We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jo Giese. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jo below.
Jo, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I graduated from the University of Texas-Austin with a degree in American Studies, which can prepare you for a future in academia but that wasn’t for me.
Since I’d been working hard writing my senior thesis, after I graduated I thought, Hmm, maybe I could work at a newspaper. I went to The Houston Post and interviewed. They guy said, We’ve never hired anyone who doesn’t have a Journalism degree but we’ll hire you.
But I knew Houston wasn’t for me. I worked at the Post, learned a lot, and was waiting for the moment when I’d save enough that I could fly off to New York. In NYC the first job I was offered was from CBS-TV News to go back to Texas and work at the Space Center. It probably would’ve been a good career move, but I’d just moved from Texas!
I produced documentaries at PBS, and then moved to WNBC-TV News. After producing local documentaries for them I did a food and nutrition special every Friday. That’s when Doubleday approached me about a book that would grow out of my food series. (Remember, this was way before the Food Network.)
I did the book–The Good Food Compendium–and that opened the door that would define my professional life–author. Several other books followed, each one a different experience. I was also working for NPR as a special correspondent, and I liked radio much better than TV, but I enjoy writing nonfiction books most of all.
Jo, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I write nonfiction books that are usually joyful, positive, uplifting. Isn’t there already enough vitriol and grief in the world?
My current book is Keep Chasing Waterfalls: A Story of Adventure, Tragedy, and Defying the Odds. I should not be able to walk, let alone jump out of helicopters and hike to some of the most remote waterfalls in the world. Keep Chasing Waterfalls tells the story of how a freak accident and a botched surgery left me non-ambulatory. This is not just the story of a dead achilles. Refusing to give up, I refused to think of myself as an ex-walker, ex-hiker. I defied the odds and experienced what’s being called a medical miracle.
What’s pertinent to my life about this story and this book is the joy I was able to reconnect with. It offers others a glimpse of when they’re offered a grim diagnosis of any kind not to give up.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
After my freak accident, and botched surgery, my achilles died.
When you see athletes, usual male, who have ruptured their achilles, they still have an achilles. Someone without an achilles is not supposed to be able to walk, let alone hike.
The doctor who botched the surgery–and probably introduced the infection during the surgery–nine months and eight operations later referred me to restorative therapist. Taylor Issacs works with serious spinal cord injury patients, and had never worked with someone without an achilles. He took me on as a challenge.
After 2 1/2 years with Taylor, I learned the difference between people who succumb to a serious injury and those who overcome it. My therapist said, “How many people do you know who tore their achilles and it died? You had no point of reference. When people say, ‘Hey. Jo, you’re in the 1% of people who recover.’, just correct them and say, ‘Actually I’m in the .01%””
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an author is the ability to communicate with others. Sharing my story always unleashes other people’s stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jogiese.com
- Instagram: giesejo
- Facebook: giesejo
- Linkedin: Jo Giese
