“The story came out of me when it was supposed to come out of me—after living a whole life.” – Leigh Shalloway
In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon sits down with novelist and holistic care practitioner Leigh Shalloway to explore the long, winding journey behind her debut novel, Journey Back to You. From a third‑grade writing setback to decades of professional work in psychology, hospice care, and healing touch, Leigh shares how lived experience, perseverance, and compassion shaped both her voice as a writer and the emotional depth of her story. Together, they discuss class divides, family systems, grief, love, and what it truly means to come home to yourself.
Key Takeaways:
Stories sometimes wait for us to be ready. Leigh’s novel emerged decades after its first seed was planted—only after life experience gave her the depth it required.
Resilience is one of a writer’s greatest characteristics. From harsh editorial feedback to vision loss and countless rewrites, perseverance made publication possible.
Fiction and psychology are deeply intertwined. Leigh’s background in counseling and school psychology informs her nuanced portrayal of family systems, trauma, and growth.
Class divides still shape American communities. Journey Back to You uses a Pennsylvania steel town to explore “haves” and “have-nots” with empathy and realism.
Hospice work teaches us how to live. Bearing witness at the end of life deepened Leigh’s understanding of humanity, grief, and connection.
Publishing doesn’t have one right path. Leigh chose a hybrid publishing model to get her story into the world—and keep writing the next ones.
Healing is both personal and communal. The novel’s central journey mirrors Leigh’s belief that growth happens through relationships, not in isolation.