Why Obstacles Are Stepping Stones for Growth| Annie Cathryn

What if physical symptoms and gut feelings can guide you on your life's path? In this episode, host Dara Levan sits down with multi-published author Annie Cathryn to discuss her upcoming novel Now Eat the Cake, why she started her own indie press Moon Ray Books at 50, and how eczema disappeared the moment she made an aligned decision. Annie shares her marketing secrets for authors who hate self-promotion, why a cat is called a "familiar," and how writing grief helped her heal. You’ll learn three key takeaways: how to differentiate growth-oriented obstacles from energetic blocks, why turning 50 is a privilege to be celebrated, and mindset shifts. Tune in for an unfiltered conversation about midlife breakthroughs, intuition, and eating the cake.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Annie’s excitement for the episode
1:03 - Early read of *Now Eat the Cake*
2:30 - Husbands who don’t read fiction
3:45 - Letting go of book babies
4:19 - Turning 50 and starting an imprint
5:22 - Eczema disappears after aligned decision
7:19 - Obstacles vs. energetic blocks
9:28 - Why turning 50 is a privilege
11:38 - Writing grief from real loss
13:51 - Healing through writing friendship breakup
14:21 - Dogs as healers in fiction
16:11 - Cats as “familiars”
18:06 - Indie publishing vs. traditional
19:18 - Marketing background and social media tips
23:51 - Promoting without feeling gross
25:24 - Impact of publishing on parenting
28:26 - Focusing on one book at a time
31:25 - Listening when it “doesn’t feel right”
32:33 - Where to find Annie Cathryn
32:54 - Outro

RESOURCES:
https://www.instagram.com/msanniecathryn
https://anniecathryn.com/

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:

• https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
• Website: daralevan.com