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Author/Crow’s Feet contributor Conni Walkup shares her poignant essay about
cherishing — and losing — our lifelong relationships. Have you been meaning to call that old friend or family member? Conni reminds us to seize the day.
For more from Conni on Medium (under the byline Conni Walkup Hull), go here.

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In her 76 years, Jean Feldeisen’s done so many different things so well, it’s almost hard to imagine: philosophy student, social worker, virtuoso pianist, first-class cook and caterer, psychotherapist, writer, and now, poet. She’s also seen her share of triumph and tragedy, good times and bad. In her latest book of poetry, South Jersey Sand, Jean’s work spans generations, a vast range of emotions, and miles of Jersey shoreline, reflecting on family history, the poignancy of childhood memories, the beauty of the natural world, the profound (and sometimes, heart-breaking) relationships in her life, and much more. Join host Betsy Allen as she talks to Jean about making meaning from her rich life through her poetry. And if you’re feeling inspired by her work, Jean offers some advice on how you can get started “putting yourself out there” with poems of your own.

Show Notes

You can order Jean’s books here:

South Jersey Sand: A Memoir in Poetry

From Kelsay Books:

From Amazon:

From Amazon on Kindle:

Not All Are Weeping

From The Main Street Rag Online Bookstore

Catching Fireflies by Argy Nestor and Jean Feldeisen, a collaboration of art and poetry. Contact Jean at empowermepeople@gmail.com to order.

You can also learn more about Jean and read her writing here:

Visit Jean’s website: https://jeanfeldeisen.com/

On Medium: Jean Anne Feldeisen

On Substack: jeananne.substack.com

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Join host Jan M. Flynn in conversation with journalist Randall H. Duckett, author of Chronic Pain Chronicles: insightful and inspiring stories of resolve, resilience, and relief, a book that offers realistic hope and help to the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who endure long-lasting hurt — and who, far too often, also endure delays, obstacles, and stigma in getting their very real pain addressed.

Randall H. Duckett bio: Randall H. Duckett is a journalist who has created, written for, and edited scores of magazines and who has authored articles for, among others, National Geographic Traveler, USA Today, and AARP: The Magazine. In addition to Chronic Pain Chronicles, he is the author of Seven Cs: The Elements of Effective Writing; 41 How-To Tips for Creators.

Diagnosed at age 6 with a severe form of an inherited disease that causes his bones and joints to deform, leading to osteoarthritis throughout his body, Randall is also intimately familiar with chronic pain. He has undergone eight joint replacements, including both hips twice, both shoulders, and both knees, and has had both his ankles fused. He is never one to minimize the toll that long-lasting pain can take on the body and the psyche; yet he lives a productive and engaged life with his wife and family in the Philadelphia area.

Show notes:

Purchase Chronic Pain Chronicles on Amazon in any of these formats:

Paperback Edition

Hardback Edition

Kindle Edition

Resources (excerpted from "Sources of Solace" notes in Chronic Pain Chronicles):

U.S. Pain Foundation: uspainfoundation.org or painconnection.org

Chronic Pain Anonymous (CPA): chronicpainanonymous.org

American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA): acpanow.com

See other resources listed in "Sources of Solace" in Chronic Pain Chronicles

Watch for host Jan M. Flynn's first-in-a-series fantasy novel for readers 8 and up, Griffin Speaker, releasing May 5, 2026 from Disney-Hyperion Books and available for preorder now.

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