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Carolyn Ziel talks with heart-centric writer Lois Chapin.

Lois Chapin doesn’t hold back in life or in writing. She is a prolific writer with so much to offer. I had such fun talking with her about creativity, marketing, paddling, life, and what it really means to be a writer in this world. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

Lois Chapin has been writing poetry and short stories since early childhood. Her work has been published by Mulberry Literary, Secret Attic, National League of American Pen Women, On the Bus, Side-Eye on the Apocalypse, Method Writers Speak, FRE&D, among others. Her collection of poetry, Paddle to Paddle, is available on Amazon. Her new book of prose poems, Revisiting Authority, is due out spring of 2026.

She is a psychotherapist in Southern California and a member of the Los Angeles Poets and Writers Collective. She addresses the most challenging aspects of the human condition and writes about cult abuse and religious fanaticism. Between analyzing and commenting on the dark intangible emotions of life, she spends her downtime racing outrigger canoes on the Pacific Ocean. She is mom to two exceptional adult children, and during long hours of writing and editing, her chef sweetheart, Mike, plies her with nutritious creations to make sure she doesn’t starve.  

Her Instagram page is: @Chapin.Lois, her books can be found at: amazon.com/author/loischapin

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Welcome to Season Two of Found Voices™. 

This season, I talk with extraordinary writers. Writers who have done the hard, beautiful work of finding their voices. Together, we’ll discuss what it means to find your voice. Not just on the page but in life. Because when you discover your voice on the page, you can’t help but transform—as a writer and as a human being. Each writer will read something they’ve written, and we’ll discuss that as well.

Welcome aboard to Season Two of Found Voices. I hope you enjoy it as much as I’ll enjoy sharing it with you.

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Carolyn Ziel talks with Brilliant writer Egan Gauntt. 

I had such a fun time getting to know writer Egan Gauntt. We talked about writing, voice, and how scary it can be to read what you've written in front of other people. We talk about courage and what that means in regard to giving and writing. 

Show Note: I do ask Egan where she went to school, but I hadn't yet received her bio, which I'll share here. 

Egan Gauntt was born in Alabama and moved to Los Angeles to study Art History at USC and work in the film industry. After eight years in art and set decorating departments, she left the industry to have a family. She worked as an interior decorator on residential and commercial projects when she wasn't world-schooling her two kids. Now her children are in college, and she has started writing and finding her voice, thanks to her amazing teacher, Jack Grapes. She lives in Venice, California, where she continues to work in interior design and is currently writing a memoir.

Egan Gauntt's work has been published in the Method Writers Speak series available on Amazon. 

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There is no wasted writing. No matter if what you write winds up in your book or not, there is no wasted writing. Whether it's "good" or "bad" it doesn't matter, because there is no wasted writing—or men for that matter. 

I hope you enjoy this mini episode. 

Let me know if you have questions about writing you want me to answer or discuss in my next podcast. 

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In this episode I talk about how important it is to strengthen your core. And no, this isn't an episode about exercise, I promise. I'm talking about strengthening the core in your writing. I hope you enjoy this mini-episode. 

If you want more or have questions about writing that you'd like me to answer, please reach out. 

Thanks for listening. 
Write on.

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As promised in episode 9, in this episode I focus on the risk. What it means and what you're risking as an artist, a writer, who is courageous and always trying to expand your capacity to give on the page.  

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When we think of the word courage we think of overcoming our fears, facing great challenge with a strength of mind and determination. In this episode, I share another definition of courage and how it can help you become a better writer. 

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you do, please share with your friends.

And in the meantime,
Write on,
Carolyn
For more about me and my classes, please visit my website. www.carolynziel.com 

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In this episode of Found Voices™ The Podcast I share three important things that all artists and writers need to achieve success. And when I say success, I mean your personal definition of success. These three things were imparted to me by my teacher and mentor, Jack Grapes, and I am now sharing them with you. 

If you want more, you may want to listen to episode 5: Start with a Bug on a Leaf as well as Episode 6: Inspiration is a Lump. 

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know what you think of this episode and/or if you have any topics of interest you'd like me to cover in future episodes. 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please do share it with others, with those your think might enjoy it, or might even learn from it, or might just want to listen to something different while out on their daily walk. Thank you. 

Write On. 
Carolyn.

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In this short episode of Found Voices™ I share a story my father once told me and how important it is to use the details of your life in your writing—the details of your 5 senses. No matter what you're writing, these details are magic, and will connect your reader to your writing and your characters in ways you'd never have imagined. I hope you enjoy this episode. Feel free to reach out with questions and your comments.

In the meantime, Write On. 

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Inspiration. We wait for it. We want it. We need it. Often we won't write (or create) because we aren't feeling inspired. What if inspiration wasn't what you needed, but something else? What if inspiration is a lump? 

In this short episode, I share a little bit about inspiration and explain what I mean when I say, "Inspiration is a lump."

Enjoy and feel free to message me with your thoughts and how this episode supported your creative process. 

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