June 18, 2025
By Kerry Frank
I recently returned from the inaugural Read With Jenna Book Festival in Nashville, and honestly, I signed up without any clear idea if it would be “the right fit” for someone like me. I’m in the messy, exciting middle of figuring out what’s next with my book. And yes, I still practice what I preach: take the next step, stay curious, ask questions, and trust that it’ll lead somewhere worth going.
It always does.
I left with great insights for publishing and building my next chapter — but what I didn’t expect was how deeply personal this experience would be.
What People Don’t Know About Me
In 4th grade, I was living in Hong Kong. My teacher met with my parents and shared a concern: I hadn’t actually learned how to read. I was so good at faking it that most people, including my parents, didn’t believe her. I’d memorized words based on how others read them aloud. But I didn’t know phonics, grammar, or how to sound out a single word.
We moved back to the U.S. shortly after, and I slipped through the cracks. Reading support never came. School became a place I tolerated but never thrived in. Education wasn’t a big focus in my home, and I quietly leaned into the one thing I knew I could do: Work.
At age 12, I started working in a pet store. I stayed there until I was 17. I was a great observer and communicator. Customers loved me. I knew everything about puppies, birds, fish, hamsters. It became my classroom, my confidence builder, and in a way, it gave me the tools I use even now.
What I Heard at the Conference Changed Me
During the conference, both Ann Patchett, author and bookstore owner, and Tiffany Haddish, stand up comedian and actress, spoke about not learning to read until late elementary or high school. They said that kids who can’t read often become incredible verbal communicators and storytellers, because it helps distract from what they don’t know. That was me to a T.
I had an opportunity to visit with Ann one-on-one, and she told me:
“What you did in aviation is way harder than publishing a book. This will be easy compared to that. Most women want to write, but they don’t treat it like a business. You’re a businesswoman. Run it like one. You’ll be fine.”
Those words stuck with me. They might have been exactly what I came to hear, even if I didn’t know it yet.
What I’m Taking With Me
This trip reminded me why it’s so important to say yes to the unknown. Stay curious. Show up. Ask questions. Make space for the unexpected. That’s where the real learning happens.
And the women at this conference? They were real. They were generous. They were open hearted. They shared what they knew without gatekeeping. It felt rare and refreshing, and exactly what we need more of.
A Thought to Leave You With
What would happen if you took the next step before you felt ready?
What if your biggest growth comes from stepping into a room that wasn’t built with you in mind and leaving it a little better just by being there?
You don’t have to know the whole plan. You just have to be brave enough to say “yes” to the next thing.
Let’s stay curious, together.