“All love is risky. People die, they leave, they don’t listen to you—but you love them anyway.” — Virginia DeLuca When Virginia DeLuca’s husband unexpectedly walked out on their marriage in his 60s—claiming he wanted children—her gut reaction wasn’t just heartbreak. It was: If you must go, I wish you triplets. That quip became the title of her deeply honest and darkly humorous memoir. In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Virginia joins Mike Carlon to talk about grief, personal reinvention, writing as therapy, and why putting your story out into the world is an act of both courage and compassion. Key Themes: Writing is healing – Virginia began writing her memoir the moment her husband walked out, using it to make sense of her emotional shock. You can’t control others—only your reaction – A central theme in Virginia’s journey is the power of choosing your response when life veers off script. Grief is a lifelong relationship – Whether it’s a sibling lost decades ago or a recent heartbreak, grief evolves with us and often deepens our compassion. Snark can be survival – The title of her book, while cheeky, came from a place of real pain—and became a tool for reclaiming her story. Memoir is exposure – Writing a memoir is an act of radical vulnerability, especially for someone who identifies as private, not performative. Publishing is a rollercoaster – Virginia shares her path from agent rejections to finding a supportive home at a student-run university press. Not everyone understands your pain—but that’s okay – From parenting to heartbreak, sometimes the only validation you need is your own. Buy If You Must Go, I Wish You Triplets Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jSfaUv Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781627205542 Connect with Virginia Website: https://www.virginiadeluca.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiadelucaauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginia.deluca.author/ 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. #MemoirMonday #WritingAsTherapy #TripletDad #GriefJourney #AuthorInterview #WomenWriters #IfYouMustGo #UncorkingAStory #VirginiaDeLuca #CreativeHealing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.