We Can't Do It Alone: Letting People In (with Giselle Vriesen)

You, Me, Empathy

On episode 1 of We Can't Do It Alone, Nōn sits down with Giselle Vriesen to explore being a first-time author, forgetting oneself in pursuit of creating, holding the darkness and the light, and letting people in to allow them to help us. Giselle is the author of Why We Play With Fire, a mythological adventure story that I absolutely adored.

Helpful things mentioned during this episode:

• Why We Play With Fire by Giselle Vriesen
• The Moon In You: A Period Guide for Girls by Alexandria King and Giselle Vriesen
• Affirmations for Black Women: a Journal by Oludara Adeeyo
• Happiness Is Overrated by Cuong Lu
• @gisellevriesen on Instagram
• @wandering.moons on Instagram

Giselle Vriesen (she/they) is a 23-year-old author living on Halalt First Nations land on Vancouver Island Canada. Her debut YA fantasy novel Why We Play With Fire released in February of 2024 through Row House Publishing, distributed by S&S, her sequel is upcoming in 2026. Giselle is also the co-creator of the Anti-Racism Course for Educators, teaches a writing course that facilitates decolonized and embodied storytelling, and has been a professional tarot reader for the past eight years.

How you can support Nōn and this independently-run podcast:

• Leave a 5-star rating and a wildly glowing review for We Can't Do It Alone on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.
• Share your helpers with Nōn here and he may (or may not but still be delighted) share your helper on the podcast in season 2.
• Order The Feely Cards on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie bookseller for yourself and everyone you know.

Connect with Nōn and the podcast:

• @wecantdoitalone
• @youmeempathy
• wecantdoitalone.com

Thank you for listening to We Can't Do It Alone! Don't forget about the helpers. We all need help. Even you.