“In this episode of Biographers in Conversation Gabriella chats with Bernadette Brennan about her book: A Writing Life. Helen Garner and her Work, a literary portrait of one of Australia’s most vital and revered authors.”

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About Biographers In Conversation

Biographer Gabriella Kelly-Davies chats with biographers across the world about the multiplicity of choices they make while researching, writing and publishing life stories.

In each episode she explores elements of narrative strategy such as structure, use of fiction techniques, facts and truth, beginnings and endings and to what extent the writer interpreted the evidence rather than providing clues and leaving it to readers to do the interpreting themselves.

She also asks writers how they researched their books; how they balanced a subject’s public, personal and inner lives; and ethical issues such as privacy and revealing secrets.

I’m pleased to share that my Twist Podcast co-host Rick Rose was recently interviewed on the Where Do Gays Retire? Podcast, hosted by Mark Goldstein. LISTEN HERE.

Summary (from Where Do Gays Retire?)

Rick Rose, a retired producer, writer, and director, discusses his move from Shreveport, Louisiana to Madison, Wisconsin. He shares his reasons for choosing Madison and talks about the climate and amount of snow in the area. Rick also discusses the LGBTQ+ community in Madison and the absence of a specific gayborhood.

He highlights the growth and economy of Madison, the ease of making friends, and the presence of arts and culture in the city.

Rick also mentions the local food and dining scene in Madison. Madison, Wisconsin has a vibrant arts and entertainment scene, with a thriving comedy community and a diverse range of performances and events.

The city also has a strong public transportation system, with options for biking, electric transportation, and plans for an Amtrak center.

Healthcare in Madison is highly regarded, with access to quality providers and affordable insurance options.

While crime exists, Madison is considered a safe city overall. The city also has a significant Native American community and is working towards preserving and promoting Native American culture and tourism.

Things are kicking into high gear. I’ll be offering four more 2-hour workshops (May 4 Fiction Essentials is full!). Follow the links beneath each description to register. Two are online, two are in-person (the Fiction Essentials workshop on June 9 is for congregants of the First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County, where I’m a member).

“Storytelling is healing. As we reveal ourselves in story, we become aware of the continuing core of our lives under the fragmented surface of our experience. We become aware of the multifaceted, multi-chaptered ‘I’ who is the storyteller. We can trace out the paradoxical and even contradictory versions of ourselves that we create for different occasions, different audiences… Most important, as we become aware of ourselves as storytellers, we realized that what we understand and imagine about ourselves is a story. And when we know all this, we can use our stories to heal and make ourselves whole.”

—Susan Wittig Albert, Writing From Life

I’ve been friends with Steve Dolainski for over a decade. We co-edited and published Outer Voices, Inner Lives: LGBTQ Writers Over 50, an anthology that became a Lambda Literary Award finalist in 2014. I finally met Steve in person a year ago when we were visiting my sister in Ojai, California, and he told me about recently becoming a certified Guided Autobiography instructor. I was hooked by the description and what Guided Autobiography has to offer, and earlier this year I took the instructor’s training to became certified myself.

Enjoy this 15-minute interview recorded yesterday. It will be part of my weekly co-hosted Twist Podcast, but it stands alone very well.

GAB Gazette Features Guided Autobiography Instructor Steve Dolainski

Featured Guided Autobiography instructor Steve Dolainski, who introduced me to GAB. My own workshops and courses start this spring.

https://birrencenter.substack.com/p/featured-gabber-stephen-dolainski?utm_medium=email

“Stephen Dolainski was drawn to GAB after learning about it through friends in Oregon in 2022.

“I did some research on GAB and, as a long-time adult educator and writer/editor, I was intrigued with the concept and the methodology. I immediately knew that GAB was something for me to explore,” he said.

After taking the the training in November 2022, he wanted to work with LGBTQ seniors.

“When I received certification, I contacted the Los Angeles LGBT Center and proposed forming a GAB class,” he said. “In 2023, we offered three GAB 1 classes and one GAB 2 class. More classes will be offered in 2024.”

Stephen loves teaching GAB and talks about how it how much it benefits writers by sharing their truth.”

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