Writing Memoir, Identity and the Courage to be Real. Author Erin Steele on Rachel Thexton Connects

Writing a memoir takes courage. Writing an honest one takes something more. In this episode of Rachel Thexton Connects, Rachel sits down with Erin Steele Canadian author, writer, and self-described low-key philosopher — to talk about her debut memoir Sunrise Over Half-Built Houses: Love, Longing and Addiction in Suburbia (Caitlin Press / Dagger Editions). Set in Surrey, BC, the book is unlike any memoir in its genre. Its a deeply personal reckoning story, with compulsive behaviour and the search for identity, and a meditation on what it truly means to fill the space inside yourself with honesty rather than escape. In this conversation, Rachel and Erin explore:→ How Erin went from lifelong writer to published author — and got abook deal fast→ Why this memoir breaks the usual storytelling formula for this genre→ The theme of external fulfillment and seeking validation outsideyourself→ How she navigated writing honestly about people still in her life→ The empty space inside — and what it really means to stop trying tofill it→ Stillness, self-compassion, and finding peace after years ofcompulsive behaviour→ A personal path to wellness that didn't follow traditional programmodels→ A late-in-life ADHD diagnosis and the clarity it brought→ True self-acceptance — not performing it, actually living it→ Stigma, housing, and the call for more compassion in how we treatone anotherGet the book: https://erinsteele.comErin on Substack (On Being Human): Search Erin Steele SubstackSunrise Over Half-Built Houses is available now at independentbookstores and online.Get the book: https://erinsteele.com🔗 Learn more about Erin Steele: https://erinsteele.com📝 Read On Being Human on Substack: https://substack.com/@erinsteele─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────ABOUT RACHEL THEXTON CONNECTSReal conversations. Human stories. The courage to live withauthenticity.New episodes every season on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Follow the podcast:Instagram: @racheltextonconnectsTikTok: @racheltextonconnectsFacebook: Rachel Thexton Connects

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───────────────────────────────────────────────0:00 – Welcome & Introduction to Erin Steele1:33 – About the Memoir: Sunrise Over Half-Built Houses3:58 – The Journey to Getting Published5:16 – What Makes a Memoir Stand Out to Publishers6:14 – Why This Book Breaks the Genre Formula9:31 – The Non-Linear Path to Healing10:49 – Writing About Real People in Your Life14:00 – The Void Within: Seeking Fulfilment Externally16:37 – Running, Movement & Replacing One Compulsion with Another19:22 – Sitting With Yourself: Stillness as a Practice22:43 – Sensitivity as a Superpower, Not a Flaw23:02 – The 'Come Down' Passage & What It Really Means29:42 – On Searing Honesty & Not Holding Back in Writing35:33 – Personal Path to Wellness — Without a Traditional Program40:22 – Late ADHD Diagnosis & the Clarity It Brought44:00 – Learning to Fully Accept Who You Are47:46 – Secondary Emotions & Finding Your Grounded Centre49:07 – What Erin Is Proud of in Her Life Today51:15 – Stigma, Housing & Where Is Our Humanity56:08 – Where to Get the Book & Closing Thoughts#ErinSteele #SunriseOverHalfBuiltHouses #RachelThextonConnects#MemoirWriting #CanadianAuthors #QueerStories #SelfAcceptance#HealingJourney #HarmReduction #MentalWellness #CaitlinPress #Podcast