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Kara Kavensky

@karakavensky

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Author: TELL ME ABOUT JOY Podcaster: RECORD SCRATCH with Kara Kavensky. Distracted by nature.

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Thank you for being here.

It’s time to (re)introduce myself.

My name is Kara Kavensky. I am the author of TELL ME ABOUT JOY: A True Story of Love, Regret, and Second Chances. It’s a deeply personal memoir of an improbable reunion, and my healing journey from emotional abuse.

These slides share a bit about my life and preview what my memoir covers—up to a point, there’s only one wedding in my memoir: Bob + Joy’s.

Please sign up for updates on my website, KaraKavensky.com, to learn about my subsequent books, including The Girlfriend’s Guide to Narc Abuse, RECORD SCRATCH - a grief memoir, and more.

#healing #tellmeaboutjoy #love #joy #memoir by @karakavensky

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13 days ago

Today marks 100 days until TELL ME ABOUT JOY becomes available.

Writing a memoir is something that I never thought I would do. I have spent my professional career making OTHERS look good: I have millions of hours in several swim lanes to prove it: I was a fitness professional (owned and operated a Pilates studio for 15 years and was a personal trainer | fitness professional since age 16), I am a PR and corporate comms expert — and I’ve written thousands of human interest stories, media releases, and marketing items for OTHERS.

But I knew I would add “author” to my CV when I returned to read a rough draft to a 90 year old WWII Veteran who sent me on a journey to find the long, lost love of his life — a woman he had not spoken of in 67 years. A woman named Joy.

When @betsybmurphy challenged me with, “Where is YOUR story? There is no Bob and Joy without you.” I paused. She encouraged me by saying, “Your wounds can help others heal. Kara, you can help people.”

This is why I became a reluctant memoirist.

The story of Bob and Joy was something that I knew I would share. My story, however, was still being lived when Betsy urged me to incorporate my personal journey alongside the miraculous love story of two incredible nonagenarians (Bob and Joy).

We only have to wait 100 more days.

#tellmeaboutjoy #lovestory #memoir #hope by @karakavensky

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5 months ago

This is my favorite shot from our wedding: Adam spontaneously raising his arms and yelling out after we kissed at the end of our ceremony.

We were both bursting with joy — and I love that Adam expressing his with a loud, “Whoo!”

#love #lovestory #joy #tellmeaboutjoy #lovethisman by @karakavensky

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4 months ago

Landed back home in Indy 12 hours ago and are at the game! ;) by @karakavensky

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4 hours ago

The moon reflecting on the water. A ship on the horizon. The tail end of the Galactic Center of the Milky Way.

Taken from our backyard.

Wonderful weather and even better company! Thank you, Roger & Karen for being the best hosts! Adam and I had a blast!

#milkyway #friends #booktour taken in Mendocino, California by @karakavensky

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2 days ago

What a fabulous trip! Our backyard in Mendocino is a playground for Harbor Seals, Pelicans, Sea Lions, Humpback Whales, and a host of birds, a fox, and deer.
Here’s a preview.

We also captured amazing shots of the Milky Way. More to come.

#mendocino #harborseals #pelicans taken in Mendocino, California by @karakavensky

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2 days ago

Murder, She Wrote fans!

The Blair House in Mendocino served as the iconic residence of the one and only Jessica Fletcher.

I took this photo this morning in Mendocino (aka Cabot Cove) 😊opposite coast, but whatever…

What’s your fave mystery?

#cozymysteries #jessicafletcher #murdershewrote taken in Mendocino, California by @karakavensky

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3 days ago

Apropos: greeted by birds moments after arriving at our ocean front home for the week.

After the Coopers Hawk posed for this shot, it promptly picked up its dinner from our yard and flew off.

#coopershawk #westernjay by @karakavensky

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5 days ago

Thank you, Hayley, and the team at B&N Santa Rosa! It was so lovely to meet new people and see old friends! 🩷💚🧡

Huge thanks to: Amy, Karen, Roger, Valerie, Sandy, Carter, Phil, Ann, Zahira, Celia, Hayley, Kelly, and many more!

Amy Lin drove up from Half Moon Bay!

Phil and Ann Leech represent my childhood. I’ve known them since I was three or four years old.

Sandy Thimlar, one of my mom’s best friends, drove up from San Francisco.

It is so special to celebrate my memoir TELL ME ABOUT JOY and book tour with dear friends! (And making new friends!)

Thank you all so much! 🥰
Note: Adam Gibson is behind the camera!

Where you can buy signed copies of TELL ME ABOUT JOY:

Perasma Books, Indianapolis
The Whispering Shelf, Indianapolis
Parnassus Books, Nashville
Barnes & Noble on 5th Ave, NYC
Barnes & Noble, Santa Rosa

#memoir #tellmeaboutjoy #healing #lovestory #resilience taken in Santa Rosa, California by @karakavensky

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6 days ago

Thank you, Barbara Landry! A big shout out to @grshalan @thetruthsohelpmegood @sourcebooks.audio @sourcebooks @arielkcurry by @karakavensky

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8 days ago

A first: an interview from the bathroom of a tennis club.

Journalist and author Juana Libedinsky is one of the funniest humans I’ve ever met. She’s one of my guests for Season 5 of RECORD SCRATCH with Kara Kavensky, which will begin dropping in January, 2027.

When Juana presented the synopsis of her book, DOWN HILL: A Memoir of an Accident, Two Comas, Many Books, and Starting Over, at a luncheon at the home of Zibby Owens, Juana shared an entirely different story — one of illicit sexual affairs, intrigue, and mystery — with Zibby insisting, “Juana, that’s NOT what it’s about!” Our entire table was laughing. I was utterly smitten with the stand-up bit Juana opted for, vs. the reality of her memoir.

DOWN HILL was recently translated into English from Juana’s native Spanish (she’s from Argentina). Her writing is fabulous, and I love a gal who jokes to cope.

Please note: this is NOT a competition for my guests to join our Zoom from ludicrous locations. I prefer (as does my producer, Marilou) quiet places with sound absorption, a good mic, and headphones. Also, please bring humor.

#downhill #memoir #lovestory #booksbooksbooks #podcast by @karakavensky

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10 days ago

Recording the audiobook for TELL ME ABOUT JOY was a team effort.

My publisher, Sourcebooks, has the process down to a science. Their crew arranged for Iva Nasr and me to record at Earshot Audiopost in downtown Indianapolis, and the award-winning actor Gail Shalan recorded the majority of my memoir at a studio in NYC.

The process was super fun — especially since Gail did the heavy lifting!

Green apples were definitely needed to cleanse the palate and reduce the smack!

p.s. The TELL ME ABOUT JOY audiobook also comes with a special bonus: my chicken veggie soup recipe!

#audiobook #tellmeaboutjoy #memoir by @karakavensky

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11 days ago