July 23, 2025 • 24 mins
What if your greatest creative chapter could begin at 75? Mershon Neisner proves this possibility as she shares her remarkable journey from social worker to entrepreneur to author, with her first book published on her 75th birthday and her fourth completed just before turning 80.
Mershon's story dismantles ageist assumptions about creativity and reinvention. As she recounts her path through multiple career transitions - starting as a social worker at 21, launching a marketing communications business with distinctive pink business cards at 43, becoming a certified life coach, and finally embracing authorship in her seventies - we witness the power of staying open to life's unexpected nudges. Her writing career began with a simple encouragement from a neighbor who, after just two hours of conversation, insisted Mershon needed to write a book.
The conversation takes a poignant turn as Mershon discusses her first book, "Mom's Gone, Now What," which explores the experience of motherless daughters through interviews with 50 women who experienced maternal loss in various circumstances. As a "motherless daughter of a motherless daughter," Mershon transformed personal tragedy into a resource for others navigating similar grief.
Her latest creation, "It's Mostly Good to Be Martha," introduces readers to an 89-year-old protagonist who becomes an amateur sleuth in her assisted living community. The character embodies Mershon's approach to aging - maintaining vibrant friendships, staying physically active, nurturing curiosity, and embracing new adventures. As scientific research confirms, creativity and continuous learning protect our brains and keep us young at heart regardless of chronological age.
Ready to reimagine what's possible in your own life? Listen for inspiration to pursue creative dreams at any age, and remember: it's never too late to begin something new. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts for a chance to win a copy of Mershon's book and connect with her newsletter for monthly inspiration.
https://www.LifeIsDelicious.ca/bookshelf ( Happy Is Not An Accident)
Find Marnie Martin here:
Website : https://www.LifeIsDelicious.ca ( Podcast) and
https://www.MarnieMartin.com ( Voice Over )
Email: marnie@marniemartin.com
Join the FREE Facebook Community here:
Life Is Delicious Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/lifeisdelicious
CONNECT WITH MERSHON
Email her at mershonniesner@gmail.com to get a copy of her book(s) and join her monthly newsletter.
Find her books on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08CZZP8NR
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, beautiful friend , it's Marni and welcome back to
Life is Delicious.
Today I have the privilege oftalking with a lovely guest.
Her name is Mershawn Neisner.
She is an author and acertified life coach.
She writes the Ask the LifeCoach column for the Coastal
Breeze News and has publishedfour books.
Her first book, mom's Gone Nowwhat, was published on her 75th
(00:24):
birthday, and she just completedher fourth book, it's Mostly
Good to Be Martha, and it wasreleased just before she turned
80.
She is a vibrant force and herbooks and her life are a
reflection of how to age withvitality and to never lose one's
zest for living.
So if you've ever thought thatyou're too old to start
something new, this episode isfor you.
(00:47):
We're going to be talking aboutwhy it's never too late to
start that something new.
Stick with us.
Welcome to this episode of Lifeis Delicious.
I'm Marni Martin and I'm soglad you're here.
And if this is your first timehere, welcome to the Life is
Delicious family.
This podcast isn't aboutsurviving midlife.
(01:08):
It's about crafting your nextchapter life overflowing with
purpose, joy and deliciouspossibilities.
Listen, midlife doesn't have tobe a crisis.
It can be a beautifulinvitation to remember who we
are to rediscover a new versionof ourself or to completely
reinvent our life to reflect whowe are becoming now.
(01:31):
So if you're tired of beingexhausted, living life on
autopilot and putting everyoneelse first, then you are in the
right place.
Each week, we'll bring youthought-provoking ideas and
practical strategies, as well asinspiration, to help you
prioritize yourself again.
It's time to take back yourjoie de vivre.
So grab a notebook and pen andpop in those earbuds and let's
(01:55):
go get it.
As we all know, life isn'talways delicious, and one of the
only constants we have in lifeis that things are always
changing.
Life can be a beautiful mess oftwists and turns and as we grow
through each unique season oflife, our needs change, our
goals change, our prioritieschange and our responsibilities
(02:19):
change.
And sometimes, when the reallyhard stuff shows up, as it
inevitably will, we can findourselves lost and without a
clear direction.
Sometimes that can happen whenwe've had a huge life transition
, like a divorce or a diagnosis,or we realize that our babies
are all grown up and ready to beout on their own, and sometimes
(02:40):
it can be a subtle or not sosubtle restlessness that tells
us we're ready to step into abigger, bolder, more authentic
version of ourself.
But one thing is for sure wecan't transition into what's
next happily until we get reallyclear about what's weighing us
down, what lights us up and whatwe truly want when our soul
(03:01):
whispers its truth.
Happy is Not an Accident is aguided journal created to bring
you back home to your truestself, to remember who you are
and to give you a safe place toexplore and reflect on where
you've been, where you reallywant to go and who you want to
become now, with deep, inspiringprompts, thought-provoking
(03:22):
questions and powerful exercisesto help you excavate your most
authentic self.
Happy is not an accident willbe the daily ritual that you
look forward to as you step intothis next awesome chapter of
life.
Give yourself the gift ofself-reflection and create this
beautiful life of yours onpurpose and with intention.
(03:42):
Get your copy, or one forsomebody that you love at
lifeisdeliciousca forward slashhappy Welcome, mershawn.
I'm so grateful to have you hereon the show today, thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Yeah, no worries.
It's been such an honor to kindof learn about your story, and
one of the things we wanted totalk about today is that you
(04:04):
became an author when you were75 for the very first time.
Now, I know that's not thefirst time you've reinvented
yourself, so maybe give us aquick overview of your story and
some of the hats you've wornover your life.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Sure, I'd be happy to .
I guess I hadn't thought aboutit being sort of historical
before.
You know, when you and I talked, we talked about me publishing
my first book at 75.
And that's how I think of thisfor reinvention.
But as I was looking back, Irealized that even when I very
(04:36):
first started a career, I hadgraduated from college early, so
I was 21 and just gottenmarried, but I had a teaching
degree, but it was December, soI was waiting to teach and I
came across an opportunity to bea social worker.
So that was kind of the firstreinvention was from planning to
(04:57):
be a teacher to becoming asocial worker.
And then I was home with kidsfor many years after that and
then once again, at about 43, Ireinvented myself again as a
marketing communications head ofbusiness, an entrepreneur, and
I had no experience, I had notraining.
I walked out the door and saidthis is who I am and I printed
(05:21):
up pink business cards.
Now, this was the era whenwomen were trying to emulate men
in business, so they worelittle ties and suits and here I
was with my pink business card.
But it worked and I had asuccessful business.
And then that morphed intocoaching and I became a
certified life coach and then Istarted writing.
(05:44):
There's been a lot of changes,as most people have.
Most people have diversity intheir careers.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah, and I think it's not uncommon for us to have
sort of seasons in our life andchapters where we do a certain
thing and then we kind of masterthat and we grow maybe out of
that particular situation andmaybe it's time for us to
challenge ourself again.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Exactly, exactly, and I guess the only thing that
would be unique about me is I'm80 and I'm, you know, about to.
Well, I just published myfourth book and I'm pretty close
to finishing up my fifth, sothat might be a little unusual,
but if you really look it up,there are a lot of people that
did things as oldsters, as Iwould say.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Of course.
But it's so inspiring becausethere are a lot of people who
kind of struggle with being ableto let their talents show and
to be able to bring things out.
They think I'm too old to trythat.
Old dogs don't learn new tricks.
You know all those things we'restuck with and it's so, not true
.
So it's always reallyinteresting and inspiring to
(06:50):
watch somebody take on their owndreams and to say I can do that
and I know when we talked onthe phone.
One of the things that Ithought was super inspiring is
sort of how you got into writing.
So that was a really cute story.
So tell us how that began.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Sure, I'd be glad to.
In fact, it's really in honorof the woman who I met.
It's in honor of her 88thbirthday, which was this week.
Anyway at the time.
Well, I still live in Floridaduring the most of the year,
eight months out of the year,and at the time, though, I lived
in a house on a cul-de-sac, andthere were a couple of empty
labs across the street, so wekind of made it our business If
(07:28):
we saw someone kind of wanderingaround, and I saw this woman,
and so I went up to her andintroduced myself and come to
find out she owned the propertyacross the street, but two hours
later, we had exited the middleof the street and ourselves in
front of my pool and just talked, and at the end of those two
(07:50):
hours, she was very definitivelytold me that I needed to write
a book, I needed to join herwriters group, her critique
group, and when was I going toget started?
She's really.
Her name is Virginia Reed,r-e-a-d, consequently, and she's
a force to be reckoned with.
She has an amazing backgroundand, you know, actually was in
(08:13):
the CIA in the 50s.
I mean, really an amazing woman, but she's someone.
When she says you do it, you doit, you know, okay.
So that was May, and I cameback to Illinois, and I started
writing a book, just like that,and that's how my first book
came about.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Initially Nice and was she able to sort of help you
with the process of getting thepublishing happening and to be
able to sort of mentor you inthat way?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
No, she'd never published a book.
She had always been a writerand she had lots of stories
she'd written and actually sheused to write back in the day.
She summarized and wrote thedaily news report for the
President of the United Statesin his cabinet every morning.
Wow, that's super interestingand I always thought that was so
(09:02):
cool and she's like no, I wasjust a housewife, Anyway.
But she never published a book.
But because she steered me toher writers group and her
critique group, I met people whohad published books, who were
writers, and then fairly earlyon, I went to Jackson Hole
Writers Conference two years ina row where I really learned
(09:27):
more about the craft.
So that's yeah, that's how itprogressed.
And I was very intent ontraditionally publishing that
first book and was kind of on myway.
I had a bit of interest fromagents, et cetera, and then
COVID came along.
I had a bit of interest fromagents, et cetera, and then
(09:48):
COVID came along and because Ihad interviewed 50 women about
their mother-in-law stories, Ifelt a huge responsibility in
terms of getting this book outinto the world and getting it
published.
And so, right in the middle ofCOVID, I decided to self-publish
and it was actually publishedon my 75th birthday, July the
2020.
Great yeah.
(10:12):
And then you know, I just did alot of Zoom.
I mean, I launched a book viaZoom and it was all okay.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
You know it was all okay.
Well, it's so interesting howmany people either found COVID
to be crippling or they lookedat it as a whole new opportunity
to do something in a differentway and to find a you know, a
zig or a zag to a situation thatmaybe would have been, you know
, not happening otherwise.
So I a situation that maybewould have been, you know, not
happening otherwise.
So I think that's amazing thatyou actually still continue to
(10:39):
take that initiative and find away to put it together.
Now, your first book was theone you're speaking about, and I
know it was about that.
your story is that you lost yourmom when you were eight years
old, and so I can't imagine Ijust lost my mom this year.
So I imagine that was very goodto be able to bring that to
(10:59):
light and to shed some light onthat for other people who've
gone through that situation.
So tell us about the interviewprocess with the women that you
worked with and how that allkind of came together.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Well, it's kind of interesting because, well, first
of all, I'm the motherlessdaughter of a motherless
daughter.
So my mother's mother died whenshe was two and then my mother
died when I was eight, andthey're unrelated.
It wasn't a related illness oranything.
But when I first wrote my bookthat summer, after I was
(11:31):
convinced by Virginia that Ineeded to do it, I wrote a book.
It was mostly my story.
I sent it to my editor, who wasphenomenal, and she said do you
want to write a memoir or doyou want to write a self-help
book?
And I said I want to write aself-help book.
And she said well, this is amemoir.
So I went back and completelyredid it.
(11:53):
Now I kept the memoir aspect interms of my own story, but I
interviewed 50 women that hadhad loss of all different kinds
at all different agesAlzheimer's, suicide, even
murder, of course, variousillnesses Anyway, and so that's
(12:14):
how that came together.
And then through thoseinterviews, that's how the 10
steps it's 10 steps to helpdaughters move forward and those
10 steps just grew out of thoseinterviews.
So it's interesting because I'mjust now putting together a
program, a four-week program onmemoir writing.
(12:35):
So for a senior living placehere in Illinois.
It's the largest senior livingin Illinois, actually 1,000
residents.
But I'm doing a memoir writingclass and you know it's kind of
ironic because that's how Istarted, essentially was writing
a memoir, and now I'm going tobe teaching it started
(12:56):
essentially was writing a memoir, and now I'm going to be
teaching it.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Well, I love that so much because what's really
fascinating is that a lot ofthose people that you are going
to be teaching the class to havestories to tell, and it's
amazing just like you may nothave told your story if somebody
hadn't given you a little nudgethat you can now be that
inspiration for others.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Absolutely, absolutely.
No.
I'm really excited about it andI think it's gonna be a lot of
fun.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, and you know, what I love is that I've heard
so many different scientificstudies that talk about how our
brains stay healthier and areless prone to memory loss and
dementia and all variety ofdiseases and ailments by staying
creative and being able to keepa part of your brain active,
and writing a memoir would be afantastic way to do that, to go
(13:41):
back down through their memories, and what a wonderful thing to
be able, what a gift to be ableto give to those residents.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, well, yeah, I hope so, and I think you're
absolutely right, marnie, interms of the creative aspect.
That's one that keeps, I think,helps keep people young or just
keeps people sharp.
So there's a creative part, andthen there's also the learning,
something new and that was oneof the things that I challenged
(14:07):
myself for.
This summer I went to thissenior living place, which, by
the way, I had been chairman oftheir board of directors years
ago, so I was very familiar withthem.
But so I went in and I said youknow, I'd love to teach this
class, I'd love to do a programon kind of reinventing yourself,
a little bit like what we'redoing right now.
And they said, sure, well, thenI had to come back and create
(14:30):
these.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It wasn't like I had them in the can you know?
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, that's the best way to do it.
That's the best way to do it.
So I'm challenging myself tonot only continue to be creative
, but also I want to challengemyself to do new things and
learn new things.
So I've had to learn aboutmemoir writing in more detail
than I might have known before.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, well, that's fantastic.
Well, good for you forcontinuing to challenge yourself
.
I think that's brave and says alot about who you are.
Just because you know noteverybody does that, it's
definitely.
You have to take your owninitiative right, and you have
to sort of drive your own bus.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I like that.
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
So tell us about this new book that you your last
book.
It sounds fascinating and Iknow it's the name of a friend
of yours that I think you justsaid had turned 98.
Tell us a little bit about howthat book became inspired.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Well, that's a cute story too, when I was in a book
club that had just read my thirdbook.
No, they just read my secondbook, which was the Bootmaker's
Wife, which, by the way, I wrotethat during COVID because I was
getting bored waiting for myMom's Gone book to be done.
You know, it has to be designedand all that.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
So anyway they had.
Wow, you're a writing machine.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
They had done the Bootmaker's Wife for their book
club.
So we discussed it and you knowwe're having a good time and
they said what's next?
And I said, well, I'm prettywell underway for the prequel
and I told them about that,about that book, and then they
and that's Angie the bee lady.
And then they said what's next?
(16:13):
And I'm like good grief, folks,it was about 20, 25 ladies.
They were probably 60 to 85years old.
They were all vibrant, they hadall these cute outfits on, they
were just these cool ladies and.
I, just on the spur of themoment, I said I'm going to
write a book about a fun, feistyolder lady and they cheered
(16:37):
they literally cheered, and thatwas enough motivation for me to
come home and start my bookcalled it's Mostly Good to Be
Martha.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Oh, I love that story .
That's so great.
Well see you've had a lot oflittle bits of nudges of
inspiration all through yourlife, very organic ones, so this
must be the path you're meantto be on.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Oh, it is for sure, absolutely.
And you know, every job I'vehad, everything I've done, I've
really loved it.
And when I get bored or get,even when it comes to a genre of
a book, if I get, if I getbored with, one genre, I just
move to another, you know that'snot good for marketing
particularly, but I don't care,I want to do what I love.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Well, exactly, you've earned the right to do whatever
you want and you know what, andthat's important also to do
what is what's inside your soul,not just what somebody else
thinks is the next thing that'sgoing to sell, right?
Because, exactly yeah, it's thecreative process and it's self
expression, and it's joy andit's all of the good things that
(17:43):
keep you vibrant and alive.
Right, Absolutely, absolutely.
So tell us a little bit aboutthis, martha.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Oh Martha, well, I really like Martha.
Well, I really like Martha,she's kind of me.
In 10 years I guess.
She burnt the pot and that'swhat got her into assisted
living, because she was livingin Iowa by herself and she
literally burnt the pot.
The fireman had to come and itwas quite the deal.
(18:10):
And so her very conservative,uptight lawyer son he said
that's it, you're moving.
And so he uprooted her fromIowa, took her to Poughkeepsie,
new York, which is where helived, and installed her into an
assisted living.
Well, she, you know it waspretty abrupt and shocking, but
(18:30):
she didn't really mind becauseright away she made friends and
she established a life.
And then things startedhappening, mysterious things.
So she really became kind of anamateur sleuth Sometimes it was
because in one case she wasaccused of abducting her friend
(18:51):
Harold and stashing him awaysomewhere.
So she had to solve that case.
And then there was a pursesnatcher in the region.
So she volunteered to be adecoy for the purse snatcher,
and that's the cover.
She volunteered to be a decoyfor the purse snatcher, and
that's the cover.
And if you look closely on thecover you see this little shadow
of a hand about to snatch herpurse.
(19:11):
So there's other things too,but she becomes this amateur
sleuth.
But along the way there's thesetender stories about her friends
and sometimes the demise of herfriends.
You know she lives in assistedliving.
People are old and people areapp.
You know she lives in assistedliving.
People are old and people aredying, you know so.
So there's there's pieces aboutloss and death and but mostly
(19:33):
it's about the value, importanceof friendship and and then just
keeping vibrant.
You know she goes to the gymevery couple of days.
She, you know, she just doesthings to keep herself a vibrant
person.
And when the book starts outshe's 89.
And then in the book she turns90.
(19:54):
And then she also takes atranscontinental trip with her
granddaughter and a lot happenson that trip.
So I'll leave that as a mystery.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I love it.
Well, you know what I thinkyou're right on the money with
all of that.
I know my mom and dad got movedinto assisted living just last
year and then, of course, my mompassed in January, but I'm so
grateful that we moved them inwhile they were together,
because they were able to makefriendships and my dad, when she
did pass, he wasn't alone.
(20:25):
He was already had a group ofcommunity and people that he
could look forward to seeingevery morning and I think 100%
that helped through the grievingprocess and it's just been such
a joy to see him, you know,thriving there because he feels
supported and it's a really,really great thing.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Well, that's a.
I'm so happy to hear that.
You know, that's not always theoutcome.
I'm really happy to hear that,marnie.
That's great.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, and I think so much of it, like what you're
saying with the way you approachyour life and also the way
Martha approaches her life, isit's a mindset issue.
You know my dad is a verypositive guy, so he looks for
reasons to be happy instead offor reasons to be unhappy, and I
think that speaks to everythingin our life when we what we
look to find is what usuallyshows up in our life.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Absolutely.
You attract what you put outand it comes back to you.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Exactly, exactly.
Well, it's been so fun to learnyour story and I know we've
chatted a little bit about you.
Have another book coming up, sowhat's that one about?
Tell our listeners what theycan expect and then I'll give
them some details on um wherethey can find your books, etc
it's the um, the next in theMartha series.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So it's another Martha book and it's called
Murder, maybe at Martin Manor,because she lives at Martin
Manor.
So it's a little more of a cozymystery.
It still features Martha.
Harold is still there.
Most of her friends have eitherdied or departed in other ways
(22:00):
so she's had to make new friendsand get a new group together in
terms of her investigations andso forth.
But it's a fun book and mostpeople, if they like the first
Martha, they're going to likeMartha number two.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Just so all of the listeners know, Rashaan has
volunteered to give me a book togive away.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm thinking about the Martha book as the giveaway,
and then also I would love tohave people sign up for my
newsletter, which just comes outonce a month.
It's about a two-minute readand it's fun.
It has a recommended book,somebody else's, it has a recipe
, it has a health tip and thenanother little story.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
What we're going to do is we're going to actually
give away one of the it's AlmostGood to Be Martha books, and
what you need to do is go toApple Podcasts and leave a
review of the podcast and thenwe will put everybody who left a
review within a 30-day periodinto a draw to get a copy of her
book.
So that'll be amazing.
We're going to actually put allof the details into the show
(23:12):
notes.
So if you want to joinMershawn's email list so you can
get some good bookrecommendations, great recipes
and some other fun littlestories that she shares in her
email, when can they find that?
What email can they reach outto you so that they can be?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
aware of that.
Yes, just my name, MershawnNeisner at gmailcom.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Awesome, that's great .
So we'll make sure that's allin there, so you get the
spelling right, and I am solooking forward to hearing when
the next book comes out.
And thank you so much forspending a little bit of time
with me and inspiring us all tokeep going, because it's never
too late time with me andinspiring us all to keep going,
because it's never too late.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's never too late.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
So my pleasure, marnie, thank you.
Thank you so much.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
I hope it inspired you ormotivated you in some way to
keep going and to create yourvery best life.
Want to know what to do next?
Share this episode with someonethat you love who maybe just
needs a little more delicious intheir life.
Join my free Facebook communityover at Mindset Mastery for
Midlife Women, where like-mindedwomen come together to support
(24:14):
and inspire each other and wherewe get to hang out together and
I offer cool bonuses, videosand some extra content.
And lastly, don't forget tosubscribe so that when new
episodes drop, they'll be queuedup and ready for you.
In case no one has told youtoday, there's not one person on
this planet that is exactlylike you, and the world is a
(24:36):
better place because you're here.
So thank you for being here.
I'll be back next week and Ihope you'll join me right here
on Life is Delicious.
Hey, beautiful friend , it's Marni and welcome back to
Life is Delicious.
Today I have the privilege oftalking with a lovely guest.
Her name is Mershawn Neisner.
She is an author and acertified life coach.
She writes the Ask the LifeCoach column for the Coastal
Breeze News and has publishedfour books.
Her first book, mom's Gone Nowwhat, was published on her 75th
(00:24):
birthday, and she just completedher fourth book, it's Mostly
Good to Be Martha, and it wasreleased just before she turned
80.
She is a vibrant force and herbooks and her life are a
reflection of how to age withvitality and to never lose one's
zest for living.
So if you've ever thought thatyou're too old to start
something new, this episode isfor you.
(00:47):
We're going to be talking aboutwhy it's never too late to
start that something new.
Stick with us.
Welcome to this episode of Lifeis Delicious.
I'm Marni Martin and I'm soglad you're here.
And if this is your first timehere, welcome to the Life is
Delicious family.
This podcast isn't aboutsurviving midlife.
(01:08):
It's about crafting your nextchapter life overflowing with
purpose, joy and deliciouspossibilities.
Listen, midlife doesn't have tobe a crisis.
It can be a beautifulinvitation to remember who we
are to rediscover a new versionof ourself or to completely
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lifeisdeliciousca forward slashhappy Welcome, mershawn.
I'm so grateful to have you hereon the show today, thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Yeah, no worries.
It's been such an honor to kindof learn about your story, and
one of the things we wanted totalk about today is that you
(04:04):
became an author when you were75 for the very first time.
Now, I know that's not thefirst time you've reinvented
yourself, so maybe give us aquick overview of your story and
some of the hats you've wornover your life.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Sure, I'd be happy to .
I guess I hadn't thought aboutit being sort of historical
before.
You know, when you and I talked, we talked about me publishing
my first book at 75.
And that's how I think of thisfor reinvention.
But as I was looking back, Irealized that even when I very
(04:36):
first started a career, I hadgraduated from college early, so
I was 21 and just gottenmarried, but I had a teaching
degree, but it was December, soI was waiting to teach and I
came across an opportunity to bea social worker.
So that was kind of the firstreinvention was from planning to
(04:57):
be a teacher to becoming asocial worker.
And then I was home with kidsfor many years after that and
then once again, at about 43, Ireinvented myself again as a
marketing communications head ofbusiness, an entrepreneur, and
I had no experience, I had notraining.
I walked out the door and saidthis is who I am and I printed
(05:21):
up pink business cards.
Now, this was the era whenwomen were trying to emulate men
in business, so they worelittle ties and suits and here I
was with my pink business card.
But it worked and I had asuccessful business.
And then that morphed intocoaching and I became a
certified life coach and then Istarted writing.
(05:44):
There's been a lot of changes,as most people have.
Most people have diversity intheir careers.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah, and I think it's not uncommon for us to have
sort of seasons in our life andchapters where we do a certain
thing and then we kind of masterthat and we grow maybe out of
that particular situation andmaybe it's time for us to
challenge ourself again.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Exactly, exactly, and I guess the only thing that
would be unique about me is I'm80 and I'm, you know, about to.
Well, I just published myfourth book and I'm pretty close
to finishing up my fifth, sothat might be a little unusual,
but if you really look it up,there are a lot of people that
did things as oldsters, as Iwould say.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Of course.
But it's so inspiring becausethere are a lot of people who
kind of struggle with being ableto let their talents show and
to be able to bring things out.
They think I'm too old to trythat.
Old dogs don't learn new tricks.
You know all those things we'restuck with and it's so, not true
.
So it's always reallyinteresting and inspiring to
(06:50):
watch somebody take on their owndreams and to say I can do that
and I know when we talked onthe phone.
One of the things that Ithought was super inspiring is
sort of how you got into writing.
So that was a really cute story.
So tell us how that began.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Sure, I'd be glad to.
In fact, it's really in honorof the woman who I met.
It's in honor of her 88thbirthday, which was this week.
Anyway at the time.
Well, I still live in Floridaduring the most of the year,
eight months out of the year,and at the time, though, I lived
in a house on a cul-de-sac, andthere were a couple of empty
labs across the street, so wekind of made it our business If
(07:28):
we saw someone kind of wanderingaround, and I saw this woman,
and so I went up to her andintroduced myself and come to
find out she owned the propertyacross the street, but two hours
later, we had exited the middleof the street and ourselves in
front of my pool and just talked, and at the end of those two
(07:50):
hours, she was very definitivelytold me that I needed to write
a book, I needed to join herwriters group, her critique
group, and when was I going toget started?
She's really.
Her name is Virginia Reed,r-e-a-d, consequently, and she's
a force to be reckoned with.
She has an amazing backgroundand, you know, actually was in
(08:13):
the CIA in the 50s.
I mean, really an amazing woman, but she's someone.
When she says you do it, you doit, you know, okay.
So that was May, and I cameback to Illinois, and I started
writing a book, just like that,and that's how my first book
came about.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Initially Nice and was she able to sort of help you
with the process of getting thepublishing happening and to be
able to sort of mentor you inthat way?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
No, she'd never published a book.
She had always been a writerand she had lots of stories
she'd written and actually sheused to write back in the day.
She summarized and wrote thedaily news report for the
President of the United Statesin his cabinet every morning.
Wow, that's super interestingand I always thought that was so
(09:02):
cool and she's like no, I wasjust a housewife, Anyway.
But she never published a book.
But because she steered me toher writers group and her
critique group, I met people whohad published books, who were
writers, and then fairly earlyon, I went to Jackson Hole
Writers Conference two years ina row where I really learned
(09:27):
more about the craft.
So that's yeah, that's how itprogressed.
And I was very intent ontraditionally publishing that
first book and was kind of on myway.
I had a bit of interest fromagents, et cetera, and then
COVID came along.
I had a bit of interest fromagents, et cetera, and then
(09:48):
COVID came along and because Ihad interviewed 50 women about
their mother-in-law stories, Ifelt a huge responsibility in
terms of getting this book outinto the world and getting it
published.
And so, right in the middle ofCOVID, I decided to self-publish
and it was actually publishedon my 75th birthday, July the
2020.
Great yeah.
(10:12):
And then you know, I just did alot of Zoom.
I mean, I launched a book viaZoom and it was all okay.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
You know it was all okay.
Well, it's so interesting howmany people either found COVID
to be crippling or they lookedat it as a whole new opportunity
to do something in a differentway and to find a you know, a
zig or a zag to a situation thatmaybe would have been, you know
, not happening otherwise.
So I a situation that maybewould have been, you know, not
happening otherwise.
So I think that's amazing thatyou actually still continue to
(10:39):
take that initiative and find away to put it together.
Now, your first book was theone you're speaking about, and I
know it was about that.
your story is that you lost yourmom when you were eight years
old, and so I can't imagine Ijust lost my mom this year.
So I imagine that was very goodto be able to bring that to
(10:59):
light and to shed some light onthat for other people who've
gone through that situation.
So tell us about the interviewprocess with the women that you
worked with and how that allkind of came together.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Well, it's kind of interesting because, well, first
of all, I'm the motherlessdaughter of a motherless
daughter.
So my mother's mother died whenshe was two and then my mother
died when I was eight, andthey're unrelated.
It wasn't a related illness oranything.
But when I first wrote my bookthat summer, after I was
(11:31):
convinced by Virginia that Ineeded to do it, I wrote a book.
It was mostly my story.
I sent it to my editor, who wasphenomenal, and she said do you
want to write a memoir or doyou want to write a self-help
book?
And I said I want to write aself-help book.
And she said well, this is amemoir.
So I went back and completelyredid it.
(11:53):
Now I kept the memoir aspect interms of my own story, but I
interviewed 50 women that hadhad loss of all different kinds
at all different agesAlzheimer's, suicide, even
murder, of course, variousillnesses Anyway, and so that's
(12:14):
how that came together.
And then through thoseinterviews, that's how the 10
steps it's 10 steps to helpdaughters move forward and those
10 steps just grew out of thoseinterviews.
So it's interesting because I'mjust now putting together a
program, a four-week program onmemoir writing.
(12:35):
So for a senior living placehere in Illinois.
It's the largest senior livingin Illinois, actually 1,000
residents.
But I'm doing a memoir writingclass and you know it's kind of
ironic because that's how Istarted, essentially was writing
a memoir, and now I'm going tobe teaching it started
(12:56):
essentially was writing a memoir, and now I'm going to be
teaching it.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Well, I love that so much because what's really
fascinating is that a lot ofthose people that you are going
to be teaching the class to havestories to tell, and it's
amazing just like you may nothave told your story if somebody
hadn't given you a little nudgethat you can now be that
inspiration for others.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Absolutely, absolutely.
No.
I'm really excited about it andI think it's gonna be a lot of
fun.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, and you know, what I love is that I've heard
so many different scientificstudies that talk about how our
brains stay healthier and areless prone to memory loss and
dementia and all variety ofdiseases and ailments by staying
creative and being able to keepa part of your brain active,
and writing a memoir would be afantastic way to do that, to go
(13:41):
back down through their memories, and what a wonderful thing to
be able, what a gift to be ableto give to those residents.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, well, yeah, I hope so, and I think you're
absolutely right, marnie, interms of the creative aspect.
That's one that keeps, I think,helps keep people young or just
keeps people sharp.
So there's a creative part, andthen there's also the learning,
something new and that was oneof the things that I challenged
(14:07):
myself for.
This summer I went to thissenior living place, which, by
the way, I had been chairman oftheir board of directors years
ago, so I was very familiar withthem.
But so I went in and I said youknow, I'd love to teach this
class, I'd love to do a programon kind of reinventing yourself,
a little bit like what we'redoing right now.
And they said, sure, well, thenI had to come back and create
(14:30):
these.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It wasn't like I had them in the can you know?
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, that's the best way to do it.
That's the best way to do it.
So I'm challenging myself tonot only continue to be creative
, but also I want to challengemyself to do new things and
learn new things.
So I've had to learn aboutmemoir writing in more detail
than I might have known before.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, well, that's fantastic.
Well, good for you forcontinuing to challenge yourself
.
I think that's brave and says alot about who you are.
Just because you know noteverybody does that, it's
definitely.
You have to take your owninitiative right, and you have
to sort of drive your own bus.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I like that.
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
So tell us about this new book that you your last
book.
It sounds fascinating and Iknow it's the name of a friend
of yours that I think you justsaid had turned 98.
Tell us a little bit about howthat book became inspired.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Well, that's a cute story too, when I was in a book
club that had just read my thirdbook.
No, they just read my secondbook, which was the Bootmaker's
Wife, which, by the way, I wrotethat during COVID because I was
getting bored waiting for myMom's Gone book to be done.
You know, it has to be designedand all that.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
So anyway they had.
Wow, you're a writing machine.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
They had done the Bootmaker's Wife for their book
club.
So we discussed it and you knowwe're having a good time and
they said what's next?
And I said, well, I'm prettywell underway for the prequel
and I told them about that,about that book, and then they
and that's Angie the bee lady.
And then they said what's next?
(16:13):
And I'm like good grief, folks,it was about 20, 25 ladies.
They were probably 60 to 85years old.
They were all vibrant, they hadall these cute outfits on, they
were just these cool ladies and.
I, just on the spur of themoment, I said I'm going to
write a book about a fun, feistyolder lady and they cheered
(16:37):
they literally cheered, and thatwas enough motivation for me to
come home and start my bookcalled it's Mostly Good to Be
Martha.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Oh, I love that story .
That's so great.
Well see you've had a lot oflittle bits of nudges of
inspiration all through yourlife, very organic ones, so this
must be the path you're meantto be on.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Oh, it is for sure, absolutely.
And you know, every job I'vehad, everything I've done, I've
really loved it.
And when I get bored or get,even when it comes to a genre of
a book, if I get, if I getbored with, one genre, I just
move to another, you know that'snot good for marketing
particularly, but I don't care,I want to do what I love.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Well, exactly, you've earned the right to do whatever
you want and you know what, andthat's important also to do
what is what's inside your soul,not just what somebody else
thinks is the next thing that'sgoing to sell, right?
Because, exactly yeah, it's thecreative process and it's self
expression, and it's joy andit's all of the good things that
(17:43):
keep you vibrant and alive.
Right, Absolutely, absolutely.
So tell us a little bit aboutthis, martha.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Oh Martha, well, I really like Martha.
Well, I really like Martha,she's kind of me.
In 10 years I guess.
She burnt the pot and that'swhat got her into assisted
living, because she was livingin Iowa by herself and she
literally burnt the pot.
The fireman had to come and itwas quite the deal.
(18:10):
And so her very conservative,uptight lawyer son he said
that's it, you're moving.
And so he uprooted her fromIowa, took her to Poughkeepsie,
new York, which is where helived, and installed her into an
assisted living.
Well, she, you know it waspretty abrupt and shocking, but
(18:30):
she didn't really mind becauseright away she made friends and
she established a life.
And then things startedhappening, mysterious things.
So she really became kind of anamateur sleuth Sometimes it was
because in one case she wasaccused of abducting her friend
(18:51):
Harold and stashing him awaysomewhere.
So she had to solve that case.
And then there was a pursesnatcher in the region.
So she volunteered to be adecoy for the purse snatcher,
and that's the cover.
She volunteered to be a decoyfor the purse snatcher, and
that's the cover.
And if you look closely on thecover you see this little shadow
of a hand about to snatch herpurse.
(19:11):
So there's other things too,but she becomes this amateur
sleuth.
But along the way there's thesetender stories about her friends
and sometimes the demise of herfriends.
You know she lives in assistedliving.
People are old and people areapp.
You know she lives in assistedliving.
People are old and people aredying, you know so.
So there's there's pieces aboutloss and death and but mostly
(19:33):
it's about the value, importanceof friendship and and then just
keeping vibrant.
You know she goes to the gymevery couple of days.
She, you know, she just doesthings to keep herself a vibrant
person.
And when the book starts outshe's 89.
And then in the book she turns90.
(19:54):
And then she also takes atranscontinental trip with her
granddaughter and a lot happenson that trip.
So I'll leave that as a mystery.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I love it.
Well, you know what I thinkyou're right on the money with
all of that.
I know my mom and dad got movedinto assisted living just last
year and then, of course, my mompassed in January, but I'm so
grateful that we moved them inwhile they were together,
because they were able to makefriendships and my dad, when she
did pass, he wasn't alone.
(20:25):
He was already had a group ofcommunity and people that he
could look forward to seeingevery morning and I think 100%
that helped through the grievingprocess and it's just been such
a joy to see him, you know,thriving there because he feels
supported and it's a really,really great thing.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Well, that's a.
I'm so happy to hear that.
You know, that's not always theoutcome.
I'm really happy to hear that,marnie.
That's great.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, and I think so much of it, like what you're
saying with the way you approachyour life and also the way
Martha approaches her life, isit's a mindset issue.
You know my dad is a verypositive guy, so he looks for
reasons to be happy instead offor reasons to be unhappy, and I
think that speaks to everythingin our life when we what we
look to find is what usuallyshows up in our life.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Absolutely.
You attract what you put outand it comes back to you.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Exactly, exactly.
Well, it's been so fun to learnyour story and I know we've
chatted a little bit about you.
Have another book coming up, sowhat's that one about?
Tell our listeners what theycan expect and then I'll give
them some details on um wherethey can find your books, etc
it's the um, the next in theMartha series.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So it's another Martha book and it's called
Murder, maybe at Martin Manor,because she lives at Martin
Manor.
So it's a little more of a cozymystery.
It still features Martha.
Harold is still there.
Most of her friends have eitherdied or departed in other ways
(22:00):
so she's had to make new friendsand get a new group together in
terms of her investigations andso forth.
But it's a fun book and mostpeople, if they like the first
Martha, they're going to likeMartha number two.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Just so all of the listeners know, Rashaan has
volunteered to give me a book togive away.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm thinking about the Martha book as the giveaway,
and then also I would love tohave people sign up for my
newsletter, which just comes outonce a month.
It's about a two-minute readand it's fun.
It has a recommended book,somebody else's, it has a recipe
, it has a health tip and thenanother little story.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
What we're going to do is we're going to actually
give away one of the it's AlmostGood to Be Martha books, and
what you need to do is go toApple Podcasts and leave a
review of the podcast and thenwe will put everybody who left a
review within a 30-day periodinto a draw to get a copy of her
book.
So that'll be amazing.
We're going to actually put allof the details into the show
(23:12):
notes.
So if you want to joinMershawn's email list so you can
get some good bookrecommendations, great recipes
and some other fun littlestories that she shares in her
email, when can they find that?
What email can they reach outto you so that they can be?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
aware of that.
Yes, just my name, MershawnNeisner at gmailcom.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Awesome, that's great .
So we'll make sure that's allin there, so you get the
spelling right, and I am solooking forward to hearing when
the next book comes out.
And thank you so much forspending a little bit of time
with me and inspiring us all tokeep going, because it's never
too late time with me andinspiring us all to keep going,
because it's never too late.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's never too late.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
So my pleasure, marnie, thank you.
Thank you so much.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
I hope it inspired you ormotivated you in some way to
keep going and to create yourvery best life.
Want to know what to do next?
Share this episode with someonethat you love who maybe just
needs a little more delicious intheir life.
Join my free Facebook communityover at Mindset Mastery for
Midlife Women, where like-mindedwomen come together to support
(24:14):
and inspire each other and wherewe get to hang out together and
I offer cool bonuses, videosand some extra content.
And lastly, don't forget tosubscribe so that when new
episodes drop, they'll be queuedup and ready for you.
In case no one has told youtoday, there's not one person on
this planet that is exactlylike you, and the world is a
(24:36):
better place because you're here.
So thank you for being here.
I'll be back next week and Ihope you'll join me right here
on Life is Delicious.
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