This episode of Bad Day dives deep into the transformative power of reading and writing, featuring insightful conversations with three accomplished guests: Sunayna Pal, Jill Clark, and Marta Oppenheimer. Each guest shares their unique journeys, highlighting how literature not only shapes personal identity but also fosters community and connection. Sunayna reflects on her early memories of writing and how it has been a calming force in her life, while Jill emphasizes the timeless wisdom found in classic literature and its relevance to mental well-being. Marta discusses her experiences as a writer navigating the dating landscape, revealing how sharing her stories has created a supportive community among women facing similar challenges. Together, they illuminate the importance of words in empowering individuals and affirming that everyone’s stories matter, encouraging listeners to embrace their own narratives.

Takeaways:

• Sunaina Pal reflects on her childhood journaling, emphasizing how writing helps her stay calm.
• Reading books like Chicken Soup for the Soul has been a consistent source of inspiration for Sunaina.
• Marta Oppenheimer shares how writing about her dating experiences has built a supportive community.
• Jill Clark encourages emotional expression through writing to improve mental well-being and self-discovery.
• The importance of sharing stories is highlighted as a means to connect and empower others.
• Words possess incredible power, impacting not only the writer but also the audience deeply.

Guest Bio: Sunayna Pal

Here is my Bio – Sunayna Pal’s poetry graces the pages of numerous international journals, anthologies, museums, poetry festivals, and libraries, resonating with readers across the globe. Her debut book, “Refugees in Their Own Country” (B&W Fountain), tells the Partition of India in verse and illustrations. Her second book, Please Go to the Park is upcoming by Bottlecap Press. Beyond her writing, Sunayna serves as the Director of The Poetry Academy and is dedicated to Heartfulness meditation. For a deeper insight into her work and journey, please visit sunaynapal.com. She stays in Maryland with her family.

Guest Bio: Jill Clark

Jill Clark freelances prose and poetry. She hosts a writers’ group in Excelsior Springs, MO., and The Village Cafe Writers online for the regional Volusia County, FL’s Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Jill is the award-winning author of children’s book Loose Balloon and Poems from The Pumpkin Patch series. Her recent humorous creative fiction about an incident she experienced at the ES Community Center generates from The Bad Day Book anthology. Her greatest enjoyment is sharing with and learning from other writers.

Guest Bio: Marta A. Oppenheimer

Marta A Oppenheimer is a twice divorced woman searching for love in Miami, the land of palm trees, hurricane warnings, and Kim Kardashian lookalikes. In between dates, Marta is a published writer, graphic artist, storyteller, spoken word performer, and a non-profit animal rescue group volunteer. Marta’s stories have appeared on Chicken Soup for the Soul, Miami Living Magazine, The Bad Day Book, TrueHumor.com, Ariel Chart International Literary Journal, and performed on The Moth Miami StorySlam, Miami Book Fair, Lip Service Stories: True Stories Told Out Loud, Raw Storytelling: Live True Storytelling Show, Luna Star Café, and The Only in Miami Show on Jolt Radio. And now a graduate of the Villain Theater’s Improve Foundations classes! The short story, “Love in a Pumpkin”, became a short film and an Official Selection of multiple film festivals. You can read more about her romance perils at: thedatingdaysofmartao.com or can be found on facebook and instagram @thedatingdaysofmartao. Keep in mind that dating after 40 is for the brave.