Memoir Writer's Journey

A New Chapter, 2020

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated”~Maya Angelou

Well, I started 2020 off with a bang–spending my New Years Eve in ICU with sepsis of unknown origin. I am writing this post from my ICU bed. Gratefully I am getting better each day but it will take a while to get back on track. I have to put all my energy into healing so I will need to be on hiatus at least through…

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

Christmas is the time of year to slow down–not get caught up in the frenzy of gift giving and impossible expectations, to get in touch of the real reason of the season, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This sure has been a challenging year in the Pooler household with medical setbacks and a major move to senior independent living.…

Interview with Alison Sher on The Homecoming Retreat

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Alison Sher

I am very pleased to introduce you to Alison Sher. I first met Alison in 2014 when I attended a women’s writing conference where she was a speaker. Alison describes herself as a “visionary creative, business & editorial consultant”. Most recently, Alison reached out to me to tell me about The Homecoming Retreat when she saw that I had…

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

Tenth Blogaversary Reflections

When I set out to blog in December of 2009, I took a giant leap of faith. I didn’t have a clue how it all worked and I also was reluctant to tread in those unknown waters of social media. But I was adviced by people with a lot more experience than me to join.

As I wrote my first post on a free WordPress.com site, I…

Writing with Hope and Encouragement by Memoirist Marilea Eaves

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Marilea Eaves

I think one of the main reasons I love reading memoirs is to experience a glimpse into another person’s story. I am thrilled to feature memoirist Marilea Eaves in this guest post on her memoir writing journey. It is in the sharing of our stories that we can make connections to one another. In laying bare the transformative nature of…

The Best Laid Plans…

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

“Carry with you maps and string, flashlights, friends who make you sing, and stars to help you find your place, music, hope, and amazing grace.” ~ Mary Chapin Carpenter

The Best Laid Plans...

It’s a good thing I decided to take a break from blogging when I did. Several days into my self-imposed hiatus to tend to some medical procedures, I…

Why We Write Memoir by Charlene Jones

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@KathyPooler with Charlene Jones/@CharleneJones18

“One day you will tell your story of how you’ve overcome what you’re going through now, and it will become part of someone else’s survival guide.”

Please join me in welcoming my dear friend and memoir colleague, Charlene Jones who will explore the reasons we write and read memoir. Charlene has generously featured…

Where I Live: A WOW Blog Tour with R. Douglas Clark

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/ @kathypooler with R. Douglas Clark.

Welcome to R, Douglas Clark’s WOW Blog Tour for his new Sci-Fi novel , Welcome to Maravilla. He will discuss, “Where I Live ” in this guest post.

Welcome, R, Douglas!

Author R. Douglas Clark

Where I Live

            The village of Chimayó in northern New Mexico is a landscape painting, a crimson ristra, an arroyo fille…

Time For a Break

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

“Almost anything will work again, if you unplug it, including you.”~ Anne Lamott

Photo Credit: daily caring .com

Well, we did it. We moved from our four-bedroom home into a two-bedroom apartment without any major hitches. We are busy settling our new home.

I have to admit, it does feel a little surreal but my overall feeling is one of relief and…

Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table by Memoirist Carol Bumpus

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Carole Bumpus/@CaroleBumpus

“Life is worth living, and if you can recognize the value of each pleasurable moment, you are truly a winner.” ~ A French Host toasts his dinner guests

Photo Credit: Pixabay Free Image

I am pleased to introduce you to memoirist Carol Bumpus who has traveled throughout France and immersed herself in the French…

The Final Farewell: A Memoir Moment

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”~ Author Anonymous

The final days of living on the farm are coming to a close. I watch the pieces of our lives being carried out by our kids and grandkids to the 3-ton dumpster that sits on our front lawn.

There is an underlying sadness that prevails. Eleven-year old Ethan scans…

Turning Coal into Diamonds by Memoirist Deborah Tobola: An Interview on Her Prison Work

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Deborah Tobola/@DeborahTobola

Photo Credit: physics.app.orgM

I am very pleased to introduce you to memoirist Deborah Tobola whose work in the prison sector led to her compelling memoir, Hummingbird in Underworld: Teaching in a Men’s Prison has been described as an excellent, inspiring read.

Welcome, Deborah!

Memoirist Deborah Tobola

Turni…

Reconnecting with My Nana: A Memoir Moment

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

One day last week, while surfing the web, I came across YouTube video of “Italian Grandmother Makes Eggplant Parmigiana” and I zeroed in on it, then sat mesmerized for the full 45-minute show.

Why? Because I was transported back in time to spending time with my real-life Italian grandmother, Nana. I smiled through the whole video as I related to how I…

An Interview with Memoirist Marlena Baraf

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Marlena Baraf

I am pleased to introduce you to memoirist Marlena Baraf and her new memoir. Her memoir is described as a stunning self-portrait of the author’s upbringing in Panama, which for her is more than just a setting in a book — it’s a character in itself, taking on a life of its own and constantly present in her journey, even long after she…

Letting Go and Moving on

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

As summer fades into fall, our life cycle takes us into new territory. I stop to ponder all these changes on this late August day as the cool breezes gently waft through the shimmering trees outside our country home.

I will miss the quiet beauty of this, our little piece of Heaven on earth—our home on the land Wayne labored as a young boy. The place…

Memoir Marketing Tips by Linda M. Kurth

Posed by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Linda M. Kurth/@LindaMKWriter

“If you can refrain from becoming a writer, do so. If you must be a writer, God help you.” (quote from a writer friend)

I‘m very pleased to feature Linda M. Kurth, a writer friend of mine who has some interesting tips to share on marketing a memoir. Linda and I met online throughout shared interests which speaks to…

Good Things Happen to Those Who Wait

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

Photo Credit: Brainy Quotes

I know, “good things happen to those who wait ” is cliché but it sums up how I feel right now. As these words ring in my ears, I hear my beloved mother’s voice reassuring me with these very words whenever things didn’t turn out as I had hoped…yet.

I have waited twenty-plus years to feel right about telling the story of my…