Behind the Scenes of the Book That’s Starting a Midlife Revolution
Today is the day!
My book, Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose and Play, is officially out in the world—and honestly, I’m still pinching myself. 😭💖
If you’ve been following my journey, you know this wasn’t just a book launch—it was a life launch. In this week’s special solo episode of The Midlife Makeover Show, I’m reflecting on the wild and winding path that led me here. From pastries in Paris to breakdowns and breakthroughs, I’m sharing all the juicy behind-the-scenes dots that eventually connected to this beautiful moment in New York City.
💫 What You’ll Learn:
- How a blog in Paris accidentally launched a new life
- Why heartbreak, loss, and rock bottoms can be turning points
- How I connected the dots to create my podcast, brand, and book
- The unexpected role of mentors, intuition, and synchronicity
- Why this book isn’t just a story—it’s a manifesto for midlife reinvention
- What you can do to support Women Waking Up
It All Started with a Croissant
I was sitting at my desk in Virginia, running a medical practice I co-owned with my then-husband… and I was miserable. Life felt short and suffocating, and I knew I needed to do something for me—or I was going to wither away.
So I made a wild move: I applied to pastry school in Paris. 🥐
While I was elbow-deep in sugar and butter at Le Cordon Bleu, I started a blog—just for fun—to document my experience. It had maybe 10 readers at first (all friends and family). But four weeks later? 80,000 people were reading my blog.
Then one day, a girl in the hallway stopped me and said, “Excuse me… are you GoWendyGo?”
She told me my blog inspired her to follow her dream. And that’s when I realized…
My words mattered. My voice mattered. Maybe I wasn’t just a pastry chef… maybe I was a writer, too.
When Everything Fell Apart
Not long after the pastries, everything unraveled—
Divorce.
Debt.
Empty nest.
Lyme disease.
Black mold.
Menopause.
Then… I lost my dog, my cat, and my brother in a span of six weeks.
And the job I hated? Gone.
I hit rock bottom. For the first time in my life, I experienced depression and panic attacks. I felt like I was disappearing.
But even in that darkness, another dot appeared.
My brother Bryan was in a coma. Every day, I sat beside his bed and read to him. On the last day of his life, I broke down crying and said to the nurse, “I just wish I could’ve helped him.” She looked at me and said, “But you are helping him. You’re giving him your love.”
That moment cracked me wide open. I made a promise:
If I couldn’t save my brother, maybe I could help someone else. Maybe I could help you.
Starting Over at 45
So I packed up my U-Haul, moved to Chicago, and started rebuilding brick by brick.
New job. New city. New life.
I healed emotionally, paid down my debt, and became my own BFF. (That’s Chapter 3 in the book 😉)
But even while things were looking up, I felt this tug: There’s something more I’m supposed to do.
Then I walked through the Dallas airport and saw a book that would become a major dot: Don’t Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller. I read it cover to cover on the flight home. It lit a fire inside me.
Enter the Podcast (And the Perfect Name)
Listening to Cathy’s podcast led me to Stephanie Gass, who offered a 30-minute “unstuck session.” I told her I had a filing cabinet of ideas but no niche.
She said, “Wendy, you’ve rebuilt your life at midlife. That’s your message.”
💡 The Midlife Makeover Show was born.
And suddenly… I had clarity. I could talk about all of it—grief, reinvention, healing, purpose, spirituality, play—all through the lens of midlife.
Branding the Vision
Once I had the podcast, I needed the vibe. Enter two magical humans:
- Ale Merino—my branding fairy godmother, who created the entire look and feel of my world (logos, fonts, site, colors).
- Lisa Kathan—my photographer/videographer who made me feel seen and captured my essence in every photo and video.
Together, these powerhouse women brought my vision to life—and I swear, without them, the next big dot never would’ve landed in my inbox.
The Publisher Email That Changed Everything
One day, out of the blue, a publisher emailed me and asked if I wanted to write a book about midlife.
UMM… YES?!
But when I started working with them, I quickly realized it just wasn’t the book I wanted to write. It felt too safe. Too basic. And if you know me—I don’t do basic.
So I found an agent: Michele Martin (who also reps two of my fave authors, Gabby Bernstein and Andrea Owen). We clicked immediately. I told her my real story and she said:
“Now that’s a book.”
From there, I worked with Amy B. Scher to write a powerful book proposal. Michele pitched it, and before I knew it… New World Library said yes.
And I just want to say a huge thank-you to Georgia, Kristen, and Kim Corbin—my incredible team at New World Library. You didn’t just help me publish a book… you helped me share my heart with the world. I’m so grateful to walk this journey with you.
The Dream Team (And My PR Angels)
With the book underway, I knew I wanted to reach as many women as possible. That’s when Sarah Hall Productions entered the scene. Sarah Hall and Hailey Helms have been working their butts off behind the scenes—TV spots, interviews, features, and more. Total angels. 🙌
And of course, my love Alex and my sweet pup Daisy—thank you for believing in me and cheering me on every step of the way. I can’t wait to celebrate with you soon. 💕
The Most Important Dot? YOU.
Yes, YOU.
You are one of the dots on my path—and I hope Women Waking Up becomes a dot on yours.
This book is your permission slip, your flashlight, your roadmap to midlife reinvention.
Whether you’re standing in the ashes or dreaming of what’s next… this book is for you.
🎁 Don’t Miss Your Free Bonuses!
When you order Women Waking Up, you also get instant access to:
✅ My Women Waking Up Playbook
✅ A guided goal-setting workshop
✅ The full FREEDOM meditation series
✅ A printable vision board template
… and more!
👉 Grab your copy and your bonuses now at WomenWakingUp.com
🌟 Help Me Spread the Word
If this book speaks to you, here’s how you can help it reach the women who need it most:
- Buy a copy (or gift one to a friend!)
- Leave a 5-star review on Amazon—it helps so much
- Tag me in your pics @wendy_valentine_ and use #WomenWakingUp
Let’s show the world that we’re not too old, it’s not too late, and we’re just getting started.
Because we are…
WOMEN. WAKING. UP. 🔥
👉 BUY THE BOOK!
👉 BUY THE BOOK IN BULK!
