Whenever a reader offers praise for “Surviving Sue”, it’s a swoon-worthy moment. Pushing the boundaries of joy.
Wynne Leon and I had the pleasure of visiting with Pia Mailhot Leichter on the “How to Share” podcast recently and meeting Pia was electric. Her energy and enthusiasm for life and her candor for the cause – inspiring and instilling creativity in others – is contagious and magnificent.
Pia’s book, “Welcome to the Creative Club” is unlike anything I’ve ever read. One of the book blurbs says, “This book grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go.” Simple truth right there. I was locked in from the start, reading every word in one sitting. Gleefully.
When Pia offered to read “Surviving Sue” I was gobsmacked. And then…she wrote a review which synthesized so much. Pia’s way. Getting to the heart of things. The heart of “Surviving Sue”:
“A story told to heal intergenerational trauma, honoring Vicki’s journey and giving her daughter the chance to write a new one. It was inspiring to witness Vicki’s rise from dysfunctional ashes and see how she turned pain into purpose – how it fueled her career and life choices to make an impact in the lives of others.”
– Pia Mailhot Leichter
I think the zinger in Pia’s praise was her observation about my overarching intent. Yep. Writing about life with Sue was an exercise in turning pain into purpose. Spot on! And it mirrors my goal of helping others write their stories…writing for wellness.
Reading “Welcome to the Creative Club” felt like a conversation with a dear friend – even before we met, podcast-style. Pia’s disarming and engaging disclosure brings the reader close and her observations about the power of personal expression prompted hearty head nods, pen in hand as I annotated with abandon. I’ll give you a glimpse of the goodness here:
“At some point you need to stop letting the story write you and start writing it.” (p. 137)
“All of it – the shit and the sunshine, the bruises and the beauty marks – forged me. I get to rewrite my story, make sense of it, and assign meaning to it.” (p. 139)
“After a lifetime of shape-shifting, I rediscovered my original form: that I am forged by fire and air. My bones no longer break, tendons snapping, as I contort myself into new shapes. Instead, I turn my finely tuned antenna inward. I feel myself, the softness of deep breaths, the solid weight of my body, and a heightened self-awareness that changes my experience of the world. I find out that home is wherever I am. I stop trying to belong anywhere because I have a passport to everywhere.” (p.139)
As a shape-shifter in recovery, still, I recognized myself in Pia’s words. Some of us are adept at morphing, flexing and adjusting to the dysfunction around us. So much so that a re-grounding is necessary. A return to self. Or, as Pia put it, finding “home” wherever we may be.
Check out the links below to learn more about Pia.
Sending all of my best wishes to you!
Vicki 💝
- Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share Creativity with Pia Mailhot Leichter
- Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast
Transcript for How to Share Creativity with Pia Mailhot Leichter
Welcome to the Creative Club on Amazon, Audible and Barnes and Noble
Famished a spoken word album on Spotify
Pia’s site: kollektiv studio
Hi – I’m Victoria, Vicki, Dr. Vicki. I hold a doctorate in Adult Education and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and author of Surviving Sue | Eckhartz Press.
Check out this link to learn more about my book “Surviving Sue”.
Click here for Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcasts with talented creatives.
Click here for videos of our podcasts. Thank you!
Victoria Ponders 
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