Interview: Best Selling Author Laura Munson On Marriage And Making Choices

By Stacey Gualandi

Facebook: lauramunson
Twitter:   @lauramunson

Author Laura Munson never thought she would be called a revolutionary.  But her first book, “This Is Not The Story You Think It Is:  A Season of Unlikely Happiness”, sparked such a reaction from readers, she is still feeling the love over a year later.

“Never did I think I’d star as the main character in my first book.”   Laura

This Montana-based writer’s overnight success was actually 20 years in the making.  Her essay in the “Modern Love” New York Times column about what happened when her husband told her he didn’t love her anymore, touched such a nerve, her story went viral, which led to this best selling book. The paperback version has just been released.

When it comes to marital distress, Munson is an unlikely role model.  Instead of reacting, or over-reacting, Munson chose not to take it personally. I had the good fortune to meet Laura recently in Los Angeles at the More Magazine Reinvention Convention.   I wanted to find out how she discovered  true happiness and ultimately kept her marriage intact… 

Interview: Sarah Brokaw On Fortytude, Fear, And Facing 40

By Stacey Gualandi

Twitter: myfortytude

Sarah Brokaw has hit a nerve with the 40-and-older crowd with her new book “Fortytude – Making the Next Decades the Best Years of Your Life through the 40’s, 50’s, and Beyond”.  Facing the big 4-0?  She says have no fear.

“Having Fortytude means realizing that while you can’t control what happens, you can control your reactions.”

Yes, Sarah is related to that other famous Brokaw.  Tom is her father.  Her mother, Meredith, is a successful entrepreneur. Yet Sarah navigated her own successful path.  By 30 she became a licensed psychotherapist and certified coach, but like so many women, she wanted to marry and have a family.

Sarah’s personal story inspired her to write “Fortytude“.  She interviewed hundreds of women from all walks of life for the book.   Of course, being in my 40’s, I knew this book would speak to me.  Not only did it  speak to me, it shook, slapped and snapped me right into a new way of thinking!

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with my 40’s so Sarah addressed my personal problems, or “sparkling moments” as she calls them.  Now I’d like to share our stories with you…