Tina Neely on Bacon Loves Everyone, Finding Purpose, and the Pig That Changed Her Life

On this episode of the Big Time Talker Podcast, Burke Allen sits down with award-winning children's author Tina Neely to share the heartwarming true story behind Bacon Loves Everyone.Inspired by her real-life pet pig, Bacon Bit, Tina discusses how an unexpected companion became the inspiration for a children's book centered on love, acceptance, and belonging. She shares how she taught herself digital illustration after more than two decades away from drawing, the hidden-heart concept woven throughout the book, and her vision for expanding Bacon's World into a series that helps young children navigate life's everyday moments with kindness and confidence.Tina also reflects on the unexpected career change that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of helping children know they are loved, and how following a calling led her from working as a sous chef to becoming a multi-award-winning children's author.Whether you're a parent, grandparent, educator, or simply love uplifting stories, this conversation is filled with humor, inspiration, and a reminder that everyone deserves to feel loved.