Writing After Tragedy - Matthew McConkey - The Matt Balaker Podcast

Tennessee-based author Matthew McConkey dealt with death, divorce, and depression. His marriage of nearly 20 years ended, his father passed away, and he confronted his own mental health issues. These hardships impacted his writing process but didn't crush his drive. Hear his story of persistence and resiliency.

McConkey got his "big break" by getting published in 2007. The collection was called, Toe Tags and Body Bags. Book was a success regionally

He stopped writing after I had a strange incident with a member of a biker gang

Wrote and published, Boys of Summer 1992 in 2010.

Wrote and published, American Masquerade Party in 2012.

Wrote without publishing for several years after that biker incident. Published a book in 2013 on the 1914 Boston Braves called, Never Say Die: The 1914 Braves.

Wrote and published, Watershed, I’m 2014…(later re-published as 2021s, Home Again. Went through a lot of depression and personal issues after 2014 and didn’t write anything substantial until his father died unexpectedly i2019. That’s when he decided to get back into writing full time…

Published, Home Again, in 2021.

Published , Scarecrows and Shadows in 2022.

He's producing an anthology with several other writers called, Just After Down.

Currently finished writing another novel for next April called, Maple Lane