Identity, Rejection, and Writing What You Love, with Janet Constantino

by | Apr 29, 2025 | Authors, Podcast, The Longs

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“I learned that I’m dogged… I didn’t abandon it, and that became very important—not giving up.” — Janet Constantino

In this soulful and insightful episode of Uncorking a Story, psychotherapist-turned-novelist Janet Constantino shares the winding journey that led to her debut novel Becoming Mariella. A former competitive Latin ballroom dancer with Sicilian roots and a love of jazz, Janet brings decades of life experience to her writing. She opens up about the long road to publication, her deep connection to family history, and how writing helps us make sense of where we come from—and where we’re going.

Key Themes:

  1. Balancing a career in psychotherapy with a lifelong passion for writing
  2. The story behind Becoming Mariella and its Sicilian inspiration
  3. Lessons in rejection, resilience, and rewriting
  4. Why some novels live in the drawer—and why that’s okay
  5. Writing authentic, emotionally rich characters from family roots
  6. Choosing 2000 as a setting to avoid the social media minefield
  7. How personal curiosity fuels both therapy and storytelling

Buy: Becoming Mariella

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hsYHV1

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647427689

 

Connect with Janet

Website: https://www.janetconstantino.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetconstantino2/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561036835050

 

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/

 

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