The Secret Library Podcast

#151 : When Memoir Takes You By Surprise | Allison Pataki


Listen Later

Allison Pataki never planned to write a memoir.


As a successful historical fiction author, Allison was very happy researching the worlds of people from the past and staying far from her personal life when writing. But when her husband experienced a sudden stroke in his early 30s, leaving her his caregiver as well as a new mother in the span of a few months, everything changed.


Allison began this book just for her husband. She wrote him a letter every day the first year of his recovery so that he would have a record of that time. She never planned on the letters or the story expanding beyond the family circle. But as she and her husband Dave benefited from the support of the community around them, Allison realized that the experience she had gained might provide comfort and hope to someone else. Beauty in the Broken places has since inspired many readers, resulting in countless letters to the author and much more emotional book signings.


In this episode, Allison shares about the process of writing this incredibly personal book, as well as how it has changed her writing life forever. You won't want to miss this one!


Full show notes with links: https://www.secretlibrarypodcast.com/allison-pataki-151


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.book-alchemy.com/subscribe
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Secret Library PodcastBy Caroline Donahue

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

85 ratings


More shows like The Secret Library Podcast

View all
Tara Brach by Tara Brach

Tara Brach

10,436 Listeners

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

610 Listeners

Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland

Helping Writers Become Authors

965 Listeners

Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

Good Life Project

3,279 Listeners

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg by Be Here Now Network

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

687 Listeners

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

212 Listeners

Writing Excuses by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Writing Excuses

1,293 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,556 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

294 Listeners

This Jungian Life Podcast by Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano

This Jungian Life Podcast

1,518 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy

1,371 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

725 Listeners

The Gathering Room Podcast by Martha Beck

The Gathering Room Podcast

658 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

We Can Do Hard Things

41,096 Listeners

Writers on Writing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone

Writers on Writing

59 Listeners