Q&A with Jane Howard, author of “Hey Nature Lady: Vignettes on Living a Creative Life”

Who was your intended audience for this book when you first conceived of it, and who do you think it is now? Did your intended audience change at all over time?

At first, I was just doing it for family members, just tracking my own history of out-of-the-box lifestyles, and writing down adventures that I didn’t want to forget. . . . Now, though, I see my audience as broader than that—any age, really. The intention of the writing is to inspire others to take risks, to be curious about life, to reconnect with a sense of innocence, and curiosity about the world and nature..

Author & Publishing Tips, Author Interview, Self-PublishingSara RoahenNovember 15, 2025author interview, nature essays, creative living, watercolor painting, connect with nature, inner peace, nature adventures, adventure writingComment

Q&A with Patsy Truxaw, author of “Gathering: Family, Grief, Resilience”

What were the benefits of workshopping Gathering with a group?

I was inspired by people's writing and by people's directness, and I felt like eventually it was a class where I could take a chance and be myself and read what I wrote. I got good feedback, and the best thing is having a group of people who are just so supportive. I like having an audience, as it turns out.

Author Interview, Self-Publishing, Author & Publishing TipsSara RoahenNovember 15, 2025author interview, family memoir, sibling death, mental illness, addiction, recovery, redemption, family relationships, internal growth, siblling supportComment

New Classes Coming in January and February!

I’m excited to be expanding my class offerings to serve memoir and narrative nonfiction writers looking to give and receive true critique. In addition, I’ll be holding mentorship office hours on Saturdays for authors looking for guidance in all areas of book production and publishing.

Self-Publishing, ClassesSara RoahenNovember 7, 2024writing classes, Writing education, Writing craft, Memoir class, memoir critique, creative nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, life story writingComment

Book Release! And 12 lessons from the other side of self-publishing

A book release announcement for How to Begin Writing Your Life Stories: Putting Memories on the Page, and twelve invaluable tips for authors interested in self-publishing.

Self-PublishingSara RoahenSeptember 13, 2024self-publishing, author tips, Carla King, Teri Bayus, Wellstone Books, Linda Ruggeri, book design, Book creation, life story writing, memoir writing, writing craft, writing inspiration, KDP, Ingram, small books, Esmond HarmsworthComment

Why I decided to self-publish my next book

Self-publishing carried a stigma back in 2008 when the traditional New York publishing house W. W. Norton published my first book, Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table. What a difference sixteen years, and a whole lot of technology, made in the publishing world. In the current market, anyone with a story to tell and access to a computer and a bank account can publish a book and find an audience. Authors like me come to self-publishing for many reasons. In her (self-published) workbook, The Publishing Workbook for Independent Authors: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Professional Book Design, Production, and Distribution, self-publishing guru Carla King lists six possible reasons for self-publishing, and all of them resonate with me.

Self-PublishingSara RoahenApril 16, 2024self-publishing, life story writing, memoir, Carla King, editing, book lover, book writing, entrepreneur, branding, brand building Comments