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Guests:* Rossana D'Antonio – Author of 26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash* Marty Ross-Dolen – Author of Always There, Always Gone: A Daughter's Search for TruthTwo authors, Rossana D'Antonio and Marty Ross-Dolen, each faced the unimaginable loss of loved ones in separate plane crashes decades apart. Their grief led them to write powerful memoirs—Rossana's 26 Seconds and Marty's Always There, Always Gone—that explore truth, healing, and the lasting impact of tragedy. In an extraordinary coincidence, both books were released in the same week, a situation that could easily spark feelings of rivalry or jealousy between writers. Instead, their shared experience created a bond as they connected over loss, resilience, and the courage it takes to turn pain into story. This episode dives into that connection, exploring not only grief but also the unexpected solidarity found in telling similar stories side by side.Hey everyone, it's Jenny Nash. This episode happens to feature an Author Accelerator book coach. Author Accelerator is the company I founded more than 10 years ago to lead the emerging book coaching industry. If you've been curious about what it takes to become a successful book coach, which is to say, someone who makes money, meaning, and joy out of serving writers, I've just created a bunch of great content to help you learn more. You can access it all by going to bookcoaches.com/waitlist. We'll be enrolling a new cohort of students in our certification program in October, so now's a perfect time to learn more and start making plans for a whole new career.Transcript below!EPISODE 464 - TRANSCRIPTJennie NashHey everyone. It's Jennie Nash. This episode happens to feature an Author Accelerator book coach. Author Accelerator is the company I founded more than 10 years ago to lead the emerging book coaching industry. If you've been curious about what it takes to become a successful book coach, which is to say someone who makes money, meaning and joy out of serving writers. I've just created a bunch of great content to help you learn more. You can access it all by going to book bookcoaches.com/waitlist. That's bookcoaches.com/waitlist. We'll be enrolling a new cohort of students in our certification program in October, so now's a perfect time to learn more and start making plans for a whole new career.Multiple SpeakersIs it recording? Now it's recording, yay. Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. I don't remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay, now—one, two, three.Jennie NashHey everyone. I'm Jennie Nash, and this is the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast, the place where we talk about writing all the things, short things, long things, fiction, nonfiction, pitches and proposals. Today I'm here to talk with two writers who I brought together because of a very interesting coincidence; each of these writers recently published a memoir about a plane crash. They each lost somebody that they love in a plane crash, and they wrote a story about their search for understanding and their search for healing and what it all means to their lives. These two books are really different stories, which I think is so interesting and says so much about the creative process. And what's remarkable is that these two books were published just one week apart, and these two writers became aware of each other's books and became friends. I happened to have a connection to each of these writers. At several points throughout her writing process, I coached Rossana D'Antonio including the very first time she came into a classroom to write about this story. Her book is called 26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash. Marty Ross-Dolen is the other author. Her book is called Always There, Always Gone: A Daughter's Search for Truth. Marty is a writer who came into my Author Accelerator book coach certification program to study how to become a book coach, and that's when I became aware of her and her story. In this conversation, Marty and Rossana come together with me to talk about grief, writing, jealousy and so many of the things that make memoir such a difficult and challenging genre to write and also such a satisfying one. I can't wait for you to listen. So let's get started. Welcome Rossana and Marty. I'm so excited to have you both here today to talk about this incredible topic. And before we get going, we are talking just days after there was a terrible plane crash in India in which a lot of people died and one man walked away, and there's a plane crash at the center of both of your books. And I just wanted to start by asking, how do you feel when this happens as it happens so many times, you know, are you okay as we sit here today? Or does this weigh on you? What is it? What is it like to sit here today? So maybe we'll start Rossana with you.Rossana D'AntonioOkay, well, thanks, Jennie, for inviting me on your podcast. It's really exciting to be here and to share, you know, this podcast with Marty. And, yeah, I mean, I, I agree with you. It's really, I mean, I think our memoirs—it's just so timely that they're out during this time because it's, you know, it's not just Air India. We've had several incidents within the last several years, actually, that have brought to light the strain in the aviation industry. It's been, it's been really interesting because, as it seems like there's not a day that goes by that there isn't something in the news with regards to plane crashes or plane incidents, near misses, whatever it may be. But as we experience each incident, and it becomes breaking news, and you know, we're witnessing it on live TV, it is, it is hard not to relive the experience. And I'm—I'll speak for myself—it is hard for me not to relive the experience. And in the book, I kind of talk about it because I say that it's kind of like we belong to this group that we never asked to be part of and this group is made of families of the victims of plane crashes. And, you know, the very first images that you see are of the grieving families and the pain and the grief that is stamped on their faces, the shock of it all. Plane crashes are so dramatic and so violent that it's hard not to get caught up in the whole story, and it's hard not to think of the families and want to comfort them, knowing that their hell is just starting, and all the things that they're going to have to go through, you know, with regards to the aftermath, the investigation, recovering their loved ones and their loved ones' belongings. So it is hard, but I try to, I try to focus on hoping that their recovery or their healing—the sooner they face the disaster, the tragedy—their healing can actually start.Jennie NashIt's got to be so hard. We'll, we'll return to all of these topics again. But Marty, you're... what are your thoughts?Marty Ross-DolenI echo what Rossana says about how—first, thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here with you. I echo, and I love being here with Rossana, and I echo what she says as well. When I see some sort of headline or announcement that an airplane accident has taken place, my heart sinks. My stomach sinks. I know that I'm going to be in it for a couple of days, if not longer, and nowadays, with social media and the immediacy of information—and for the first time, with this devastating Air India crash, and part of it is because there was a survivor—we have information that we've never had before about the experience of it, and somehow, what came across my news feed on social media as well were videos of the inside of the cabin just before the crash. I don't even know how these were available. I don't even know if they're real because of AI—it's... but then I see that because I can't not see it, and I'm stuck with that in my brain until it goes into that little pocket that contains all those things that we see over our lifetimes that we try never to think about again. So it's hard, it's really hard, and it's really hard to get on an airplane. But that's true for everyone. That's true for everyone, but because, as Rossana describes, we're members of this group, this club that we didn't sign on for, it's probably extra hard.Jennie NashYeah, I want to come back to that "get on an airplane" thing, but just so our listeners can know about the stories that I'm referring to here, we know that you both wrote books, and they're both memoirs, and they're very, very different experiences for the reader—vibes, purposes, feelings, all of those things—and yet they share this plane crash at the center. So I wanted to ask if you would each just give a summary of what your book is about—the title, what it's about—so our readers can know, our listeners can know, what we're talking about. Your readers, our listeners. Rossana, we're kind of in a pattern here, so why don't you go first?Rossana D'AntonioSure. Thanks, Jennie. So my story, my book, is 26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash. And it's the story of—well, the title says it all, right? So on May 30, 2008, TACA Flight 390 departed from El Salvador International Airport en route to Miami, Florida, with an interim stop in Honduras at one of the most notoriously dangerous airports in the world, Toncontín International Airport. The area was buffeted by Tropical Storm Alma at the time. So there was a lot of wind, a lot of rain, a lot of fog, and when TACA Flight 390 attempted to land on the airport's very short runway, it overshot the runway, crashed into an embankment, and killed five people—three in the plane, including my brother, the pilot, and two in a car that were crushed when the plane landed on them. The book is my search for the truth as to what truly happened on that day. I suspected my brother would be made a scapegoat. Seventy percent of airplane accidents are blamed on the pilot, and so I just suspected that that would be our reality. And so this book is the story about me finding answers to the questions as to what happened that day..Jennie NashAnd in terms of the timeline of this story, when I first met you, you had just begun to write about it. I think it was 10 years. Oh, no, I've got that wrong. How long after the event? You came into a class of mine at UCLA—it was really close to the event.Rossana D'AntonioYeah. So it was February of 2009, so it was a little over six months. So it was still very, very raw.Jennie NashI know the 10 years part is you came back to me 10 years later, having finally wrapped your hands around how you wanted to approach it. So the story as you write it is 10–15 years after the event, looking back on it and all the work that you did to understand this crash and you are uniquely positioned. And I remember thinking about this way back when I first met you. You have a very unique perspective on disaster, and you have a very unique positioning or perspective from which to look at that. Do you want to explain what that is?Rossana D'AntonioSure. So I'm an engineer. I'm a civil engineer, and I worked for over three decades in the public sector at Los Angeles County Public Works. I was over—as I left county service, I was a deputy director over our emergency management business area, and so I was trained to respond to all sorts of different disasters. Our agency managed several pieces of infrastructure, including five different airports. So I was trained to not only plan, design, construct infrastructure, but also to respond to emergencies following not only natural disasters but, you know, human-made disasters. And following these disasters, I was the lead for preparing after-action reports, which essentially describe what happened, what went wrong, what went well, and what lessons learned can we actually take away from these disasters. So that was my background.Jennie NashYeah, it's an incredible connection to this tragic event. So we'll come back to that in a minute. So Marty, tell us about your book.Marty Ross-DolenSure. So my book is entitled Always There, Always Gone: A Daughter's Search for Truth. And in 1960, my grandparents were killed in an airplane accident that was a collision over New York Harbor. Their plane—they had left Columbus, Ohio. They were traveling to New York, and they were on a TWA Super Constellation, and then a United jet that had originated in Chicago was flying in. My grandparents' plane was set for landing in LaGuardia. The United flight was set for landing in Idlewild, which is now JFK Airport. The United plane got off course and collided with my grandparents' plane. My grandparents' plane landed in Staten Island in an empty airfield, and the United flight actually continued for a few miles and landed in Park Slope, Brooklyn, killing people on the ground. So on the planes, there were 128 people who lost their lives, and then six people on the ground in Brooklyn. And because of that horrific situation in Brooklyn, that's where most of the sort of media was focused. There was one survivor who survived for about 24 hours—a boy—but he didn't live. My grandparents were on their way from Columbus to New York to meet for a meeting to talk about their family business, their iconic family magazine Highlights for Children, and they were looking to place the magazine on the newsstands. So they were executives with the company, and this accident was actually the largest commercial jet airplane disaster up until that time in 1960, so it was a pretty well-known, famous accident.Jennie NashSo you two have a very unique connection to that accident, and where you stood when you wrote about it is much further in the future from the crash itself, because your mother, if I remember correctly, was 14 years old at the time.Marty Ross-DolenRight. So my mom was 14. It was six years before I was born, so obviously I didn't know my grandparents. My mom was the second oldest of five, and they moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Austin, Texas, to live with a paternal uncle and his family. And so my book is more about my experience of being raised by a mother who was in protracted mourning after having lost her parents and not had a way to process her grief as an adolescent, and as she got older. So my approach to my book is from that angle primarily, in addition to getting to know my grandmother through her letters, which was a significant goal through the writing process.Jennie NashRight. So you have this reverberation through time of this accident and your connection to the work your grandparents did. You're a writer, you're an editor, you're a person who deals with story, and they were—I mean, I was such a reader of Highlights back in the day—and that, you know, you use the word iconic, you know, probably launched the careers of so many writers and thinkers, and you have a connection through time with that, which is a very unique perspective to have on your story. So you each bring these very different ways of looking at this event. So before we kind of dig into the decisions you each made around how to structure your book, and the tone and shape and all of that, part of the reason we're all talking here today is this, what I think of as a very delightful outcome of these books, which is that you know each other. You've met each other after the books were written. And oftentimes we think, when we're writing something, that well, we think several things: nobody's ever written anything like this, and everybody else has already written this story. What do I have to say? You know, those sort of back-and-forth thoughts that writers often have—Is this unique? Do I have something to add? Do I have something to say? How am I going to serve my readers, or what experience am I going to give to my readers? And then, you know just those pinging back-and-forth thoughts. And it's not very often that we get to actually meet a writer who, at the same time, in the same phase here of publishing, you know, just the same year even, has written something that is similar-ish, you know, about a plane crash, but totally different books. But I just want to ask you each about the meeting of each other and the thinking of that book, and what that's like, because it's so unusual to get to have this kind of conversation. So, you know, I imagine there are lots of things going through your head when you heard about this other book or, you know, I don't know if I have a connection to both of you. I don't know if it came from me or what, but why don't we start this time with you, Marty.Marty Ross-DolenYeah, one of the great joys of this last year has been publishing with the same publisher as Rossana, and for us to get to know each other, because we both published our books with She Writes Press, and we just happened to be in the same cohort of summer 2025. We published in the same month, one week apart. Yeah, yeah. And I remember when we first were introducing ourselves as a group, and Rossana mentioned what her story was about. And my reaction was, is it really true? Is there really another airplane accident story amongst us? Because it is—it's not common. I mean, you don't very often come across people who have lost loved ones this way, and what became clear to me over time was that our books were very, very different. And by the nature of the fact that Rossana lost her beloved brother, who she was very close to, and I lost grandparents I had never met, our stories were just—and there's decades that separate these events—so by those natures, it was clear to me that our books were going to be different. I was excited to read Rossana's book. I was also apprehensive because, for the same reason that I described about when I'm reading about it in the news, it's just hard. But I will say, in reading Rossana's beautiful book, I immediately noticed just kindred spirits with her as a writer. It happened early in the chapters that I was reading. I had used the word lullaby to describe the sound of the engines getting going when you're sitting on a plane and it's about to take off, and sort of the sound of almost a lullaby that will put you to sleep. The person who was working with me as I was writing kept crossing that word out: “That doesn't make sense. Why would you call that a lullaby?” And I wanted it in there. It felt so right. And Rossana described that exact time, those sounds, as a lullaby. It was like; this is something that's just unique about people who have experienced what we've experienced.Jennie NashOh, wow, that's so interesting. Rossana, what about you? Your coming upon Marty's book.Rossana D'AntonioI know. What are the odds, right? I mean, I had never met anyone who had ever experienced a plane crash in their family. As a matter of fact, I'm going to get geeky here, but the U.S. Department of Transportation statistics indicate that one in 2 billion people will die in a plane crash. So what are the odds that, you know, life would bring Marty and I together, that had this connection, not only with the plane crash but also with you, Jennie? I mean some that came out later on. And so I thought, wow, you know, talk about serendipity and, you know, the mysterious ways of life. And although, you know, these are very different stories, I mean, they're connected at their core by a common theme, right? Very similar tragedies. And when I read Marty's book, like she says, there was—I was taken aback because there were many similar passages, you know, how we describe things or how we perceive things. There were a lot of commonalities, even though we came from it from different perspectives, which again reinforces my belief that we're part of this group that we never want to be a part of, and we'll always be connected in one way or another. I think one of the things, though, that was obvious when I read her book was that I connected, I understood, I related to her mom, obviously, right? Her mom was one that had experienced this plane crash, so it was kind of obvious the way it had impacted her, the tragedy, the aftermath, the bottling up of her feelings, PTSD, whatever—all of that I, like, clicked. But I think the most fascinating part of Marty's book was how that grief could be transferred from generation to generation. And I thought that was the fascinating thing that I learned that I really didn't know, and how these tragedies can be prolonged for, you know, generations.Jennie NashYeah, it's—well, first of all, thanks for geeking out because that is a good description of what your book is. You have a lot in your book that is kind of geeky in a—you know, you really get into the aviation industry, into the nuts and bolts of, literally, planes and how they function to the way that governments and reports about accidents function. So when reading your book, people get that layer, which is, you know, you bring to that work. So, geek out all you want. It's great. And Marty's book, by contrast, is this exploration of, you know, you drop a pebble in a pond, and how does it hit the shores? And that very emotional—you know, she had a mother immersed in grief. And what does that do to the child? And then the child's impulse to—I think it's the word search in both of your subtitles, I think it might be, or certainly the concept of it—but that idea of a quest or a journey or, you know, a need to understand. And in Rossana's case, it's what happened on that day. In Marty's case, what happened to my mom? You know, like, what was this thing that happened to my mom? And you're both seeking—that core of both of them. So I want to ask about, because I'm fascinated by this—you know, there's a raw material of a story, and how you make your choices about what the tone of that story is going to be, or the shape and structure of that story, what you want the reader to feel or to experience. Can you both go back to when you knew you were going to write about it? I think that's the first thing, is how did you catch this idea as, "This is a thing I'm going to write about"? Marty, do you want to start with that one?Marty Ross-DolenSure. I started writing after I attended a 50th anniversary memorial event for the airplane accident. And there's a sort of story that leads up to that memorial event and my attending it. But prior to that—which was, so that was 2010—prior to that, I wasn't necessarily inclined to write about it. So after attending this memorial event in 2010, a few months later, I just started telling the story of the memorial and putting some backstory into it, and that ended up being an essay that was about... I don't know, it was a long essay, like, say, 40 pages, but I was told the story was done. Because for those of us that like to use writing and words and language to try to process those things that are sitting—that we're obsessing about or sitting in our minds—I wanted to have done that and be done, because this thing was deeper than anything else that I could excavate in terms of pain in my life. So after I submitted this essay to a class that I was taking at Ohio State—writing, creative writing workshop—and at the end of the semester, the professor said to me that he thought that really what I was doing was writing a book, because there was too much material here and I hadn't done what needed to be done. My stomach sank because I didn't want to write a book. It wasn't—I wanted to be done with this topic. So I took his feedback and all of my workshop peers' feedback, and I stuck it all, the pile of papers, into a cabinet, and it stayed there for 14—well, 10—years.Jennie NashWow!Marty Ross-DolenYeah. And then, during that time, my mother had become the archivist for Highlights, for the family business, and was going through all of the saved artifacts and materials and papers related to the company and the family. And I had always wanted to know my grandmother better. My grandmother is the person I'm named for. I had always known a lot of stories about her, but I asked my mom if she had access to any letters that she might come across in the attics and basements that she was excavating—could I have them? So she started sending them to me. So while I had an essay in the cabinet, I had bins of letters from my grandmother in the basement. And that whole time, anybody who would ask me what I was working on, writing-wise, I'd say, "Well, you know I've got these letters in the basement..." but I never did anything with it. I just couldn't—it was too—everything was too overwhelming. And then what happened for me is that COVID—when the pandemic, you know, 2020, started—became part of our lives. I realized that it was an opportunity for me to pursue an MFA that I had wanted to do for a long time because it was going to be remote. And then I realized I've got time, and I could pull all of this out and see if it was something worth tackling. So that's the story of the decision to write. It was a slow one.Jennie NashWow. Oh, so interesting. And Rossana, well, we heard that you, six months after your brother died, you were in this class trying to learn how to write about it, which, at the time, I didn't quite put together that had been so recent. So when did you decide you were going to write about it? How did you know?Rossana D'AntonioYeah, so, I mean, I didn't set out to write a book. I just started to write. And as you know, as an engineer, I wasn't really trained to be like a memoir writer or writing essays of this type of nature. But I have to give you so much credit, because when I went to your class—and I went out of curiosity to see, well, is anything I'm scribbling down in these journals, is anything really good?—and so your class brought me together with all these other students, and, you know, reading some of the material out loud, all of a sudden, it was a four-day—I don't know if you remember—it was a four-day, one of these four-day intensive classes, and at the end, we're reading our material, and all these strangers are suddenly referring to my brother like they know him, and I recognize that it was because I was somehow relaying his story to them, and I was somehow, maybe through my work or my words, keeping him alive in some way, and that was really transformational for me, because I thought, well, maybe I can do this. And you were very kind. You said that the work was actually pretty good, and then I had some teachers that, you know, added to that. So it started out like, you know, just like playing with words, and then it turned into a grief memoir. That's the… you know, it's evolved greatly. It turned into a grief memoir, which you—I went back to you and you said, “Well, this is great, congratulations, but it's really not marketable, and if you really want to get it out into the world, you're going to have to make some changes.” And so at that point, that's when I decided, all right, I'm going to go ahead and explore. I'm going to go deeper and try to explore the truth about what happened that day. Maybe make it more scientific, more technical; maybe bring in some of the elements that were missing from this memoir. And so along with working with you and working with my editor­— Jodi Fodor—both of you, like within the last few years—I thought I had written it, I thought I was fine, I thought it was done. But then I'd come back to all of you, and you would ask me these probing questions. Perhaps I hadn't developed a scene well enough, or maybe I needed to go deeper. You know, memoir is different than what I was trained to do, and that would send me down this rabbit hole in search of answers to, you know, the questions you were asking, which, by the way, was very annoying because obviously I did not want to come to terms with, you know, the questions that you were asking, because it would, like, get me down into the feeling part of the whole memoir writing. But I did the homework, I came back with answers, and then I realized that memoir is a different animal. And I really felt that your input, your feedback, your questions, your probing, really did make it a lot richer of a story. And even through those seeking answers to the questions that you had brought me to self-discoveries, epiphanies, that perhaps… things that I had bottled up, and that even at the tail end of writing the story, there was still so much more to discover with regards to grief and healing, and which was a lesson to me that I suppose this journey never really ends.Jennie NashOh, I want to defend myself when I said, “This is great, but it's not marketable.” There is such a danger with memoir, particularly memoir around big things, and you both are writing about a big thing, and also particularly around grief, where it's so big in your own head, it takes over your whole mind or life or heart or world, that you assume that everybody else gets it. Right? Like this thing happened, and it's tragic, and in Marty's case, it reverberates through my whole life, and it's so easy to skip over the work of making that story mean something to the reader, and of just sort of resting on the fact that this dramatic thing happened in your family and your life. And there are so many manuscripts like that that when they land on the desk of an agent or the hands of a reader, it's not enough, right? It's not enough. And so that was what I was responding to you. And I know because I got to work with you, and I know from Marty, because I see the result of her finished book, you both did that really hard work, and when I say it's really hard, you just named, Rossana, why it's hard. You have to look at yourself in a way… you know you have to dig in there to things you might not really want to think about. You certainly probably don't want to feel. Do you even want to share them? All of those decisions and choices and ideas. That's what's so hard. And you both put yourself through that process. So I want to ask you each about that—what was it like? So Marty, we'll start with you. In your case, you're digging into these letters, you start then digging into the news, the articles, the pictures, the—you know, all this stuff that your mother never spoke about, and here you're digging, digging, digging. What was that like for you on an emotional level?Marty Ross-DolenAh, it took over my life for a period of time. It was very time-consuming and overwhelming, and nothing about it was easy. I spent a lot of time and tears. I had a tough time sleeping. I did a lot of the work of writing in the middle of the night. In my head, I would wake up in the middle of the night reciting something I had written the day before. It had totally taken over my brain, and fortunately, my mother is very supportive of my work and has been very supportive of the book. And while I was reading the letters—and I read them all, and there are hundreds and hundreds of letters and thousands of pages of them—my mom was available to me to have very long conversations each day through it, because I would want to share something that I read with her, check with her about a story, or she would add and fill in some cracks. And she and I spent a lot of time on the phone crying. We also spent a lot of time laughing, because my grandmother was hilarious, which helped the situation. Her letters were a joy to read. But it really—it's a commitment. It's something that anybody who decides that they're going to take on a project that's going to just sort of open up the wound and create a rawness you're not even familiar with until you're there certainly needs to have established the support system. And I also had my husband, who was incredibly willing to talk about—I mean, he's been talking about this with me and listening for, at this point, for years, but certainly all the time back then, during those days. So it's not pretty, it was hard, but there's nothing about it that doesn't feel like the biggest gift I've ever given myself, because as much as I was trying to avoid it for all those years, there was a reason. I had to do it. I had to go through the process. And also, no question, there's a healing component to writing about something like this, and that reflective writing process, when you do the deep work and try to really dig and let yourself—as Rossana was saying—you know, the annoying stuff that was really like not where you wanted to go, but that is what really changed how it helped me heal in terms of grief, but it really also changed the way I thought about the story and imagined the story, and helped me not look at it through quite as much sadness and even anger, as much as I then was able to look through more of a lens of love at all of it. And I would venture to say that Rossana may have felt that too, because I read her book, and her book is all love. So…Jennie NashYeah, so Rossana, what was that experience of writing like for you?Rossana D'AntonioYeah, well, like Marty said, you know, it was, it did become all-consuming. I became obsessed. For me, though, it was the plane crash, right? The plane crash is the common thread throughout the whole book. And I would venture to say that the crash is a character itself. I like to think of it as the crash is the villain that I battle throughout the story. Everything revolves around it, and it was all-consuming. I analyzed it a million different ways. I deconstructed it. I peeled layer after layer, fact upon fact, trying to get to the core of what truly happened, right? And then I put everything back together, reconstructing it to try to make sense of it all in an effort to find out the truth, with a little bit of fear as to what I may actually find, right? There were no guarantees that I would like what I actually discovered. And as a matter of fact, you know, working with my editor—because I got so ingrained in it, because I got so weedy and geeky and just too technical—you know, she would actually slash dozens of pages, and she said, “I'm not even going to read this because this is not memoir appropriate. You need to do better.” And I think it was at that point where I had that conversation with Jody that the crash evolved from a thing to a character that I could eventually conquer. And like Marty said, there is a healing, and at the end, I actually make peace with this experience. You know, not that I'm all healed, but I make peace with it. There's really nothing I could do. My search was for the truth, and I got the truth, and then I was able to let it go and actually continue to live, because it was so consuming that I wasn't really living until I let it go.Marty Ross-DolenCan I ask, Rossana, do you think that all that writing that you did that got slashed out—do you, because I have writing also that had to be removed—do you feel that that had to be written in order to be removed, in order to get on the other side of it?Rossana D'AntonioOh, that's a good question. I never thought of it that way, but yeah, it could be. I mean, it's part of the quest. It wasn't appropriate for the work that I was working on, but it did highlight facts that I needed to know in order to, like you said, let it go.Marty Ross-DolenYeah, I just think that's interesting, because I have material that didn't end up in the book, but I know I couldn't have written the book if I hadn't written that material. It's just… yeah.Jennie NashSo you both talk about having arrived at a place of peace, or you use the word a “gift to yourself,” Marty. It sounds like during the writing of these books it didn't feel like that… it feels like that now. So why did you keep going when it was so hard? Marty, what would you say to that?Marty Ross-DolenI think because even though it was hard, I was sensing that it was necessary. I was sensing the value of it, and I had just decided that I was committed to it, and I wasn't going to give up. I just had a sense that once I found myself on the other side, I would be in a place that would have made it all worth it.Jennie NashWhat about you, Rossana?Rossana D'AntonioWell, I mean, for me, there are two things. I mean, people who know me know that once I say I'm going to do something, I cannot let it go. So that's one. But the whole purpose of going down this journey was I needed to know what happened. So not knowing what happened was just not an option. I mean, that was the outcome that I was looking for, and there was fear and pain that I knew I was going to take on. But in order to get there, I needed to go through it. So it was just something inevitable. I just knew what I was getting myself into. And I—you know—bring it on.Jennie NashYeah. So I want to ask about the shaping of the stories. You know, there are so many different shapes a story can take. And Rossana, we heard how you started with one type of book, moved into another. You cut this and that. And Marty, you had this incredible amount of primary source material. How did you make a decision? I mean, there are so many questions we could ask here, but I'm going to just focus on the plane crash as part of this discussion. How did you decide where in the story the crash would come—let's call it the scene of the crash—because it appears in very different places in your books, and in some ways, that colors the tone or form or experience for the reader of that book. So, Marty, how did you make that decision? Because the crash comes quite late in your book, where we actually see it. And it struck me when I was reading your book that that was exactly right for your story, because your mother never spoke about it. You didn't know about it. It wasn't a thing you were playing over in your head, and so the not feeling the crash or knowing about the crash was part of the story of it, in a way. So how did you make that decision??Marty Ross-DolenI will say that the essay that I wrote in 2010 that I described as the foundational essay for the book was largely what part five of my book is. So in many ways, I had written the end of the book. That was the first thing I wrote. And then figuring out where to put what was really the largest challenge. And I ultimately started to realize that I knew that I was coming to the book with the goal of not having the book be about my grandparents' death, but having it be about their life, particularly my grandmother's life. And so I wanted to downplay, even though the details of the accident and my discovering it were critical to the story, I wanted to downplay their death, because that's what I was trying to do for myself, because I had grown up my whole life only knowing their death, and that wasn't what I wanted people to know about myself, my mother, or my grandmother. So that was probably the biggest reason that I decided to put it at the end. And then also I put it at the end because I did want to have some buildup. I sensed some value in the reader getting to know the characters well before finding out what actually happened, and I also wanted it to correlate with my own—as you said—my own discovery of the story, which happened later in my life.Jennie NashWell, then there's this—yeah, there's this cool thing that I thought was really cool that happens in your book, which is your grandparents have this magazine, this business, and they make a decision: “Oh, maybe we should see if we could get this in—was it dentist's offices or, you know, doctors' offices waiting rooms?” And then, you know, they're on this plane to try to get it on newsstands. And we know the incredible success that those ideas went on to have in terms of a business. You know, the seeds that they planted bore incredible fruit. And so that part of the story, I thought, was really beautifully handled as well, because we all know what Highlights was and what it became. And then to find out those were their ideas, and then they died. They were not the ones that saw that through. There's something so powerful about that, that their ideas were so strong. They were so prescient. They were, you know, they created this thing that reverberated—there's that word again—through so many people's lives. I thought that was really a beautiful touch to how you placed that plane crash too.Marty Ross-DolenOh, thank you. That's interesting to think of it from that perspective because, in addition to my not wanting the story to be about my grandparents' deaths solely, it was also not meant to be the story of the history of Highlights. It was meant to be who they were. And, you know, it really is more of a focus on my grandmother in relation to the company, but they saved the company. And there were many times in the 1950s when they were struggling to keep it from bankruptcy and the decision—the sort of… actually, it was an epiphany of a salesperson who came up with the idea of selling through doctors' and dentists' offices. But their decision to implement that happened a couple of years before they died, and that's when they actually started to see the company thrive. So they died when the company was thriving, and they were, just as you said, pursuing more. Because the whole Highlights is a mission-driven company. Our whole goal is to have material that will help children become their best selves. So the more children that it touches, the more successful the mission. And so, yes, I mean, it is part of the story as much as maybe I see it as separate. It's just not separate. But making decisions about how much of one thing, you know, is this book supposed to have? I mean, there were people who wanted me to write the history of Highlights more than I did, for sure. There were people who wanted more airplane accident, for sure. And I wanted more of my grandmother, my mother, and me, so…Jennie NashRight.Marty Ross-DolenYeah, it was a balance.Jennie NashRight. Well, you pulled it off beautifully.Marty Ross-DolenThank you.Jennie NashAnd Rossana, in your book, the plane crash literally starts on page one—or even in the title. How did you…? And I feel like it was maybe always that way. Was it always that way? Was that one thing that never changed?Rossana D'AntonioYeah, I was just going to tell you, the book went through a ton of revisions, but the one thing that remained constant was the opening scene, which was the timeline of the 26 seconds that describe touchdown to impact. And I remember reading that in your class early on, and there was a sense of shock from the reception from the other folks in the class, and I knew that that's how I wanted to start the book. I mean, that's the premise that sets everything in motion. So that was the one constant, and I'm pretty proud of that.Jennie NashYeah. I mean, it's really interesting. So we know from the very beginning what happens. And then you circle back to talk about how you learned of the crash, which is a very dramatic story as well. So how did you hold the tension through the rest of the book? When the reader knows what happened, this is not a mystery, then you have to construct the story in such a way to hold the reader—you know, what else are we going to root for or learn or find out? How did you pull that off? Because you did.Rossana D'AntonioWell, the mystery is, you know, what happened? The mystery—I mean, I talk about how the industry had, continues to have, a tendency to blame one individual, which is the pilot, the last person that touches this very complex system that is the aviation industry. And so I kind of made the industry somewhat of a villain. And this quest for me to seek the truth and hopefully to—you know, I suppose the reader wanted me to be right that the industry was somehow to blame. And so that's how I thread the story, in addition to the fact that, you know, there were facts that kind of reinforced my whole premise, right? I mean, the accident report was never—so the accident happened outside of the country. And so here in the United States, the NTSB will always do an investigation and release the report as public information, as a public document. But outside of the country, the accident investigation—although the NTSB and the FAA participated in it—the lead was the Salvadoran Civil Aviation Authority, and they opted not to make that investigation report public. And so to me, that screamed of a conspiracy. So I thread that into the whole story. And, you know, my family gets the report through indirect means, and I'm able to dive into it, and lo and behold, I discover smoking guns in the report that indicate that the industry lied and covered up. And there were conspiracies, which are not—they're not unique to this one accident. And that's the other thing I do in the book, is I bring in parallel accidents here in the United States that reinforce that the industry is a global industry, and that corporate greed is alive and well in this industry as well.Jennie NashYeah, indeed, your book is revelatory that way. And that leads me to a question I want to ask you both, which I'll start with you, Rossana. Given how hard it was to write the story, and to be in it, and to think about it, and how this plane crash dominated your thinking for so long, what do you think about when you step on a plane? Is it hard for you?Rossana D'AntonioWell, there's a little trepidation. Yes, absolutely. Every time I have to fly, there's a thinking in the back of the mind, right? I think I had a conversation with you, Jennie, where we talked about when I crossed the threshold, whether we like it or not, we are relinquishing all sense of control to those people who are flying the plane and to everybody else in the industry who helps support that pilot and co-pilot, and we have to trust that everyone has done their job. And we've discovered with recent incidents that that isn't always true. So, I mean, there are things that I do. I mean, I try to sit in the exit row. From now on, I will be sitting on 11A, you know? And, you know, I do pay attention to the safety message that the flight attendants do before we depart. I think that's a common courtesy. And by the way, you know, a lot of us feel that we're professional flyers, but we've never been tested under the most dire of conditions in an accident, so we just assume we know what to do. But do we really? And hopefully we'll never be, you know, required to put that knowledge into use. I text my husband, “We're leaving now, taking off,” and then when we land, I tell him that we've landed safe and sound, because there's no guarantee, there's no guarantee that we will make it to our destination. I like to believe—you know, we've been conditioned to believe—that flying is the safest mode of travel, and I believe that, I really do. I don't want to dispel that. I don't want to cause fear. But I do also believe that the industry is under tremendous strain. Those two things can be true at the same time. We can't just say, “I'm not going to travel.” That's just not realistic. And so I choose to trust just like my brother trusted the system when he was alive. I choose to trust the system, and we'll leave it at that.Jennie NashI love that. Marty, what about you?Marty Ross-DolenI find, interestingly, I have a lot more anxiety leading up to flying than actually while I'm flying. In the days before, I can't really focus. Part of it is this feeling of needing to get every little thing in order. And it just sort of takes over in my mind. So the thing that I like the least about flying is the days before I actually do it. And then I have a tradition that I insist that anybody flying with me, that I know personally, also take part in, which is that I kiss the plane, kiss my hand, and place it on the outside of the plane. I think that that's super superstitiously protective. And then I actually feel some relief once I'm in my seat that it's going to move forward. And maybe, maybe part of that is that whatever control I've had up to that point, I can let go. But I do, you know, my husband always says it's safer to fly than drive. And I think that that's true. I'm not a great passenger in a car, for sure, but I'm with Rossana. You trust the system, and you have to live, and you can't choose not to travel or not use a mode of transportation. It's just the way our society and lives are. And I guess I feel grateful and fortunate that we have those options. So, yeah.Jennie NashI love that! Kiss the plane. I might start doing that. I cannot recommend both of these books more. They're so beautiful, they're so different. Reading them together would be incredibly powerful if that's something listeners are inclined to do. But just to remind folks, Marty's book is called Always There, Always Gone. Rossana's book is called 26 Seconds. Thank you both for coming on with each other to talk about this unique connection you have to each other and also your individual books. Can you tell folks where they can go to learn more other than the obvious, go-buy-the-book places? Marty, why don't you go first?Marty Ross-DolenSure. Thank you. All of my information—there's a lot to learn through my website, which is martyrossdolen.com. It's M-A-R-T-Y-R-O-S-S-D-O-L-E-N.com, where there's things to learn about Highlights, there's book club questions, there's Q&A's, just lots of things. There are links to things I've done and all places where you can find the book.Jennie NashWe'll link to that in the show notes. It's just a beautiful book about mothers and daughters and grandmothers and history and our place in it, and grief and life and all of it. It's a beautiful read. And Rossana, where can people find your geeky and soulful book about your beautiful brother, Caesar [Captain Cesare D'Antonio], and his love of flying and this tragedy that unfolded and how you made sense of it? Where can they learn more?Rossana D'AntonioYeah, thank you. So my website is rossanadantonio.com—that's R-O-S-S-A-N-A-D-A-N-T-O-N-I-O.com—and you can find all sorts of information there as well.Jennie NashWell, thank you both for talking to me today.Rossana D'AntonioThank you, Jennie. Thank you, Marty.Marty Ross-DolenThank you, Jennie. Thank you, Rossana. It's been a pleasure.Rossana D'AntonioIt's been fun.Jennie NashAnd for our listeners, keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game.NarratorThe Hashtag AmWriting Podcast is produced by Andrew Perella. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Join us for a conversation about all the ways our creativity is fueled by our stories—the stories of who we are and what we have to tell. Guest W. Kamau Bell tells stories through so many mediums, and this episode explores his approach to creativity, conversation, and advocacy. We have a couple links we mention in the show that we're dropping here: 1) a link to Kamau's Substack, specifically a post from earlier this year about Gavin Newsom; and 2) a link to She Writes Press's STEP contest that we hope you'll share widely. W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian, Emmy-winning TV host, filmmaker, author, and podcast creator known for tackling race and social justice with humor and heart. He's the director of We Need to Talk About Cosby, creator and host of CNN's United Shades of America, and co-author of Do the Work. Kamau is also the author of the memoir, The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell. He blends activism and storytelling across platforms, making space for honest conversations that challenge, connect, and inspire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this deeply moving episode of Tendrils of Grief, we welcome Kristina, whose life was forever changed at the age of 13 when her brother Jay made an eerily accurate prediction about his own death. Just days later, he was tragically killed in a bike accident—hit by the green car he had foreseen. Jay's sudden death sent Kristina down a harrowing path of addiction, rebellion, and searching. Haunted by the question of how he knew, Kristina eventually embarked on a decades-long journey to find meaning and healing in the aftermath of unimaginable loss. Now an author and truth-seeker, Kristina joins us to share insights from her new memoir, What My Brother Knew (releasing May 27—the anniversary of Jay's death). Her story is a powerful blend of grief, resilience, and the mysterious threads that connect us beyond this life. This is an episode about the long arc of grief, the search for answers, and the unexpected ways healing can unfold. Episode Highlights sibling grief story What My Brother Knew book predicting death stories Kristina grief podcast She Writes Press memoir loss of a brother childhood trauma and grief grief and healing journey signs from the afterlife family grief podcast anniversary grief sibling loss healing mysterious death predictions young sibling death story memoir about grief and resilience Grieving Unexpected Loss Childhood Grief and Its Long-Term Impact Psychic Premonitions in Family Loss Turning Grief into Purpose Memoirs That Explore Sibling Bonds Grief and Addiction Recovery Spiritual Healing After Loss Grief Writing as Therapy Releasing a Book on a Death Anniversary Navigating Family Tragedy Through Storytelling Connect with Kristina Amelong Kristina is releasing a new book on May 27, the anniversary of her brother's death. With respect to your time, there's an overview of her story here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tS9zsvize_RCBInNxe2wiNh-Ag08tZ5M?usp=drive_link And I would be happy to send you an advance copy of "What My Brother Knew" (published by She Writes Press) to check out (print or pdf).   Did you enjoy today's episode?   Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email  susan@tendrilsofgrief.com   Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief  website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching.   Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community   Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss   To subscribe and review use one links of the links below  Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In  Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com  Let me hear your thoughts!  

For this episode, we'll taking on a very serious topic. Babs Walters' memoir, “Facing the Jaguar” (June 17, She Writes Press) shares her story of surviving childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and her journey of healing after 70 years of secrecy.  In this interview, Babs talks about her past, and how she embarked on a journey of healing that continues to this day. We talk about her parents, their own background and the decision to write this book. Babs goes into the writing process, which was a struggle at times, and her perspective on what happened to her once the book was complete. She also shares the message for readers and her hopes for how they too can feel empowered to speak their truth.

“If I accept that I'm his victim… can I even say I'm a wife? If my child's DNA is evidence of a crime… can I say I'm a mother?” – Brandi Dredge In this emotional conversation, author Brandi Dredge shares the raw and redemptive journey behind her memoir Girl Uncoded. From surviving childhood trauma and an abusive marriage to reclaiming her voice through writing and faith, Brandi opens up about how journaling unlocked long-buried truths and gave her a powerful new identity: survivor, storyteller, encourager. This episode is a must-listen for anyone writing from a place of pain—and hoping to transform it into purpose. Key Themes: Writing as Revelation: Brandi didn't set out to write a book—journaling led her to uncover deep-seated trauma and ultimately shape a memoir. Reclaiming Identity: Girl Uncoded is not just a title—it's Brandi's process of decoding the lies she was told (and told herself) to rediscover her worth. Faith Over Performance: Her journey to faith in 2015 reframed God not as transactional, but as deeply relational—and ultimately healing. Voice as Justice: Her writing and speaking have given voice not just to her own trauma but to other survivors who now feel seen. Publishing with Purpose: After eight years and seven drafts, Brandi partnered with She Writes Press to bring her story to light—with transparency, courage, and craft. Healing the Inner Teen: Through powerful exercises like writing a letter to her younger self, Brandi found peace and love for the girl she once was. Impact Beyond the Page: From speaking at National Crime Victim Rights Week to advocating against child marriage, Brandi is using her voice to change lives. Buy Girl Uncoded Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jiR5Gm Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647428082 Connect with Brandi Website: https://www.brandidredge.com/ Facebook: author page Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #GirlUncoded #MemoirWriting #WritingThroughTrauma #SurvivorStories #FaithJourney #WomenWriters #UncorkingAStory #BrandiDredge #SheWritesPress #WriteToHeal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Big Blend Radio's “A Toast to The Arts” Show, we're joined by award-winning writer Karen F. Uhlmann who discusses her powerful debut novel, "Intersections," releasing May 6, 2025, through She Writes Press.  Based on a true story, "Intersections" explores themes of guilt, grief, and moral dilemma through the lives of two strangers connected by a tragic hit-and-run accident. When suspended police officer Ed Kelly and fashion influencer Charlotte Oakes witness the same fatal crash that kills a young child, their lives begin to intertwine at the scene of the crime. As Ed searches for the truth, Charlotte harbors a chilling secret: she suspects her own daughter may be the driver responsible. The novel builds toward a riveting decision—will Charlotte protect her child, or do what's right? Karen shares the inspiration behind "Intersections," her writing journey, and how real-life events helped shape the emotional depth of this suspenseful, character-driven literary fiction. Karen holds an MFA in fiction from Bennington and has earned prestigious accolades including the 2016 Rick Bass/Montana Prize for Fiction and the 2012 Northern Colorado Writers Award. Her work has appeared in respected literary journals such as Southern Indiana Review, Story, Whitefish Review, and The Common. She was recently shortlisted for the 2024 Lascaux Fiction Prize. Learn more about Karen F. Uhlmann and her work: https://www.karenuhlmann.com 

Dr. Sheila K. Collins, award-winning author and grief advocate, reveals how art and creativity can transform the way we process loss and find healing. Learn powerful techniques using dance, music, storytelling, and visual arts to navigate grief and extract meaning from life's most challenging moments, whether you're dealing with personal loss or global concerns. Discover why this mother, who danced at her son's funeral, believes art can be our most powerful medicine for healing.==========================================

We all know Vincent van Gogh, but who was the powerhouse woman who turned his failed art career into an international success? In celebration of Women's History Month, and the birth anniversary of artist Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853), this episode of Big Blend Radio features author Joan Fernandez who discusses her book, "Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh." Releasing April 15, 2025 through She Writes Press, this historical fiction novel reveals the hidden true story of the woman who made Vincent van Gogh the artistic giant he is today. Joan Fernandez is a novelist who brings to light courageous women's brilliant deeds in history. “Saving Vincent” was recognized by the American Writing Awards, winning their 2024 art award. More: https://www.joanfernandezauthor.com/ 

Celebrate the end of Women's History Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio that features author Iris Mitlin Lav, who discusses her historical novel, "Gitel's Freedom."  This depression-era book shares the story of Jewish immigrants and one woman's journey toward personal freedom. It's a compelling tale of women's resourcefulness and resilience amid limiting and often oppressive expectations.    IRIS MITLIN LAV earned an MBA from George Washington University and an AB from the University of Chicago. She enjoyed a long career in public policy analysis and management, and she taught public finance at Johns Hopkins University and George Mason University. Her first novel, “A Wife in Bangkok,” was published in 2020 by She Writes Press. “Gitel's Freedom” is her second novel. More at https://irismitlinlav.com/  

At seven this week's guest, Rikki West, begged a mysterious God for help, praying that her drunk father won't harm their family and that he won't be sent to hell. But when nothing seems to happen, she worried: Is anyone up there really listening? This question triggered a lifelong search for the great, loving being she imagines her prayers might reach. Delving into Catholicism, psychedelics, transcendental meditation, yoga, AA and Buddhist chanting, she explores every available path. She studies genetic science at UC Berkeley and humanities at San Francisco State, combing through the knowledge they offer for answers to the big questions.On this guest episode I was delighted to interview the wonderful Rikki West. She was kind enough to send me a copy of her book, The Empty Bowl, and it was so smoothly and beautifully written I gobbled it up in days! Not only is Rikki a phenomenally talented writer she also has incredible life story. I try not to spoil it and let Rikki share her tale on the show of taking acid in 1960's Berkeley, having dinner at Roman Polanski's house, exploring the line between science & spirituality, surviving a violent rape that brought her face to face with the guilt and denial that shames women into silence, and fueled her addiction, how she has stayed sober for decades, and how losing everything ultimately led to a joyous late-life renaissance. Rikki West is the author of The Empty Bowl: Pursuing Truth in a Messy World, a former spiritual seeker, and a UC Berkeley–trained scientist. She spent decades trying to reconcile scientific explanations of existence with her ordinary, real-life awareness. One adventure at a time, she found her way to a peace and beauty that changed all the questions. Her book Rootlines, a memoir of family healing, was published by She Writes Press in 2020. Mother of Noli and Godmother of Morgan, Rikki loves being outside in the alpine desert of northern New Mexico, where she lives with her wife Jill and that old Yamaha.Learn More About Rikki Here:https://www.rikkiwest.com/ 

Send us a textContent Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of rape and talks about addiction. Special Guest: Rikki WestRikki West is a former spiritual seeker and UC Berkeley–trained scientist who spent decades trying to reconcile scientific explanations of existence with her ordinary, real-life awareness. One adventure at a time, she found her way to a peace and beauty that changed all the questions. Her book Rootlines, a memoir of family healing, was published by She Writes Press in 2020. Mother of Noli and Godmother of Morgan, Rikki loves being outside in the alpine desert of northern New Mexico, where she lives with her wife Jill and an old Yamaha. Links From the Show: Rikki's website: https://www.rikkiwest.com/Rikki's book Rootlines: https://bookshop.org/p/books/rootlines-a-memoir-rikki-west/kYAoarHCdMZ3yJHg?ean=9781631527548&next=t&digital=t  Rikki's book The Empty Bowl: https://www.rikkiwest.com/the-empty-bowlJoin Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org Mama Dragons on FB: https://www.facebook.com/mamadragons Mama Dragons on IG: https://www.instagram.com/themamadragons/ In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org. Connect with Mama Dragons:WebsiteInstagramFacebookDonate to this podcast

Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The content of this podcast is provided for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health issue without consulting your doctor. Always seek medical advice before making any lifestyle changes. To Get Cheryl's Book; https://www.amazon.com/dp/0190636165?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzchefajsh-20&creativeASIN=0190636165&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin Cheryl Krauter,MFT an Existential Humanistic psychotherapist with 45 years of experience in the field of depth psychology and human consciousness. With her background in theater arts, working with performing artists, visual artists and creative people has inspired her. Her diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2007 brought her into the world of psycho-oncology when she was asked to serve as a psychological consultant on a hospital survivorship plan task force. Committed to serving the community, she is a former board member of the Women's Cancer Resource Center in Oakland, California. She works with people who have been diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, their partners, family members, and caregivers from diagnosis to end of life care. She has published two books: Surviving the Storm: A Workbook for Telling Your Cancer Story (Oxford University Press 2017) and Psychosocial Care of Cancer Survivors: A Clinician's Guide and Workbook for Providing Wholehearted Care (Oxford University Press 2018). Her book Odyssey of Ashes: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Letting Go, She Writes Press, was released in July 2021. Her piece With This Ring is published in Loss and Grief: Personal Stories of Doctors and Other Healthcare Professionals (Oxford University Press 2022). Cheryl has been a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS)and the International Psychosocial Oncology Society (IPOS) since 2014. She has served as the Director of Communications for the American Psychosocial Oncology Society since 2023 and was honored to receive the APOS Distinguished Public Service Award in 2022. Cheryl has given workshops and classes at The Women's Cancer Resource Center (Oakland, CA), The Cancer Support Community (Walnut Creek and Los Angeles, CA), University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Francisco Cancer Center, The American Psychosocial Oncology Society, San Francisco State University, Casting for Recovery, Swedish Cancer Center (Seattle WA), Northern California Group Psychotherapy Society, Alta Bates Hospital (Berkeley, CA) You may find resources, podcasts, interviews, articles, webinars on her website. www.cherylkrauter.com Surviving the Storm: Finding Resilience and Discovering Possibility When Facing a Cancer Diagnosis “It only takes a few seconds to receive the news that you have been diagnosed with cancer. Yet, from that point on your world has been changed forever. You enter a vast terrain of uncertainty, isolation and insecurity when you finish treatment for cancer. What is it like to face daily life now that you are finished with treatment? Fear of recurrence, anxiety and depression related to uncertainty, along with loss and financial difficulties, as well as concerns around sexuality are all a part of this new territory. You may feel alone and distressed. You have all the knowledge within you to understand and create your own healing but sometimes you need guidance to help you find where you are and support you in discovering where you want to go.” Excerpt from Surviving the Storm: A Workbook for Telling Your Cancer Story by Cheryl Krauter, MFT Let's build a conversation on how those who have been diagnosed with cancer can find ways to thrive and engage meaningfully in their lives as they navigate their diagnosis.

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" Show features award-winning author Julie Ryan McGue who discusses her new memoir, “Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood.” Julie McGue's parents always longed for a big American family—and their adoption of Julie and her twin sister Jenny seemed to satisfy that yearning. But as the couple continue adding adopted and biological children to the family, tragedy strikes. Julie begins to see just how much her parents' goals and dreams differ from her own. Author Julie Ryan McGue unravels the gripping tale of adopted twins facing the turbulent tides of love, loss and identity in suburban Chicago. As their family expands and secrets emerge, will their sisterly bond withstand the test of time? Dive into a memoir that explores the heart's complexities and the fierce quest for belonging in “Twice the Family” (Feb. 4, 2025, She Writes Press) the much-anticipated prequel to McGue's debut memoir “Twice a Daughter.” More at https://juliemcgueauthor.com/ 

Provoked by a promise, Sandy Schankenburg's simple investigative journey intensifies when she serendipitously discovers her housekeeper Lee's past and true identity - a gut-wrenching truth hidden for 3 decades from her family. Sandy writes about it in: THE HOUSEKEEPER'S SECRET (On Sale: December 3, 2024; She Writes Press; Paperback; ISBN: 9781647427603). By writing this book and becoming a memoir author, Sandy experiences her own healing journey that may otherwise have remained hidden. She is now on a mission to create something that lives beyond a person's life span and share how to do so. Sandy believes in the importance of memoirs:It impresses upon readers inspiration and hope as readers find courage and motivation in memoir storiesReaders realize that others have navigated tough paths and found resilience along the way. Whether it's loss, triumph, or healing, memoirs create a shared human experience, bridging gaps between diverse lives. Memoirs can shift perspectives and challenge limited beliefs and assumptions, which leads to a greater understanding of others' experiences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

What is the psychological impact of being adopted? Listen to Julie Ryan McGue's journey navigating life in an adoptive family to gain wisdom and inspiration for your own family. Julie Ryan McGue's Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood (releases Feb 6, 2025, She Writes Press) is a compelling prequel to her award-winning debut, Twice a Daughter. Set in the Chicago suburbs, Twice the Family is a coming-of-age memoir following Julie and her twin sister through challenges of growing up in an ever-expanding adoptive family, uncovering family secrets that ultimately test their unbreakable bond. Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. Her first memoir, “Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging,” released in May 2021, winning multiple awards. Her work has appeared in the Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Imprint News, Adoption.com, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Adoption & Beyond, and Severance Magazine. Her personal essays have appeared in several anthologies, including “Real Women Write: Seeing Through Her Eyes” (Story Circle Network) and “Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis” (She Writes Press). Her collection of essays, “Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship” (Muse Literary), released in November 2023. She writes a biweekly blog and monthly column (The Beacher Newspapers), in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it. Julie splits her time between Northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida. “Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood” is her third book. Visit her website for more info: juliemcgueauthor.com Trauma and attachment experts share the latest information specifically related to adoptive, foster and kinship parenting. Every month, you will find helpful insights and practical parenting tips in Help One Child's blog and podcast releases.

Writing my story helped me process resentment, discover hidden truths, and find peace—it's cathartic in ways I never expected." – Francine Falk Allen In this episode of Uncorking a Story, we sit down with Francine Falk Allen, author of A Wolff in the Family, to explore her incredible journey from navigating life with polio to uncovering jaw-dropping family secrets that inspired her novel. Francine opens up about the therapeutic power of writing, her transition from memoir to fiction, and the resilience it takes to confront both personal and societal challenges. Join us as we delve into her unique story of self-discovery, creativity, and the determination to share untold truths with the world. Key Takeaways: Writing for Healing: Francine shares how writing helped her confront and process long-held emotions and family secrets. From Disability to Empowerment: Growing up with polio, Francine's journey demonstrates resilience and adapting to life's challenges. Unveiling Family Scandals: Her novel, based on true events, reveals shocking family secrets uncovered through genealogical research. Memoir vs. Fiction: Francine compares the challenges of writing memoirs to crafting a novel inspired by real events. Hybrid Publishing Insights: She highlights her experience with She Writes Press and the benefits of hybrid publishing. Cultural Influences: Francine reflects on the media and music that shaped her perspectives as a child and adult. Words to Her Younger Self: Her advice to young Francine: "It's going to be okay. Focus on living fully, not just finding a partner." Buy A Wolff in the Family Amazon: https://amzn.to/49JadJL Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647428020 Connect with Francine Website: https://francinefalk-allen.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrancineFalkAllenAuthor Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Provoked by a promise, Sandy Schankenburg's simple investigative journey intensifies when she serendipitously discovers her housekeeper Lee's past and true identity - a gut-wrenching truth hidden for 3 decades from her family. Sandy writes about it in: THE HOUSEKEEPER'S SECRET (On Sale: December 3, 2024; She Writes Press; Paperback; ISBN: 9781647427603). By writing this book and becoming a memoir author, Sandy experiences her own healing journey that may otherwise have remained hidden. She is now on a mission to create something that lives beyond a person's life span and share how to do so. Sandy believes in the importance of memoirs:It impresses upon readers inspiration and hope as readers find courage and motivation in memoir storiesReaders realize that others have navigated tough paths and found resilience along the way. Whether it's loss, triumph, or healing, memoirs create a shared human experience, bridging gaps between diverse lives. Memoirs can shift perspectives and challenge limited beliefs and assumptions, which leads to a greater understanding of others' experiences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

This week on the podcast, Brooke Warner of She Writes Press and Spark Press, talks with Elly and Joe about her experience in hybrid publishing, how to tell if it's a good idea for your books, recognizing predatory publishers, and misconceptions about that particular branch of the industry.

Janine Kovac joined the studio for this episode! As a retired professional dancer turned award-winning author, she shares her journey from the stage to the page after a twelve-year international ballet career spanning Iceland, Italy, and the U.S. Her latest memoir, The Nutcracker Chronicles: A Fairytale Memoir, intertwines her personal experiences in ballet with  stories from one of ballet's most iconic tales, offering a reflection on ambition, artistry, and identity. It's available now from She Writes Press! Janine's accomplishments extend beyond the stage as well. As a graduate of UC Berkeley, she has authored multiple books. Her memoir, Spinning: Choreography for Coming Home, won a National Indie Excellence Award, and she's been published in outlets such as Salon, Writer's Digest, and Publishers Weekly. Janine's contributions to literature have earned her fellowships, residencies, and literary awards, solidifying her reputation as a voice in both the ballet and literary worlds. In this episode, Janine discusses her transition from the demanding world of professional ballet to the equally challenging and sometimes much more solitary world of writing. She talks about how her dance background shapes her creative process today, the parallels and differences between dance and writing, and why she'll always identify as a ballet dancer. She also discusses her experience teaching adults and how amateur adult dancers can find their identity in a ballet studio too. Check it out! Buy The Nutcracker Chronicles: https://www.amazon.com/Nutcracker-Chronicles-Fairytale-Memoir/dp/1647427924 Follow Janine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janine.kovac/?hl=en Learn more about Janine's work: www.janinekovac.com  Music in this episode: Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ @eblosfield  | theadultballetstudio@gmail.com Support this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elizabeth-blosfield/support

https://www.nicolebokat.com Nicole's first novel, Redeeming Eve, was published by The Permanent Press. It was nominated for both the Hemingway Foundation/PEN award and the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction. What Matters Most, her second novel, was published by The Penguin Group. Her third novel, The Happiness Thief, was published by She Writes Press. It was a 2021 Foreword Indie Awards Finalist. WIll End in Fire, her latest novel, was published in October 2024 by She Writes Press Nicole has a Masters in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in literature (both from New York University) and is the author of a scholarly book: The Novels of Margaret Drabble: “this Freudian family nexus.” She's taught writing and literature at NYU, the New School, Hunter College, and Mediabistro and has written essays and articles for a variety of national publications including The New York Times, Parents, and The Forward. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with her husband and dog, Ruby, and has two sons. You can follow Nicole here: Facebook: facebook.com/nicolebokat Twitter: @NicoleBokat Instagram: @nicolebokat #NicoleBokat #WillEndinFire VOX VOMITUS: Sometimes, it's not what goes right in the writing process, it's what goes horribly wrong. Host Jennifer Anne Gordon, award-winning gothic horror novelist and Co-Host Allison Martine, award-winning contemporary romance and speculative fiction novelist have taken on the top and emerging new authors of the day, including Josh Malerman (BIRDBOX, PEARL), Paul Tremblay (THE PALLBEARERS CLUB, SURVIVOR SONG), May Cobb (MY SUMMER DARLINGS, THE HUNTING WIVES), Amanda Jayatissa (MY SWEET GIRL), Carol Goodman (THE STRANGER BEHIND YOU), Meghan Collins (THE FAMILY PLOT), and dozens more in the last year alone. Pantsers, plotters, and those in between have talked everything from the “vomit draft” to the publishing process, dream-cast movies that are already getting made, and celebrated wins as the author-guests continue to shine all over the globe. www.jenniferannegordon.com www.afictionalhubbard.com https://www.facebook.com/VoxVomituspodcast https://twitter.com/VoxVomitus #voxvomitus #voxvomituspodcast #authorswhopodcast #authors #authorlife #authorsoninstagram #authorsinterviewingauthors #livevideopodcast #livepodcast #bookstagram #liveauthorinterview #voxvomituslivevideopodcast #Jennifergordon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/voxvomitus/support

Joanne Greene never bought the adage “little girls should be seen and not heard.” She's used her voice on San Francisco radio and television, webinars, and podcasts to explore the issues of our time with playful irreverence, candor, and compassion. Now, after decades of seasoning, she's sharing what she's learned about navigating family and career and moving through pain and loss. Currently, Joanne hosts the podcast "In this Story," where she shares her micro-essays set to music, showcasing tales and observations from her animated life. Her first book, By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go, was published by She Writes Press and is distributed by Simon and Schuster. It's a compelling story of resilience in which Joanne emerges from life-threatening calamities with a big fat smile and a heap of hope. https://www.joanne-greene.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-greene-b52610/ https://www.facebook.com/joanne.greene.984 https://www.instagram.com/joannergreene/ https://x.com/JoanneRGreene Learn more about your host, Kim Lengling: www.kimlenglingauthor.com

Send us a textIn her first career, Zelly was a social worker in the adoption and foster care field. From there, she owned an online retail store specializing in hand-painted children's gifts and party favors. Along the way, Zelly volunteered and raised funds for several non-profit organizations. In an alternate universe, she is probably an event planner. But once she moved to New York City, Zelly gave in to the compulsion to write women's fiction spiced with suspense about motherhood, relationships, loss and love. Her debut novel, “Not Yours to Keep”, comes out October 2024 with She Writes Press.When she's not devising twisty plots, Zelly loves traveling, hiking, and is passionate about and volunteers for Brain Aneurysm Awareness. Her involvement in the cause is driven by personal experiences, including surviving an unruptured brain aneurysm, the tragic loss of a family member to a rupture, and supporting a friend in their recovery. Read more about why she's a dedicated advocate for brain aneurysm awareness and research in her Brain Aneurysm Essay.https://zellyruskin.com/https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

"I had no idea how big this was...over 80 percent of people you see in the alley were once you and me—soccer moms, CEOs—pulled into addiction by something that was supposed to help." In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with debut novelist Laura Essay, author of Side Effects Are Minimal. Laura shares her journey from being a lawyer to becoming an author, revealing how personal experiences and meticulous research inspired her to tackle the opioid crisis from a fresh perspective. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring writers, tackling the creative process and the personal dedication needed to turn research into a compelling narrative. Laura's story reminds us that even in dark times, writing can be a light that helps us better understand ourselves and the world around us. Key Themes Writing as a Lifelong Passion. Laura's love for writing began as a child, sneaking away to write poems. Even as she pursued a career in law, writing remained her passion. Her story emphasizes the importance of nurturing creativity, even when life's practical demands take precedence. Transitioning from Law to Writing. Laura spent years practicing law, which honed her factual writing skills. While she enjoyed the work, fiction writing allowed her to channel that discipline into storytelling. Her legal background helped her construct narratives grounded in truth, blending facts with fiction in her novel. The Opioid Crisis and Its Personal Impact. In Side Effects Are Minimal, Laura explores the opioid crisis, not from the addict's perspective, but from the people left behind. Her research uncovered a reality much closer to home than most people realize—addiction can strike anyone, making it a universal issue. The Creative Process and Overcoming Challenges. Laura shares how she balanced research and storytelling, often writing by hand to avoid distractions. Her advice for aspiring writers is to disconnect from technology and let ideas flow naturally. Her belief that "showing up" allows the story to come to you is an empowering message for any writer. Hybrid Publishing as a Path to Success. After traditional querying brought limited results, Laura found success in hybrid publishing with She Writes Press. She highlights the benefits of networking at writers' conferences and embracing new models like hybrid publishing, which provide more creative control and better royalties than traditional routes. On Facing Fears and Finding Purpose Later in Life. Laura reflects on her own journey of overcoming fear and finding her writing voice after her children left home. She encourages others to trust the timing of their creativity and to know that it's never too late to pursue your passion. Buy Side Effects are Minimal Amazon: https://amzn.to/3U89s6v Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647427047 Connect with Laura Website: https://lauraessay.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.essay.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraessay11/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #LauraEssay, #SideEffectsAreMinimal, #OpioidCrisis, #WritersLife, #DebutNovel, #HybridPublishing, #AuthorInterview, #CreativeWriting, #BookLovers, #WritingCommunity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

255: Rewriting History: Jeanne Blasberg's Modern Biblical Tales In this episode, Massiel interviews Jean Blasberg, a novelist known for her modern retellings of biblical stories. Jean discusses the insights and challenges involved in adapting ancient stories to contemporary settings, particularly focusing on her latest novel, 'Daughter of a Promise,' a modern retelling of the biblical love story of David and Bathsheba. She explains her creative process, including how she draws from her own experiences and visual storytelling techniques. Jean also elaborates on her journey from writing personal essays to fiction, emphasizing the importance of writing groups and feedback in developing her work.  Jean Blasberg, the author guest, talks about her writing journey, starting with her first novel published at the age of 50. She shares how her background, including her time as a case writer at Harvard Business School, influenced her writing style. Jean also delves into her experience with hybrid publishing through She Writes Press, highlighting the control and satisfaction it offers her. She reveals her fascination with small domestic dramas, her iterative writing process, and the inspiration she draws from her personal life and biblical stories.  Topics mentioned in this episode:  - Jean Blasberg's modern retellings of biblical stories  - The importance of feedback and writing groups  - Hybrid publishing and its benefits 02:57 Introduction and Greetings 03:11 Jeanne's Current Life and Farming 03:51 Discussing Jeanne's Books 09:01 Retelling the Story of David and Bathsheba 13:31 Jeanne's Writing Journey 20:36 Writing Process and Techniques 33:47 Publishing Journey with She Writes Press 41:24 Final Thoughts and Contact Information   ____________________________________________________________________________   Author Links: https://jeanneblasberg.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jeanneblasbergauthor/ https://www.facebook.com/jeanneblasbergauthor/ ____________________________________________________________________________ Resources Podcast site: www.howtowriteabookpodcast.com Studios Website - www.blackheartedstudios.com Free ebook link - https://bit.ly/h2bebook Massiel's Email - massiel@blackheartedstudios.com Massiel's Coach.Me site - https://www.coach.me/massielwrites Instagram - www.instagram.com/massielwrites ____________________________________________________________________________ Are you feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? Check out Paula, the Ultimate VA! www.instagram.com/pearlz_va_services Discover the ultimate solution for regaining control with Paula, your dedicated virtual assistant. She'll help you manage your calendar, handle email, conduct research, social media management, and even mix and stitch together your podcast episodes. Don't let your to-do list overwhelm you any longer. Get started today! ____________________________________________________________________________ Like, share, or leave a review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel (Blackhearted Studios)

Send us a textIn this Literary Aviatrix Writers' Room interview with Lola Reid Allin, she talks about her writing journey including courses at Gotham Writers in NYC, overcoming the fear of sharing personal details, hybrid-publishing with She Writes Press, book launch promotion, and her lessons learned on the value of critique. 00:00 Book Release: 'Highway to the Sky'00:25 Finding Your Voice: The Journey of a Writer18:30 Facing your fears in memoir writing24:31 Hybrid Publishing with She Writes Press30:05 Book Promotion41:25 Lessons Learned -  Vulnerability, Critique48:57 Navigating the Evolving Publishing Industry49:32 Respecting Privacy: Balancing Personal Experiences in Memoir Writing50:15 2024 YouTube Close.mp4Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker

Rebecca Austill-Clausen is an Occupational Therapist, Reiki Master, award-winning author, and inspirational speaker. She has extensive experience in Reiki, after-death communication, shamanism, meditation, sound healing, nature spirits, and automatic writing. Becky had a life changing Shared Death Experience and then a remarkable Spiritual Transformative Experience when she discovered the ability to talk with her 37-year-old deceased brother even though she had no psychic or spiritual experience at the time.   After 20 years, Becky finally gained the courage to share her spiritual journey. She sold her large rehabilitation private practice that had grown from a one-person operation to a staff of 350 therapists servicing over 100.000 clients. Her metamorphosis is described in her award-winning book, Change Maker, How My Brother's Death Woke Up My Life, published by She Writes Press.   Becky is teaching Reiki Level I, a one-day certificate-provided natural energy healing workshop for the 4th year in a row at the upcoming International Association for Near-Death Studies Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ on August 28, 2024.   Visit Rebecca Austill-Clausen's Website: www.RebeccaAustillClausen.com   Rebecca's Book - Change Maker: How My Brother's Death Woke Up My Life   Click here for more information on Reiki Level l taught by Rebecca Austill-Clausen at the 2024 IANDS Conference   Follow Rebecca on Social Media: Instagram and Facebook   Connect with Rebecca though email at: becky@rebeccaaustillclausen.com   __________________________________  IANDS Conference 2024 August 28 - September 1 in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more about the IANDS Conference __________________________________   Connect with Dr. Lotte using the links below! NEW ONLINE SELF STUDY COURSE - Click here for "Connecting with your Spirit Team" Click here Subscribe to Dr. Lotte's Newsletter Click here to visit Dr. Lotte's Website Stay Connected on Social Meida, follow Dr. Lotte on Instagram, Facebook, & Youtube

Today I interview Linda Joy Myers, who had a difficult childhood marked by abandonment and an unstable home life. Her mother left when Linda was just four, leaving her to be raised by a grandmother who, while providing a stable home, also struggled with mental health issues that led to critical behavior. Linda had to focus on survival with little permission to have her own voice.One bright spot was music. Linda's grandmother had her take piano and cello lessons from a young age. Playing music became a way for Linda to express herself, feel something positive, and be transported to another world. It provided freedom and camaraderie with other young musicians.As an adult, Linda initially repeated some relationship patterns modeled by her mother and grandmother. Determined to break the cycle, she sought therapy, including an impactful 3-month group experience. Her therapist helped Linda see she was more than her brokenness. He recognized her artistic essence and held a vision of her wholeness.Linda's path led her to combine her skills as a therapist with her love of writing. She began teaching memoir writing groups and discovered the transformative power of writing one's stories. This grew into Linda authoring books on memoir writing, founding the National Association of Memoir Writers, and teaching memoir courses.Through this work, Linda helps others find their voice, write their stories, and experience the healing of being witnessed. Her own journey informs her message that even painful stories can be alchemized into something beautiful.__________________Linda Joy Myers, founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers, is the author of award winning memoirs, Don't Call Me Mother and Song of the Plains, and two books, The Power of Memoir, and Journey of Memoir. She co-authored Breaking Ground on Your Memoir and Magic of Memoir & co-teaches, Write Your Memoir in Six Months with Brooke Warner. A memoir coach for 30 years, she helps memoir writers find their voice and get their story into the world. Linda has just ventured into novel writing land, and her first novel, The Forger of Marseille, a WWII historical fiction novel won four awards in historical fiction and is published by She Writes Press.__________________Find Linda here:https://www.facebook.com/LindaJoyMyersAuthorhttps://www.instagram.com/lindajoymyersauthor/https://www.facebook.com/linda.j.myers Support the Show.I'm Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

​Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues    Aya de Leon in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Aya de Leon is the Poet Laureate of the City of Berkeley. She is a novelist and poet who currently teaches creative writing at U.C. Berkeley. She is the author of ten books, the most recent of which are the adult novel, “That Dangerous Energy,” and the young adult novel, “Untraceable.” Originally a hip hop artist, Aya de Leon is also a noted local activist, and the acquiring editor of Fighting Chance Books, the climate justice fiction imprint of She Writes Press. She organizes with the Black Hive, the climate and environmental justice formation of the Movement for Black Lives.   Stuart Klawans, author of “Crooked but Never Common: The Films of Preston Sturges,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Stuart Klawans was film critic for the Nation  from 1988 to 2021, and before that wrote a small press and poetry column for the magazine. His previous books were Film Follies: The Cinema Out of Order, and a collection of his reviews and essays from 1988 to 2001, Left in the Dark. Preston Sturges was the first in the Hollywood sound era to write and direct his own films, creating a series of movies, from The Great McGinty in 1940, through The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek and other classics to Unfaithfully Yours in 1948, that still resonate today. All the films mentioned in the interview are available streaming either for rental via Amazon or Apple, or in the case of Unfaithfully Yours, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock and The Great Moment, free on YouTube. Complete 52-minute interview.   Review of “Evita” at San Francisco Playhouse through September 7, 2024.   Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others Wednesday or Thursday through Sunday. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. B ook Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 10th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, June 1-2, 2024. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actor's Reading Collective (ARC).  Calendar of upcoming readings. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. Alter Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. American Conservatory Theatre  Carrie, The Musical, The Reuff at The Strand, August 1-11. Noel Coward's Private Lives, September 12 – October 6, Toni Rembe Theatre. Aurora Theatre  The Lifespan of a Fact by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, June 21-July 21. Streaming:  July 16-21. Awesome Theatre Company. Por La Noche (By Night), October 11 – 26, 2024. See website for information. Berkeley Rep. Mother Road by Octavio Solis, June 14-July 21, Peets Theatre. The Best of the Second City, July 16-29, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company. See website for upcoming shows. Boxcar Theatre. New Years Eve at the Speakeasy, Jan. 1, 2025. Magic Man, Jan 3 – June 2, Palace Theatre. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for current and upcoming productions. BroadwaySF: Mrs. Doubtfire, July 2-28. Girl from the North Country, July 30-Aug 18, Golden Gate. See website for events at the Orpheum, Curran and Golden Gate. Broadway San Jose:  Disney's Frozen, August 21 – September 1. California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). As You Like it, September 12 – 29. Center Rep: Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring September 8 -29. Lesher Center for the Arts. Central Works  Accused by Patricia Milton, July 13 – August 11. Cinnabar Theatre. See website for upcoming productions.. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco ongoing. Check website for Music Mondays listings. Contra Costa Civic Theatre In Repertory: Hamlet and Rosencranz and Gildenstern Are Dead, September 7 – 22. Curran Theater: See website for special events.. Custom Made Theatre. In hibernation. Cutting Ball Theatre. See website for upcoming shows. 42nd Street Moon. Bright Star postponed. Golden Thread  11 Reflections: San Francisco, October 4-5 Brava Theatre Center. See website for other events. Hillbarn Theatre: Always…Patsy Cline, August 22 – September 15. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Magic Gala, August 8, 2024.  Richard II by William Shakespeare, August 21 – September 8. See website for other events. Marin Theatre Company Yaga by by Kurt Sondler, October 10 – November 3, 2024. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell, September 20 – October 20. Oakland Theater Project.  Angels in America, Parts I & II, September 27 – October 26, Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Pear Theater. Chaplin and Keaton on the Set of Limelight  by Greg Lam, June 28 – July 21, 2024. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Legally Blonde, September 7-29, 2024, Victoria Theatre. See website for Spotlight Cabaret Series at Feinstein's at the Nikko (It's Britney, Bitch, July 24). San Francisco Playhouse. Evita, June 27-September 7. 2024. SFBATCO.  See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows. San Jose Stage Company: See website for upcoming schedule. Shotgun Players.  Collective Rage by Jen Silverman. July 20 – August 18. South Bay Musical Theatre: No, No Nanette,  Sept 28 – Oct. 19. Saratoga Civic Theater. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions. Theatre Rhino  Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. King James by Rajiv Joseph, October 9 – November 3,  2024. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org The post July 18, 2024: Aya de Leon – Stuart Klawans appeared first on KPFA.

CONTENT WARNING: This interview contains recounts of trauma and abusive relationships.  Penny Lane's debut memoir “Redeemed: A Memoir of a Stolen Childhood,” (She Writes Press) is a story of personal redemption. Torn from her home by a Hungarian father she doesn't know to enduring abuse and neglect from a stepmother, Penny's journey leads her to another form of captivity: fundamentalist Christianity. It's a tale of resilience against abuse, trauma, and oppressive odds, navigating both family and religious turmoil to ultimately find her way home. In this episode, Penny shares what led her to share her story with the world, and her process of recounting her abusive relationships. She hold nothing back as she talks about what she endured and how she made it through to a live of love and happiness. Penny shares her experience with a Fundamentalist Christian world and how it impacted her years later. She talks about the message behind the book and her hopes for what readers will take from it. This interview was arranged with the help of Books Forward.

Aya de Leon in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Aya de Leon is the Poet Laureate of the City of Berkeley. She is a novelist and poet who currently teaches creative writing at U.C. Berkeley. She is the author of ten books, the most recent of which are the adult novel, “That Dangerous Energy,” and the young adult novel, “Untraceable.” Originally a hip hop artist, Aya de Leon is also a noted local activist, and the acquiring editor of Fighting Chance Books, the climate justice fiction imprint of She Writes Press. She organizes with the Black Hive, the climate and environmental justice formation of the Movement for Black Lives. The post Aya de Leon, “That Dangerous Energy” appeared first on KPFA.

Golden Voice Robin Miles and Moe Egan do fine work narrating Linda Gartz's revealing memoir of Chicago's West Garfield Park and the author's life, family, and experiences with race relations—especially during the 1960s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss this story of family and policy. Egan voices the author and her timbre, tone, and style are just right. The supremely talented Miles narrates the many African American voices and does them very well. This is mostly a family story of striving German Americans who stay in Garfield Park despite urban blight, which is enabled by the federal redlining policies that were crafted to harm housing opportunities for Black Americans. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by She Writes Press. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

​Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues    Aya de Leon, the Interim Program Director of the Tenth Annual Bay Area Book Festival, June 1-2 in various locations in Berkeley, talks about this year's festival with host Richard Wolinsky. Aya de Leon is the Poet Laureate of the City of Berkeley. She is a novelist and poet who currently teaches creative writing at U.C. Berkeley. She is the author of ten books, the most recent of which are the adult novel, “That Dangerous Energy,” and the young adult novel, “Untraceable.” Originally a hip hop artist, Aya de Leon is also a noted local activist, and the acquiring editor of Fighting Chance Books, the climate justice fiction imprint of She Writes Press. She organizes with the Black Hive, the climate and environmental justice formation of the Movement for Black Lives. Complete Interview.     Paul Auster (1947-2024), in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded October 2, 2002 while on tour for his novel “The Book of Illusions.” Paul Auster, who died on April 30th, 2024 was a world-renowned novelist, memoirist, and film-maker whose works were translated into forty languages. His career as a writer began with a well-received memoir, The invention of Solitude in 1982, and took off in 1987 with the publication of three connected novellas titled The New York Trilogy. His fame and success grew over the following years. He moved into film-making with the screenplays for two movies directed by Wayne Wang, Smoke and Blue in the Face, and then wrote and directed his own film, Lulu on the Bridge. There are three Paul Auster interviews in the archives. In this first interview, he discusses his film work, goes into depth about both The Book of Illusions and his previous novel, Timbuktu, much of the interview centersd on Lulu on the Bridge and the two Wayne Wang collaborations. The second interview was conducted in  2008 for Man in the Dark, and finally in 2017 for his masterpiece, 4 3 2 1. Currently, all three films, the two with Wayne Wang and Lulu on the Bridge, can be rented via Amazon. From time to time, all three show up on the Criterion app. Complete 48-minute Interview.   Review of “The Glass Menagerie” at San Francisco Playhouse through June 15, 2024. Review of “Galileo, A Rock Musical” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through June 23, 2024.   Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others Wednesday or Thursday through Sunday. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  10th Annual Festival: June 1-2, guests include Joan Baez, Naomi Klein, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jonathan Lethem. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actor's Reading Collective (ARC).  Upcoming readings to be announced. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. Alter Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. American Conservatory Theatre  The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini . Adapted by Ben Power, directed by Sam Mandes, May 25-June 23, Toni Rembe Theater. Aurora Theatre  The Lifespan of a Fact by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, June 21-July 21. Streaming:  July 16-21. Awesome Theatre Company. Por La Noche (By Night), October 11 – 26, 2924. See website for information. Berkeley Rep Galileo, World Premiere Musical, book by Danny Strong, with Raul Esparza, extended to June 23, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company. See website for upcoming shows. Boxcar Theatre. The Speakeasy. Must close June 29, 2024 Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for current and upcoming productions. BroadwaySF: Company, June 5-29, Orpheum. Mrs. Doubtfire, July 2-28. Girl from the North Country, July 30-Aug 18, Golden Gate. See website for events at the Orpheum, Curran and Golden Gate. Broadway San Jose:  Peter Pan, June 25-30. California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). Terrapin Roadshow, June 1-2; As You Like it, September 12 – 29. Center Rep: Cabaret, May 26 – June 23, Lesher Center for the Arts. Central Works  Accused by Patricia Milton, July 13 – August 11. Cinnabar Theatre. La Boheme June 21 – July 5. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco ongoing. Contra Costa Civic Theatre In Repertory: Hamlet and Rosencranz and Gildenstern Are Dead, September 7 – 22. Curran Theater: Sesame Street Live, Say Hello, June 7-8; The Cher Show, June 19-23. Custom Made Theatre. In hibernation. Cutting Ball Theatre. See website for upcoming shows. 42nd Street Moon. Bright Star postponed. Golden Thread  Conversations with Artists via Zoom and Howlround TV, through June 13, 2024. Hillbarn Theatre: Always…Patsy Cline, August 22 – September 15. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Garuda's Wing by Naomi Iizuka, June 5-23. Marin Theatre Company Torch Song by Harvey Fierstein, May 9 – June 2, 2024. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) tick..tick..BOOM by Jonathan Larson, through June 16, 2024. Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell, September 20 – October 20. Oakland Theater Project.  Ghost of King Created by and featuring Michael Wayne Turner III June 6-23, 2024. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Pear Theater. Pear Slices, new works through June 2. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Everybody's Talking About Jamie, June 1 – 23, 2024. See website for Spotlight Cabaret Series at Feinstein's at the Nikko. San Francisco Playhouse. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, May 2 – June 15. SFBATCO I, Too, Sing America, Grace Cathedral, June 13-15. See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows. San Jose Stage Company: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  June 5 – 30. Shotgun Players.  Best Available by Jonathan Spector. May 18 – June 16. Website also lists one night only events at the Ashby Stage. South Bay Musical Theatre: Mary Poppins, the Broadway Musical, May 18 – June 8. Saratoga Civic Theater. Stagebridge: Shady Manor, a musical play by Prescott Cole. June 14-16. 2501 Harrison St., Oakland. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Rhino  All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare, May 23 – June 2. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Being Alive: A Sondheim Celebration June 5-20, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – May 30, 2024: Aya de Leon – Paul Auster appeared first on KPFA.

Aya de Leon, the Interim Program Director of the Tenth Annual Bay Area Book Festival, June 1-2 in various locations in Berkeley, talks about this year's festival with host Richard Wolinsky. Aya de Leon is the Poet Laureate of the City of Berkeley. She is a novelist and poet who currently teaches creative writing at U.C. Berkeley. She is the author of ten books, the most recent of which are the adult novel, “That Dangerous Energy,” and the young adult novel, “Untraceable.” Originally a hip hop artist, Aya de Leon is also a noted local activist, and the acquiring editor of Fighting Chance Books, the climate justice fiction imprint of She Writes Press. She organizes with the Black Hive, the climate and environmental justice formation of the Movement for Black Lives. The post Aya de Leon, The Bay Area Book Festival 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Isa Adney (@isaadney) is a writer and documentary producer and the author of The Little Book of Big Dreams: True Stories About People Who Followed a Spark (She Writes Press).Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

In this episode of LAUNCH PAD we will explore the depths of family trauma and healing; understand the role pets and their loss have on our lives and how to deal with it; and romp through high crimes, spies, and Silicon Valley high-tech gaming worlds with novels that engross us in dangerous circumstances and a mind-controlling plot. We will discuss memoir, a unique self-help book, and the intricacies of novel writing as we join these She Writes Press and Black Rose Writing Authors to find your next great read. Find out more about these authors at: Bret Hurst - http://bretbooks.com Anne Marie Farage-Smith - http://farage-smith.com Jude Berman - http://judeberman.com Tracey Yokas - http://www.traceyyokascreates.com LAUNCH PAD combines the best of book celebration and solid marketing strengths. Each on-air episode is hosted by Grace Sammon and celebrates book releases and the authors that create them. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the book launch journey from concept to publication. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to readers, reviewers, book club members, and more an intimate look at some of today's newest releases. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ Visit author marketing coach, Mary Helen Sheriff at her website www.maryhelensheriff.com/marketing for more about information about how she can help you navigate this marketing of your book. Be sure to sign up for her marketing newsletter while you are there. Follow Mary On Facebook @maryhelensheriff On Instagram @maryhelensheriff On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhelensheriff/ On Book Bub @maryhelensheriff #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #SheWritesPress #BlackRoseWriting LAUNCH PAD is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

THIS SHOW WAS RECORDED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE In this episode, we host She Writes Press authors whose books are packed with multi-layered stories and poignancy. From a mother who fights to stay in her children's lives; to an adopted daughter who finds a manila envelope that causes her to question everything; to a powerful tale of navigating both a hearing and a deaf world and a story filled with love, loss, shame, and identity; to a novel that explores the dark, and darkly funny, side of facing the unfinished business in our life when faced with metastatic cancer, this episode of LAUNCH PAD will have you exploring these authors' worlds and your next great read. Join us! Find out more about these authors at: Ann Bancroft - http://annbancroftauthor.com Patti Eddington - pattieddington.com Catherine Harrington, Ph.D - thelongestwarmemoir.com Claudia Marseille - http://www.claudiamarseilleauthor.com LAUNCH PAD combines the best of book celebration and solid marketing strengths. Each on-air episode is hosted by Grace Sammon and celebrates book releases and the authors that create them. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the book launch journey from concept to publication. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to readers, reviewers, book club members, and more an intimate look at some of today's newest releases. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ Visit author marketing coach, Mary Helen Sheriff at her website www.maryhelensheriff.com/marketing for more about information about how she can help you navigate this marketing of your book. Be sure to sign up for her marketing newsletter while you are there. Follow Mary On Facebook @maryhelensheriff On Instagram @maryhelensheriff On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhelensheriff/ On Book Bub @maryhelensheriff #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #paperlanternwriters LAUNCH PAD is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

THIS SHOW WAS RECORDED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE Welcome to Episode 40 where 160 authors have now shared their stories and celebrated their debuts! In this episode explore new books and meet new authors, some from She Writes Press and Black Rose Writing. Be transported by thrilling and paranormal writing, a story of love lost and a soul restored, a timeless romance, and a raw and personal memoir of love and guilt. Find out more about these authors at: Sherri L. Dodd - http://www.sherridodd.com Debbie Chein Morris - http://debbiecheinmorris.com Leslie Hachtel - https://www.lesliehachtel.com/ Kathy Ramsperger - https://kathrynbrownramsperger.com LAUNCH PAD combines the best of book celebration and solid marketing strengths. Each on-air episode is hosted by Grace Sammon and celebrates book releases and the authors that create them. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the book launch journey from concept to publication. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to readers, reviewers, book club members, and more an intimate look at some of today's newest releases. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ Visit author marketing coach, Mary Helen Sheriff at her website www.maryhelensheriff.com/marketing for more about information about how she can help you navigate this marketing of your book. Be sure to sign up for her marketing newsletter while you are there. Follow Mary On Facebook @maryhelensheriff On Instagram @maryhelensheriff On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhelensheriff/ On Book Bub @maryhelensheriff #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #BlackRoseWriting #SheWritesPress LAUNCH PAD is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

Linda Stewart Henley - Kate's War: WWII, Historical Fiction, Preparing for War, and Putting Life on Hold. This is episode 669 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Linda Stewart Henley is an award-winning novelist, accomplished artist, and a retired college administrator. Kate's War, her third novel, is being released in April, 2024, by She Writes Press. Her first two novels, Estelle and Waterbury Winter each won awards.   Her hobbies and interests include gardening and painting. She enjoys painting native wildflowers and landscapes in watercolor.   She was born in the UK and moved to the US when she was 16. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.  She has two children and two grandchildren.  Our focus today is Linda's Novel - Kate's War…. Awesome story! Great conversation! Thanks for listening! Before you go... You could help support this podcast by Buying Me A Coffee. Not really buying me something to drink but clicking on the link on my home page at https://stevenmiletto.com for Buy Me a Coffee or by going to this link Buy Me a Coffee. This would allow you to donate to help the show address the costs associated with producing the podcast from upgrading gear to the fees associated with producing the show. That would be cool. Thanks for thinking about it.  Hey, I've got another favor...could you share the podcast with one of your friends, colleagues, and family members? Hmmm? What do you think? Thank you! You are AWESOME! Thanks so much! Connect & Learn More: https://www.lindastewarthenleyauthor.com/ https://www.facebook.com/lindastewarthenley https://www.instagram.com/lindastewarthenley/ Length - 28:04

THIS SHOW WAS RECORDED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE On this episode of LAUNCH PAD join these She Writes Press authors who share deliciously haunted memoirs and novels focused on spiritual and psychological healing, identity and ingenuity, astrology and the power to map your life, and genre-bending stories about being fierce and fearless. Join us now on LAUNCH PAD, fall in love with your next author, and find your next great book! Find out more about these authors at: Alicia Blando - http://www.aliciablando.com/ Liz Kinchen - http://www.lizkinchen.com/author Linda Joy Myers - http://lindajoymyersauthor.com Menah Pratt - http://www.menahpratt.com LAUNCH PAD combines the best of book celebration and solid marketing strengths. Each on-air episode is hosted by Grace Sammon and celebrates book releases and the authors that create them. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the book launch journey from concept to publication. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to readers, reviewers, book club members, and more an intimate look at some of today's newest releases. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ Visit author marketing coach, Mary Helen Sheriff at her website www.maryhelensheriff.com/marketing for more about information about how she can help you navigate this marketing of your book. Be sure to sign up for her marketing newsletter while you are there. Follow Mary On Facebook @maryhelensheriff On Instagram @maryhelensheriff On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhelensheriff/ On Book Bub @maryhelensheriff #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #SheWritesPress #BlackRoseWriting

The Stark Beauty of Last Things (She Writes Press, 2023) is set in Montauk, the far reaches of the famed Hamptons, an area under looming threat from a warming climate and overdevelopment. Now outsider Clancy, a thirty-six-year-old claims adjuster scarred by his orphan childhood, has inherited an unexpected legacy: the power to decide the fate of Montauk's last parcel of undeveloped land. Everyone in town has a stake in the outcome, among them Julienne, an environmentalist and painter fighting to save the landscape that inspires her art; Theresa, a bartender whose trailer park home is jeopardized by coastal erosion; and Molly and Billy, who are struggling to hold onto their property against pressure to sell. When a forest fire breaks out, Clancy comes under suspicion for arson, complicating his efforts to navigate competing agendas for the best uses of the land and to find the healing and home he has always longed for. Told from multiple points of view, The Stark Beauty of Last Things explores our connection to nature—and what we stand to lose when that connection is severed. Céline Keating is an award-winning writer and author of two novels: Layla (2011), a Huffington Post featured title, and Play for Me (2015), a finalist in the International Book Awards, the Indie Excellence Awards, and the USA Book Awards. Her short fiction and articles have been published in many literary journals and magazines. For many years a resident of Montauk, NY, Céline continues to serve on the board of environmental organization Concerned Citizens of Montauk. She is the coeditor of the anthology On Montauk: A Literary Celebration. She lives in Bristol, Rhode Island, and New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Brooke Warner joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about nontraditional publishing, the massive sea change we're seeing in memoir, how for authors visibility and marketing work is never done, protecting our memoir worlds, accountability groups, what all memoirs require, the genesis of She Writes Press, balancing her multiple roles, the project she is working on now and the many resources she offers memoirists.   Also in this episode: -when creativity merges with our working life -carving out time to write -Substack and content-creation   Books mentioned in this episode: Heavy by Kiese Laymon Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith   Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress, president of Warner Coaching Inc., and author of Write On, Sisters!, Green-light Your Book, What's Your Book?, and three books on memoir. Brooke is a TEDx speaker and the former Executive Editor of Seal Press. She's the current Board Chair of the Bay Area Book Festival, and sits on the Board of the National Association of Memoir Writers. She writes a weekly Substack newsletter @brookewarner, and a regular column for Publishers Weekly.   Connect with Brooke: Website: www.brookewarner.com She Writes Press: www.shewritespress.com SparkPress: https://gosparkpress.com   Brooke's memoir courses: www.writeyourmemoirinsixmonths.com www.magicofmemoir.com   — Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and lives in Seattle with her family where she teaches memoir workshops and is working on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Sign up for monthly podcast and writing updates: https://bit.ly/33nyTKd   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://twitter.com/RonitPlank https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank   Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers

TRIGGER WARNING: THEMES OF SUICIDE. Laura was a teenage girl in the '60s when she found out she was pregnant. With no support from the father of the child and feeling the shame of her circumstances from her parents, Laura found herself in a home for unwed mothers, feeling forced to give her baby up for adoption. Laura wrote a book about her experience called You'll Forget This Ever Happened, and according to Laura, one of the most rewarding things about writing her book has been readers reaching out to tell her how much her book has helped them as well as increased their knowledge of women's lives in the 1960s and the Baby Scoop Era. Laura L. Engel, an award-winning author, is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She moved to San Diego, California over 55 years ago. She lives with her husband, Gene and their beloved golden retriever, Layla. She is the mother of 5 adult children and 10 adored grandchildren. Two scenes from Laura's book have been performed live on stage at the San Diego Memoir Showcase and she is published in four Shaking the Tree anthologies as well as many online magazines including Writers Digest. Today finds Laura's life-long dream to write a book fulfilled. Her award-winning memoir You'll Forget This Ever Happened was published May 2022 by She Writes Press. It became a Best Seller on Amazon and finalist in the 2023 International Book Awards and in the 2023 National Indie Excellence Awards. In August of 2023, Laura was honored to be selected as the Local Author for San Diego's Downtown Central Library. You can reach Laura at: https://www.lauralengel.com IG  @storytellerlaura FB @lauralbaliusengel.com   The organizations I told you about that help birthmothers who do not want to choose adoption: SAVING OUR SISTERS https://www.savingoursistersadoption.org    BRAVE LOVE www.bravelove.org   For Birthparents: CUB:   Concerned United Birthparents https://www.concernedunitedbirthparents.org If you or someone you know would like to tell their adoption story on the podcast (anyone in the adoptee constellation), please send an email to mindyourownkarma@gmail.com, and your story will be considered for the podcast. _________ Due to the LONG-LASTING EMOTIONAL FALLOUT that can be part of adoption, I highly support the GENTLE HEALING SUPPORT of SMGI: Somatic Mindful Guided Imagery. For more information on this groundbreaking and highly successful method, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.somatichealingjourneys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with some of the realizations that you may experience during this episode. This podcast's mission is on adoption education. If you have an expertise that you think would be beneficial to anyone touched by adoption and would like to be on the podcast, get in touch with me. I love to help fellow adoptees by helping to promote your latest project or expertise. It's time WE educate the world!! Check out the MYOK website for resources, ALL episodes of the podcast, and more about me! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mindyourownkarma.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Socials! MYOK on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mind_your_own_karma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindyourownkarma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MindYourOwnKarma⁠⁠ #adopt #adoption #adoptee #adopteevoices #adopteesspeak #adoptionpodcast #adopteepodcast #mindyourownkarma #PrimalWound #adopted #adoptionjourney #thefog #adoptionfog #adoptiveparents #birthmother #firstmother #mindyourownkarma #constellationconversation #firesideadoptees #adoptivefamily #adoptionawareness #birthfamily #biologicalfamily #biologicalmom #biologicaldad #biologicalsister #biologicalbrother #birthmom #biologicalparents #biologicalsiblings #birthfather #biomom #biodad #biofamily #biosister #biobrother #adoptionsecrets #adoptiontrauma #emotionaltrauma #emotionalhealing #findmyfamily #smgi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/melissa-ann-brunetti/support

TRIGGER WARNING: THEMES OF SUICIDE. Laura was a teenage girl in the '60s when she found out she was pregnant. With no support from the father of the child and feeling the shame of her circumstances from her parents, Laura found herself in a home for unwed mothers, feeling forced to give her baby up for adoption. Laura wrote a book about her experience called You'll Forget This Ever Happened, and according to Laura, one of the most rewarding things about writing her book has been readers reaching out to tell her how much her book has helped them as well as increased their knowledge of women's lives in the 1960s and the Baby Scoop Era. Laura L. Engel, an award-winning author, is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She moved to San Diego, California over 55 years ago. She lives with her husband, Gene and their beloved golden retriever, Layla. She is the mother of 5 adult children and 10 adored grandchildren. Two scenes from Laura's book have been performed live on stage at the San Diego Memoir Showcase and she is published in four Shaking the Tree anthologies as well as many online magazines including Writers Digest. Today finds Laura's life-long dream to write a book fulfilled. Her award-winning memoir You'll Forget This Ever Happened was published May 2022 by She Writes Press. It became a Best Seller on Amazon and finalist in the 2023 International Book Awards and in the 2023 National Indie Excellence Awards. In August of 2023, Laura was honored to be selected as the Local Author for San Diego's Downtown Central Library. You can reach Laura at: ⁠https://www.lauralengel.com⁠ IG  @storytellerlaura FB @lauralbaliusengel.com   The organizations I told you about that help birthmothers who do not want to choose adoption: SAVING OUR SISTERS ⁠https://www.savingoursistersadoption.org⁠    BRAVE LOVE ⁠www.bravelove.org⁠   For Birthparents: CUB:   Concerned United Birthparents ⁠https://www.concernedunitedbirthparents.org⁠ If you or someone you know would like to tell their adoption story on the podcast (anyone in the adoptee constellation), please send an email to mindyourownkarma@gmail.com, and your story will be considered for the podcast. _________ Due to the LONG-LASTING EMOTIONAL FALLOUT that can be part of adoption, I highly support the GENTLE HEALING SUPPORT of SMGI: Somatic Mindful Guided Imagery. For more information on this groundbreaking and highly successful method, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.somatichealingjourneys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with some of the realizations that you may experience during this episode. This podcast's mission is on adoption education. If you have an expertise that you think would be beneficial to anyone touched by adoption and would like to be on the podcast, get in touch with me. I love to help fellow adoptees by helping to promote your latest project or expertise. It's time WE educate the world!! Check out the MYOK website for resources, ALL episodes of the podcast, and more about me! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mindyourownkarma.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Socials! MYOK on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mind_your_own_karma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindyourownkarma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MYOK on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MindYourOwnKarma⁠⁠⁠ #adopt #adoption #adoptee #adopteevoices #adopteesspeak #adoptionpodcast #adopteepodcast #mindyourownkarma #PrimalWound #adopted #adoptionjourney #thefog #adoptionfog #adoptiveparents #birthmother #firstmother #mindyourownkarma #constellationconversation #firesideadoptees #adoptivefamily #adoptionawareness #birthfamily #biologicalfamily #biologicalmom #biologicaldad #biologicalsister #biologicalbrother #birthmom #biologicalparents #biologicalsiblings #birthfather #biomom #biodad #biofamily #biosister #biobrother #adoptionsecrets #adoptiontrauma #emotionaltrauma #emotionalhealing #findmyfamily #smgi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/melissa-ann-brunetti/support

THIS SHOW WAS RECORDED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE In this episode of LAUNCH PAD join She Writes Press and Black Rose Writing authors share a marriage memoir, evocative women's fiction, dual timelines in paradise, and a long-deceased grandmother's quest to solve a family kidnapping! Fall in love with your next author and find your next favorite read! Find out more about these authors at: Noël Caraccio - http://ncaraccio.com/ Clifford Garstang - https://cliffordgarstang.com/ Evelyn Kohl LaTorre - http://www.evelynlatorre.com/ Elizabeth Sumner Wafler - https://www.elizabethsumnerwafler.com/ LAUNCH PAD combines the best of book celebration and solid marketing strengths. Each on-air episode is hosted by Grace Sammon and celebrates book releases and the authors that create them. Each episode engages guests and listeners in the book launch journey from concept to publication. Applying her years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, author, and storyteller herself, Grace brings to readers, reviewers, book club members, and more an intimate look at some of today's newest releases. Visit Grace at her website www.gracesammon.net. Contact Grace about being a guest on the show, email her at grace@gracesammon.net Follow Grace: On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GraceSammonWrites/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-sammon-84389153/ Visit author marketing coach, Mary Helen Sheriff at her website www.maryhelensheriff.com/marketing for more about information about how she can help you navigate this marketing of your book. Be sure to sign up for her marketing newsletter while you are there. Follow Mary On Facebook @maryhelensheriff On Instagram @maryhelensheriff On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhelensheriff/ On Book Bub @maryhelensheriff #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #launchpad #bookish #bookishroadtrip #roadtrip #bookmarketing #Storytellers # Storytelling #AuhtorInterview #LetsTalkBooks #LeaveYourMark #AuthorLife #StorytellerLife #ArtofStory #AuthorTalkNetwork #AuthorTalkNetwork #awardwinningfiction #womensfiction #memoir #historical fiction #WFW #womensfictionwritersassociation #nationalwomensbookassociation #awardwinningfiction #novelist #historicalfiction #bookdebut #debutnovel #booklaunch #shewritespress #blackrosewriting LAUNCH PAD is a copyrighted work © of Grace Sammon and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.

Deborah Kasdan is author of Roll Back The World: A Sister's Memoir, in which she describes her extraordinary late sister Rachel–poet, musician, free spirit–and her decades-long journey through psychiatric treatment until, finally, she found a place of peace and community.  Kasdan is a longtime business and technology writer who pivoted to memoir writing on a quest to tell her sister's story, joining the Westport Writers' Workshop. Her book, published in October by She Writes Press, is a moving and nuanced portrait filled with love and grief, candor, and complexity.  *** Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

Fact: 85 percent of people in the workplace are just going through the motions. Organisational coach and author Sharon Darmody discusses how to get your phone use under control to boost your wellbeing at work.  WANT MORE FROM SHARON? To hear today's full interview, where she talks more about boosting wellbeing at work...search for Extra Healthy-ish wherever you get your pods. Grab Sharon's book Work Your Magic (She Writes Press, $24.75) here. For more on Sharon, see @sharondarmody or her site here.  WANT MORE BODY + SOUL?  Online: Head to bodyandsoul.com.au for your daily digital dose of health and wellness. On social: Via Instagram at @bodyandsoul_au or Facebook. Or, TikTok here. Got an idea for an episode? DM host Felicity Harley on Instagram @felicityharley.  In print: Each Sunday, grab Body+Soul inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), the Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), Sunday Mail (SA) and Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest this week is Linda Moore (Attribution, She Writes Press, October 2022). You'll smile at Linda's analogy of how introducing your book to your audience is a lot like offering them chocolate chip cookies and about how men are still getting it wrong in terms of the harassment present in academia.  And if you're interested in marketing to book clubs, you'll enjoy our lengthy discussion about how Linda approached this often-neglected marketing opportunity, eventually guesting at over seventy clubs in the last 16 months, both locally and via Zoom appearances. A recovering gallery owner, traveler and writer, Linda Moore uses her experiences in her writing. After studying and earning degrees at the University of California, Stanford and University of Washington (whew!), she spent time as a hospital administrator until she turned her love of art into a business and opened an art gallery. Drawing upon a year studying at Complutense University of Madrid in Spain, she focused the gallery's art on contemporary Hispanic art, especially from the southern cone of South America (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile). She continued traveling after she closed the gallery and has been to all seven continents multiple times and has visited over 100 countries. She lives with her husband in San Diego and takes refuge when she can in beautiful Kauai where they have a cottage. To learn more about Linda, click here.

Julie Ryan McGue is an author, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. She writes extensively about finding out who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it.Julie's debut award winning memoir Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging  (https://juliemcgueauthor.com/books/)(She Writes Press) came out in May 2021. It is the story of her five-year search for birth relatives. Her weekly blogs That Girl, This Life  (https://juliemcgueauthor.com/blog/)and monthly column at The Beacher focus on identity, family, and life's quirky moments. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Julie received a BA from Indiana University in Psychology. She earned a MM in Marketing from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business, Northwestern University. She has served multiple terms on the Board of the Midwest Adoption Center and is an active member of the American Adoption Congress.Julie splits her time between Northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida. She is the mother of four adult children and has three grandsons. If she's not at her computer, she's on the tennis court, or out exploring with her Nikon. Julie is currently working on a collection of personal essays. https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

This week's podcast guest is Anastasia Zadeik (Blurred Fates, She Writes Press, August 2022). Her novel, which won the prestigious 2022 Sarton Award for Contemporary Fiction, examines the role memory—whether suppressed, purposely hidden, or misremembered—plays in a person's life and how one of the worst days of her life gave her the insight to tell the story. We talk about how she found the perfect home with a hybrid press, embracing Facebook ads (she actually enjoys the creativity behind them) and what criteria she used to decide on which contests to enter. And don't miss our discussion of blending genres – her readers tell her she's written a psychological suspense when all along she thought it was women's fiction.   Anastasia Zadeik is a writer, editor, and frequent performer of narrative nonfiction in a hushed bar. She serves as the Director of Communications for the San Diego Writers Festival, as a writing and performance coach for the literary nonprofit So Say We All, and as a board member for the International Memoir Writers Association. Her debut novel, Blurred Fates, won both the 2023 Sarton Award and the 2023 National Indie Excellence Award for Contemporary Fiction. Her second novel, The Other Side of Nothing, will be released in May 2024.  When she isn't reading or writing, you can find her hiking, practicing yoga, or hanging out with her husband, Tom, and their empty-nest rescue dog, Charlie.    To learn more about Anastasia, click here.  

Our guest this week is Suzanne Moyers (‘Til All These Things Be Done., She Writes Press, September 2022). We discuss her historical fiction debut, loosely based on her grandmother's life story and how sometimes research isn't onerous but fascinating when you find a fact in the past that provides context to a plot point or an old photo that sparks inspiration for the world-building necessary to bring a bygone era to life. Suzanne's rich trove of research led to a series of fascinating blogs and Facebook posts that's resulted in thousands of views, shares, and bestseller status and her continuing foray into both Amazon and Facebook targeted ads led to her selling out her first print run two months after her book's release. Now her interest in both metal detecting and Victorian times is helping her write her second novel. Suzanne Moyers, a former teacher, was an education editor and writer for over 20 years. A lifelong history geek, Suzanne spends her free time as a volunteer archeologist, mudlarker, and metal detectorist.  Suzanne is the proud mom to two amazing young adults, Sara and Jassi, and resides in the greater New York City area with her husband, Edward, and spoiled fur baby, Tuxi. To learn more about Suzanne, click here.