About this episode

Candace Lynn Talmadge discusses grief, narrative transformation, and her work 'Stoneslayer' with host Michael R Herst.

What happens when the story you’ve been trained to tell can no longer hold the truth you’re living? In this cinematic and deeply human conversation, journalist‑turned‑storyhealer Candace Lynn Talmadge joins Michael to explore grief, myth, reinvention, and the power of narrative to transform emotional trauma. After decades in the disciplined world of journalism, Candace’s life was shattered by the loss of her wife — a moment that revealed the limits of reporting and opened the door to something deeper. From that fracture came “storyhealing,” a structured narrative method for processing emotional pain, and Stoneslayer , her dark high‑fantasy series blending political intrigue, demonic warfare, spiritual awakening, and psychological depth. Together, Michael and Candace explore: Why myth often explains the human experience better than realism How grief reshapes identity and creative voice The moment a lifelong journalist realizes imagination can reveal deeper truth What “storyhealing” is — and how narrative can transform pain How Stoneslayer emerged from loss, awakening, and reinvention The tension between fact‑trained discipline and soul‑level storytelling If you’ve ever stood at…

People in this episode

Host: Michael R Herst

Guest: Candace Lynn Talmadge

Topics covered

• grief
• myth
• reinvention
• storytelling
• emotional trauma
• narrative therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Stoneslayer

More episodes of One More Thing Before You Go

• The Human Voice in the Age of AI: Staying Real in a Synthetic World · June 10, 2026 · 39 min
• Alignment, Legacy & the Work of Becoming Yourself — with Daniel Anderson · June 7, 2026 · 1h 0m
• Wealth, Identity & the Human Side of Success with Richard McWhorter · June 3, 2026 · 54 min
• Whispers from the Soul: Poetry, Leadership, and the Unseen-RP · May 31, 2026 · 47 min
• Inside Mistura: How Ricardo de Montreuil Brought 1960s Peru Back to Life · May 27, 2026 · 50 min
• Steve Carell’s Most Human Role Yet: Why “Rooster” Is Worth Watching · May 24, 2026 · 30 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the One More Thing Before You Go podcast page.