Art of Living series: Helen Sheehy, Just Willa

Today’s story begins in a barrel, and today’s show is brought to you by Daily Greens by Factor Form.

A woman named Willa Hardesty is burning trash in the backyard, muttering, “this is hell.” She’s angry, grieving, and standing on the edge of something big. She’s not famous. She’s not looking for glory. But her life—hard-earned and fully lived—just might stop you in your tracks.

🔹 Who tells the stories of women who “weren’t famous”—but should have been? That question haunted author and biographer Helen Sheehy—until she turned it into her stunning debut novel, Just Willa.

📚 Just Willa follows the unforgettable Willa Hardesty, a Kansas farm girl who becomes a single mother, tenant farmer’s wife, and bootlegging cowboy’s partner. Her life brushes up against nearly every major event of the 20th century—from the Dust Bowl and Great Depression to the polio epidemic and rural electrification.

🎙️ On the latest episode of The Not Old Better Show, I sat down with Helen to talk about Willa—who’s based on her own mother—and the 20-year journey to bring this extraordinary “ordinary” woman to life. Sheehy’s years of biographical writing blend beautifully with her gift for dialogue, scene, and emotional depth.

🕯️ This is more than historical fiction—it’s an excavation of memory, family, and the deep ties between mothers and daughters. For our audience, especially those reflecting on their own legacy or wondering how to tell their family's stories, this episode hits home.

💬 We talk loss, resilience, farming, bootlegging—and the courage it takes to write what you don’t know, but feel in your soul.

📡 Listen now at: https://notold-better.com #Storytelling #AuthorInterview #HistoricalFiction #PodcastRecommendation #WomensHistory #ArtOfLiving #NotOldBetter

Today’s show is brought to you by Daily Greens by Factor Form.