In this episode of For Love of Memoir, I sit down with singer-songwriter and author Kelita Haverland to talk about her powerful memoir, Reason to Sing.Kelita’s story is one of heartbreak and healing—growing up with deep wounds, facing unimaginable losses, and still finding a way to create beauty through music. With raw honesty and grace, she shares how she turned pain into purpose, using her voice to inspire others and reclaim her story.🎙️ In our conversation, we talk about:How childhood trauma shaped Kelita’s journey and artistryThe role of music in transforming grief into hopeThe courage it takes to tell the truth about loss, faith, and healingWhy she believes every story carries a reason to singThis is a deeply moving conversation about resilience, creativity, and the power of using your voice to bring light into the world.🔗 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.Follow Kelita and purchase a copy of Reason to Sing here:https://reasontosingbook.com/Follow FLOM wherever we go:https://linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoir

In this episode of For Love of Memoir, I talk with Erika C. Lowenkopf about her memoir, Missing the Boat. Erika’s book is told in three acts and takes us through the lasting wounds of childhood bullying, the grief of infertility, and the surprising adventure that helped her rediscover joy.

With honesty, vulnerability, and humor, Erika shares what it means to live through pain and still find light along the way.

🎙️ In our conversation, we explore:

• How childhood bullying shaped her sense of self—and how she reclaimed her voice

• Breaking the silence around infertility and childlessness

• Why laughter became one of her most important survival tools

• The unexpected journey that brought hope and belonging back into her life

This is a conversation about resilience, courage, and the power of writing to transform our hardest stories into connection.

Purchase Missing the Boat here:https://a.co/d/btkpgqPPurchase Alive Out of Spite tshirt here: https://share.google/euCY7ysAJtOimwRxG

In this episode of For Love of Memoir, I sit down with author Inga Aksamit to talk about her powerful memoir, Between Worlds: An Expat’s Quest for Belonging. Inga opens up about the emotional highs and lows of living across cultures, navigating identity, and finding home in unexpected places.With honesty, humor, and heart, she invites readers into her deeply personal journey of belonging—one that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt out of place.🎙️ Tune in for:The truth behind the expat experienceHow travel shapes identity and resilienceFinding connection and self-acceptance while “between worlds”https://linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoirhttps://ingasadventures.com/

Step into the world of Larry Formato—where the line between survival and ruin is razor-thin.

In Dangerous Ways, Larry takes us deep into his past, revealing a life shaped by high-stakes decisions, calculated moves, and the constant hum of risk. From the streets where trust was earned the hard way to moments where everything could change in an instant, his story is raw, unflinching, and unforgettable.This conversation isn’t just about looking back—it’s about the lessons learned in the heat of danger, the cost of living on the edge, and the resilience it takes to start over.Watch the documentary Dangerous Ways here: • Dangerous Ways "Official" Documentary of L... Purchase the book Dangerous Ways here: • Dangerous Ways "Official" Documentary of L... Follow For Love of Memoir everywhere we go: https://linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoir

When Jim Mazziotti's teenage son entered a youth challenge program, it felt like a last-hope move—a lifeline for a family struggling to find something, anything, that might break through. But what happened next wasn’t just transformative for his son—it reshaped Jim’s life, too.

In this episode of For Love of Memoir, Jim shares the story behind his book The Challenge: How 144 Letters Changed My Life, the Life of My Son, and Will Change Your Life Too.

What began as a commitment to write one letter every day turned into a powerful practice of vulnerability, healing, and connection between a father and his son.

If you’re a parent searching for hope, or someone who’s ever questioned how to show up when life gets hard—this conversation is for you.

Watch full episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/VAutiCcDxqM

Purchase The Challenge- How 144 Letters Changed My Life and the Life of My Son here:

https://www.jimmazziotti.com/the-challenge-book

Learn More about The National Guard Youth Challenge here:

https://ngchallenge.org/

#MemoirPodcast #ParentingThroughCrisis #TheChallenge #JimMazziotti #LettersThatHeal #ForLoveOfMemoir

What happens when your childhood is shaped by two worlds—one Native, one assimilated—and neither quite fits?

In this episode, I sit down with Deborah Jackson Taffa, Quechan and Laguna Pueblo author of the powerful memoir Whiskey Tender.

Part coming-of-age story, part cultural excavation, Deborah’s book is a lyrical and unflinching look at growing up in 1980s New Mexico, navigating family secrets, displacement, and the long shadow of U.S. policy on Native identity.

We talk about the dualities that shaped her story—the rebel and the student, the silence and the truth—and how writing her memoir became an act of reclamation. Deborah also shares insights into how her upbringing, her ancestors, and her children all helped shape the story she tells on the page.

Whether you’re a memoir writer, a lover of untold history, or simply someone trying to make peace with where you come from, this one's for you!

Follow Deborah here:

https://deborahtaffa.com

Find us here:

https://linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoir

In this episode of For Love of Memoir, I sit down with Christine Reed, author of Alone in Wonderland, to talk about hiking solo, navigating grief, and learning to trust yourself when the path ahead is unclear.

Christine shares her story of leaving behind a life that no longer fit, walking into the wilderness with a heavy pack and an open heart. We talk about what it means to rewrite the stories we’ve inherited, how nature can be a mirror, and why solitude can be the most honest company.

Whether you’ve ever dreamed of thru-hiking or you’re on your own journey of reinvention—this conversation is one to carry with you.

Watch the show on Youtube: https://youtu.be/HPF1k0i-i6I

Find us here: https: //linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoir

Learn more about Christine here: Ruggedoutdoorswoman.com

Instagram: @Ruggedoutdooswoman

email: ruggedoutdoorswoman@gmail.com

Hospice nurse and TikTok storyteller Penny Hawkins Smith joins me to talk about her memoir, Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living.In this powerful conversation, Penny shares what it's like to sit at the bedside of the dying—and how witnessing death has helped her live more fully. We talk about her journey from addiction to caregiving, her viral presence on TikTok, and how telling the truth about death can transform how we show up in life.

This episode is raw, hopeful, and filled with hard-won wisdom.

Watch full episode on youtube:

https://youtu.be/Ibul77zMTtk

📚 Learn more about Penny: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/ @hospicenursepenny

🔗My Linktree:https://linktr.ee/4LoveofMemoir