Renée K. Nicholson

Rachel Weaver woke up dizzy in her early thirties—and it never fully went away. Dizzy: A Memoir, part of WVU Press’s Connective Tissue series, explores chronic illness, misdiagnoses, and care that doesn’t listen. Out now.
#literarymemoir #chronicillness #patientadvocacy @reneeknicholson.bsky.social

'Dizzy' author recounts a decade of being marooned by chronic illness Rachel Weaver worked for the Forest Service in Alaska where she scaled towering trees to study nature. But in 2006, she woke up and felt like she was being spun in a hurricane. Her memoir is Dizzy.

When I first started Connective Tissue on @wvupress.bsky.social as Series Editor, I knew that it was an important series that needed to be in existence. Our 1st book, Dizzy by Rachel Weaver, out 2/10, reviewed by Maureen Corrigan from NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/02/09/n...

The poet who changed my DNA Poetry in medicine can heal the healer. A physician reflects on how poems by Robert Frost and Renée K. Nicholson restored his humanity.

It's kind of a surreal experience to read about yourself in an essay. But with gratitude I'm sharing this lovely piece Ryan McCarthy, MD wrote about a poem I wrote about him:
kevinmd.com/2026/01/poet...

Friends, I really wanted to post something awesome today. But I'm heading to a reading tomorrow (I might be trying to outrun snow that's coming), and I'm all sorts of behind. Remember books to sell, square to take credit cards, toothbrush...

Haven't been on Bluesky in ages, but this was such a fun event and just wanted to remind everyone that Austin's book is in the world and ready for you to read!

Come out to @barrelhouse.bsky.social C&C and write some poems with me!

An essay review of Ann Patchett's Tom Lake On storytelling's additions and omissions and what we can learn of craft from one of our best contemporary novelists

For those who love thoughtful commentary on product and process, check out this review by my friend, the multitalented @rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social: open.substack.com/pub/moonruar...

#bookreview #essay #TomLake #storytelling

FEVERDREAM, my poetry collection, comes out in 2026.
These poems came when I finally gave myself time and space to write freely. The result wasn't just art—it was restoration.
Restorative writing: creating space to be whole in a fractured world. #FEVERDREAM #PoetryCollection #NarrativeMedicine

Thank you!

Thanks! ❤️

Today is birthday 53...celebrate with me by reading one of my favorite winter poems. Perhaps us winter-born have a special affinity to the austere winter images? But who can resist a "liquid moon?" #birthday

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45504/...

Heartbreaking news. 💔

I'd like to comment... on what makes a book steadfast enough to read again and again I don’t really do end of year reviews.

My last Substack of 2025, but no "best of" lists, I promise! A bit of Jane Austen, Claire Keegan, what's coming ahead in 2026, links to recent narrative medicine work, and a wish for the holidays.
open.substack.com/pub/reneekni...

Narrative Medicine Renée K. Nicholson explores new and evolving methods by writing programs, medical schools, and hospitals to link healing and storytelling.

New in The Writer's Chronicle: my exploration of how creative writing programs can meaningfully integrate with healthcare through narrative medicine. #narrativemedicine #healthcarestories #creativewriting

writerschronicle.awpwriter.org/TWC/2025-dec...

Picture of the cover of my collection of poems, POSTSCRIPTS.

With FEVERDREAM waiting in the wings, if you wanted to get a copy of my previous collection, POSTSCRIPTS, you can get it for just over $6 on Amazon or an ePub version on Bookshop for $3.99.

a.co/d/dTYy7OY

bookshop.org/p/books/post...

#poetry #christmaspresent #readpoetry

Check out this lovely flash essay by my friend Caroline Wampole, in Pangyrus! #flashnonfiction #CNF #writingfriends

www.pangyrus.com/essay-memoir...

First look at the cover to FEVERDREAM, featuring art by my friend and ongoing collaborator @sallery_art! #coverreveal #poetrycollection #narrativemedicine

I'd like to comment… on DOLL PARTS by Penny Zang As Charlie Brown might say, another holiday over, another fast approaching.

My latest Substack takes a look at a debut novel by @pennyzang.bsky.social , and includes updates on what’s on my TBR pile, announcements about FEVERDREAM, and more. #bookreview
#writinglife

open.substack.com/pub/reneekni...

Thank you!

Ten years of narrative medicine practice meets poetry exploring home, illness, grief, & what medical charts can't capture. FEVERDREAM (Redhawk, 2026) explores illness, grief, and healing. Contact me for e-ARCs or to discuss readings/lectures. Pub date & other details to follow soon! #book

Calling all Health Humanities & Narrative Medicine scholars and book reviewers! I'm excited to announce that advance e-ARCs of DIZZY, a memoir by Rachel Weaver, are now available for pre-publication review. If you're interested in receiving an advance copy for review, please reach out. #bookreview

8-hour drive home from a writing retreat = 8 more hours of creative work.

The mountains, the silence, the movement—sometimes the best writing happens when you're not actually writing.

Find those in-between moments. They matter.

#WritingLife #CreativeProcess

Navy blue ink is changing my life for the better.

The Spell of Exile - The Offing Essay - The Offing Magazine

Wanted to share this essay by Chris Campanioni , which is so much about writing--as vocation, as process, as way of being in the world: theoffingmag.com/essay/the-sp...

#writingcommunity #essay #writinglife

Am I taking a course through the comité champagne as research for a new novel? 😉

#writinglife #writingresearch #champagne #novel #WIP

Sticker of a cat reading a book, with a retro vibe. The book is Mo Daviau's new novel, EPIC & LOVELY

This is such a cute and clever way to promote a book!

Love this--and also, "Sour Apple & Pink Shadow sounds like a great title for a book!

Small pin of a gold lion on a peter pan collar

Close up of vintage gold cute lion pin, with sparkly red eyes.

Vintage lion pin for a little something extra today. #vintagefinds #vintagefall #vintage2025

I like to think Robert Redford and Paul Newman make new movies together in the great beyond.

I'd like to Comment... on MOONFLOWER by Phillip Shabazz “Language is a saint suffering thorns

New on substack! #poetry

open.substack.com/pub/reneekni...