Toronto, Canada. He is writing two books: the first, The Best Time To Work on Your Marriage is When You’re Single is part autobiography and part self-help manual, aimed at anyone who is anxious, or struggles with, committed relationships; the second will be a “how to” manual for therapists curious about Family Systems Therapy based on interviews with the late Dr. David Freeman. Avrum is also a talented musician and composer; he composed our theme music and one of the music segments in the first episode.
• Heather King: Heather King is a Los-Angeles based writer, speaker, and Catholic convert with three memoirs—Parched; Redeemed; and Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Thérèse of Lisieux. A sober alcoholic and former lawyer, she appears monthly in Magnificat and blogs at Shirt of Flame. Her theme is everyday mysticism, and she believes one of the surest signs of the follower of Christ is a sense of humor.
• James Lamkin: Like Tara, James is a native of Louisiana. He’s the senior pastor of Northside Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, LA.
• Evan Moffic: Evan is a rabbi and speaker dedicated to making the Old Testament and Judaism more accessible to Christians. Originally from Houston, Texas, Evan graduated from Stanford University in 2000, and after studying in Jerusalem and Cincinnati, he was ordained as a Rabbi in 2006. Since 2009, he served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Solel in suburban Chicago. He blogs regularly for the Huffington Post and Beliefnet, and speaks about the Old Testament and early Jewish life at churches, synagogues and interfaith institutions across the country. His newest book is Wisdom for People of All Faiths. Connect with Evan at his blog, Facebook or Twitter.
• Otis Henderson: Otis is the Athletic Director as well as the Director of the Tutoring Program at Christian Cultural Center in Queens, New York. A former police officer with the New York City Police Department, Otis is an incredible leader, a basketball coach, and a lifelong learner.

The music credits for the first show can be found on SoundCloud.

Please give us a listen! I’d love to hear your feedback–and you can add comments right on the sound waveform in SoundCloud; just click on the point of the recording where you’d like to add your thoughts or ask a question. If you would leave a review on iTunes, that would mean so much–thanks!