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Martha Woodroof made a promise to herself — to never NOT do something because she was afraid. Beloved public radio reporter and host, and author of the break-out novel, Small Blessings (St. Martin’s Press), Woodroof lived an adventurous life. Actress, restaurant owner, local TV media queen, radio personality, novelist, heavy drinker. Before she lost her battle with cancer, she recounted her experiences in a lively collection of what she called “splats.” At the heart of these personal stories is her hard-won triumph over depression and addiction. The language is vintage Martha, wry, irreverent, wise, and in the end inspirational. These bursts of flash nonfiction are now gathered in a handsome collection, Life’s a Wander: Martha Woodroof In Her Own Words. Included are a foreword by Erica Cavanagh, professor of creative nonfiction at James Madison University, and two afterwords, one by her daughter, Liz Gipson, and another by her author friend, Susan Hasler, who writes of these splats: “You should read them — a dose of Martha is good for your health and happiness.”