Member GwenSuesse

Gwen Suesse is the author of Notes from Planet Widow: Finding My Way After Loss, a reflective and deeply human exploration of grief, healing, and what it means to rebuild a life after profound loss. Her writing grew not from intention, but from experience—seventeen years after the sudden death of her husband, a moment of clarity during meditation led her to revisit and document the journey she had lived through.

Through a series of essays, Gwen offers an honest look at grief as it really unfolds: nonlinear, disorienting, and often misunderstood. Rather than offering quick fixes, she shares the small, practical ways she found her footing again—what she describes as a “breadcrumb trail” forward. Her work emphasizes that grief is not something to avoid or outrun, but something that must be acknowledged and allowed to move.

In addition to her writing, Gwen is an experienced speaker and workshop leader, having presented at women’s conferences, book groups, and community gatherings. Her talks focus on grief, resilience, curiosity as a survival tool, and the ways fear and loss shape our lives—and how they can also transform them.

She lives in Tryon, North Carolina, where she continues to write, speak, and support others navigating loss, reminding readers that while grief changes everything, it does not mean the end of meaning, joy, or hope.