Media & Interviews with Erica Richmond
Erica Richmond is an author, speaker, and writing coach whose work explores storytelling, grief, emotional wellbeing, and how we can share personal stories from a place of safety.
Through her books, workshops, and public conversations, Erica helps people approach personal storytelling with care, showing that writing about difficult experiences can be both powerful and protective when done from a place of safety.
Her work sits at the intersection of writing, mental health, parenting, and creativity, and she is often invited to speak about how stories help us process grief, navigate complicated relationships, and make sense of our lives.
Erica has been interviewed on podcasts, live radio, and national media outlets including CBC Radio, where she has spoken about the role stories play in healing, connection, and personal growth.
She is the founder of Open Sky Stories, a writing community and creative platform that encourages people of all ages to explore their stories through writing, journaling, and creative expression.
What Hosts Are Saying
Interview Details
Erica’s work is especially well suited for conversations about:
Writing and storytelling
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Grief and complicated loss
Parenting through difficult experiences
Creativity and personal growth
The healing power of stories
Suggested Interview Topics
Journalists and podcast hosts often invite Erica to speak on topics such as:
Writing from a Place of Safety
How writers can share personal stories without re-traumatizing themselves.
Telling Complicated Stories
Writing about grief, difficult relationships, and lived experience with honesty and care.
When Stories Protect Us
How writing can help process anxiety, grief, and big emotions.
Teaching Kids to Name Their Feelings
How Erica’s Pixie books help families talk about emotional wellbeing and healthy boundaries.
The Mail Art Stories Project
How a global mail art project captured connection, loneliness, and community during COVID.
The Power of Storytelling
Why stories matter—and how they help us connect with each other.
Books & Projects
Erica’s work spans children’s literature, creative nonfiction, and community storytelling projects.
Pixie and the Bees
A children’s book that helps kids talk about anxiety and big feelings.
Pixie and the Fox
A story that helps children recognize unhealthy relationships and emotional manipulation.
The Mail Art Stories Project
A global storytelling initiative exploring the emotional impact of COVID through mail art.
Yelling at Dead People (forthcoming)
A creative nonfiction manuscript exploring grief, parenting, and complicated love.
Questions To Ask Erica
Podcast hosts and journalists are welcome to use or adapt any of the questions below.
On storytelling
What does it mean to write “from a place of safety”?
Why do so many writers struggle with telling personal stories?
How can someone begin writing about difficult experiences without feeling overwhelmed?
On grief and complicated stories
What have you learned about writing through grief while working on Yelling at Dead People?
Why are stories about grief often difficult to tell honestly?
On emotional wellbeing and creativity
How can writing help people better understand their emotions?
What role does creativity play in emotional wellbeing?
On Erica’s books
What inspired Pixie and the Bees and Pixie and the Fox?
How have these books helped families talk about difficult emotions?
About Erica Richmond
Erica Richmond is the author of several books, including the children's titles Pixie and the Bees and Pixie and the Fox, which help children and adults talk about anxiety, emotional wellbeing, and healthy relationships in ways that are accessible and honest. These books are used in schools, therapy offices, and mental health organizations around the world.
She is also the co-creator of The Mail Art Stories Project, a global storytelling initiative that captured the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through letters and postcards sent from around the world. The project was later turned into a book and traveling exhibition.
Erica regularly speaks with audiences about writing personal stories safely and responsibly. Her approach encourages writers to slow down, pay attention to their emotional boundaries, and remember that stories do not need to be perfectly polished in order to matter.
Her forthcoming creative nonfiction manuscript, Yelling at Dead People, explores grief, parenting, and the complicated process of loving someone who caused harm. Essays from this project are currently being published and have been recognized in literary competitions.
Contact Erica
Featured Podcast
Featured Podcast
In this episode, Toni sits down with Erica Richmond, author, speaker, and writing coach, for a powerful conversation about storytelling, grief, and writing from a place of safety.
Erica is the founder of Open Sky Stories, the author of the Pixie Children’s Series, and the creator behind the forthcoming creative nonfiction manuscript Yelling at Dead People—a deeply honest collection of essays on grief, parenting, and survival after loss.
Together, Toni and Erica explore how writing can be a tool for healing without re-traumatization, why small and imperfect stories matter, and how to create healthy boundaries around what we share, what we protect, and what we keep just for ourselves.
This episode is a permission slip for anyone who’s ever said, “I want to write, but I don’t know where to start.”
Press & Podcasts
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Live Interview with Tim Snodden on Trent Radio start at 31 minute mark (Soundstreams, Poems, & Interviews, March 2026)
One Sentence is Enough: Writing, Grief, and Telling the Truth Safely with Erica Richmond (Start Your Comeback: Rebuilding after divorce, empty nest, and loss of spouse, 2026)
Erica Richmond on Writing From a Place of Safety, Grief, Parenting After Loss, and Healing Through Story (The Elisha Show, 2026)
When We Start Laughing, We Start Healing (Unparented: A Dead Parents Club Podcast, 2026)
Book Column: Pixie and The Fox (CBC Ontario Morning with Nav Nanwa, May 2024)
Why your words matter (TufFish Show, 2024)
Turning Anxiety into Pixie Tales (Reading With Your Kids, 2024)
Local author is hoping to use her book to raise funds for the Peterborough Youth Services (CBC Ontario Morning, May 2023)
Creativity and substance use: A conversation with Erica Richmond (Clear and Present Podcast, 2022)
Writing a life (Resilient and Resourced Podcast, 2021)
Where do the Children Play (CFFF 92.7FM Trent radio (July 13, 2021)
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Peterborough author, Erica Richmond explores parenting through grief in her new “little” book (KawarthaNOW, 2026)
Open Sky Stories founder Erica Richmond inspires audiences to unlock their creative potential. (KawarthaNOW, 2025)
Town Ward: Here is your chance to meet Peterborough author Erica Richmond (The Peterborough Examiner, July 2024)
Peterborough children’s author Erica Richmond to launch ‘Pixie and the Fox’ at Take Cover Books on May 10 (Kawartha NOW, April 2024)
Preferred Author by DLC Anxiety (2024)
Peterborough author Erica Richmond raises $670 for Peterborough Youth Services (Kawartha NOW, June 2023)
Peterborough writer is again raising funds for a local charity during Mental Health Month (Kawartha NOW, May 2023)
Peterborough author Erica Richmond to donate proceeds of ‘Pixie and the Bees’ to help local youth (Peterborough This Week, May 2023)
Six inspiring local women will lead workshops at INSPIRE’s inaugural International Women’s Day event (Kawartha NOW, Feb 2023)
Peterborough writer Erica Richmond raises $530 for CMHA’s Trans Peer Outreach Program (Kawartha NOW, June 2022)
Former Dresden resident publishes second book (Sydenham Current, May 2022)
New book by Peterborough writer uses ‘mail art’ to capture personal stories about pandemic life (Kawartha NOW, April 2022)
Peterborough author finds connection through creativity (Peterborough This Week, November 2020)
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Writing From a Pace of Safety (Writing Brave Summit, 2024)
Using Expressive Art to Improve Your Writing (Thriving Author Summit, 2023)
The Art of Letter Writing for Kids (Peterborough Public Library, 2023)
Expressive Writing: Words on Paper for Adults (Peterborough Public Library, 2022)
Expressive Writing for Teens (Peterborough Public Library, 2022)
Expressive Writing: Words on Paper for All Ages (Creating Space, 2022)
n addition to media interviews, Erica Richmond is a sought-after speaker who presents talks and workshops about storytelling, creativity, emotional wellbeing, and writing personal stories safely.
Her presentations are designed for:
writing communities
schools and educators
mental health organizations
conferences and festivals
Explore Erica’s speaking topics, author visits, and writing workshops.
Keynote Speaking
Erica Richmond is a Canadian author, speaker, and writing coach whose work explores storytelling, mental health, grief, parenting, and creative expression. She is available for podcast interviews, media features, speaking engagements, and writing workshops focused on storytelling, emotional wellbeing, and writing from a place of safety.