Hello pals, Amy Peele, here, with a question for you -
When's the last time you tried something new?
When I was in my early 20’s, I was so ready to try something new that I sent myself to Europe for six weeks - solo.
I planned, packed, bought a first-class Eurail pass, a youth hostel pass, packed 23 lbs into my backpack, and off I went. No cell phones, no email, just some traveler’s checks and those thin blue envelopes you could mail home with news.
What an adventure I had — I met so many interesting and fun people, and a passion for experiencing new things was born.
More recently, my love of new experiences led me to San Francisco, to The Balloon Museum's "EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel" exhibition at the Palace of Fine Arts.
It was incredible! It’s an interactive exhibit that allows visitors to engage with art through large-scale inflatable sculptures, light displays, and interactive artworks.
I’d never seen anything like it, and I love when that happens, when life presents me with a situation I haven’t experienced before.
It keeps me growing.
3 Reasons to Try New Things
It stimulates your brain, creating new neural pathways to support flexible thinking (which is an important part of mental health!), potentially reducing cognitive decline.
It can improve your mood and reduce stress by releasing dopamine and promoting positive emotions.
It can boost your confidence and self-esteem by helping you step outside your comfort zone and feel more adventurous.
So, What Else is New?
I’m glad you asked.
My next book, Last Bite, will be published early next year, and I am trying a fresh new genre this time. One of my early readers called it a “mouthwatering home run of a BEACH READ!” (Did you ever think you’d see the day?!) Stay tuned - I can’t wait to tell you more soon!
One of my very first publications from long ago, "Scratch? My Ass!," got a brand new glow up!
Originally published in 1984 by Ethel and Blanche—the fictional, slightly risqué alter egos of me and my longtime pal Mindy, this unique, humorous, retro-style cookbook has a cameo in Last Bite, so I brought it back to life!
The cookbook blends real recipes (from appetizers to desserts) with playful commentary, and features contributions from the once-thriving Ethel and Blanche Privates Club—a lively sisterhood of women who gathered for years in the greater Chicago area to share laughter, food, and friendship. Though the club is now a cherished piece of the past, its spirit lives on in these pages.
I had the distinct pleasure of narrating the audio version of my childhood memoir, Aunt Mary’s Guide to Raising Children the Old-Fashioned Way. (My medical murder mysteries are also all available on audio, but I didn’t narrate those.) Reading Aunt Mary’s Guide aloud was a special experience, one that I will not soon forget.
Three Things
Worth Knowing About
The Telepathy Tapes podcast — all I can say is WOW! The podcast explores claims of telepathic communication in nonspeaking individuals with autism, sharing stories and perspectives from parents and teachers who believe their children have these abilities. It was a fascinating listen, and kind of blew my mind. I’m STILL thinking about it!
HEAL, a documentary film on Prime Video, which was another WOW for me. In it, scientists and spiritual teachers discuss how thoughts, beliefs, and emotions impact human health and the ability to heal. I plan on watching it again — there was so much to consider, I want to make sure I didn’t miss any of it!
June is Brain Health Month, so please consider this a personal invitation from me to you to join me in participating in UCSF’s Brain Health Registry. It’s a safe, easy, and free way to help improve brain research.
I’ll be back soon with more stories and updates, and I hope in the meantime, you are encouraged to try something new!
Take care and be well,
Amy
Amy S. Peele, RN, is an award-winning, best-selling author who studied improv at Second City Players and has a fascinating 35-year career in the organ transplant field under her belt. Her experiences provide authentic backdrops for not only for her medical mysteries Cut, Match, and Hold, a series with a mission and a sense of humor, but also her childhood memoir, Aunt Mary’s Guide to Raising Children the Old-Fashioned Way, and her upcoming romantic comedy, Last Bite (coming early 2026). Amy’s books have gained national recognition with accolades such as the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book Awards, IPPY, Independent Press Awards, and more. Amy enjoys laughter, meditating, Pilates, yoga, swimming, and eating good food, especially with good people. She always has been, is, and always will be a die-hard Cubs fan. Find out more and get in touch at: www.amyspeele.com.
Great fun info!!!
Love that you're on substack. I've been thinking about it too. Congrats! BTW Ky Dickens from the Telepathy Tapes and Carson were good friends in highschool.