In this fearless and inspiring episode of Older & Bolder, Debbie McCulloch welcomes Madelon Smid—an unstoppable force of energy, creativity, and resilience. A bestselling author, outdoor adventurer, and mentor, Madelon shares how living with Crohn’s disease, including life-threatening hospital stays, gave her the strength to face every challenge with courage and joy. Madelon discusses her passion for writing, revealing the process behind her dozens of romance and suspense novels, including favourites like the Daring Heights series and the Sisters in Peril trilogy. She shares how her writing stimulates her mind, while yoga, kayaking, skiing, and hiking keep her body and spirit strong—even now, in her late seventies. With refreshing honesty and prairie-born grit, Madelon talks about the importance of pushing past fear, embracing new adventures, and paying it forward by mentoring emerging writers. 🌐 Website: www.madelonasmid.com 📚 Books available on Amazon: Daring Heights Series, Sisters in Peril Trilogy ----- Recorded in Saskatoon & Rosetown, Saskatchewan Show producer: Christina Cherneskey Communications Theme music: ES_By the Neon Sign Music for this episode: ES_Can I See You Again (Instrumental Version) - JAKE $ING, ES_Half Right All the Time (Instrumental Version) - The Eastern Plain, ES_Should've Been Me (Instrumental Version) - Gamma Skies, ES_Dance with the Sin (Instrumental Version) - Zorro, ES_Echo (Instrumental Version) - SCENE Voice over: Christina Cherneskey Original artwork: Jackie Peterson Artwork developed for digital media pages: Christina Cherneskey