Posts tagged writing process

Guest Post: How Telling Her Mother's Story Helped Grace Bubulka's Grief Process

“Congratulations, your book is . . .”

The remainder of the email blurred, its words smearing together. The publisher was congratulating me, or rather trying to congratulate me, on the release of my latest novel, Ida’s Secrets, a 442-page historical tome about my mother’s life, her tragedies and triumphs.

But a gut punch doubled me over in my chair. I exhaled hard and refocused on the letters crawling across the screen. I attempted to shake away the feeling in my stomach. It persisted. Within seconds, a sensation of energy rose through my chest and finally settled at the base of my throat.

Guest PostSara RoahenJuly 21, 2025Guest Blog, author tips, writing process, publishing businessComment

Q&A with Carole Wagener, Author of "The Hardest Year: A Love Story in Letters During the Vietnam War"

Carole Wagener recently self-published her first book, The Hardest Year: A Love Story in Letters During the Vietnam War. Her husband, William, who wrote roughly half of the letters in the book, shares author credit.

Author InterviewSara RoahenMay 28, 2023memoir, author interview, veterans memoir, war memoir, war stories, war letters, love story, military love story, The Hardest Year, Carole Wagener, developmental editing, copyediting, self-publishing, writing process Comment