Jennifer Cramer Miller
Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope
November 7, 2024
4 PM PDT | 5 PM MDT | 6 PM CDT | 7 PM EDT
Sign Up Here

At twenty-two, Jennifer Cramer-Miller felt thrilled with her new job, charming boyfriend, and Seattle apartment. Then she received a devastating autoimmune diagnosis—and suddenly, rather than planning for a bright future, she found herself soaking a hospital pillow with tears and grappling with words like “progressive” and “incurable.”

That day, Cramer-Miller unwillingly crossed over from wellness to chronic illness—from thriving to kidney failure. Her chances of survival hinged upon on the expertise of doctors, the generosity of strangers, and the benevolence of loved ones. But what kind of life would that be?

Spanning two-plus decades, this family love story explores loss and acceptance, moving forward with uncertainty, and forging a path to joy. Four kidney transplants later, Cramer-Miller is here to shine a bright light on people helping people in difficult times with a story that will make you want to hug the humans you love. Because sometimes it’s the sorrows that threaten to pull us apart that ultimately unite us in hope.

Before Incurable Optimist was published (She Writes Press), Jennifer embarked upon a seven-year journey of writing, re-writing, and full immersion into “memoir 101”. Many lessons along the way helped Jennifer bring Incurable Optimist into the world.

• Writing is a skill, but not all writing is equal. After spending years writing promotional business and marketing materials, Jennifer’s pivot to memoir was a learning process. Like anything else you set out to learn, outside insights and education are essential.
• Before Jennifer wrote Incurable Optimist, she wrote a private memoir merely for family and friends. This first book was the catalyst for Incurable Optimist after her book coach urged her to rewrite that family-and-friend version for a broad audience. Discover the key differences that made Incurable Optimist
• Although memoir is not fiction, a good memoir should read like it is. Why? Jennifer learned there are the essential ingredients within fiction that should be utilized in the craft of memoir to make it compelling.
• A memoir is a true story, but not a tell-all. As acclaimed memoirist Dani Shapiro said in an interview with 1440 Multiversity, “So much of the art of memoir has to do with what goes in and what gets left out—the crafting and shaping of a particular subject.” Jennifer found it essential to ask herself, what do I want this tapestry to look like, and what threads are essential for its composition?
• A large part of writing is a solo endeavor, but the best books are boosted by a team. Jennifer worked with a development coach, a copy editor, a proofread editor, cover designers, a publisher, and a publicist. Whether you plan on self-publishing, or working with a hybrid or traditional publisher, consider the outside expertise that will elevate your final product to excellence.
• Jennifer’s memoir is about how to manage the uncertainty of a chronic illness while harnessing hope and finding joy. Her intent was to offer a companion to others who face similar challenges, but the reception from readers surprised her. How does it feel when you openly share the vulnerable moments in your life?

BIOGRAPHY
Jennifer Cramer-Miller is an author and speaker, focusing on stories of hope. Jennifer’s memoir, Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope (She Writes Press) received a Publishers Weekly starred review, an International Impact Book Award, a Book Excellence Award, a BookFest Award, a 2024 IPPY award, a 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist, NEIA Book Award, Living Now Book Award Bronze Medal, and a 2024 Readers’ Favorite Award Gold Medal. As a patient advocate, she helps others manage uncertainty, move forward with hope, and find some joy. JenniferCramerMiller.com

You’ll find her essays featured in HuffPost,  Zibby Mag, Brevity Blog, The Sunlight Press, Next Avenue, She’s Got Issues, Grown & Flown, The Erma Bombeck Blog, Star Tribune, Minnesota Physician, Mamalode, and Medium. She also serves as the 2023-2026 Board Chair for the Minnesota National Kidney Foundation (NKF), as a PEER Mentor, and an ambassador for Donate Life.  She lives in a suburb of Minneapolis with her witty, golf-obsessed husband, and her waggy, treat-obsessed pup. For more information visit her at JenniferCramerMiller.com

Social handles
jennifercramermiller Instagram
jennifercramermiller Facebook
jennifercramermiller LinkedIn
jencramermiller Twitter