Shawn and Maile chat with author Christie Purifoy about why she got her PhD and then left teaching, what it's like for writing to keep surprising you, and how to balance (or not) the writing life with other minor things like family, spouses, and real life.

Christie's writing is beautiful, reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle's nonfiction, and she is the author of the books Roots and Sky and Placemaker. She can also be found on Instagram at @christiepurifoy, @maplehurstgardens, and @maplehurstblackbarn.