Birth, Breath and Death: an interview with author, Amy Wright Glenn

Welcome to my Super Summer Reading series.

It's summer! Whether you're making more time to relax in the evenings at home or headed away for vacation, I hope you're doing more reading. I'm doing more reading. Let's ALL do more reading! It's good for your health.

I've hand-picked three books you should grab for 3 reasons:

1) these are three fearless individuals who took the leap to share their life stories in print

2) their stories are rich, interesting and inspiring

3) they've skillfully put words to the parts of being human that unite us all

I invited all three authors to share more about the stories behind their books and why they wanted to become authors.

First up, Amy Wright Glenn. She's the author of Birth, Breath and Death.

Meet Amy.

At the age of fourteen, Amy Wright Glenn began to question the Mormon faith of her family. She embarked on a life long personal and scholarly quest for truth. While teaching comparative religion and philosophy, Amy was drawn to the work of supporting women through labor and holding compassionate space for the dying. Amy shares moving tales of birth and death while drawing on her work as a birth doula, hospital chaplain, and her own experience of motherhood. We are born, we die, and in between these irrevocable facts of human existence the breath weaves all moments together. "Birth, Breath, and Death" entwines story, philosophy, and poetic reflection into transforming narratives that are full of grace.

Hi Amy. I know you're super busy promoting your book and loving life as a wife and mother. Thanks for taking the time for this interview--I am so grateful!

DD: Tell me, why did you want to write your book?

AG: My husband, Clark, came up with the title of this book when I started working at a hospital as a chaplain. However, I wasn’t ready to write this book at that point in my life. Rather, it was the birth of my son and the profound opening of my heart that compelled me to start.

DD: Writing a book is no easy task. What moved you from idea to action?

AG: I didn’t want to go back to full-time paid work after becoming a mother. I knew I could use my gift for writing as a way to contribute financially to the family and fulfill my heart’s longing (and the longing of my young son) to stay-at-home and nurture him with the best of my energy and talents.

DD: Pursuing your heart's desire--I LOVE THAT! Not an easy job, but totally worth it. What were 3 obstacles you met while writing?

AG: Working around the schedule of my son. I wrote the book when he slept. That was the main obstacle. I also had to master a great deal of information given that I chose to self-publish my book. With the support of a fantastic professional editor and graphic designer, I was able to make this dream a reality

DD: Share something new you learned about yourself while writing:

AG: I learned to trust the inner muse. Often I would wake up in the middle of the night with sentences running through my mind and heart. In this sense, I found writing my book a profoundly spiritual experience.

DD: In your own words, why is your book good summer reading for my readers--many of whom are interesting in transformation and loving their lives more.

AG: I write about authentically facing the powerful thresholds of birth and death. I welcome all who reflect upon life's meaning/wonder to dive into my stories and insights with an open heart.

DD: This has been so fun. Share a fun fact about your book as a closing thought.

AG: I love making links between the particular and the universal, between the day-to-day patterns of living and the deep reflections that thinkers across time and culture bring to human life. My book is academically rigorous in the sense that I draw freely from my training as a scholar in the telling of birth, breath, and death tales.

Folks, there you have it. A profound story covering some of the biggest questions and challenges we face in life--life, breath and death. When I read this book, I laughed and cried throughout! Amy's talent is off the charts--she is one wise woman and it comes through in her insight and writing.

Birth, Breath and Death is available in print and on Kindle via Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUE242M

COMING UP NEXT WEDNESDAY: Matt Kailey, author of Just Add Hormones and Teeny Weeny, to name just a few!

Matt's first book, Just Add Hormones, was a huge inspiration to my own transition process and when I contacted him for support he was a huge mentor. Can't wait to share this stories and interview with you NEXT WEDNESDAY!