We recently connected with Dr. Brittany Neunuebel and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Brittany, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?

I am honored to work in the deathcare industry, where I support families before, during, and after a significant transition in their lives. My role involves prearranging funerals, helping families choose cemetery arrangements, and providing grief support resources. One of the most common concerns I hear over and over from families is that they don’t know how to talk to their children or grandchildren about death.

Over time, even close friends in my community began asking me to have the “death talk” with their kids because they struggled to find the right words. I hadn’t realized how widespread this challenge was until I entered the industry. My background is actually in Higher Education Administration—I even earned my doctorate in that field—so my original path was to help students navigate their futures.

Growing up, my family talked about death openly. It was never a taboo topic. I often share with the families I work with how surprising it was to discover that many people avoid these discussions entirely. For example, my grandfather casually mentions how he wants his truck parked front and center at his funeral—”so people know whose funeral they’re at.” Death has always been a natural part of life in my family. In fact, I was only two weeks old when I attended my first funeral.

So when I started working at the funeral home and cemetery and constantly heard, “I don’t know how to talk to my grown kids or little grandchildren about death,” I saw an opportunity to make a difference, however for a few years I had no idea how to make that difference.

Then one morning, at 4 a.m., I woke up from a dream and wrote it down. That dream became a children’s book. At first, I doubted myself—Would anyone really use this as a resource? Is this even that big of a deal? Imposter syndrome crept in. But then I told myself, Not today!

I reached out to a local women’s organization I’m part of, which had just launched a hybrid publishing company. I wasn’t sure if they’d be interested, but I explained how deeply this project connected with my work and how much of a need I saw in the community. Little Black Book Publishing was immediately excited to support the mission.

Through a funeral director I work with, I connected with an illustrator—her sister! She helped bring the book to life in time for its January 16th release. The turnaround was fast, but the message was too important to delay.

This experience taught me that imposter syndrome fades when you have a strong support system. My book is designed for all families, helping them see themselves in the way they honor and memorialize loved ones. It provides the right words for difficult conversations and helps normalize what is often seen as a taboo topic.

Sometimes, innovation is as simple as a children’s book. Changing the world starts with a dream—and happens with action.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I primarily help families plan funerals in advance, but I also assist with cemetery arrangements and grief support. It was through this work that I recognized a significant need—a children’s book about death.

I grew up in a small town where conversations about death were common, often part of our dinner discussions. Moving to the city was a culture shock; I was amazed by how many people had never spoken about death before, let alone explained it to their children. In my family, we start prearranging funerals around age 50 or 60, but in the city, I noticed people waiting much longer. I often saw families struggling at funerals, unsure how to tell their children what had happened to Grandpa. Some even chose to exclude their kids from the funeral altogether. Coming from someone whose first funeral was at just two weeks old, this was astonishing to me.

How could we leave children out of such an important part of life? How could we deprive them of these conversations that could help them navigate grief in a healthier way?

As a mother and a troop leader, I talk to my own kids and my troop regularly about death and cemeteries. In fact, our troop is fortunate to use the funeral home as a meeting place, allowing them to learn and grow in an environment that embraces life and remembrance. Through these conversations, I saw an undeniable need—parents were struggling to find the right words, and existing books about death tended to be highly figurative.

My son is a very literal thinker, and I realized many other children must be the same. There needed to be a resource that directly addressed death, funerals, cemeteries, and grief in a way that was both honest and approachable.

Then one night, I had a dream. I saw a character—Death—looming in a doorway, at first appearing frightening. But then he turned on the light, revealing a kind, gentle presence. The dream took me through the entire process of death and mourning: a funeral team arriving at a home, arrangements being made, a visitation, a funeral, a burial, and the journey of grief that follows.

I woke up at 4 a.m., ran to my computer, and wrote it all down. Within 30 minutes, I had a complete children’s book.

At first, I doubted myself. Who would read this? Who would take it seriously? Maybe I should just let this idea die on the shelf (pun intended). But as I went about my day, I kept encountering discussions about publishing, helping children, and breaking taboos. Okay, universe, I hear you.

I’m part of a networking group called Little Black Book: Women in Business, which had recently launched a publishing company. I met with the publisher, shared my idea, and that was it—she had to publish this book. And so did I.

Up until that point, I had always been too afraid to take the next step in my writing. The fear of judgment and criticism had kept me from putting my words into the world. But my publisher and this incredible group of women believed in me, and that belief made all the difference.

Little Black Book Publishing is dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and stories to create meaningful change. My publisher told me, “That’s exactly what ‘Hello, I’m Death’ will do for this world.”

With the help of a funeral director I work with, I found the perfect illustrator—Elania Heavner—who brought my literal dream to life on paper. From October 14, 2024, to January 15, 2025, Hello, I’m Death was finalized. On January 16, 2025, the book went live—and the response was incredible. Sales started rolling in, and before I knew it, I could officially call myself a bestselling author.

Who would have thought that a dream—literally about Death—would lead me here?

Having an amazing, supportive team is priceless. The women in my network encouraged me, lifted me up, and reminded me to keep going. The team at the funeral home were some of my biggest cheerleaders. I manifested greatness. Soon, I was able to add international in front of bestseller—what a whirlwind!

Even now, I still battle imposter syndrome. That little voice inside me whispers that this isn’t real, that the book isn’t good enough. But I push past it, just like the women in my corner push me to reach for the stars and never look back.

Because of them—and the support of Little Black Book Publishing—I wrote my next book in just one week (yes, from another dream!). It’s a paranormal novel, and we’re aiming for a fall/winter release. The second book in the Hello, I’m Death series is also planned for early next year.

Writing has been my dream since childhood, and now, I finally get to flourish and thrive in this space. I’m living proof that when you believe in yourself—and surround yourself with people who believe in you, too—anything is possible.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a writer is having open and honest conversations with families and children about death. I’ve sat with a little girl who lost two uncles within a week of each other—she had so many questions about the differences in their funerals and what to expect at other funerals in the future. We talked about how no two funerals are exactly the same because they reflect the unique lives of the people we’re honoring. That conversation stuck with me because it reinforced the importance of what I do—helping children and families navigate grief with understanding and confidence.

I’ve had people in my community tell me how Hello, I’m Death has helped their friends, both religious and nonreligious, find the words to answer their children’s tough questions. Many books on death lean toward a specific religious perspective, but this book is intentionally secular, making space for all families to see themselves in its pages. Death connects us all. People often say that birth is what unites us, but birth happens in different places, under different circumstances.

I have also been told by some people in the world that death is controversial, my response is it is universal. Someone needs to put that on a bumper sticker! Death comes for everyone. And while the way we die may be unpredictable, death itself should not be something to fear.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe my reputation has grown because of the many hours I’ve spent engaging with my community, helping families pre-plan and understand that:
a) Talking about death doesn’t make it happen any sooner.
b) Avoiding the conversation won’t keep you alive forever.

For almost four years, I’ve worked in the funeral and cemetery industry, talking about death every day to anyone who has questions or concerns. I strive to make death more approachable. At networking events, I always introduce myself with and upbeat, “Let me plan your funeral,” and now, many people in the room say it with me. It’s become my signature line.

Families I’ve helped have given me nicknames, one that sticks out is “the lady who makes death fun.” But my favorite new nickname so far is “The Funeral Fairy Godmother.” I tell stories, plan funerals, and make final wishes come true—all without a magic wand.

I never imagined myself as a small business owner, but through my writing, I’ve become just that. Now, I have a tangible resource to share with families who need this kind of guidance. Readers from all over the world have reached out, saying this book belongs on every home bookshelf. A 13-year-old even called to thank me for explaining what an urn is and how it can be part of a funeral—he had just attended a service with an urn and wasn’t sure what he was seeing. A funeral home in Europe contacted me and told me the book helped a family in the community talk through the passing of their father.

Those little moments make the biggest difference. They remind me why I do this work.

To all the creatives out there—keep pushing yourself. The world needs your gifts!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittany_neunuebel_author/?next=
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-neunuebel-ed-d-3a72b888

Image Credits

Stevens Photo & Video