“Risk is the tightrope that connects us to what we want.”
Those words. This woman. (Who took great delight in the fact that I’d gotten water stains and a honey crisp apple sticker on her memoir.)
This week’s guest is poet and author Irene O’Garden, who Elizabeth Gilbert calls a “walking, writing, beam of light.” And she’s right. Irene shares with us her wisdom on how gratitude can be transformational, and why, in spite of all that is falling apart around us, we should be glad to be human. We talk about her newest book, and about the memoir that brought us together. Enjoy this week’s episode, and let gratitude fill as much space as possible in your life.
Learn more about Irene at https://ireneogarden.com.
Check out catpoland.com/podcast for all episodes and show notes, and subscribe on …
What’s so hard about giving up Thanksgiving dinner with family? While it may seem like an easy decision, for many people, it’s really not. Rather than just simply tell you not to gather round the turkey in mixed company, I thought it would be important to carve into this issue and dissect it a little. Put the fear on the table, and instead of flight, fight or freeze…focus. This week’s episode is a monologue, just me myself and I talking it out. But I hope it helps. <3
Stay safe. And please consider what “brave” really looks like during this time.
“Bravery in this moment in our history looks different. Everything we’ve been taught about being brave just feels like it doesn’t apply here. And I want to call BS on that.” – Me
Also, I say “um” a …
Art Coulson is a member of the Cherokee Nation and a fellow author at Raven Quill Literary Agency. His recently released book, The Reluctant Storyteller, is a coming-of-age story about Chooch, a young Cherokee boy who’s learning to forge his own path from a rich history and tradition behind him. We talk about his writing, the importance of diverse voices, and understanding more about our shared past. We also dig into the myths surrounding supposed Cherokee ancestry, and how we can better educate our youth on Native American history, culture, and presence in our society.
Learn more about Art at https://artcoulson.com
1940s Removal of Native Americans from Reservations (how did I not know this?!) I’m not easily finding info on this, I’m checking with Art.
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“I’m going to need to get my own help for this conversation.”
That. Truth. Bomb. Trust me, you’ll want to listen to this whole interview with author Christie Tate. In it, we talk not only about her new tell all (all all) memoir, Group (which is on the Reese Witherspoon Book Club, y’all), but about how secrets and shame are silent killers. We dig into motherhood, womanhood, writing, and yes, sex. A little.
Leran more about Christie (and find out where to order her book) at christietate.com.
In this episode, I interview my dear friend Katie Perez, who’s currently sidelined with Covid. She bravely chose to share her story on Facebook, a decision not always in line with popular sentiment. We talk about breaking stigma, shame vs. guilt, the awkward mechanics of making friends in your thirties, why my Halloween costume didn’t freak her out, and how she’s cross-stitching her way through the dumpster fire of 2020. Enjoy!
As promised, here’s Katie’s glorious 2020 cross-stitch she mentioned in the episode:
Here is it, in all it’s glory. My FFT. (Look that up, it’s a Brené Brown thing.) My daughter Anna (11) indulged me for a test run. I think she’s fantastic. I look forward to interviewing more unique individuals soon! Those who dare to step out of line, to innovate, deviate, and create their own path.
Listen here!