She Quit Publishing, Became a Lawyer, Then Started Writing Again

Darlene Madott left a career in publishing to attend law school on a dare, and no sooner had she graduated than the writing came back. She explains what pushed that pivot and how storytelling ended up becoming the sharpest tool she had in a courtroom. Her new book, Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times, links a set of short stories around heartbreak, and Darlene reveals the structure running underneath all of them without her realizing it until the writing was done. It reframes what grief actually gives back to the people who sit with it. She also talks about what she is learning now, later in life, that has nothing to do with maturing and everything to do with unlearning it. Topics: Darlene Madott, Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times, grief writing, lawyer turned author, short story collection GUEST: Darlene Madott | http://DarleneMadott.com Originally aired on 2026-08-31