Memoir Episodes

What if writing about your past didn’t mean reliving it? In this episode of the Holly Hughes Podcast, Holly sits down with author Monica Macansantos, writer of Returning to My Father’s Kitchen and Love and Other Rituals, to explore how we tell the truth about family, identity, and the stories that shape us, without getting stuck inside them. Monica shares how her father’s openness transformed pain into connection, and how writing became a way to process generational trauma without passing ...

Today’s guest on The Holly Hughes Podcast is author Judy Goldman, an author of eight books — four memoirs, two novels, and two collections of poetry. Judy has recently released a book called The Rest of Our Lives, a reflection on the aging process no matter what stage of life you’re in. Judy joins Holly for a discussion around different perspectives on aging, evolving feelings about self-image and confidence, and the beauty of writing memoirs.

Coming from a background in writing rooted in journalism, Samantha Dunn always writes with the idea that someone, somewhere will read what she’s writing. From that foundation, Samantha has authored numerous books, short stories, essays and memoirs, including Faith in Carlos Gomez: A Memoir of Salsa, Sex and Salvation. She is now the editor of Coast Magazine, based in Southern California, and also teaches at Chapman University. Samantha and Holly talk about their creative processes, the influence of journalism on her writing, her love of horses, and living with Parkinsons.