Author Nicole Annbury joins host Ania Ray for a raw, deeply honest conversation about chronic illness, identity loss, grief, and what it takes to reclaim a creative life when the path you planned for yourself disappears overnight.What happens when your body changes faster than your dreams can keep up? And how do you rebuild a writing life after years of simply existing?In this intimate episode, author and social worker–turned–thriller writer Nicole Annbury shares her decade-long journey through fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and OCD—and how chronic illness forced her to confront the rules she thought she had to live by.Once holding the belief that “success means having a full-time job” and that she needed to “contribute to society” in a very specific, traditional way, Nicole opens up about the painful grief of losing the life she was building—and the surprising, beautiful life that emerged when she finally let herself rest.Nicole shares:How a former social worker who stopped writing for 10 years became the Amazon chart-topping author of The Final SentenceWhy chronic illness grief hits differently—and why it’s not just the body you’re grieving, but the identity you thought you’d haveHow she learned to cope when chronic illness didn’t “give her a calendar”The impossible mental load of trying to work while sick—and the moment her doctor told her the stress was doing more harm than goodThe self-blame, shame, and “If I can do this, why can’t I work?” spiral that mirrors writerly imposter syndromeWhy her new rule—“Say yes more often”—has changed her entire creative lifeHer Hedgie House favorite: the non-negotiable truth that rest isn’t optional for the body, the brain, or the characters you’re trying to writeIf you’re a writer living with chronic illness, navigating burnout, or grieving the version of yourself you thought you’d be by now, this episode is a balm. Nicole’s story is proof that creativity is still possible—and sometimes even more powerful—on the other side of loss.📚 If this episode moved you: You’ll love The Final Sentence by Nicole Annbury. Highly recommended not only for thriller lovers, but for anyone navigating grief through fiction. 👉 Buy it here.🎧 If you’re a fellow Spoonie, a writer with chronic illness, or someone rebuilding your identity after detours you never asked for—you’re in the right place.✨ Resource for Spoonies: Learn about the original “Spoon Theory,” created by Christine Miserandino, which has helped millions explain chronic illness and energy budgeting: 👉 https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/📲 Connect with Nicole She’s currently building her true-crime-loving community! Find her at @nicoleannbury and tell her what part of her story resonated with you.📖 Love today’s conversation? You’ll love Creating the Rules—a story of coming home, second chances, and what happens when speaking your truth is the only way to save what you love most. ✨ Grab your signed paperback (personalized by me! Tap here!) and/or start the ebook instantly while you wait → [click here!] This is the third novel in The Cromwell Rules trilogy—but you can read it as a standalone or start from the beginning to follow Anne Cromwell’s full arc.

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