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Exploring the Hard Parts of Being Human Through Small Press Books with Martha Engber (E224)
Description
This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by award-winning author Martha Engber for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, curiosity, and the power of fiction to help us better understand ourselves and others. We chat about her Mary Donahue Chronicles, including Winter Light and Scattered Light, and explore themes of trauma, healing, self-worth, and the experiences that shape us throughout our lives. Drawing from her background in journalism, Martha shares how observation and asking questions have shaped her writing, why curiosity matters more than judgment, and how stories can offer readers a safe space to explore difficult topics.
Episode Highlights:
- Martha's journey from journalism to novelist and screenwriter
- How journalism taught her the art of observation and asking better questions
- Why curiosity is essential for both writers and readers
- The role fiction plays in helping us understand our own lives and experiences
- Writing about trauma, healing, and the hard things we face as humans
- The conversation around trigger warnings in books
- Giving ourselves grace and letting go of unrealistic expectations
- Reading what you love instead of what you think you should read
- Martha's book flight featuring small press books and authentic human stories
Connect with Martha:
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Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Book Flight
- Perfect Little Worlds by Clifford Mae Henderson
- A Little Lifeby Hanya Yanagihara
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Dessert Pairing
- The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.
Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:
- One chapter book for growing readers
- One picture book for our littlest readers
- A few family conversation starters + a simple activity
Three books. One common theme.
→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily
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