The Write Habit

Debut Novelist Johanna Kirwan Reveals How a Life in Global Aid Became Seven Lives

Dr Nicole Janz

What happens when a life spent in international development turns into fiction?

In this episode, debut novelist Johanna Kirwan joins me to talk about her stunning book Seven Lives — seven interconnected stories of women navigating love, loss, and purpose across the globe.

We dive into:

  • How Johanna transformed decades of field experience into layered, human stories
  • The line between autofiction and memoir — and why she chose fiction
  • The creative freedom that comes with writing later in life
  • Her choice to publish with small press Fire & Feather, instead of chasing an agent

It’s a conversation about purpose, legacy, and writing the stories that stay with you — even after the work ends.

📖 Buy your copy of Seven Lives by Johanna Kirwan — available now on Amazon!


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