Coming Through The Fire
Author Renee Linnell Bares Her Soul In New Memoir
Renee Linnell logged quite a few frequent flyer miles and some wild adventures since her early days growing up in Boca Raton.
She was stranded in the Himalayas, surfed in the South Pacific, danced the tango professionally in Argentina and modeled bikinis all over the globe. Along the way she’s had countless love affairs, earned an MBA from New York University, got brainwashed into a Buddhist cult and wound up in the tabloids in New York. What propelled her wasn’t just wanderlust. Throughout her globetrotting and sometimes hair-raising experiences, what Linnell was ultimately searching for was herself.
“Still on Fire,” her frank new memoir, lays bare her unusual odyssey to personal and spiritual growth. It’s a follow-up to Linnell’s 2018 book, “The Burn Zone,” which covers her experiences with the cult that she was entangled with for 12 years.
Linnell, 49, attended Pinecrest School in Fort Lauderdale and graduated from Jacksonville University with a degree in dance and psychology. The author and blogger divides her time between Snowmass, Colo. and Fort Lauderdale. Her twin brother, Gary, still lives in Boca Raton.
The author’s first book evolved from five years of journaling, a writing skill she credits to her English teacher at Pinecrest. “Still on Fire” continues her healing process of triumphing over trauma, shame and loss and making peace with herself.
“‘The Burn Zone’ is about what happens when you don’t listen to your inner guidance,” Linnell says. “Readers wanted a sequel and I realized I have a lot more to talk about. ‘Still on Fire’ is about discovering that I was fine all along. I just didn’t know it. To share the stories brought a lot of power back to me.”
She hopes her soul-searching journey will reach anyone who isn’t living his or her fullest life. Readers can meet Linnell at the Dancing Elephant in Lake Worth Beach for a talk and book signing on April 29, at 4 p.m.
“We’re in these bodies for such short period of time in this life,” says Linnell. “Why are we spending so much energy trying to be like other people, and trying to live like other people? I wish we would celebrate how magnificent each one us is and go out in the world and contribute our own unique gifts.”