Welcome to the Story Circle Network podcast. You'll hear the many voices of our membership as they explore their lives and world through writing and sharing. We hope that by sharing our stories, we help bring insight to each other's lives. It is by sharing that we become stronger and more in tune with ourselves. We come from all walks of life to beckon our creativity and weave our stories.

---

Note from the host

Here at the Story Circle Network, we share our stories via e-mail every day. If you're anything like me, this story sharing has become a treasured time of day that I anticipate eagerly. But, as much as I enjoy it, there is just something missing when you read a story on your computer monitor. I crave the personal touch, the human passion, the warmth of a storyteller's voice. So, we thought, what better way to share our stories than by podcast?

Now you have a chance to listen to your fellow circle members tell their story. You'll still have your e-Circle activities to look forward to every month, but you'll also be able to hear stories every month on your computer or portable audio device.

Our podcast will include at least one Story Circle Network member reading their story (usually our Story of the Month winner), plus songs, musings, and interviews to help you on your way to fulfillment in your own personal writing.

So sit back, relax, grab a cup of hot tea ... and join us in the circle.

---

Podcast team

Becca in Pinehurst, TX

• Profession: By day I'm a product marketing manager for a computer software company; by night I'm a Renaissance Woman, always looking for that next tidbit to learn or technology to tackle. I've been a professional communicator for over 10 years, so now I'm focusing on my creative pursuits, like this podcast and my lifewriting.
  
• What is your writing practice?: Unfortunately it's too easy for me to not have a set writing practice. I tend to write when I can grab a few free minutes, which isn't often enough. I do my best writing when I let myself disconnect from my "normal" schedule and seize the moment when it knocks me over.
  
• Favorite inspirational writing book(s): So far my favorites are Page after Page by Heather Sellers and Storycatchers by Christina Baldwin. But I have so many left to read!
  
• Favorite memoir(s): Hands down it's Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd. Dance is what pushed me down my own path to lifewriting. Beyond that I have a huge stack of memoirs on my bookshelves waiting to be read.
  

Judy in Dayton, OH

• Profession: I retired after a thirty three year career in education where I taught all ages, preschool through doctoral students. After an abrupt end to that career, I am reinventing my self with what I call Second Life Creativity. Now, I am a writer. I am committed to living a creative life style, allowing creativity to permeate my existence. I'm taking more time with my plants and garden, noticing the beauty of nature and bringing that into my home. I'm cooking more with herbs and using more locally grown and organic food. I'm knitting, sewing, learning how to creatively use technology, and writing, writing, writing!
  
• What is your writing practice?: I'm learning to live a creative life, beginning by establishing a daily writing practice. My goal is to write first every day. I've been researching the writing practices of successful writers and a common, recurring element is that they write every day, set goals, and dedicate themselves to their art. I'm presently immersing myself in writing communities both on line and locally. I'm getting some coaching and some mentoring and am moving forward into a new career and life.
• Favorite inspirational writing book(s): I have a shelf full of writing and creativity books! I'm relying on Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir by Lisa Dale Norton, and Eric Maisel's books on creativity and writing for current guidance and inspiration.
• Favorite memoirs: My favorite memoir, written by a woman, is The Black Swan: Memory, Midlife and Migration by Anne Batterson. I've read it several times and the pages are all marked up with notes and underlining, good indicators for how deeply I interacted with this lovely, lyrical book.

Karen in Austin, TX

• Profession: I'm actually career transitioning right now, hoping to get out of computer programming and get into either freelance writing or library work or both.
• What is your writing practice?: I don't have a set practice. I do a lot of journaling, about 5 times a week, and try to create various pieces for submission, but nothing too structured. I really just enjoy the benefits of journaling right now and I love moving pen over paper.
  
• Favorite inspirational writing book(s): Anything by Natalie Goldberg
• Favorite memoirs: I don't have an overall favorite. My favorite memoir this year is A Midwife's Story by Penny Armstrong and Sheryl Feldman, about a midwife in the Amish country in the 70's. My favorite fiction book right now is The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. This book about the immigrant experience really captivated me and I love her style of writing.
  

Join us as our July story of the month winner, Susan Ideus, reads her story, Johanna, Beginning to End and Back Again. Our September winner, Katherine Gannett, treats us to her poem, Repositioning My Attitude.

This podcast is released under a Creative Commons license. Music in this show was provided by the Podsafe Music Network. Songs include:

• Change of Autumn, by Brian Turner
• Sunny Days, by Eoghan Colgan
• Forgotten Years, by Jenny Beck
  
• Living for the Moment, by Marc Doiron

Please send suggestions, story ideas, and feedback to podcast@storycircle.org.