Hot Flashes & Fiction

You ever try to be productive while bleeding from cat bites and spiraling at the airport? Because same!

In this week’s Hot Flash Tuesday, I take you through the absolute chaos of trying to get to Texas for my nephew’s birthday, only to end up in the ER after being attacked by both of my cats. Yes. Both.

Somehow, in the middle of all that mess, I finished the script I’ve been working on for over a year. The script is done! And it still doesn’t feel real!

This episode is about grief, missed flights, creative burnout, and what it really takes to finish something when your life feels like a literal crime scene. If you're in your 40s, chasing a dream, or just trying to keep your pets from losing their minds, this one's for you.

And next week? I’ll tell you how I changed the ending of the script… without telling my co-writer. Pray for me.

Daisy’s been running from her past. But when the front door creaks open and a figure appears in the shadows, she realizes the package on her porch wasn’t just creepy... it was a threat.

This short horror fiction podcast episode continues The Package, blending psychological suspense with raw emotional undercurrent. Inspired by real-life grief, it explores how loss and anxiety show up in the most unexpected ways and how the body remembers what the mind tries to forget.

If you love suspense audio drama, micro-fiction thrillers, or fiction podcasts for women navigating grief, fear, and creative survival... this story is for you.

Press play and don’t forget to leave a rating and review if you want others to find this podcast. :)

What happens when your chest hurts, your heart races, and the doctor says it’s stress—but your body says otherwise?

In this raw Hot Flash Tuesday episode, I unravel the terrifying health spiral that landed me in the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, my grief had company: hyperthyroidism, autoimmune panic, and a possible Graves’ disease diagnosis.

This isn’t just about hormones or thyroid numbers. It’s about what grief does to a 40-something woman’s body—and how we’re often told to “just breathe” when what we really need is answers.

We talk:

• Irregular heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Misdiagnosed menopause vs. thyroid issues
• How trauma lives in the body
• Learning to advocate for yourself, even when doctors gaslight you

If you’re grieving, exhausted, or spiraling through midlife with a body you barely recognize—this episode is for you.

Keywords: grief and illness, hyperthyroidism podcast, autoimmune disease women, midlife health scare, emotional burnout, perimenopause symptoms, Graves' disease story

Tap play. And if this helped you feel less alone? Please follow or review so other women find this.

In this first-ever Fiction Friday, I read The Package; a suspenseful MicroFiction story about a woman named Daisy who receives a mysterious box with no return address, no postmark… and no explanation.

Inside? A black rose. Chocolate-covered strawberries. And the creeping sense that her past isn’t as buried as she thought.

It’s eerie. It’s intimate. And it might just reflect the kind of fear we don’t talk about. The kind that lives in your nervous system when everything feels off, even if you can’t explain why.

This is my first fiction read on the podcast. Super raw, unpolished, and completely honest. Part Two drops next Friday.

🎧 If you love suspense fiction, micro-stories, or storytelling from women navigating burnout, grief, and creative rebirth, please hit play and leave a review if you believe in this podcast!

In this follow-up to last week’s episode, I talk about what happened when everything got even messier.

After my sister passed away, I couldn’t write. I didn't even care about the story I had spent months working on. Grief completely threw me off track, and just when I was getting back into creative flow, I started questioning the project all over again.

In this episode, I talk about how loss changed the way I see work, why my sci-fi script started to feel irrelevant, and how I’m trying to finish it anyway (to keep a promise to myself). I also had some thyroid drama and ended up in the ER! Like whaat? Tangled up with everything else! I really thought I knew about aging, hormones, and midlife identity, but nope. Life keeps teaching me new things.

If you’re grieving someone you love, second-guessing your passion project, or fighting with your health and hormones, this one’s for you.

Hot Flashes & Fiction is about navigating grief, writing through chaos, and figuring out who you are at 40 and beyond.

In this first Hot Flash Tuesday episode, I’m sharing how my journey as a writer started during a midlife crisis, right as I decided to leave my wellness podcast and jump into writing a sci-fi audio drama.

I talk about what inspired the story, how it evolved from an alien-in-a-dumpster idea into a fully developed story about a scientist, and how hitting perimenopause completely changed everything. Burnout, anxiety, hot flashes, and creative confusion slowed down the writing process... and forced me to face some deep stuff around aging, purpose, and identity.

You’ll hear about learning how to write a script from scratch, hiring voice actors, and why I had to step away from it for a while just to focus on healing.

If you’re navigating perimenopause, trying to write through burnout, or starting over at 40 & beyond, this podcast is for you. Hot Flashes & Fiction is about writing, grief, midlife, and finding your voice again, one episode at a time.

This is the beginning of something new. I’m Darling Izzy, and in this first episode, I open up about why I’m starting this podcast.

At 40, I found myself in menopause, grieving the loss of my sister, and navigating the messy process of reinventing myself as a middle-aged woman.

Hot Flashes & Fiction is a space for storytelling, healing, and honest confessions about aging, creativity, and grief. Some episodes will be real talk, and others will be original short stories based on my life, with fun plot twists along the way, of course.

If you’re starting over at 40, dealing with grief, navigating menopause, or just trying to feel creative again, this podcast is for you.

Welcome to the debut episode of Beauty and Bravery! 🎙 Hosted by Darling Izzy, this empowering new podcast is all about navigating life’s transitions with courage and grace. In this episode, Izzy shares why this podcast comeback means so much to her and offers a glimpse into what’s ahead.

👉 [00:09] Learn why Izzy hit pause on podcasting to focus on writing her first script and how loneliness inspired her return to the mic. 👉 [00:24] Discover how Beauty and Bravery differs from her wellness-focused show, The Wellness Latina, as Izzy dives into life at 40, becoming a writer, and interviewing trailblazing women in media. 👉 [01:53] Get the scoop on Izzy’s innovative mini-episode format, with plans for weekly episodes (under 10 minutes!) and even daily releases in the future. 👉 [02:20] Don’t miss next week’s episode, where Izzy opens up about experiencing premature menopause in her 30s and how it shaped her creative journey.

Whether you’re a returning listener or a new fan, this fresh start is full of inspiration, honesty, and connection.

Hit play now and join Izzy on this exciting new chapter!

Host and Producer:  Darling Izzy

Welcome to Beauty and Bravery, the lifestyle podcast about embracing life at 40 and all its unexpected twists. Join your host, Darling Izzy, as she shares her journey of writing her first audiobook, starting over, and finding courage in the unknown. This is your space for inspiration, resilience, and redefining life’s second act. Tune in and discover the beauty of brave beginnings.

This is the official rebrand of The Wellness Latina/Wellness Bae.

After a six-month break, I'm back and ready to share my journey of healing, growth, and self-discovery! In this special return episode, I open up about why I stepped away, my transformative experience with EMDR therapy, and the deep personal changes I've gone through. Reflecting on childhood trauma, taking time for privacy, and reaching the incredible milestone of turning 40, I’m stepping back to the mic with a fresh perspective and a new sense of peace. I’m excited to reconnect with you every week, talk about my audiobook project, and explore what the future holds. 

Slide into my DMs @mydarlingizzy – let’s catch up! 💬