“I learned that I’m dogged… I didn’t abandon it, and that became very important—not giving up.” — Janet Constantino In this soulful and insightful episode of Uncorking a Story, psychotherapist-turned-novelist Janet Constantino shares the winding journey that led to her debut novel Becoming Mariella. A former competitive Latin ballroom dancer with Sicilian roots and a love of jazz, Janet brings decades of life experience to her writing. She opens up about the long road to publication, her deep connection to family history, and how writing helps us make sense of where we come from—and where we’re going. Key Themes: Balancing a career in psychotherapy with a lifelong passion for writing The story behind Becoming Mariella and its Sicilian inspiration Lessons in rejection, resilience, and rewriting Why some novels live in the drawer—and why that’s okay Writing authentic, emotionally rich characters from family roots Choosing 2000 as a setting to avoid the social media minefield How personal curiosity fuels both therapy and storytelling Buy: Becoming Mariella Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hsYHV1 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647427689 Connect with Janet Website: https://www.janetconstantino.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetconstantino2/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561036835050 Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #JanetConstantino #BecomingMariella #DebutNovel #WritersJourney #ResilientWriters #ItalianAmericanStories #PsychotherapistAuthor #HistoricalRoots #UncorkingAStory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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