by Karen Creamer | May 1, 2018 | Being BRAVE, books, Brave books, Catching women being brave, Clarity, Comfort, family, Interviews, relationships, The BRAVE Interviews
Welcome to this month’s BRAVE Interview with Melanie Delorme!
I am a teacher, a wife, a mother, an author who was given the role of bereaved mom in 2008 when my 8-year-old son, Garrett, was accidentally shot and killed in a hunting accident.
It would have been so easy to allow this horrific experience to define me as a grief-stricken mom for the rest of my life. I’m not sure how long it took me to realize that Garrett deserved a better legacy than that.
I also realized that healing and moving forward was my choice.
I try to choose every day to celebrate Garrett’s life and to remember that knowing him for eight years made me a better person.
I spent a lot of time writing in a journal during the first few years after Garrett’s death. I have since turned my writing into a book and published it. It is entitled, After the Flowers Die: A Handbook of Heartache, Hope and Healing After Losing a Child. I do not want any bereaved parent to ever feel alone. I have recently created a website, promoted my book at book signings, participated in my first TV interview, participated in a live grief webinar. Currently I am working on creating a journaling course for grieving parents. Keep reading
by Karen Creamer | Dec 4, 2017 | author, Being BRAVE, books, Brave books, Catching women being brave, Interviews, The BRAVE Interviews
This month’s interview is with Amy B. Wells, RN!
I am an author and nurse anesthetist.
I’ve had many phases in my life. I was an accountant for a long time (hated it with a passion). I stayed at home with my children for about five years, then went to nursing school when I was in my late thirties. After that, I worked in the ICU for three years before going to anesthesia school. I’ve been a nurse anesthetist for a little over six years. I am married with two teenagers and a grumpy old tom cat and currently live in the suburbs of Houston.
My latest endeavor is writing. I’ve self-published four novels and I have started blogging on my website https://amywellspublishing.com/ Keep reading
by Karen Creamer | Oct 8, 2017 | author, Being BRAVE, books, Catching women being brave, Clarity, Interviews, no fear, online courses, relationships, The BRAVE Interviews
This month, we are meeting Allyson Bright!
- WHO are you? I’m 36. An artist, a woman in love, a widow, a crafter, a teacher, and a seeker of joy. I live in Wisconsin with my boyfriend, TJ, and my Beagle, Gracie.
- WHAT is your One Brave Thing? It’s hard to pick just one – honestly, it’s been a journey. I was 32 when my husband died by suicide. After that, I found that I had to face new fears and learn how to create a new life for myself.About nine months after he passed, I went away for a week by myself. I was having trouble trusting my own decisions and I knew I needed to leave my comfort zone in order to move forward. The trip was transformational and ultimately led to my decision to leave my home in Iowa and move to Wisconsin for a fresh start. Art journaling and crafting were such a vital part of my healing process, and I really wanted to share that with others. My ultimate brave thing was to leave my day job in order to start a business teaching art classes and offering coaching services.
- WHEN did you do it? I started my company, Determined to Shine, about 18 months ago. It’s been a bit of a crazy journey, to be sure. But without a doubt, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
- WHERE did it occur? Right here in Madison, Wisconsin.
- HOW did you make it happen? One step at a time! Determined to Shine has grown into so much – weekend retreats, several online workshops, and even one-on-one coaching services. Sometimes it can seem like all of that happened at once, but it’s been a gradual process. For those looking to make a career change – don’t let the size of the task overwhelm you! Pick apart each task into small chunks, and just get started.
- WHY did you do it? The idea for Determined to Shine had been in my mind for several years. Ultimately, I realized I was just going to have to take a leap and be willing to fail. I didn’t want to wake up in three more years and still be talking about it. Taking that leap was terrifying, and I had to build my plan along the way. But everything that’s worth anything is scary. Determined to Shine has brought so much joy into my life and the lives of others – I can’t imagine what life would be like if I hadn’t done that one brave thing.
Thank you, Allyson, for sharing your brave story with us!
Allyson is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Scrapbook Projects Illustrated.
You can find Allyson’s FREE online class here: 30 days of Art Journaling. I have taken this class myself and I enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend all of Allyson’s classes. Find them all here: http://www.determinedtoshine.net/
Check out Allyson’s online book club: Get Artsy Book Club Keep reading
by Karen Creamer | Aug 6, 2017 | books, The BRAVE Interviews, writing
Please enjoy this month’s interview with Jennifer Davies!
INTRODUCTION
Hello everyone, I’m thrilled to be here as a featured guest in the Brave series. Thank you Karen for inviting me! A few facts about me; my name is Jennifer Davies, and I’m a fifty something mom with four boys, two cats, a dog, and a husband in tow. I have been married for twenty-one years this August to my best friend and strongest supporter. I’m originally from Wales in the UK which is why I have a funny accent, but I now reside on the East Coast of America in New England. Keep reading
by Karen Creamer | Feb 4, 2017 | author, Being BRAVE, books, Catching women being brave, family, Interviews, The BRAVE Interviews
Here is this month’s BRAVE Interview with author, Jennifer W. Smith. ENJOY!
Who is Jennifer W. Smith?
I put my family first, so I’d start with I’m a wife and mother. My next top three answers: I’m a novelist, a world traveler, and a foodie. I live in a cozy New Hampshire town in a busy household including a blue-eyed kitty and a collie who looks just like Lassie. I’ve had other careers before I became a fulltime writer in 2015. I’ve used my experiences from when I was a flight attendant and interior designer to inspire my story ideas. Keep reading
by Karen Creamer | Nov 11, 2016 | author, books, Interviews, no fear, The BRAVE Interviews, writing
Hello and welcome to the next in the series of The BRAVE Interviews! It’s the Who, What, When, Where, How, (and sometimes Why) of YOUR ‘one brave thing’!
Welcome to Interview #4 with Kristen Conley Leighton!
- WHO are you? Share whatever you want to about yourself personally.
Wow, so we’re starting with the hardest question! Most days, I’m not really sure. That statement can be traced back to the day I was born. See, I was switched at birth. Truly. I was somehow confused with another baby girl born at almost the exact same time. The next morning, a nurse arrived in my mother’s room with the wrong bundle. “That’s not my baby,” my mother said to her. “Go back and try again.” Keep reading
Karen Creamer
