The IMWA is excited to announce Lenore Greiner as our June Member of the Month!
How did you discover the IMWA, and how have you been impacted or involved with the association?
I discovered it in 2018 when taking memoir classes at San Diego Writers, Ink. I stayed because so many people had published books, and I decided I must hang around them.
When did you begin to write, and what was your first project?
I first wrote a funny poem for my mom, who had gotten accidentally pregnant with twins, in 4th grade when I was 10 years old. Then, at 13, I started keeping journals, and I still do to this day.
Who are your favorite authors?
Joan Didion, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Tim Cahill, Paul Theroux, Anne Lamott, Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Gilbert—have I got everyone?
What’s your favorite memoir?
“Two Under the Indian Sun,” by Rumer and Jon Godden, is about two little girls growing up in India during the British Raj. It is about India through a child’s eyes.
Please tell us about your new memoir, its launch, and what you’ve learned as a memoirist.
My memoir, “Shattered Compass: A Memoir of Loss, Escape, and Renewal,” will be released on Wednesday, June 11th. It’s about coping as a young woman who cannot speak the truth. At 19, alone at university in Italy, I experienced a great trauma. Survival became the focus of my daily life, illness grabbed control of my body, and no one could free me from my pain. I became a ghost, living in silence. Later, as a mother and wife, my husband’s cancer put me at a crossroads. I became a travel writer, a pleasant mode of escape. Finally, upon my father’s death, I came to terms with staying silent. But what if that was too destructive, too deep to be excavated? I sought answers in the rubble, at risk of getting lost forever. My book launch is happening right now, and it’s so fun. On release day, Wednesday, June 11th, I’ll go live on Instagram with giveaways of a free book and two $25 Amazon gift cards, choosing from commenters.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
It’s been a valuable journey. Writing a memoir is better than therapy; it’s cathartic and healing. It’s YOUR story, so go for it. The secret is perseverance and following the good advice coming your way. Plus, read great books in your genre and learn as much as possible.
Please let us know how we can reach you.
Website? Social channels? My website is LenoreGreiner.com, where you can watch my book trailer and support me by ordering my memoir from Amazon. As for social media, follow me on Instagram at @LenoreGreinerTravelWriter and Facebook at LenoreGreinerTravelWriter. Good luck, everyone!
