🌍 Join us for a heartfelt conversation with poet and adventurer Anne-Marie Wells as she shares her transformative solo journey through Iceland, where she hitchhiked across the country asking locals about their happiest memories."What I realized was none of these stories were extravagant. Nobody said, when I got this big raise at my job or when I bought this really fancy car, I was so happy. None of the stories were like that. They were simple moments of joy."Anne-Marie opens up about her writing journey, from children's books to deeply personal poetry collections dealing with grief and motherhood. Learn how her Iceland adventure shaped her perspective on happiness and inspired her upcoming travel memoir "Happy Iceland Still."📚 BOOK GIVEAWAY! 📚 Comment below with what brings you simple joy to enter for a chance to win one of Anne-Marie's books! Follow Anne Marie:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/annemariewellswriter/Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@annemariewellswriterFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AnneMarieWellsWriter/Youtube. @annemariewellswriter 🎙️ Whereabouts Tales explores expat experiences, personal growth, and inspiring life stories from around the world.🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Friday at 17:09!🌐 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Podcasts▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️Enjoyed this story? Hit that subscribe button - it's free, and it means you won't miss any of our future Whereabouts Tales. We've got some amazing stories coming up!▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️Want to start your own podcast? We record our interviews using Riverside.fm - the best platform for high-quality remote recordings. Get 15% off your first three months by using our link: https://www.riverside.fm/?via=whereaboutstales. What we love about Riverside is their local recording feature that ensures crystal-clear audio quality even with unstable internet connections, perfect for international interviews like this one. Plus, their separate audio and video tracks make editing a breeze.▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️if you are interested in sharing your story in our show please go to https://www.whereaboutstales.com/appointments and book a 15 min slot to discuss the details▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Background02:54 The Influence of Place on Writing05:48 The Power of Storytelling and Poetry08:42 Navigating Rejection in Writing11:40 The Journey to Becoming a Writer14:31 The Impact of Personal Experiences on Writing17:48 Teaching and Writing for Children20:36 Reflections on Education and Living Abroad23:27 The Process of Writing and Publishing Poetry26:48 Emotional Vulnerability in Writing29:46 Conclusion and Future Aspirations37:46 Navigating Grief and Writing Through Pain42:48 Exploring Motherhood and the Journey of Loss47:49 The Adventure of a Lifetime: Journey to Iceland59:02 Finding Happiness in Simplicity01:08:01 Acts of Kindness and the Human Connection01:18:50 The Journey to Publishing Success01:25:33 Navigating the Self-Publishing Landscape01:32:40 Finding Community and Overcoming Writer's Block01:40:17 Embracing Individuality in Writing01:43:28 Focusing on the Little Joys in Life01:45:26 Future Aspirations and Creative Projects