In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with women over 50, I (Becky Berry) talk with author Mary Ann Noe.

This is a return visit for Mary Ann. We previously talked about her books A Handful of Pearls and Water the Color of Slate.

In this episode we talk about one of the books she was finishing up at the time of the last interview.

Mary Ann is the embodiment of She's Not Done Yet. She's in her late 70's and is publishing a book a year. Talk about not being done yet!

We talked about Mary Ann's book Deserving of Murder: A Lynn and Alfred Tale. The Lynn and Alfred are Lynn Fontane and Alfred Lunt, one of the most famous acting teams of all time. The setting of the book is at their home, Ten Chimneys, in Wisconsin, where Mary Ann serves as a docent.

The book is set in the winter of 1947 when there was a massive blizzard in Wisconsin. The unbelievable amounts of snow lend an additional air of mystery to the book.

In our chat we talk about Ten Chimneys as a character in the book (there's a room that has 6 doors) and there are cabins and a pool and all sorts of places where bad things can happen.

Mary Ann shares great stories about Lynn and Alfred and Ten Chimneys, and how she used her knowledge of the building to create a compelling read. I found out I'm not the only person who had trouble identifying the killer!

Also look for the second book in Mary Ann's Lynn and Alfred Tales: Glass Flowers & Diamond Stickpins, published in May 2025.

You can find Mary Ann books at independent bookstores, on Amazon (including Kindle), at Barnes & Noble, and from her publisher, Black Rose Writing.

Thank you for listening!

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like for me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Mary Ann Noe's blog: www.maryannnoe.com

Mary Ann's publisher: www.blackrosewriting.com/

Email Becky: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with Wise Women hosted by Becky Berry, I chatted with Monica Smith, author of "Steel Victories: A Father-Daughter Success Story."

Here's a fun LinkedIn story. I found Monica when she replied to a post from a woman we both follow. When I connected with Monica, I saw she'd written a memoir. So, I reached out to her and asked her to be on the podcast. This is the result.

"Steel Victories" is Monica's memoir of life with her father. Neither of us are big fans of useless introductions in books, so Monica reimagined her introduction as a compass for the book. Make sure you read it.

This book is a powerful study of power, determination, faith, and grit told in Monica's voice. It's authentic, gripping, and uplifting. I LOVED it.

Monica takes us through the trajectory of her dad's life, including a stint as a champion boxer in the Army during Vietnam and his transition back to civilian life.

We talk about the amazing gift of great parents, what it's like to have a girl dad who "didn't raise genders, he raised conquerors." Monica shares with us how the confidence instilled in her by her father led her to success in unexpected places.

We also dig into the powerful and skillful way Monica talks about the racism her dad and her family faced.

Monica talks about her musical talents, including beatboxing, and we explore how it feels to improvise every time you perform. It's stunning.

I'll let the podcast speak for itself.

Monica also talks about the musical piece she and her sister, Dara Smith, created for the book – "Symphony from Heaven." You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.

"Steel Victories" is available in hard back, paperback, e-book, and audio book wherever you buy your books. It's also available, along with "Symphony from Heaven" on the book's website: https://steelvictories.com.

Make sure you grab a copy and read it!

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Everything you need to know about "Steel Victories": https://steelvictories.com.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-smith-505a0117/

Instagram: @monicac_smith

Facebook: Monica C. Smith

Reach me here:

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by yours truly, Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

It's always a treat when I (Becky Berry) get to chat with a novelist. In this episode of She's Not Done Yet I chat with author Denise Frost who writes under the name DC Frost.

We cover a wide range of topics including her background, aging well, writing and publishing as a Latina author, publishing her first book ("A Punishing Breed") at 60+, and, since we spoke 2 days after the election, the future.

In 2024 the New York Times recognized DJ Arias, the protagonist in the book, as one of Four Great Fictional Detectives.

I love to ask authors to share their writing process and their journey to publication. Denise talks about leveraging her own life experience to write the book. She set "A Punishing Breed" on a college campus because she spent 19 years working at a small private liberal arts college. She describes the "hermetically sealed world" of college campuses where every voice is amplified and found it a powerful background for her book.

One of my favorite nuggets is her description of how she finally completed the book. She was stuck, and due to a tragic event, found herself working with a therapist. The therapist got her to commit to writing for 2 or 3 hours a day, at the same time each day. To paraphrase what Denise says, when you show up the words show up – and they did!

She serendipitously met her publisher at a weeklong writing retreat. They stayed in touch.

We also talk about the importance of writing groups to writers. Denise has been a member of several groups, finally finding a group of fiction writers.

Finally, we talk about a couple of subjects near and dear to my heart – aging well and activism. Denise and I recorded this episode the day after the inauguration, so we had a lot to talk about.

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

· https://www.denisefrost.net/

· https://redhen.org/book_author/dc-frost/

· https://www.instagram.com/dcfrost_writer/

· https://www.facebook.com/denisecfrost

Email me (Becky): [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by me, Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

Wow, just Wow! You won't believe this conversation. I (Becky Berry) interview Linda Broenniman about her book "The Politzer Saga."

Imagine writing a history of your family that spans 300 years. Now imagine writing it after you found out that everything you thought you knew about your family was a lie. That's what Linda Broenniman did and that's what we talked about.

After finding out unexpectedly that the father she thought was Catholic was instead Jewish, Linda decided to search for the truth about her family. She wanted to know more about her grandmother.

The history that Linda shares in her book really does span 300 years – that's 8 generations. Not only that, she's included family trees, photographs, and other materials documenting the life of her family in Hungary.

We talk about what it was like to find out that what you thought you knew about your family wasn't true and that the truth included the journey of Jews in Hungary for 300 years (I know I keep writing 300 years, but it's mind boggling – and powerful). Discovering family you didn't even know you had. Finding out your mother was a hero of Israel for hiding Jews fleeing the holocaust during World War II.

One of the most striking themes in the book is the picture it paints of what it was like to be Jewish in Europe over 300 years. Linda's work highlights the recurring cycles of prosperity, prosecution, and banishment that defined the life of Jews during this time.

I love that, at the beginning of each chapter, Linda tells us the familial relationship to her of the she's writing about. So, when she shares that one of her ancestors is the father of modern otology, she lists how many generations there are between her and him (the number of greats indicates the number of generations).

We talk about how writing this book allowed Linda to connect with her Hungarian roots in a deep and meaningful way.

It was a great conversation. The book is totally worth your time.

And, by the way, her book is on sale at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. It's that important (emphasis mine).

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Is there someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Do you have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

You can learn more about "The Politzer Saga" on the website:

https://politzersaga.com/

You can also find Linda on Facebook and Instagram: @lindabroennimanauthor

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by yours truly, Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

©2025 Becky Berry LLC dba The Cronecast Podcast Network

This is such a great conversation! In this episode of She's Not Done Yet, I (Becky Berry) chat with Suzanne Maggio, author of "Estrellas: Moments of Illumination along the El Camino de Santiago," about what she experienced on her first walk along the El Camino.

Suzanne also hosts her own podcast, From Sparks to Light – Inspiring Stories for Challenging Times.

Suzanne is a university lecturer in psychology, counseling and social work and comes from a large Italian family who didn't necessarily believe in asking for help. "Estrellas" is her second book.

We had a powerful conversation about how she decided to embark on the walk, the people she met, and the myriad gifts she discovered along the way – including reconnecting with her husband.

We also talked about one of my favorite coaching topics – expectations. Suzanne shares with us her experience in allowing the journey to remind her to appreciate the gift of the present moment, embracing and accepting how the days unfolded and the unique nature of the people you encounter along the way.

One of my personal favorite parts of our conversation revolves around the work of Henri Nouwen, particularly his Five Lies of Identity: 1 – I have what I have. 2 – I am what I do. 3 – I am what others say or think about me. 4 – I am nothing more than my worst moment. 5 – I am nothing less than my best moment – and – "We are not what we do, we are not what we have, we are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth. I am the beloved child of a loving creator."

Suzanne includes Book Club questions at the end of the book and they're not like any book club questions you've encountered before! Instead of the standard book club fare, Suzanne presents the questions in grouping that include On Leaning In and Simplicity.

After you've listened to our chat, I'm sure you will want to get the book in your hands quickly!

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Everything you need to know about Suzanne, including her podcast, here:

https://www.suzannemaggio.com/

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by yours truly, Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

Oh my goodness, y'all. I recorded this episode back in September and had forgotten how great it is!

Amy Daughters is a force of nature. She's a fabulous writer, hilarious person, and devotedly faithful. We had so much fun recording this for you!

In this episode, Amy and I (Becky Berry) talk about her memoir: "Dear Dana: That time I went crazy and wrote all 580 of my facebook friends a handwritten letter."

We cover our mutual love of college football (Amy, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and me, the University of Georgia Bulldogs) and take a minute to remind everyone that if you can talk about sports you can create connection with just about anyone!

In her fandom, Amy went so far as to become a freelance writer writing about college football. What a life!

We talk about what it's like to write a handwritten letter to 580 people and the significance of putting pen to paper.

We delve into her pen pal relationship with Dana, a woman she hadn't seen in 35 years at the time she wrote her a letter. And the relationship that developed between the two women and their families.

We talk about what it is to be faithful to a quest (not sure what else you'd call writing 580 handwritten letters...) and how we can create connections with people by showing up repeatedly.

Amy is such a skilled writer that you are inside the story. I couldn't put this book down.

I'll let the episode speak for itself.

I know how hard it is to remember the excerpts people read in podcasts, so here are the page numbers of the one I read: pages 253, 298-299, and 304.

Now go out and buy the book!!

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Everything you need to know about Amy: https://amydaughters.com

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by yours truly, Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with Women over 50, Becky Berry (that's me) talks with author Laura Carroll.

When Laura's publicist reached out to me about interviewing Laura about her book, "A Special Sisterhood: 100 Fascinating Women from History Who Never Had Children," I jumped on the opportunity. Women's history is one of my absolute favorite topics. And I love that Laura included the goddesses of ancient Greece to Sally Ride.

Laura is a veteran writer who has written several books including, "Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out" on changing careers and "Families of Two: Interviews with Happily Married Couples without Children By Choice."

In our chat, Laura and I talk about how she chose these 100 women from the 300+ she had researched, the importance of reclaiming women's history, and the current trends in forcing women to have children.

I was particularly struck by the number of female secular martyrs she included. It's a topic a lot of books avoid.

The book is fascinating, and our talk was enlightening. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like for me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Laura's website: https://lauracarroll.com

X and Instagram: @lauracarroll88

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with Women over 50, I (Becky Berry) talk with therapist and author Marcia Naomi Berger.

When Naomi's publicist reached out to me about reading her book, "The Bipolar Therapist," I was intrigued. As someone who spent 20+ years in therapy, I was interested in learning about what it was like for a therapist to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The book is beautiful, heart breaking, and uplifting. Naomi shares her journey with bipolar disorder in a time when mental health wasn't a priority and was massively, universally stigmatized.

In our interview, Naomi and I talk about the importance of close friends who are willing to speak truth to us when we're in denial. We cover the critical nature of finding the right doctor to treat you.

We also talk about the importance of hearing stories of people who have struggled with mental illness. This book is a validation for both people with mental illnesses and their families and friends.

When reading the book and again in our conversation, I was particularly struck by her bravery in sharing this story.

It's important that she did because people need to know you can struggle with a diagnosis, deal with it, and overcome the negativity you've encountered around it.

You can find Marcia Naomi Berger's books at independent bookstores, on Amazon (including Kindle), and at Barnes & Noble.

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like for me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Marcia Naomi Berger's website: https://marcianaomiberger.com

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by Becky Berry.

Thank you again for listening and sharing!

Becky

Y'all. I'm so excited that I got to chat with Diane Gilman in this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with Women over 50!

We talk about her life experience, including her experience with breast cancer in her 70's.

When you listen to our conversation, you will understand why she titled her memoir "Too Young to be Old!"

In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk about being a first generation American, the importance of our families of choice, what it's like to be a silver-haired glamour girl, and pivoting from a brilliantly successful career as QVC's Jean Queen to a new career as a podcaster.

Diane shares how her old ways of thinking fell away with her cancer diagnosis and she became something shiny and new.

There's a truism that goes something like this: We only get more like our true selves as we get older. Diane and I are here to tell you that's true - and it's a powerful thing!

She left us with 3 life lessons:

**Avoid living in an age ghetto. Seek out women of all ages and you'll stay relevant and contemporary. **Be always alert to recognize why you're here on earth and do it. **There's no calendar for life - it's what we make it. Our age doesn't matter. As we have the courage to tear down our barriers and abandon our limiting beliefs, anything is possible. We're never through learning.

If you enjoyed this interview with Diane Gilman, you'll love her memoir, "Too Young to Be Old: How to Stay Vibrant, Visible, and Forever in Blue Jeans: 25 Secrets from TV's Jean Queen."

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way for us to acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like for me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

For Diane Gilman:

Website: TheDianeGilman.com YouTube: Youtube.com/@thedianegilman Facebook: Facebook.com/thedianegilman Insta: Instagram.com/thedianegilman Tiktok: Tiktok.com/dianegilman4 For Becky Berry:

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky

In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with women over 50, I (Becky Berry) talk with Beverly Pimsleur.

After listening to the podcast, Beverly reached out to me to share her story.

Beverly is the embodiment of She's Not Done Yet. She's in her late 70's, has written a memoir and is looking for an agent, and is keeping busy as an activist for the Democratic Party.

We had a wide ranging conversation covering the political situation in the Ohio college where she was a professor after the Kent State massacre (1972), widowhood, taking over her husband's business as a widow in the 80's, the importance of constant activism, and we compare abortion stories that happened across a generation (Beverly's in 1962 and mine in 1982).

We decided that there's no arc to activism, instead, it's a straight line in the geometric sense - the line never ends.

Thanks in Advance for your help:

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners.

Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us.

Suggestions for future episodes:

Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at [email protected].

Have a topic you'd like for me to discuss? Email me at [email protected].

Resources and Show Links:

Email me: [email protected]

My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com

My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/

This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by Becky Berry.

Thanks again for listening and sharing!

Becky