Anne H. Putnam in conversation with Ashleigh Renard

Is writing a memoir about your relationship the kiss of death?

So often, first comes a memoir that centers around a romantic relationship/love story, and second comes a big breakup after publication. Authors Anne H. Putnam and Ashleigh Renard will discuss how they reconcile the truth of a relationship ending while new readers are still deep in the good parts of their first books. Anne and Ashleigh will discuss the process of writing their second memoirs, both of which are follow-ups to the love stories portrayed in the first, and answer the question, "when you take a deep look at a relationship, can it survive?"

Radically vulnerable and illuminating, Make Do and Mend is perfect for anyone who’s ever played one of Taylor Swift’s heartrending breakup songs on repeat or talked a little too much about her ex on a first date.

Anne Putnam has a doting British boyfriend, a job in book publishing, an East London flat with a water view—even a published book of her own. But, having never expected the fairytale, 28-year-old Anne has no reason to anticipate its abrupt ending. When her fiancé cheats and their wedding is canceled, she’s knocked into a tailspin that takes out nearly everything that held her life together.

She flees London for her hometown of San Francisco, which becomes the unstable base camp for the steepest uphill climb she’s ever faced: a torturous game of will-they-or-won’t-they with her ex. Slowly, painfully, and with a lot of snark and bravado, she claws her way back from depression, with the help of an assembly line of bad dates, her cohort of brilliant friends, and a lot of guidance from her annoyingly astute therapist.

Ultimately, she faces one major decision: take back the one person who loves her most, or burn it all down and start over.

A touching, and sometimes funny, tale of one millennial’s journey through the ugly parts of heartbreak, Make Do and Mend examines the decidedly unsexy process of healing and post-traumatic growth.

Anne H. Putnam is a writer and editor with an unending interest in the stories that shape our humanity. She is also the author of the memoir Navel Gazing: One Woman’s Quest for a Size Normal, as well as numerous personal essays and other short-form work.

Anne lives in Northwest Washington with her husband and kids—yes, it rains a good amount, but (a) not as much as you think, and (b) she loves it.

Anne will be in conversation with:

Ashleigh Renard is an ice-skating coach turned publishing coach, non-profit director, and the author of Swing, a book that's been called "a whole new genre, hot self-help." After the release of Swing and the virality of her How to Keep Monogamy Hot video series, Ashleigh faced the reality that the marriage she shared with the world and spent 20 years trying to make better was slipping through her fingers. Across industries, Ashleigh has 29 years experience coaching teams and individuals to find their strengths, align with their purpose, and do their part to change the world. And every day, she tries to do the same for herself.

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