BOOKS
I started writing essays and feature articles about being an at-home mom. Some of my articles can be found in The Washington Post, AARP’s The Ethel, Parenting Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, Babytalk, The Washingtonian Magazine, Meer.com and Washington for Women. I turned some of my ideas into children's books, which I used as consciousness-raising platforms. My adult nonfiction book on the modern American family, Not the Cleaver Family—The New Normal in Modern Amercian Families, was published in 2016. My most popular nonfiction book, 50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life, was released by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018 in hardcover and in paperback/audio in 2019. My next book is about the unintended consequences of consumer DNA testing and is being shopped to publishers by my literary agent, Keely Boeving, of WordServe Literary. All of my books can be ordered on Amazon, though I am a big fan of supporting independent bookstores.
Praise for "50 AFTER 50:"
“ This book is a blueprint for the rest of my life!” — William Funderburk, Attorney, Los Angeles
“Reading 50 After 50 changed my life…. I have a successful career and I am generally happy and a positive person. What I didn't have before reading your book was an excitement about the next chapter of my life. I had never considered what I wanted to do just for me…. Having been a mother for 33 years, I got in the habit of caring for others first…. After reading 50 After 50, I started doing things that were so much fun with the extra time that I have now…. I took dancing lessons, I took flight lessons, I went to the beach ALONE, I took a language class, and much much more…. I feel so incredibly light and joyful. Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing 50 After 50.”
— reader, Angela Acree, Washington, DC
50 After 50 is not just an inspiring memoir, but is a guide for any women wanting empowerment to push their edges, live a rich life with purpose and create a life full of adventure and meaning.
- Julie Reisler / author of the Get a PhD in YOU series, TEDx speaker, podcast host, Life Designer™
“What a fantastic road map for building a new healthy life. I love how you broke it into sections and throughout the book stayed honest with what has true, even if it was hard, while continuing to move toward positivity.”
- Dr. Maria Sirois / inspirational Kripalu speaker, consultant, and licensed psychologist who has worked in the fields of wellness and positive psychology for twenty years.
50 AFTER 50
(available in hardcover, paperback, on kindle and on audible)
ISBN-13: 978-1538109649
At age 50, Maria Leonard Olsen drank her way out of her 25-year marriage. She had, against advice, put all her eggs in the motherhood basket, willfully derailing her successful law career. As teenagers, her precious children did not need her in the hands-on way they previously had. Her husband and she had grown apart because, among other things, they failed to nurture that important relationship. She was depressed and stuck.
When she turned 50, she had the distinct feeling that she was on the downward slope of her life. Actuarially speaking, she was. So when she turned 50, her gift to herself was to go on a crusade to make the most of whatever time she had left. She set out to do 50 new things that were significant, at least to her. The list spanned physical challenges, adventure travel, and lifestyle changes. Each taught her something about herself and about how she wanted to lead the next years of her life to come.
This work follows the work she did to accomplish those 50 new things and shows readers how to make their own action lists - whether it be joining a knitting club or hiking the Himalayas, every item has significance for each individual and speaks to her needs and desires. The list is the match to spark the fire that will light the years after 50. Readers will hear about Maria's adventures and the rewards of each. Accomplishing new things, learning new skills, deepening personal and spiritual relationships, and seeking out challenges will add the spice to a life that may feel repetitive, insignificant, inauthentic, or just plain boring.
REVIEW BY MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW:
“At fifty years of age, author Maria Leonard Olsen was a divorced drunk who had long abandoned her successful law career for family. 50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life documents both her midlife crisis, realization that she was actually at the beginning of a new life rather than the end of what she'd created, and points the way for women in similar situations who have turned to alcohol over enlightenment and change.
Adrift and purposeless, Olsen decided, when she turned fifty, that she would 'gift' herself the purpose of doing 50 things new to her that embraced adventure, spirituality, travel, physical challenges and lifestyle changes.
50 After 50 documents this odyssey and its results, offering midlife readers clues on transformation and change and insights on not only possibilities, but their lasting results.
Chapters unfold the purposes behind each action; from getting off the beaten path to "be a student of the world" to changing the dynamics of daily interactions to make for more meaningful changes and experiences.
Specific approaches, examples, results, and how Olsen let go of the judgments of strangers and family to explore new avenues of personal satisfaction to herself makes for a revealing, involving blueprint indicating how readers could craft their own road maps of transformation.
The result is a powerful blend of lists, journal prompts, autobiography and tips on how to cultivate a more open mind and spirit that offers readers many 'how to' clues for rejuvenating their own approaches to life.
Readers aged 50 and older, in particular, will be not only inspired by Olsen's experiences, but are given the tools for embarking on their own life-affirming journeys in a story that is both engrossing and inspirational; highly and especially recommended for anyone of older years who feels 'stuck' in their chosen path.” (D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review)
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“Olsen’s book has an intriguing concept, and her account of overcoming her personal struggles is admirable.” – Kirkus Reviews
“50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life by Maria Leonard Olsen is a life-changing memoir for anyone who feels stuck and utterly dependent…. an incredible catharsis, a journey towards ultimate change, inner freedom, and growth…. Olsen's memoir is a must-read for most adults — both men and women…. 50 After 50 is one of the most resonant memoirs you'll read this year, a book that entertains while offering timeless lessons on personal transformation, finding purpose, and living meaningfully. Buy two copies of this book — one for you and one as a gift for someone.” —The Book Commentary
How To Become Your Best Version:
Wisdom Shared by the Women of the Becoming Your Best Version Podcast
Words of wisdom shared by the inspiring women featured on seasons one and two of the Becoming Your Best Version Podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. Each guest's answer to the question, "What do you do to become your best version?" is transcribed in this ebook.
Maria's podcast is great and so is this book. She asks insightful questions and this book is a tribute to her ability to get the best from those she interviews. Once again, she has written a generous work destined to resonate with many.
-Reader in Washington, DC
A guide for people to elevate their lives, to get unstuck, and to practice many facets of self-care. This book will help busy people to improve the quality of their lives. Drawing from author, journalist, podcaster, attorney, Maria Leonard Olsen's work from over a decade, easy to use practices can help anyone to become their best version. Spiritual, mental, social, physical, and emotional self-care practices are covered, as well as how to overcome barriers to self-care. Resources for further reading are included. Filled with inspirational graphics, this small book packs a powerful punch for readers to ignite their lives.
Not the Cleaver Family:
the new normal in moderna american families
ISBN-13: 978-1683190394
As a biracial woman, I was frequently mistaken as the nanny of my lighter-skinned children. Assumptions have not quite caught up with America's melting pot reality. The contemporary American family has changed drastically. Same sex marriage is no longer uncommon. Couples are affirmatively choosing to have one child (a choice that may have elicited sympathy in our parent's generation), or to be child-free. Sperm banks allow women to have their own children without a partner. A mom, a dad and 2.5 children is no longer the norm.
Within 30 years, less than half of the U.S. population will be white. Laws prohibiting interracial marriage were banned in 1967 by the Supreme Court, and same-sex marriage is now legal in many states. Cultural shifts and science have allowed the typical American family to no longer resemble the Cleavers of a generation ago.
This book is based on hundreds of interviews with families across the country, and illustrates just how the normative paradigm of the American family has changed. From these stories, we can examine the scope of the changes and sometimes ignorant reactions to such changes. This book is designed to raise our collective consciousness about what the contemporary American family has become, and help educators and caring citizens remain aware of and appreciate our evolving society.
Healing for Hallie
ISBN-13: 978-1612253374
For ages 3-15... "Healing for Hallie" is about a young girl learning the importance of sharing her feelings instead of keeping them bottled up within herself. Holding feelings inside can be like trying to hold a beach ball under water--It takes much energy and pops up in various ways. Based on the author's personal journey, it offers a helpful viewpoint to those trying to heal from life's difficulties, traumas and tragedies.
Mommy, Why's Your Skin So Brown?
ISBN-13: 978-1612251875
For ages 3-9... "Mommy Why's Your Skin So Brown" is a mother's explanation to her bi-racial children about why her skin color is darker than theirs. It was inspired by frequent questions from strangers who assumed that the author was the nanny to her own lighter-skinned children, causing her children to wonder about the reason for these questions. This book may serve as a consciousness-raising piece for caring communities and to prevent people from letting their curiosity overwhelm their manners.
FROM THE READERS
"One of the best experiences I’ve had since moving to Denver was attending Maria Leonard Olsen’s book talk at Tattered Cover last week! I definitely have gotten some weird looks and comments as I’ve been carrying around 50 After 50 because spoiler alert- I’m nowhere close to 50 years of age. BUT I will say that much of what I’ve read so far has felt relevant to my life in some capacity and nearly every word of her book talk resonated with me. I am so grateful I could hear her speak and am truly inspired by her words and actions! I highly recommend her book #fiftyafter50"
-Christine L, Denver, CO
"Maria Leonard Olsen's book packs a lot of punch in one volume: it's a memoir, a guidebook, and a rich resource for anyone wanting to do more in life. It takes enormous courage to put yourself out there in the public sphere, especially when you take the risk of exposing a life that has been challenging in so many ways. She is as honest about her relative privilege as she is about her personal struggles and traumas, and provides many examples of how to expand your life even with limited time, money, etc. Olsen also has urgency in her voice -- for those of us near, at, or past 50, time is truly precious. Rather than limit the book to a memoir of her own experiences, she generously shares countless examples of how to take steps toward improving your life through new experiences. It's hard not to start making your own list well before you finish this book!"
-DC Reviewer, Amazon.com
"This book should be required reading for all ages. Maria shares her inspiring story of transformation with incredible honesty, humor and grace. I will be purchasing this book for 50 something friends as well as for my teenage daughter. Everyone can benefit from the wisdom contained in these pages."
-Amazon Reviewer, Denver, CO