Author Chat with Elizabeth & Marilyn Atkins

We're going to get into a fabulous mother daughter duo who are killing it in the literary world. I am joined by Elizabeth and the Honorable Marilyn Atkins. How are you, ladies? Happy to be here. Thank you. Thank you for having us. Of course. So tell us a little bit about, you know, the two of you like you're here. You're in Michigan. You're Detroit. You're making so many different, you know, moves when it comes to the literary world and promoting reading. So tell us a little bit about you two. Well, our mother is amazing. She went to law school when we were little. She became chief judge of 36 different courts. She overcame racism, abuse, scandal with our parents. Because our father was a Catholic priest who left the church in the 60s, married a black woman 25 years younger. And everybody's like, you should write a book. So my sister Katherine Greenspan and I started a publishing company 10 years ago, two sisters writing and publishing. So when she wrote her book by herself, we published it. And now it's a screenplay that hopefully will be a feature film made by a major production company in L.A. And I can't wait to see it because it's just amazing what you're doing. You know, like what Elizabeth's hand, the the milestones that you overcame without your life going to law school, being a mother of two and just continuing to make a difference. How does that feel? Well, it was difficult. And I wouldn't advise anyone to take the path I took. But I got married young and had children even younger. And my focus had to be on who was going to pay for the education of our children. Like Elizabeth said, her father was 25 years my senior. And one day I sat down and I was crunching the numbers. And I realized when it was time for them to go to college, it would be time for him to retire. And I said, I got to get back to school. Because I'm going to have to pick up this tab for their education. And that's exactly what happened. I paid for both of them and they're a year apart. So they were both at University of Michigan at the same time. My husband took care of the car and I took care of everything else. So, you know, the the teamwork made the dream work. It is the power of moms when, you know, you're determined to do something. You guys knock it out the park no matter what happens. And so, Elizabeth, I know you used to actually work here at Fox 2. So you are a pro when it comes to everything that we do here. And, you know, you wrote for the shows and then you decided to venture off and become an author. And so one of your books, I know you guys have a plethora of books between you, your sister and your mom, the goddess. And I think it does a great job at showing empowerment when it comes to women, because I feel like sometimes it goes by the wayside and it's not easily talked about. So tell us a little bit about that. Well, my mother, obviously, was my greatest role model because she worked she had a full time job, law school, family, passed the bar on the first time and became chief judge despite all the obstacles. And so she taught me and my sister that we could do anything and discipline and hard work do pay off. So we became strong trailblazers on our own. And I wrote the Goddess Power series of books to teach other women how to be strong with themselves first, how to ignore all the noise of the world and do what you want to do that has power and purpose and can lead you into personal truth and empowerment. So the Goddess Power series is my pride and joy because I transformed with a huge weight loss, with getting through a terrible divorce and all the things I've done it myself. And now I'm teaching it to other women. I'm actually doing a virtual retreat next month and I know you do a lot of work when it comes to, you know, the Detroit Writing Room, which I happen to be at a couple of weeks ago. And it's just amazing. I had a chance to talk to Shaka. He was on the show not too long ago. And so it's just great that not only are you, you know, showing that message to adults and women, but also to the younger girls, which I feel like this generation needs a lot of guidance. And I feel like you two, especially you, Judge Atkins, you're setting the tone of what is the prime example of what it is to be a strong, independent woman and a strong black woman at that. And so, Judge Atkins, I know you're doing something pretty big on the 19th at the Detroit Book Fest. So tell us a little bit about that. Well, first of all, it's my birthday. I'm not going to say what. You're a Cancer. Yeah, she's turning 80. No, she's not. Yeah, she's turning 80 years old. Let's just tell the world I'm 80. Let's just get a big sign. Well, you look great. Well, thank you. Thank you. I'm I'm grateful every morning and every night. I thank God for another day, another night and all the blessings I've had. Yeah. And that's the resilience of cancers when it comes to Zodiac. Because my grandmother was a cancer. You remind me very much of her. Like she was she played no games and she was like a mother, a wife. She took care of the kids. She was also involved in church. She worked. She did her thing. And she had her own life. And so you're going to be at the Detroit Book Fest doing a book signing. And that's kicking off at Eastern Market on the 19th. And so what shed are you guys going to be in? So everyone can know where to find you. We're going to be at the booth with the Detroit Writing Room. So just look for that big purple sign. We're so grateful to Stephanie Steinberg for inviting us to participate at the table. And one real quick thing that I really want to emphasize what my mother always says when she talks to young people, she tells women, young ladies, pick the right partner. Because that is everything. If she couldn't have done everything without her father, we took dinner. He took a piano lesson. We oversaw our homework because she was at night school, law school. We went to middle school. So that's a huge God is power message that we learned from her. You have to have the right partner because they will either lift you up. And I feel like this generation needs that, because when it comes to the dating pool for like our ages, it's just full of filth. And it's like it's slim pickings because they don't make men like they did back in the day, you know, like with your father, with your husband, with my grandfather, you know, like my dad. It's like those hardworking men and just that generation. We just I wish we could just make a time machine and just go back and recreate, recreate those. So, ladies, before I let you go, is there anything else that you would like to say to fellow book lovers out there? Well, read my mother's book. Everybody's like, I felt like you were talking to me. And then they're like, you should make a movie. So we are. Yeah. And write your story, write your story. It is so empowering. What was what's your message about that? Well, I want my book to and my story to encourage women to be all that they can be, reach for the stars, just just go for it. Don't let anybody stand in your way. The naysayers and what Elizabeth said about a partner is very important because you need a strong partner who is going to see you support your dream. And of course, you support their dream. It's a it's a two way street. You don't need somebody who's very insecure of your success or what you want to be as your success. It's you know, it's it's it takes two. And the support that you get from your partner is going to make the end result all that more wonderful to celebrate. Well, ladies, thank you so much for taking the time and sharing that message with us and continue doing the work that you ladies are doing. And just thank you so much. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you for having us. Thank you.