“Dare to Be Brilliant Now in Public Speaking: How to WOW Your Audience is just that: nothing short of brilliant! Josephine Kuehn gives her readers everything they need from beginning to end. Take your presentation from boring to awe-inspiring, using Kuehn’s highly effective techniques.” - Patty Aubery

#1 NY Times best-selling author of Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, President of Jack Canfield Companies, Co-founder of the Success Principles Certification, Founder of the Permission Granted project

“Performer, public speaking coach, and educator Josephine Kuehn’s voice rings clear on these pages. Her tips and expert guidance on how to speak eloquently and with confidence in front of an audience are useful and easy to apply. Josephine is a captivating storyteller, and she teaches you how to be one too. Even though there may be other public speaking books on the store shelves, Dare to Be Brilliant Now in Public Speaking is chock full of whimsy, humor, and enthusiastic encouragement for the reader.” - Hannah Fox, M.A., Co-Director of New York School of Playback Theatre

“As a former colleague of Josephine Kuehn, it is a pleasure to say that Dare to Be Brilliant Now in Public Speaking is thorough, engaging, dynamic, and fun. Her explanations, details, strategies, examples, and activities, derived from her years of experience in teaching and acting, are first rate. Also, when I evaluated her in the classroom, she was excellent at dealing with both the class as a group and with individual students. This book has this dual focus as well, making it doubly valuable and one of the best books on public speaking I have seen.” - Michael Detwiler

Professor Emeritus of English and German

“I have worked with Josephine on stage as an actor, and observed her as a performer and presenter. I can attest to her well-known professionalism and expertise. As a performer, she takes possession of the stage and the audience with the actor’s two tools: body and voice.
As a presenter, she is sharp, witty, to the point, and clear. Again, she captures the audience’s attention and holds it. Her book, Dare to Be Brilliant Now in Public Speaking, teaches in a cleverly personal and fun manner the skills necessary for effective, powerful public speaking. I wish I had this book when I was teaching speech!” - Joe Stoffel

Speech and Theater Educator, Director, Actor

“I’ve known Josie Kuehn for forty-one years as an educator, nurse, and friend.
Josie is an intelligent, resourceful, and energetic woman, who has earned respect, admiration, and popularity among all her peers in education, nursing, and theater.

“While maintaining a professional career—first as an educator at the local community college in communications and theater, and then as a registered nurse at public health and the local hospital as a lactation specialist and everything in between—Josie was also constructively involved in numerous theatrical productions in several community theaters. A well-rounded director, actor, and writer, Josie has the impeccable ability for timing, and was always sure to entertain and get a laugh, portraying characters with depth and insight. As the master of ceremonies at many awards banquets, her ability to ad lib, engage the crowd, and keep the program on schedule, was flawless and made what could have been boring into a great time for all.

“I am confident that you will find her outstanding skills as a speaker, actress, and writer, to be both entertaining and informative. So kick back, relax, and enjoy the laughs! You might even pick up some life lessons.” - Theresa Erskine

Teacher, Actress, Director and Choreographer

“With Dare to Be Brilliant Now in Public Speaking, Josephine simply and playfully demystifies public speaking. It is remarkably accessible, easy to read, clear, to the point, and super practical. Even 5 minutes of reading will give people concrete tools to write and perform speeches, or to simply learn how to talk in front of people, with confidence. This is a guide for beginners as well as for seasoned public speakers. I am a long-time theatre professional, have spoken in front of people my whole adult life, and have also taught public speaking to high schoolers. I learned some new things by reading this. I last worked with Josephine 25 years ago, when she invited me to put on a highly interactive workshop/performance for her college students and colleagues, in Coos Bay, OR. She participated as well, and her infectious joy and authenticity left an indelible mark. She practices what she preaches. Even if you never plan to make a speech, this book has nuggets for life.” - Marc Weinblatt

Founder & Co-Director, Mandala Center for Change

“I learned my truth when I walked away from a reasonably solid job of 15 years to go back to college to get an Aassociate of Aarts degree. It made no sense, but the adventure began at Southwestern Oregon Community College (S.W.O.C.C.). I had to take speech class in college, and I was really looking forward to it. I had already taken two big steps toward my new career by auditioning for and accepting a role in a play at Marshfield High School (MHS), and being one of the commencement speakers at my graduation from MHS, in 1979. My speech professor was an unusually quirky lady named Josephine Kuehn, who was very solid in her craft. I remember that one of my earlier assignments was to give a convincing speech on some specific issue. The whole time I was up in front of the class, Josephine observed my presentation with a rather stern look on her face. I did not flinch. And I might have even swayed her in my beliefs.

“A few months later, I was reading one of the college newspapers when I spotted an advertisement for auditions for a play called The Diviner’s, directed by Josephine Kuehn. I cannot remember what grade I got from the speech class, but I believe it was an A or B. So I felt comfortable around this particular professor. I tried out for the part of the farmer father, and I got it. If I hadn’t decided to try out a career in theatre, I never would’ve met the love of my life, Maureen. When we auditioned for the same play, I saw the twinkle in her eye. It was love at first sight. We married.

“After my second play, Christmas at the Juniper Tavern, was over, Josephine somehow convinced me to take this unusual theater seminar at the college, which was similar to acting but not really acting. It was much more like simple human interaction conveying the emotions. People came from other states to be a part of this, and it was interesting and rather fun. Josephine was the one that compelled me to dive right in to every play I could. She made me feel wanted and needed in this craft. Josephine became my professor, director, advocate, and friend. Quirky and kooky, professional and charismatic, Mrs. Kuehn propelled me to the highest of highs. I thank her ever so much for simply being there for me. Thank you Josie!” - Robert Danial Jungbluth (Bob)

Actor, Artist