How One Teacher Turned Years of Listening Into Stories That Matter - With Guest Tara Hodgson

Today, Tara Hodgson shares her journey from a junior high teacher to a YA (young adult) author, discussing the hard topics she tackles in her books, including mental health, cyberbullying, and sex trafficking. She explores the challenges of self-promotion, the inspiration behind her stories, and the importance of honest conversations about difficult issues affecting teens today.About Tara:Tara Hodgson is the YA contemporary author of Chasing Through Time and At Least I’m Trying. As a long-time teacher, she is passionate about communicating the potential implications of a technology-centred world and spark necessary conversations about these impacts on teens, using her fiction to do so. She lives on an acreage in Sturgeon County, Alberta with her husband, two children, and a crew of cats and dogs. When she isn't teaching or writing, she is reading. She loves all genres of books, but especially YA Contemporary, Fantasy, and Dystopian (but she’ll read anything, really!) She spends her down time walking, camping, boating, and relaxing at home with her family and animals.Connect with Tara:Instagram: tarahodgsonauthor About Pam Vale (Series Creator):Pam Vale is an artist, writer, and observer of creative life.Her work centers on noticing, listening, and documenting the small, often overlooked moments where meaning gathers.Through art, conversation, and writing, she serves as both witness and interpreter, holding space for what is present rather than preaching what should be done.Her practice spans decades of studio work, podcasting, and long-form reflection, with an emphasis on depth, attention, and lived experience.www.pamvale.com Get full access to You Are Creative at pamvale.substack.com/subscribe