From New York Times bestselling author comes a tale of personal redemption. Uncover the incredible journey of Lara Love Hardin in this intimate episode, Lara reveals her struggles, the power of self-forgiveness, and the profound impact of storytelling. Dive into a story of hope and the unyielding strength of the human spirit that promises to leave you inspired. Listen now - the story of Lara Love Hardin is one you won't want to miss.

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• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Lara didn’t expect her memoir, “The Many Lives of Mama Love” to touch so many lives and provide peace to so many
• The books Lara works on, as a literary agent always have impact - that’s what she’s seeking to put out into the world
• Prior to releasing her memoir, she was living in a constant state of fear and shame - the book was a way to release all that fear and shame. Owning your story is so incredibly powerful
• Lara spent so much time trying to prove she was worthy and good enough but always afraid her past would take everything away
• Forgiveness is easy for Lara - with everyone except herself. When she wrote the chapter on “self-forgiveness” for Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s book she had to face this head-on and it changed the game
• “Reading was my first addiction” - reading was an escape and a way to protect herself
• If you want to be a writer you have to read and read and read
• With a natural aptitude for writing Lara got a lot of attention and approval at school and she craved more of that
• Writing is a way for Lara to feel good
• There’s a very special gift to be able to write in the voice of others
• Collaborative writing and ghostwriting are, basically, the same thing
• Two years out of jail and on probation, Lara was struggling to get a job. When she saw a Craigslist post for a part-time literary agent assistant
• When someone believes in you, you rise above and beyond their expectations - we all need to be believed in
• Lara worked her way up to CEO from Idea Arcitechs and then left to start her own agency, True Literary.
• True Literary’s mission is to help create books and content that entertains, transforms, provokes, and inspires (not necessarily in that order).
• Starting her own agency was about the freedom to choose who she worked with and what books/authors she took on and also being able to decide how she wants to spend her time and be fully free
• “There is no room for creativity when you’re in survival mode”
• The Gemma Project is about gender and trauma-responsive care for incarcerated women
• Stay tuned because Lara’s memoir is being optioned for a made-for-TV film
• It takes a lot to shake Lara, she doesn’t fear failure because she doesn’t personalize it. It’s all just feedback
• Hope can be squishy but Lara’s philosophy is “I look forward to looking back on this someday” and she loves it when people underestimate her.