This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by award-winning author Martha Engber for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, curiosity, and the power of fiction to help us better understand ourselves and others. We chat about her Mary Donahue Chronicles, including Winter Light and Scattered Light, and explore themes of trauma, healing, self-worth, and the experiences that shape us throughout our lives. Drawing from her background in journalism, Martha shares how observation and asking questions have shaped her writing, why curiosity matters more than judgment, and how stories can offer readers a safe space to explore difficult topics.
Episode Highlights:
Martha's journey from journalism to novelist and screenwriter
How journalism taught her the art of observation and asking better questions
Why curiosity is essential for both writers and readers
The role fiction plays in helping us understand our own lives and experiences
Writing about trauma, healing, and the hard things we face as humans
The conversation around trigger warnings in books
Giving ourselves grace and letting go of unrealistic expectations
Reading what you love instead of what you think you should read
Martha's book flight featuring small press books and authentic human stories
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
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