Jaclyn Goldis is a former estate planning attorney turned author and adventurer. After seven years practicing law in Chicago, Jaclyn left her career to travel the world with just a backpack, eventually settling in Israel to write full-time. Her fourth novel, The Safari, will be released in May '25, and her story is one of bold risks, creativity, and chasing dreams.

Jaclyn always knew writing was her true passion. She describes leaving her legal career as both brave and inevitable, freeing herself from the weight of possessions and expectations. Traveling to places like South Africa, Bali, and Greece inspired her writing, and her creative process is deeply intuitive—she lets her stories guide her. Her first traditionally published book, When We Were Young, was written during her travels, though her heart lies in mystery and thriller genres, like her upcoming novel, The Safari. Jaclyn also shares how she found an agent, her relationship with failure, and the joy she finds in the creative process.

Read Jaclyn Goldis’s books: “When We Were Young,” The Chateau,” “The Main Character,” and pre-order “The Safari.”

Connect with Jaclyn on Instagram.

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• More about Heather via her website and connect with her on LinkedIn, YouTube, and BlueSky. Listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Key Episode Takeaways:

• Bold Choices Lead to Big Rewards: Jaclyn’s decision to leave her legal career and travel the world with just a backpack was a leap of faith that ultimately allowed her to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time author.
• Creativity Thrives on Freedom: Letting go of material possessions and societal expectations gave Jaclyn the mental and emotional space to focus on her writing and embrace her true calling.
• Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination: Jaclyn’s writing process is intuitive and fluid, allowing her stories to unfold organically rather than being rigidly plotted.
• Failure is Part of the Process: It took Jaclyn 20 years to kick off her career as an author, but she views failure as a stepping stone rather than a setback, focusing on joy and small successes along the way.
• Travel as Inspiration: Jaclyn’s travels have deeply influenced her writing, with locations like South Africa and Bali serving as backdrops for her novels.
• Manifesting Success: Jaclyn emphasizes the importance of joy and intentionality in the creative process, whether it’s finding an agent or letting a story come to life.