Lisa Genova, the New York Times Bestselling Author of Still Alice, is today’s guest.  When I learned of Lisa’s work and life mission I knew I had to have her on the show.  She epitomizes what is possible when you listen to your internal voice and have the courage to pursue what’s in your heart.  Lisa will tell you that she is doing her “soul’s work” and living a life of purpose by bringing empathy and understanding to neurological disorders people don’t like to think about.  Her book “Still Alice” became a New York Times best-seller and was turned into a major motion picture.  However, before finding her purpose, Lisa was on a very different path.  A Harvard trained Ph.D. in neuroscience, Lisa found herself at a crossroads when her first marriage ended in divorce.  It was in this moment of uncertainty that she found the courage to leave the familiar for a life as a writer.  If you are a writer or want to be one, would like to find your purpose, and/or enjoy stories of how dreams become reality, then you will love today’s episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Why Lisa left her life as a Harvard trained PhD in Neuroscience to become a fiction writer, with no prior writing experience
• Why her grandmother having alzheimer’s triggered her desire to write
• How & why she became an “empathy warrior” for people with neurological disorders
• How acting classes helped her become a better writer
• We dig into her creative process – how she crafts her books
• Why all of her books cover a neurological disorder and how they connect to life themes
• How she kept up her motivation when her future was uncertain.  Her book was originally rejected by 100 agents yet she was determined to get her book out in the world and it paid off.
• How her self-published book eventually secured her an agent and ended up on the New York Times Best-sellers list for 59 weeks!
• How she trusted that fiction was the way to tell her stories to create empathy with the reader.
• Why she loves the concept of duality and how our decisions create the reality we are living today vs the path not taken.
• How her book “Still Alice” became a major motion picture starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin.   We go into how it felt to be at the Oscar’s and seeing her work on the big screen.
• Why her latest book, “Every Note Played” deals with ALS.
• Lisa shares the questions we need to ask ourselves to discover our own life purpose
• Why you should never make decisions out of fear
• The books she used to learn the craft of writing
• 3 key tips for all women out there who want to pursue their dreams….and so much more…

Show Notes & Resources:

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Lisa Genova’s Bestselling Books:

Still Alice 

Inside the O’Briens: A Novel

Left Neglected

Love Anthony

Every Note Played

Other books referenced:

On Pluto by Greg O’Brien 

Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

On Writing by Stephen King

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Ted Talks: What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer’s

Inbound Talk: “If You Could Do Anything You Wanted”

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