The Heart of the Matter

I got the chance to meet our colleague, writer, blogger, and artist, The Goddess Attainable, Libby Saylor, in person this week. For all of you that love reading, hearing her, and seeing her amazing art on Instagram, let me tell you that she is exactly the person that you think she is: beautiful, funny, sparkling, and open. But let me tell you what I realized after having a delightful lunch with her. She is the type of person that makes one feel good about people and she relates to life in a way that makes one trust the flow of it a little more.

I get a sense of that from her writing and speaking but the effect in person is even more powerful. So I know you’ll love hearing this latest episode of the podcast where I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson and Libby, and we talk about Libby’s essay, Old Doors are Closing but New Ones Have Not Yet Opened. We dig into that uncomfortable in-between place that we occasionally find ourselves in – experiencing the discomfort of change without the relief of knowing yet what the next thing will be. In her delightful, honest, and open way, Libby takes us into the disruptions in her life that are making her feel unsettled. And she shares what fuels her optimism for things to come.

Libby tells us a wonderful story about a similar period in her life that she had to feel her way through – and how it led to rich and rewarding experiences as she opened herself to as the doors the opened.

We talk about what to say to ourselves in the period of in-between, admitting this is hard and praying in whatever way we are inclined to be open.

Finally, Libby lets us peak into her artist ways of getting the gunk out as we tease a course that she is building for our community so that we can benefit from her depth and experience as an artist to express ourselves, even when life is uncomfortable.

This is a great episode filled with inspiration and depth as Vicki, Libby, and I talk about waiting through the periods of life that are uncomfortable and in-between. I know you’ll love it.

Episode 134: Perfect with P.J. Gudka – Sharing the Heart of the Matter

Looking for a compelling author interview and a great newpsychological thriller to add to your reading list? In this episode of Sharing the Heart of the Matter, P. J. Gudka joins us to discuss her debut novel, Perfect, a psychological domestic thriller centered on family secrets, generationaltrauma, perfectionism, and moral complexity. We talk about her transition from poetry to fiction, how she built layered and relatable characters, and why empathy matters so much in storytelling. P. J. also shares insights into the writing process, self-publishing, the power of the writing community, and what she’s working on next.If you enjoy book podcasts, author interviews, psychological thrillers, and conversations about creativity, this episode isone you won’t want to miss.Links for this episode:Transcript: Episode 134: Perfect with P.J. Gudka transcriptPurchase "Perfect": Amazon.com: Perfect eBook : Gudka, P. J. : Kindle StorePooja's Blog: Lifesfinewhine – The Life & Ramblings Of A ZillennialFrom the hosts:Vicki’s new book – a ghost story, Slivers. Her book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/Wynne's blog: Surprised by Joy and podcast: The Life of Try

1. Episode 134: Perfect with P.J. Gudka 22:15
2. Episode 133: Shadow of the Deceiver with Dr. Wayne Runde 17:22
3. Episode 132: South Side Memories with Gloria Golec 26:09
4. Episode 131: Attacking the Dragon with Marc Ross 24:05
5. Episode 130: Take Me Back to Chicago with Doug E. Jones 28:12

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to Episode 24: The In-Between with Libby Saylor on Anchor

Links for this Episode:

Episode 24: The In-Between with Libby Saylor on Anchor

Libby on Instagram @libbysaylor and @thegoddessattainable