Author Case Study

One author turned a pandemic project into a book, more than 148,000 Tik Tok followers, and an entirely new chapter of her career.

During the pandemic, Jean Peelen took an online flash-fiction course and became fascinated by the short format. She soon realized she could use the same approach to write true stories from her own life.

She began capturing individual moments, some funny and some painful. When she had about 20 stories, she wondered if they might become a memoir. At 40 stories, she knew she had a book.

Those stories became Feisty: A Memoir in Little Pieces, tracing a life shaped by reinvention, activism, and a refusal to accept the roles expected of her.

From Random Memories to a Life Story

Jean didn’t begin with a clear idea of what her memoir would become. She simply captured moments that had stayed with her. She worked with an editor for nearly two years, rewriting and refining the stories until they began to form a coherent whole. The biggest surprise came when she finished.

“I had always thought that my life was a series of random events,” Jean said. “It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized I had just understood my life for the first time ever.”

Looking across the pieces, Jean could finally see connections she had never consciously recognized, including how an experience in childhood ultimately influenced her decision decades later to become a civil rights lawyer.

For Jean, writing the memoir became more than a way to document her past. It became a way of understanding it.

Finding the Right Publishing Partner

Once the manuscript was complete, Jean spent a full year looking for an agent and traditional publisher. The process was systematic but frustrating. She eventually began researching hybrid publishers, knowing she wanted professional help with the details of publishing rather than doing everything herself.

A friend referred Jean to Bold Story Press, and Jean began researching Emily Barrosse and her team. Emily’s publishing background and focus on women authors caught Jean’s attention, and she planned a trip to meet Emily in person.

“That really did it for me,” Jean said. “I wanted to see who she was. I wanted to hear her. I wanted to see the look in her eyes.”

Once she signed with Bold Story Press, Jean was happy to hand much of the publishing process over to the experts. She had strong opinions about the cover, but appreciated being guided through the unfamiliar decisions around design and production.

A Book That Opened New Doors

The biggest impact of Feisty wasn’t simply that Jean became a published author. The book became a launching point for an entirely new phase of her life.

✔ A growing audience: While searching for a publisher, Jean had begun building a presence on TikTok. After the book was published, she started sharing readings from the memoir and talking about women’s issues and experiences from her life. She now counts more than 148,000 followers.

✔ A new platform: Jean also created Old Women Who Write, a website and Facebook group where she interviews authors and champions the voices of older women.

✔ Speaking and teaching: Jean discovered that people wanted to hear more about the ideas behind her book. She began offering workshops on writing about one’s life, initially for senior communities and eventually for other organizations in her region. She’s now regularly asked to speak, and the organizations that host her often purchase copies of her book to give to attendees.

Jean’s Advice to Aspiring Memoir Writers

Her advice is straightforward: be persistent and build in accountability.

Because she doesn’t consider herself naturally self-disciplined, Jean asked friends to check in and ask a simple question: “Did you write today?”

Her experience is also proof that you don’t have to know what your book will become before you begin. Jean started with individual memories. Only after writing dozens of them did she realize they belonged together. And only after completing the full manuscript did she recognize the larger story her life had been telling all along.

Today, Feisty is more than a published memoir. It is the foundation for Jean’s speaking, teaching, advocacy, and continued writing. It’s also a reminder that publishing a book can open doors you never imagined when you wrote the first page.

“I most certainly would do it again with Bold Story Press.”

What Partnership Looks Like at Bold Story Press

Jean’s experience reflects the way we approach every book: experienced guidance, close collaboration, and an author who remains an active part of the process. From editorial development and design through production and launch, our job is to bring publishing expertise to the table while helping each author create a book that is truly their own. To learn more, sign up for one of our webinars or schedule a publishing consultation.