The Writer's Story

Kristin and Meredith sit down with author and pediatrician Dr. Sharon Hostler to discuss her memoir, MAKING ROUNDS: LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN INDOMITABLE WOMAN IN MEDICINE. Sharon shares her remarkable journey from a working-class girl in New England to becoming one of the few women in medical school in the 1960s and a physician at the University of Virginia in the 1970s. She reflects on the challenges, triumphs, and life lessons that shaped her extraordinary career in medicine.

Meredith and Kristin continue their book club with Stephen King's classic ON WRITING. Surprised to find it labeled as an autobiography, they discuss some of his best advice for writers.

Kristin and Meredith talk to Heather Abel, novelist and creative writing professor at Smith College, about her new novel THE EMILYS, how she starts her books with setting/place, and all about her favorite writing books that she uses in class.

Meredith and Kristin discuss THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING by Rick Rubin as part of their continuing writing "book club." They share their favorite nuggets, and how reading generally about creativity can be helpful for any kind of artist (including writers).

Kristin and Meredith talk about their recent projects, and then chat with Brooklyn-based author Cassandra Neyenesch about her debut novel A LITTLE BIT BAD.

Meredith and Kristin discuss nonfiction book proposals before bringing in Brooke McIntyre to talk writing for young readers and more. Brooke brings a delightful curiosity and passion for the natural world to her new picture book, If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean, which earned from Publisher's Weekly a starred review! Whoop-whoop!

Kristin and Meredith talk with Natasha Joukovsky about her book, Medium Rare, her invention of the recursive estimation algorithm, and how she juggles her writing with a busy corporate career.

Meredith and Kristin talk about moderating panels at the recent Virginia Festival of the Book, and then discuss Ray Bradbury's entertaining book ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING as their writing "book club" continues.

Valerie Perreault, a Florida Keys resident whose visual artwork has appeared in all sorts of illustrious places, shares with Meredith and Kristin her journey of returning to her long-time creative love, poetry. Valerie's first book-length collection, Neon Pastoral has already garnered two awards and much acclaim. How she got there - lots of walking, literally! - captivates the podcast hosts and is sure to inspire listeners as well.  

It's a new year, and Kristin and Meredith have decided to use half their episodes in 2026 for a writing "book club". They'll be reading books about writing and sharing their thoughts. This month, they discuss the classic The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.