In this imaginative and heartfelt episode, Susanna talks with Wendy Ulmer about bravery, creativity, and the courage to follow unexpected downloads. Wendy shares stories of the life leaps that shaped her journey, from driving alone across the country on what she calls her “Courage Quest,” to reading a deeply personal story at her father’s funeral, to sending a manuscript onto a slush pile that would launch her publishing career.

Together, Susanna and Wendy explore intuition, walking as a creative practice, dragons as catalysts, and the mysterious way stories arrive when we are willing to listen. Wendy reflects on opening her “heart box,” trusting the ideas that come, and embracing the identity of a brave adventurer. This conversation is a reminder that creativity requires courage, that inspiration asks us to let go, and that each of us is called to cross thresholds in our own way.

01:02 – IntroducingWendy Ulmer
08:08 – Wendy shares her “Go West” download and the solo road trip that became her Courage Quest.
10:16 – The story behind Poppy’s Campfire and how a slush pile submission led to her first published book.
15:57 – Dragons, downloads, and the surprising origin of The Call trilogy.
25:18 – Wendy talks about writing The Marsh and the idea of the “heart box.”
30:30 – Wendy shares her final words of encouragement for the listeners.

Wendy Ulmer is a former public-school music and English teacher with 21years experience. Prior to teaching, she was a Registered Music Therapist, working in both clinical and public-school settings. Wendy earned a BS in Music Education from Lebanon Valley College and a Masters in Education in the Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University.

She is the author of 10 books for children, including The Journals of Anterg, inspired by the village in Pennsylvania where she grew up. Today Wendy lives on Arrowsic Island, near Bath, where she can be found combing the beach for treasures or roaming through the woods looking for dragons.

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In this rich and moving episode, Susanna talks with Annie Schneiderman Valliere about legacy, calling, and the power of remembering the women who came before us. Annie shares her own Heroine’s Journey alongside the extraordinary life and influence of her great-aunt, Rose Schneiderman, a pivotal leader in the American labor and women’s rights movements. She also reflects on growing up with the presence of Rose in her family, the slow and determined work of writing her biography, and the moment she felt Rose’s power moving through her.

Together, Susanna and Annie explore immigration, labor history, women’s dignity, and the lasting impact of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. This conversation is a reminder that our personal stories are inseparable from collective history, and that honoring where we come from helps us understand who we are and how we are called to act in the world today.

00:49 – Introducing Annie Schneiderman Valliere
08:32 – Annie reflects on feeling Rose Schneiderman’s influence as part of her heritage and identity.
10:23 – Annie shares more about the immigrant roots of Rose Schneiderman and how early hardship shaped her activism.
13:50 – Susanna and Annie discuss the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and why its legacy still matters today.
29:49 – Annie talks about “Bread and Roses” and what Rose believed every worker deserved.
45:42 – Annie recites “Bread and Roses” and shares a message she hopes listeners remember.

Annie Schneiderman Valliere is a writer, singer, therapist, and social worker who has spent more than a decade researching and writing about her great-aunt, Rose Schneiderman, one of the most influential labor organizers and women’s rights leaders of the early twentieth century. Annie’s work weaves together personal memory, cultural heritage, and historical research, illuminating the ways family stories shape our values, purpose, and sense of justice. Through her writing and music, she keeps alive the legacy of women whose courage helped transform labor rights and women’s lives in America.

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In this heartfelt episode, Susanna talks with Rev. Holly Reid about the long, persistent call that led her from decades of nursing into full-time ministry. Holly shares how a quiet inner tapping became impossible to ignore, the financial and emotional hurdles she faced in midlife, and the transformative experiences that shaped her work in prison hospice and pastoral care. Her story is one of courage, faith, and learning to leap into the unknown, reminding us that a Heroine’s Journey can begin at any age and often unfolds through unexpected doors, deep compassion, and a willingness to say yes to what’s calling.

00:46 – Introducing Holly Reid
08:11 – Holly describes the persistent “tap, tap, tap” she felt from God, the car ride where she bargained, and how that tapping finally quieted down.
13:55 – Holly talks about leaving nursing to attend seminary, missing her first CPE placement, and how that “closed door” led her exactly where she needed to be.
26:23 – Holly shares her ongoing work with the hospice group at the Maine State Prison and the powerful lessons that her journey has brought to her.
38:07 – The biggest takeaway Holly wants every listener to remember.

Rev. Holly Reid is an ordained United Church of Christ minister and registered nurse with nearly four decades of experience in community health and pastoral care. After following a midlife call to ministry, she earned her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and now serves as pastor of The Neighborhood in Bath, Maine. Holly is passionate about community, compassionate presence, and restorative justice, and she continues her work at the Maine State Prison supporting incarcerated men who provide hospice care. Her ministry is grounded in dignity, connection, and a deep belief in the possibility of transformation.

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