Susan, your host, welcomes Martha Hunt Handler to today's episode.

Martha is the award-winning author of Winter of the Wolf, a novel that tells the story of Bean, an empathic and spiritually evolved teenage girl who sets out to discover the truth about the mysterious death of her beloved brother and finds herself on a journey of healing and self-discovery.

The novel is inspired by the death of Martha's best friend's 12-year-old son and covers several important themes, including suicide, grief, spirituality, human connection to nature, shamanism, and native Inuit culture. It is an Amazon bestseller and was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Top Indy Pick.

Apart from being a successful author, Martha is an environmentalist and fierce wolf advocate. She serves as the Board President of the Wolf Conservation Center, where 100% of her author proceeds go to support the organization.

Key Takeaways:

• Martha shares her grief story that started when her friend lost her 12-year-old son.

• Martha and Susan talk about signs and how people tend to judge.

• Hospices do the most beautiful job, leading people and their families through their transition out of this life.

• Grievers find it hard to identify what they need and even harder to ask for it.

• Helping a griever sometimes is just showing up. Grievers want to know they are not alone.

• If you don't know what to say to someone grieving, just don't.

• If you are grieving, keep "Grace" in your mind, you will need it.

• Martha talks about her next book.

• When you are grieving, the guilt of moving forward to live the life you want is real.

• Susan got closer to her husband in his last year of life.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

Dead to Me, a comedy series

Meet Martha Hunt Handler

Visit Martha's website

Wolf Conservation Center

Winter of the Wolf, by Martha Hunt Handler