Suzanne Ohlmann [Host: Holly Pelesky]

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Holly Pelesky interviews Suzanne Ohlmann.Suzanne Ohlmann is the author of Shadow Migration: Mapping a Life (University of Nebraska Press) and a registered nurse. Her work has been published by the Associated Press, Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine, Longreads, and Texas Monthly.Holly Pelesky is the author of the essay collection, Cleave, from us at Autofocus Books. She also writes fiction and poetry and co-edits Vast Chasm literary magazine.____________PART ONE, topics include:-- walking the neighborhood-- growing up Lutheran in rural Nebraska-- Suzanne and Holly's books from different sides of adoption-- Suzanne's Shadow Migration: Mapping a Life-- finding families while traveling-- feeling disconnected from your body-- metabolizing a missing person in your life-- growing up with music____________PART TWO, topics include:-- Suzanne's search for her biological parents-- vulnerability and creativity-- life changing after sharing the story-- trauma and healing-- inviting the reader to sit down with you____________PART THREE, topics include:-- Suzanne's path to publishing a very personal book-- the trouble of self-promoting, particularly for personal writing-- deep-seated religious programming-- shame and guilt, particularly around adoption-- the need for human connection-- mother wounds and how we define love-- meeting Kurt Vonnegut-- writing letters____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.