Episode Description
A grandmother shows up in a vivid 2 a.m. dream with one urgent message: write our real family history before it disappears.
That dream becomes the spark that sends Brigid Kennedy, a professional violinist, violin teacher, and longtime “behind the scenes” supporter of her husband’s academic career, into a completely new identity as a published author and storyteller.
In this episode of the Women Like Me Stories & Business Podcast, Julie Fairhurst sits down with Brigid Kennedy to talk about family history, ancestral stories, spiritual guidance, writing, courage, and the calling to preserve the stories that could vanish if no one writes them down.
Brigid shares how she began with the practical steps of genealogy research — names, dates, places, and the familiar chaos of unlabeled family photos — before her family narrative hit a hard stop. Her research led to the extraordinary story of her great-grandfather’s journey from Ireland to Peru, a monastery wedding in 1910, and his later disappearance into the Amazon rainforest.
With the historical record incomplete, Brigid made a brave, creative decision: she wrote into the gap.
By weaving Irish myths and Incan legends into the missing pieces of her family story, Brigid created something more than fiction. Her book became a reclamation of roots, a way to restore connection, and a form of healing for a family that had carried unanswered questions for generations.
Julie and Brigid also talk about the real work behind writing a book when you do not have a writing degree, an agent, or a roadmap. They explore handling critique, fighting imposter syndrome, carving out time while juggling motherhood and work, and navigating the visibility of becoming an author in the age of TikTok and Instagram.
This conversation is for anyone who has been searching for motivation to preserve family history, start a memoir, write a novel, or finally begin the story that keeps tugging at their heart.
Sometimes the story chooses you before you feel ready to choose it.
If this episode speaks to you, subscribe, share it with a friend who has “one day” plans, and leave a review so more listeners can find Women Like Me Stories & Business.
What family story do you want to save before it is gone?
Learn more about Brigid Kennedy:
Website: https://www.brigidkennedybooks.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrigidKennedyBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrigidKennedyBooks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brigidkennedybooks
If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins.
Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place.
I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power.
Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast