“I’ve always believed that within the realm of what’s possible, I can do it—and fiction was just another challenge to embrace.” — Iris Mitlin Lav

In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Michael Carlon uncorks the remarkable second act of Iris Mitlin Lav, a seasoned public policy expert who turned to fiction writing after retirement. Iris shares how her real-life experiences and family history shaped her second novel, Gittel’s Freedom, a moving portrayal of three generations of immigrant women navigating identity, hardship, and hope. She opens up about the steep learning curve of fiction, the importance of editing, and the confidence it takes to pursue creativity at any age.

Key Themes:
1. Reinventing yourself in retirement
2. Transitioning from policy writing to fiction
3. The immigrant experience across generations
4. The role of women in shaping family legacy
5. The emotional and technical journey of writing a novel
6. Working with hybrid publishers and editors
7. Encouragement for aspiring writers later in life


Buy Gitel’s Freedom
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42x5TLu
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647428587

Connect with Iris
Website: https://irismitlinlav.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067865341751#

Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#IrisMitlinLav #GittelsFreedom #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters #ImmigrantNarratives #UncorkingAStory #AuthorLife #SecondActWriters

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“My dad looked at me [from his deathbed] and said, ‘It just went so fast.’ I asked what did, and he said, ‘Life.’ That moment changed everything—I knew I had to write the book.” — Jennifer Griffith

On this special Mother’s Day episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Jennifer Griffith—host of About Your Mother and author of Both Sides of Then—to talk about motherhood, grief, generational trauma, and the stories that define us. Inspired by a powerful moment with her father just before he passed, Jennifer shares how her memoir became a way to heal, understand, and ultimately honor her family’s complicated legacy. Whether you’re a mom, missing a mom, or just reflecting on your own family story today, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:
1. Legacy begins with truth. Jennifer didn’t commit to writing her memoir until after her father’s deathbed revelation reminded her that life is short—and stories left untold weigh heavy.
2. You don’t just inherit genetics—you inherit silence. Her family’s secrets around adoption and emotional distance shaped Jennifer’s childhood, and writing helped her unpack what was passed down.
3. Grief offers unexpected clarity. Being present at the end of her father’s life allowed her to see that, ultimately, all we take with us is love. That perspective now anchors her work and parenting.
4. Writing in her mother’s voice was an act of empathy. Jennifer wrote parts of the book in her mom’s first-person perspective, discovering parallels between their lives—and healing some old wounds along the way.
5. Everyone has a story, even if it doesn’t feel big. It wasn’t until an editor pushed her that Jennifer realized her life story—outside of her mom’s—also deserved space on the page.
6. Understanding your parents helps you understand yourself. Writing helped her reframe childhood pain through a compassionate lens, realizing her parents were doing the best they could with what they had.
7. The why is everything. Jennifer’s driving force was releasing her mom from the shame of relinquishment—and giving voice to millions of women who were told to forget their pain.
8. Art finds its way home. After naming her book Both Sides of Then—a nod to Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now—Jennifer wrote a heartfelt letter to Joni explaining how the song inspired her. Months later, she learned it moved Joni to tears, proving that when you create with heart, your work has a way of reaching the people who helped shape it.


Buy Both Sides of Then
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4m1nF1j
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798888455142

Connect with Jennifer
Website: https://byjennifergriffith.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byjennifergriffith
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byjennifergriffith/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byjennifergriffith/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ByJenniferGriffith


Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#MothersDay #UncorkingAStory #JenniferGriffiths #BothSidesOfThen #MemoirWriting #FamilySecrets #MotherhoodMatters #GriefToGrowth #AdoptionStories #WriteYourTruth #AboutYourMother

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“Your marriage can be anything you want it to be—you don’t have to just follow a supplied script.” — Wayne Scott

In this deeply honest and thought-provoking episode of Uncorking a Story, writer and psychotherapist Wayne Scott opens up about the emotional terrain behind his memoir The Maps They Gave Us. We dive into his decades-long marriage, navigating a mixed-orientation relationship, and redefining monogamy. With vulnerability, humor, and insight, Wayne shares how creative adaptation—not rigid roles—can help relationships thrive. Plus, we talk writing, rejection, and why the maps we’re handed may be out of date.

Key Themes:
1. Memoir as healing and artistic integration
2. Navigating a mixed-orientation, non-monogamous marriage
3. The importance of honest communication and chosen community
4. Parenting through transformation and staying present
5. Questioning the “script” of heteronormative marriage
6. Advice for aspiring memoirists (and why publishing isn’t everything
7. Finding joy and identity in both psychotherapy and storytelling

Buy: The Maps they Gave Us
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bMkcis
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781625571540

Connect with Wayne
Website: https://www.waynescottwrites.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynejosephscott/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayne.scott.359

Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#WayneScott #TheMapsTheyGaveUs #MemoirWriting #NonMonogamy #LGBTQStories #MixedOrientationMarriage #TherapistAuthor #UncorkingAStory #RelationshipRealTalk

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