Hello and welcome to my author page!

When you share a birthday with the Bard of Avon, strange things happen. Like winning a book proposal contest and having your Shakespeare book published by Hierophant Publishing, the same house that publishes inspirational titles like Warrior Goddess Training, The Mastery of Self, and Rumi’s Little Book of Love.

I wrote Shakespeare’s Guide to Living the Good Life because I’ve found his plays to be not only wickedly funny and politically incisive, but also relevant to the universal human desires to be loved, valued, and free.

Every chapter is a journey through one of the bard’s most notable plays, each with actionable life lessons for today’s crazy times. Hey, things were rough in the 1500s, too. Shakespeare’s audience was dealing with bubonic plague, political unrest, the fouling of natural resources, not to mention warfare and social injustice. His writing spoke to those times and it speaks to our time as well.

Explore the power of acts of service with Twelfth Night, or the freedom of forgiveness with The Tempest. From the importance of true friendship as in The Winter’s Tale to the benefits of exercising compassion as in The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare’s wise insights can assist you in mastering the art of living.

Shakespeare’s Guide to Living the Good Life: Life Lessons for Comedy, Tragedy, and Everything in Between

Shakespeare's Guide to Living the Good Life book cover.

“Yes, there is sickness, death, conflict, and division in today’s world. But there are also sunrises, starry skies, families, friendships, laughter, and love. Shakespeare invites us to enjoy the latter while acknowledging the former and shows how balancing an appreciation for both is key to living the good life.”

This book is a love letter to a writer on whom I’ve had a crush since childhood. His witty, insightful, and heart-centered advice, offered through humorous characters and entertaining stories, is particularly valuable in today’s chaotic world.

Each chapter of Shakespeare’s Guide is a journey through one of his most notable plays, including useful life lessons to be learned from his writing.

Feel free to read in order or skip around to subjects that interest you most. For example, you can explore the dynamic power of persistence with All’s Well That Ends Well or the rewards of authentic expression with Much Ado About Nothing.

From the importance of hospitality (The Comedy of Errors) and imagination (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) to the benefits of communing with nature (As You Like It), Shakespeare’s hard-won insights, offered with curiosity and playfulness, can help you thrive in difficult times.

  • "The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together."

    All’s Well that Ends Well, act 4, scene 2

  • "The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them."

    A Midsummer Night’s Dream, act 5, scene 1

  • "We know what we are but not what we may be."

    Hamlet, act 4, scene 5

  • "Our doubts are traitors and makes us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."

    Measure for Measure, act 1, scene 4

  • "Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast."

    The Comedy of Errors, act 3, scene 1

  • "The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven."

    The Merchant of Venice, act 4, scene 1

  • "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."

    The Tempest, act 4, scene 1

  • "If this were played upon a stage now, I would condemn it as an improbable fiction."

    Twelfth Night, act 3, scene 4

Reader Reactions to Shakespeare’s Guide

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Shakespeare's Guide to Living the Good Life is a MUST- READ! This book is a treasure for anyone seeking insight and inspiration to enrich their life journey!"

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Great Read! I especially enjoyed the author's personal experiences, which were authentic and relatable to my own life. Highly recommend!”

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The author does a brilliant job of bringing Shakespeare's wisdom to life in a way that feels real and relatable to today's world. "

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Kim Bradley has sifted through the bard's best work, and pulled out exactly what we need to hear. The style is so relatable and authentic."

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I especially like the enactments at the end of each chapter encouraging us to bring a little Shakespeare into our own worlds!"

I also write a historical fiction seafaring adventure series under the pen name K. Pearson Bradley. The tale begins on the Greek island of Chios, traverses the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, and concludes with a spectacular 1777 political showdown in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Book 3 of the series releases soon!

Coming August 13, 2025

Book 3 of the Merchant Tides Series

Merchant Tides Series Book Three, Mists of Menorca by K. Pearson Bradley book cover.

Sebastian Krizomatis is a seventeen-year-old Greek fugitive from the Ottoman Empire, torn between a longing for freedom, the allure of adventure at sea, and the weight of familial responsibility. Arriving in the British-occupied port of Mahón, Menorca in 1767, Seba believes he and his family are finally safe. When privateers attack the harbor at night, Seba realizes that other enemies, seen and unseen, await him wherever he goes. Forging new alliances to confront demons internal and external, Seba must disperse the mists of Menorca to find where his true loyalties lie.

Puck Statue outside the Folger Library.

Praise for Book 1, Tears of Chios

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I started reading this book when I got on a flight and barely looked up until we landed. It felt like I was in Greece and I became attached to so many of the characters. Very well written! And a captivating story. I can't wait to see what happens next in Book 2!

Historical Fiction at its best!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Historical fiction is my favorite genre of reading and this did not disappoint. K. Pearson Bradley introduced me to the Tears of Chios, something I had no clue existed. Through her storytelling a young boy, Seba, comes to life along with characters who bring out all the emotions! Can’t wait for the next book!

Accolades for Book 2, Scions of Smyrna

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The eagerly-awaited sequel to ‘Tears of Chios,’ and worth every moment. . . . Every bit as good as the preceding text, the only bad news about this book I could find is that I shall have to wait some time before the appearance of a third text. Five stars and a strong recommendation.

 Bard Bits and Bobs

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