The Work In Between: A Memoir About Stepping Out of My Shadows by Gretchen Norling Holmes, PhD, has been honored with the Literary Titan Book Award, recognizing the book’s powerful storytelling, emotional depth, and meaningful contribution to contemporary memoir and personal growth literature.
In The Work In Between, Holmes chronicles a profound journey of transformation following the loss of more than one hundred pounds and surviving cancer multiple times. While the physical changes were visible, the memoir focuses on the deeper, less visible work of healing. Drawing on her lived experience and professional expertise in health communication, Holmes explores how childhood trauma, unregulated emotion, and diminished self-worth shaped both her body and her inner life. The memoir invites readers into the often uncomfortable space between survival and true healing, where lasting change takes root.
An extension of her widely followed podcast of the same name, The Work In Between blends candid storytelling with professional insight. Holmes writes with wit, honesty, and compassion as she reflects on family trauma, loss, medical experiences, and the process of learning self-worth.
The Literary Titan review praised the memoir for its honesty, emotional impact, and refusal to oversimplify healing. The review highlights Holmes’s ability to confront fear, shame, illness, and loss without turning her story into a narrative of self-pity, instead emphasizing resilience, accountability, and intentional living. Literary Titan describes the book as “emotionally stirring,” noting its mix of vulnerability and grit and recommending it to readers who have lived through hardship and are still learning how to move forward with purpose.
Reflecting on why she wrote the book, Holmes shares that the decision came after years of reflection, therapy, and encouragement from others who believed her story could help. Writing the memoir reinforced her belief that vulnerability is strength and that honest conversations about hard experiences are essential for healing. At its core, The Work In Between delivers a clear and compassionate message. Every person is worthy of love and a meaningful life, regardless of their past, their body, or the obstacles they have faced.
The Work In Between: A Memoir About Stepping Out of My Shadows is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Readers, book clubs, and educators seeking an authentic and inspiring story of resilience, healing, and self-worth are encouraged to purchase their copy today.
About the Author
Gretchen Holmes, PhD, is a motivational speaker, podcast host, and health communication scholar with more than twenty years of experience as a social scientist and health care leader. She serves as Associate Dean for the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and is an associate editor for the Journal of Patient Experience. Dr. Holmes has published extensively in leading academic journals, including Health Communication, Psycho-Oncology, and Injury Epidemiology, with research focused on obesity management, provider-patient communication, health literacy, decision-making, and rural cancer health disparities.
A three-time cancer survivor, Dr. Holmes is a national-level patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute and has taught Behavior Change Theory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She was named one of the Top 100 Successful Women to Know in 2022 by Gulf Coast Magazine. As the host of The Work in Between podcast, she is passionate about helping others improve their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health while learning to love themselves harder through accountability and grace.
Media Contact
Company Name: Literary Titan
Contact Person: Gretchen Holmes, PhD
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Country: United States
Website: https://gretchenholmesphd.com/
