Liz Olds was one of the first writing peers I met when I began taking classes in Creative Nonfiction. She was unapologetically herself, both in dress -- she has a banjo tattooed on her arm -- and in sharing her life's stories -- including trips through shadowlands. And through her example, I gained courage to begin sharing my stories. Over the years, I have come to know Liz's storied life well, and she is not only a survivor -- she is a mentor to so many others.

Here she reads her story of hitting rock bottom (five minutes) and then we discuss where she finds herself today, looking back on all that she's learned since that humbling day when her friends told her she had to start over and kicked her out of town. Today life looks very different.

Amy Hallberg is the author of Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival and German Awakening: Tales from an American Life. She is the host of Courageous Wordsmith Podcast and founder of Courageous Wordsmith Circle for Real-Life Writers. As an editor and writing mentor, Amy guides writers through their narrative journeys—from inklings to beautiful works, specifically podcasts and books. A lifelong Minnesotan and mother of grown twins, Amy lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and two cats.

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