Courageous Wordsmith

Liz Olds was one of the first writing peers I met when I began taking classes in Creative Nonfiction. She was unapologetically herself, both in dress -- she has a banjo tattooed on her arm -- and in …

Amy Bernier left teaching in debilitating pain. Her body was telling her what her people-pleasing mind refused to admit: She was killing herself by trying to fit in. Since then, she's made radical ch…

Keri Mangis and Amy reflect on a particular challenge of memoir. How do we stay true to our stories, honor the people around us, and navigate the space between the two? Especially when the book is ab…

Amy Hallberg's writing partner Katherine Quie interviews Amy on her path from small town teacher's kid visiting the Berlin Wall to published author of German Awakening: Tales from an American Life.
B…

When her traditionally successful life fell apart at midlife, Kiki Kelley saw two choices before her: go down a destructive path, or inspire her daughter and explore her creative side. Kiki chose art…

Did you ever notice that when people ask how we are, we often answer, "I'm OK," even when we're clearly not? Even when we feel the opposite of OK, we tend to hide it.

Master Certified Life Coach and …

Three voices converge to shape your true-life story:
Practice, Platform, Persona.

Amy talks about how she works this process, with examples from her telling of German Awakening: Tales from an America…

Jenn Bauer was a casual photographer who developed a deeper passion on an African trip. Now nature imagery occupies a central place in her life coaching practice. She believes nature's clues can open…

Rockstars are portrayed as larger than life. But how does a real-life person survive -- and thrive -- longterm as a working musician? Amy riffs with Jillian Rae, violinist, vocalist, and songwriter.

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We often look at other people's stories and make our own meaning from there. But what's uniquely ours? And how do others inform us? How releasing the Readers' & Writers' Guide for German Awakening: T…

What does a Neuropsychologist who counsels others on ADHD do when ADHD comes home to her? If you're Katherine Quie, you adjust to this new normal, and then you write a book, the forthcoming Raising W…

Cory Busse talks about resisting the title of Artist and how he gave himself permission to create. And not only does he create, but he's written an honest-to-goodness novel about "foolish" things, na…

Amy unpacks scenes from her true-life novel, German Awakening: Tales from an American Life. Here, at a distance of 30 years, she reflects on her graduation speech about the Berlin Wall.

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Sarah Bamford Seidelmann was a Board-Certified Pathologist who longed for something more. Think golden handcuffs, combined with an irresistible urge to wander in nature. She details that journey and …

Frau Amy's World (precursor to Courageous Wordsmith Podcast) presents conversations with Real-Life Creatives. Author, Certified Master Coach, and Story Mentor Amy Hallberg poses this question: How do…