We’ve got to get you out of here, Vilitha Clay thought as she looked at Michael Cloyd, a frail, weary Vietnam veteran who had been stuck in a Wisconsin VA hospital for months with nowhere to go.

Life

Army Vet Stops to Help Disabled Veteran—Then Starts a Mission

A chance encounter with a disabled veteran left fellow Army vet Rick Mulligan shaken and concerned. He had to do something, and what came next became his second call to service. Here, he shares his story with Woman’s World. Rick Mulligan was driving home from work on a hot day when he passed a fast-food […]

A Vietnam veteran with nowhere to call home

Michael, now in his 70s, had been struggling for years. A retired carpenter, he had lived in a trailer park that was nearly condemned because of bedbugs and rodents. He eventually moved into a motel, where he spent several months in a tiny room.

Life there was lonely and difficult. Michael frequently fell and injured himself, leading to repeated trips to the emergency room.

Then Michael suffered a mild stroke and spent four months at the VA hospital while staff searched for a permanent care home. But every option seemed to lead to a dead end.

That’s where Vilitha, a VA contractor, stepped in.

She could see how vulnerable and alone Michael was. He had no close family nearby to step up and offer a helping hand, and after spending so much time in the hospital, he still had nowhere to call home.

He’s been in the hospital so long with nowhere to turn, Vilitha thought.

Then she realized she might have the solution for his ongoing problem.

“How would you like to come home with me?” she asked. Michael gratefully said yes. He became the first resident of Love, Recovery and Connections Inc. (LRC), an adult family home Vilitha opened in Madison, Wisconsin, for veterans and other vulnerable adults.

Turning grief into a mission for veterans

Vilitha had dreamed for years of opening an adult family home. Her mother, Lawana Rita Coleman, had hoped to eventually move in with her daughter, but she died after a fall in 2021.

Heartbroken, Vilitha felt determined to fulfill her dream in her mother’s memory and opened LRC as an official nonprofit in 2024.

The home hosts three residents at a time, each with a private bedroom. Residents can stay at LRC for as long as they’d like, but if they need a higher level of care, they will move to a nursing facility. Home health aides and nurses provide additional care and rides to medical appointments.

When he moved in, Michael quickly began experiencing the difference a loving home could make in his life.

When he first arrived at LRC, even a hot, home-cooked meal seemed unfamiliar. On his first day, he looked at his plate at the kitchen table. “What’s this?” he asked. Vilitha smiled.

“Welcome to your new home, Michael,” she told him warmly.

Life

This Army Vet Went From Homeless to Housing Thousands of Others

Once homeless and alone, Yvette Jones-Swanson is now a guiding light for thousands of veterans — putting roofs over their heads and proving that compassion can create a lasting legacy of hope. Here, Woman’s World shares her story. On her first day working for the City of Chicago, Yvette Jones-Swanson was assigned to the department […]

A second chance at true family

Today, Michael has regular meals, a safe place to live and people who care about him. He’s truly become part of Vilitha’s family.

Since the start, Vilitha has impacted many other lives through LRC. She recalls a veteran who had significant mental illness, and after 13 months of care, his condition improved enough for him to move out and live independently.

“You mean the world to me,” residents often say to Vilitha. She feels the same way.

Michael remembers how lonely he felt before LRC. Now, when asked what Vilitha means to him, his answer is simple: “She is family.”

“Despite your background or circumstances,” Vilitha says, “everyone deserves a second chance at redemption, hope and support.”

“Your skin protects your body from the outside world,” says Debra Jaliman, MD, dermatologist and author of Skin Rules. “It helps keep bacteria and allergens out while keeping moisture in.” The problem? Common skincare habits like using harsh ingredients can weaken that protective barrier, leaving you more vulnerable to illness. Here’s what doctors want you to know about using skincare to protect your skin and boost your immune function this season.

Why skin is your body’s first line of immune defense

Skin is our largest organ, working to keep us safe and healthy. But it’s more than just flesh. Dr. Jaliman explains, “Think of your skin barrier as a protective wall. The outer skin cells are the bricks, and the fats between them act like mortar, holding everything together. These fats include ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids.” That’s not all. “There are also good bacteria that naturally live on our skin and help protect it.”

When that wall of skin becomes weakened, we find ourselves at risk for germs and illnesses. “Our skin is the body’s first line of defense against germs, allergens and environmental irritants. When the skin barrier becomes damaged, it is easier for irritants to enter, triggering dryness, inflammation and sometimes infections,” explains Shamsa Kanwal, MD, a dermatologist and a practicing consultant at My Psoriasis Team.

“Skin is not a cosmetic organ,” reminds Tanya Kormeili, MD, a dermatologist in Los Angeles. “It is part of our immune defense. Therefore, keeping your barrier protected is important. Your skin immunity is directly related to your barrier function.”

What is skin immunity, exactly? Skin immunity is a comprehensive defense system made up of fatty acids, moisture and even good bacteria that helps defend the body against bad bugs and inflammation.

Common skincare mistakes that damage your immune function

“The biggest mistakes are using harsh acids or chemicals and not moisturizing enough,” says Dr. Kormeili. She suggests avoiding products that contain alcohol and synthetic perfumes. Too much exfoliating can also cause more harm than good.

Aging can also make our skin more susceptible to weakness and breakdown. “As we age, we tend to have drier skin and are more sensitive to retinols, acids and exfoliants. We get more barrier disruption with extreme temperatures from hot water to cold weather,” she explains. “Protecting the skin from these factors will play a great role in keeping the skin healthy.”

A simple skincare routine to boost immunity this season

While TikTok is filled with complex 12-step skincare regimens, it may be time to embrace the “skinimalist” (minimalist) approach. Dr. Jaliman assures, “A simple routine is better than a complicated one.” Try this quick protocol to protect and strengthen your skin’s natural immune barrier.

Step 1: Cleanse

For a soothing daily habit, Dr. Jaliman advises, “Use a gentle cleanser. Avoid harsh soaps, very hot water and scrubbing.” Why? “These can strip the skin’s natural oils.” Dr. Kanwal recommends using lukewarm water and applying moisturizer immediately after washing.

Step 2: Moisturize

“Moisturize every day with a product containing hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which seals water in the skin and protects the barrier,” Dr. Jaliman says. “This makes it harder for irritants and allergens to penetrate the skin.”

Step 3: Protect

Don’t forget sun protection, even in the winter. “Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50 every day,” says Dr. Jaliman. “Daily sun exposure can damage the skin cells and cause inflammation.”

Key ingredients to look for in skincare

The best skincare doesn’t just make you look beautiful, it works below the surface to strengthen the immune barrier to make you healthier too. Everyone’s skin is different but in general most people benefit from these ingredients, according to Dr. Kanwal:

• Ceramides: these waxy fats repair the protective barrier and prevent moisture loss
• Glycerin: improves skin hydration
• Hyaluronic acid: improves skin hydration
• Niacinamide: supports barrier function and helps calm inflammation
• Petrolatum: like Vaseline seals in moisture from cracks to support healing

Nutrient-boosting skincare trend

Some people are going a step farther with their skincare and making sure it feeds their skin with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to function optimally. Dr. Kormeili says, “Vitamins such as C and E help with fighting oxidative damage and vitamin B3 is great for skin soothing and lowering inflammation.”
One trend we’re seeing is using skincare that contains glutathione—considered the body’s most potent antioxidant, and a crucial player in the body’s immune function. One product to try: Auro Skincare.

“Glutathione has such an amazing benefit for your skin because it reduces oxidative stress,” says Nayan Patel, the pharmacist and wellness expert who discovered how to get glutathione into skincare. “I can talk about the benefits of glutathione: your immune system, detoxification pathways, cellular health and your skin health is better. I mean, ladies, if not anything else, think about your skin!”

Bottom line about using skincare to boost immunity

By using these best practices and clean ingredients, you can strengthen your skin resilience against outside germs, environmental stressors and internal inflammation to boost your immunity this season and beyond. The key is supporting, not irritating, this hardworking organ to boost your natural immune defenses.

4 tools that helped Joanne lose 120 pounds after 60

Joanne loved the idea of traveling, but her weight and sore knees made many experiences—like riding horses or even lowering a plane’s tray table over her belly—impossible. Then she arrived at her annual physical and learned she had diabetes. Plus, her triglycerides were still dangerously elevated—they’d been as high as 893 in the last 20+ years.

In the past, she’d used different cholesterol medicines. “We tried hard but we never quite got there,” Joanne says. “There,” in her mind, was a truly healthy place. This time, the doctor wanted to prescribe tirzepatide (Mounjaro), which treats type 2 diabetes. The catch: To get the medicine, Joanne was required to use Virta Health virtual nutrition coaching, a benefit through her employer-provided health insurance. To her delight, it became her first class ticket to success in these four strategic ways.

A wellness coach helped her overcome mental blocks

This Colorado grandmother started her get-healthy efforts in March 2025 and says, “I got assigned a wonderful coach.” She explains, “For months, Autumn and I chatted Monday through Friday. It was nice to have someone who I could ask questions, bounce ideas off and to cheer me on.” Suddenly Joanne wasn’t alone in this journey. She was walking side-by-side with a weight-loss coach who knew the terrain.

Case in point: Joanne couldn’t wrap her brain around eating vegetables she didn’t like. But Autumn gave her permission to skip foods that didn’t taste good. They found healthy snacks Joanne enjoyed: hard-boiled egg whites, snap peas, cottage cheese. Instead of stressing over the goals she missed, her thought shifted to: “What goal can I hit today?”

Proof that coaching works! Virta members keep off an average 31 pounds, slash the use of diabetes meds by 63 percent and lower A1C levels by 1.3 points.

GLP-1 medication curbed Joanne’s hunger

GLP-1 meds stimulate the release of hormones that naturally exist in the human gut and are abundant in the guts of naturally slim people. So while Autumn helped Joanne think like a thin person, the meds helped Joanne’s stomach act more like a thin person. “My doctor said part of my challenge was a hormonal imbalance,” Joanne explains. “GLP-1 is controlling it, but it’s not curing it.”

Meds are one useful tool. Family nurse practitioner Erika Chen, of Yunara Life, says GLP-1s can “help regulate hunger, appetite and blood sugar.” On average, tirzepatide users shed about 46 pounds in 18 months.

A protein-packed breakfast powered her morning

Another healthy routine among people who are successful with sustainable weight loss: eating a protein-rich breakfast that starts the day strong. The problem: “I wasn’t getting the protein I needed,” says Joanne. “I was not a breakfast person. So for me to cook a breakfast with eggs or bacon—that just wasn’t going to happen.”

Autumn suggested a workaround: sipping a protein shake on the drive to work. Joanne aimed for 20 to 25 grams of protein in her shaker bottle, blending almond milk, Greek yogurt, frozen fruit and protein powder. Research in the Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome finds consuming a morning protein shake triggers positive brain and gut changes, resulting in up to a 40 percent drop in afternoon snacking.

Low-carb lunches steadied her blood sugar

Another healthy habit: taking lunch to work instead of relying on processed, sugary to-go options. “I gave up Starbucks,” she says. “Before, I bought lunch every day.” Joanne began packing low-carb dinner leftovers. “In Colorado you can grill year round,” she says. She enjoyed simple meals like steak, burgers or chicken breast and cucumber salads. She kept her daily carb intake between 30 and 50 grams. This steadied her blood sugar and fueled her muscles, speeding metabolism. (See her healthy dessert recipe below.)

Joanne’s type 2 diabetes is now in remission

Joanne lost 90 pounds in the six months after she made this “quiet but powerful promise to myself: to stop dieting and start living.” When she says, “This past year has been one of the most transformative of my life,” she means it. Her health shifted in miraculous ways: “My lower back pain is gone. My diabetes is in remission. My cholesterol is normal for the first time in 25 years. My triglycerides, once as high as 893, have dropped to 107. My A1C fell from a 6.5 (in the diabetes range) to a healthy 4.7.” And her sleep apnea is improving. “Medications I depended on for years have been reduced or eliminated!” Plus, she’s confident she’ll keep the weight off for good. “I have the right tools now!”

Weight loss can help many people feel more youthful and mobile. In fact, losing just 10 pounds takes 40 pounds of pressure off your knees with every step, according to a study from the University of Chicago.

How Joanne found her formula for lasting weight-loss success

In all, Joanne lost 120 pounds in a little over a year, dropped from a size 24 to 12 and donated 16 bags of too-big clothing. While her amazing success isn’t typical, she found the right formula. “My sister said, ‘I don’t think you’d have done this without a coach.’ I’m tearing up thinking about it,” Joanne says. “It was a combination of everything, equally.”

Another change: “With this weight loss, I’ve gained confidence!” After years of struggling with mobility challenges, Joanne—who hints that she’d love to become a travel agent when she retires—enjoyed a powerful victory moment. She snorkeled through a narrow passage of lava rocks in Iceland. Picture it: “Me, floating, feeling strong, fearless and alive.” She wore a wetsuit and the biggest smile of her life. “It was more than an adventure; it was a declaration that new experiences don’t have an age limit. I don’t feel like I’m 70. I feel like I’m 40!”

Joanne’s maple mason jar ice cream recipe

Being on a health and weight-loss journey doesn’t mean saying no to your favorite sweet treats. It just means finding new ways to enjoy the things you love, like ice cream. Joanne’s homemade “ice cream” recipe allowed her to enjoy dessert alongside her husband, and it might just be the perfect complement to your apple pie this Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 oz.) heavy whipping cream
2 packets Splenda or 1 tsp. monk fruit
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. real maple syrup

Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a small mason jar, secure the lid and shake vigorously until the mixture doubles in volume. Then freeze until firm and enjoy. (This has around 11 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein.) Makes 2 servings.

This story originally appeared in the November 23, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

Finding a workout that doesn’t feel like torture

After earning her Master’s degree and going through a period of loss and grief, this public school teacher felt burned out. Brianna admits, “I was fearful I wouldn’t feel confident and strong again.”

And while exercise is an instant mood booster for some people, that wasn’t the case for Brianna. “I had spent years trying everything from gyms and Pilates to CrossFit and Hyrox, but nothing ever became something I truly wanted to return to every day,” she says.

Her challenge became finding a type of movement that she actually connected with emotionally instead of treating exercise like something she felt forced to cross off her to-do list.

How BookTok inspired her to start walking more

Then Brianna joined a book club. “I fell back in love with reading, especially romantasy and fantasy books like Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses.” Those book series provided hours of opportunity for Brianna to walk. “Walking and hiking while disappearing into my favorite fantasy audiobooks gave me mental peace,” she adds. Falling down the good-book rabbit hole also led to another exercise discovery…

What is WeaponUp? Inside the sword-style fitness trend

That same month, Brianna was scrolling through social media and came across a BookTok creator named Yaz, who is also an instructor for a sword-and-fitness-fusion program called WeaponUp. Brianna felt inspired and started giving the classes a try online. Imagine a mix of sword-fighting kung-fu moves with yoga stretching. During the practice, people even hold a straight sword, weighing between 1 and 1.5 pounds, in their arms during the movements.

“Something just clicked when I tried WeaponUp. I was reading about these incredibly strong female characters and then getting to embody some of that same energy in my own life,” says Brianna. “I would walk or hike while listening to my fantasy audiobooks, sometimes literally listening to characters train, and then come home and do my own WeaponUp practice.” She adds, “Suddenly, exercise felt less like a chore and more like stepping into my own fantasy world!”

The classes also helped Brianna, who has a dance background, reconnect with her dance roots. “WeaponUp brought back the artistry and storytelling together in a way no traditional fitness program ever had.”

A mental shift came before the physical transformation

Book-inspired fitness gave Brianna an opportunity to prioritize herself. “As an elementary teacher, so much of my day was spent pouring energy into other people,” she says. “WeaponUp became a place where I could put some of that energy back into myself.”

That shift changed everything and made healthy living more sustainable. “Because I genuinely loved what I was doing, consistency stopped feeling like discipline and started feeling natural. I was walking, hiking and training every day because I wanted to.”

Brianna confirms, “The emotional and mental changes happened first, and then the physical transformation followed. The biggest change was that exercise stopped feeling like punishment and became something I saw as a reward.”

Brianna started fueling herself like a strong main character

Over time, Brianna’s nutrition choices also began to align with her new active lifestyle. “After struggling with my weight for most of my life, I finally stopped feeling like I was constantly beginning another diet or workout plan, battling myself, and started building a life I actually enjoyed living.” This shifted her thinking from scarcity to abundance. “Instead of asking, ‘How many calories did I burn?’ I started asking, ‘How does this make me feel?’”

Brianna’s BookTok-inspired routine helped her lose 100 pounds

In the beginning, weight loss wasn’t even the goal of adding more movement into her life. “I did it because it gave me peace, made me feel strong and feminine and gave me something that belonged to me.”

But—jump ahead to the happy ending—Brianna’s body composition changed along with her mindset. She ultimately lost 100 pounds, dropping from 275 to 175 pounds in about 15 months. Her wardrobe also shifted from a size 4X to a size medium.

“WeaponUp made me feel strong, feminine, creative and connected to my body again.” She gushes, “I was not just reading about strong female main characters anymore. In my own small way, I felt like I was training alongside them!”

How to start a BookTok-inspired transformation

Feeling inspired to tap into BookTok for your own wellness journey? Try getting lost in a good book with strong female characters like Elena Gilbert from The Vampire Diaries or Saeris Fane from the Quicksilver series.

Or sign up for WeaponUp. Classes can be taken online, on demand (for around $24.99 per month). Members are mailed the signature sword to use in training. Brianna found the approach affordable and convenient since she could listen to audiobooks and practice yoga moves anywhere—“from my backyard, to the top of the mountains in Zion, the beach.” Wherever she practiced, it felt “meaningful.”

For women who are inspired to follow in Brianna’s healthy footsteps, she offers this advice that worked for her, “I stopped chasing the idea of ‘losing weight’ and started becoming stronger!”

Entertainment

Kelly Hyman Talks Acting, Law, and Her Powerful True Crime Podcast

Few people can say they’ve rubbed elbows with the likes of Brad Pitt in the first half of their career while spending the second half fighting for justice as an accomplished attorney, but Kelly Hyman has proven since her youth that she’s one-of-a-kind. From a role on The Young and the Restless to the commercials […]

Olivia Williams reveals what drew her to ‘The Good Daughter’ 

The Good Daughter follows two sisters, Samantha and Charlotte “Charlie” Quinn, who return to their hometown after years away to deal with an unthinkable tragedy. Williams, age 58, plays Harriet “Gamma” Quinn, Samantha and Charlie’s mother.“I found myself very attracted by the fact that Karin Slaughter said she based the character in the novel on me,” Williams tells Woman’s World. “I accepted the job immediately, which shows the power of flattery. And then once I was involved, I loved the dialogue, the mixing of the principles of justice and all with the relationships between mothers and daughters and sisters. It’s a thriller, a cracking story, a mystery, a crime, all thrown into this beautiful rural Atlanta, Georgia, landscape.” 

Like all Slaughter characters, Gamma does have her faults—we won’t spoil what they are—but Williams is hopeful that viewers will resonate with her in some way.

“What I love about these characters is that they’re flawed. Gamma is not a perfect mother. She loves intensely, but some of the things she does are wrong,” the actress says. “I’d like people to take away that good people can be flawed people, and not to seek perfectionism, and to stand up for a principle, even if it means doing so at your own loss.”

Entertainment

Andie MacDowell Opens Up About 'Good Girl Jane' and Lessons From Her Youth

The new film Good Girl Jane, now available on demand on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and other platforms, follows a lonely high school girl struggling with addiction and a toxic relationship. Written and directed by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz in her feature debut, the gritty, female-centered indie drama features powerhouse performances from newcomer Rain Spencer […]

Olivia Williams opens up about the show’s on-set dynamic 

Williams is no stranger to complex on-set dynamics. Years ago, she made history after revealing that Weinstein offered her an Oscar in exchange for sex. Williams declined the offer and has since become one of the women fighting for change in Hollywood.

And she got it. The Good Daughter is produced, directed and primarily cast with women, a fact the actress calls “beautiful.” 

“There were many men involved who were on the set, and they didn’t have a problem with being told what to do by women in charge. You know that I’ve seen there be women directors before, where the male DP [director of photography] has disobeyed what they asked for, and to see that actually it was possible to have a female-driven set where the men were equally respected and behaved with respect and were treated with respect. It was a very happy working environment,” she continues. “And I have chased around sofas in two continents by Harvey Weinstein. Let me tell you, it’s not usually like that.” 

Williams also shared that because the show’s story includes disturbing scenes, the on-set atmosphere mattered more than ever.

“The young actresses, Drew [Ann Cheek] and Audrey [Grace Marshall], were having to act through such appalling abuse at the hands of men that any other setup would have actually constituted abuse towards those young actresses,” she says. “I think it was incredibly sensitively handled.” 

Be sure to catch The Good Daughter on Peacock now. 

Ready for more? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond. 

7 books featured in Patchett’s novel ‘Whistler’

We know Patchett loves books, as an author, an avid reader, an independent bookshop owner and a book recommender extraordinaire. But in her latest novel, a love of books is part of the plot. The story centers on Daphne, an English teacher, and her former stepfather Eddie, who is a New York City book editor. Their favorite party game is trying to stump a well-read friend by finding a book she hasn’t read yet.

Woman’s World was in the room when podcaster and book influencer Zibby Owens recently asked Patchett about the special books that are named in the pages of Whistler. Owens prodded, “Why these books? How did you pick them out of the 8 million books you read?” Here are Patchett’s answers. Add these emotional books to your reading list today and enjoy the lessons they teach…

‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ by Jules Verne

Fans of Whistler may recall how the book is dedicated to Patchett’s dear friend Jim Fox, who passed away of cancer. Her poignant dedication is actually a quote from the classic tale Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The line reads: “I only ask to live another hundred years so that your memory will remain with me that much longer.” And even though this literary Easter egg comes before the actual story, it sets the stage for Whistler’s literary reverence.

What is the classic serialized sci-fi story from 1870 about? A naval vessel sets out to investigate a giant sea monster that’s been attacking ships. But when three men are thrown overboard and end up on a secret monster-sized submarine, they find adventure and danger with the sub’s Captain Nemo.

What one reader said: “I have re-read this classic by Jules Verne after many years and I must say that it is very good for one’s health to re-read books read when a child. Verne was a visionary and who better than him can make us see these strange years we are living through the eyes of a visionary?”

Lesson learned: Technology should not have unmatched power.

‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B. White

Part of Whistler involves flashbacks of Daphne’s childhood. That’s why this particular title makes an appearance. Patchett explained, “Okay, well, Charlotte’s Web is just Charlotte’s Web. If you’ve got a 9-year-old girl in a car, there’s got to be a copy of Charlotte’s Web!” Fans know that this children’s book is Patchett’s top tier nostalgic choice from her own childhood. “That was really my seminal book, and I will be putting it in [stories] forever,” she says.

You know what this one’s about: The crafty spider uses her web to try to save “some pig” named Wilbur from being butchered. And the rest is literary history. The 1952 book is a Newbery Honor award winner for good reason.

One reader described it as offering “timeless themes of friendship, loss and the circle of life.” And another reader shared, “I will boldly assert here that I think this is the greatest children’s book ever written.”

Lesson learned: There’s value in being selfless to help another soul.

‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ and ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’

During a harrowing part of the book Whistler, Daphne and Eddie are trapped in a car in a snowstorm after running off the road. Their conversation grows as serious as it is poignant. Eddie shares that his view of the afterlife has been influenced by reading the ancient Buddhist text known as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, originally credited to Padmasambhava in the 8th century. And there’s also a mention of another book about being trapped in the liminal space between death and rebirth: Lincoln in the Bardo. This 2017 work of experimental fiction by George Saunders reimagines President Lincoln after the loss of his 11-year-old son, and the spirits that cling to each other in this limbo. Patchett said these two books were mentioned “because of the particular conversation [the characters are] having. It makes sense.”

One reader of the Tibetan book shared, “Many of the thoughts about life and death have stayed with me since I read it the first time 65 years ago.” And a fan of the Saunders book praised it as a “profound statement of what it means to be human.”

Lesson learned: An appreciation for the fragility of life.

‘Independent People’ by Halldór Laxness

Why did Patchett include this 1955 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in Whistler? She said, “I was really trying to think if you were at a party with somebody and you wanted to stump them: Independent People by Halldór Laxness can be a good stump of a book.” She adds, “It is very likely my favorite novel, although that’s a ridiculous thing to say. But what’s really interesting is I have heard both Jonathan Franzen and Barbara Kingsolver say the same thing!”

What’s it about? It follows a stubborn sheepfarmer in rural Iceland and his quest for total independence from society, while his wild daughter struggles for independence against her father.

One reader shared: “If the devil took all my books but told me I could keep just one, this is the one I’d keep. I’ve read it numerous times and it just gets better and better.”

Lesson learned: People matter more than stubborn principles.

‘The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny’ by Kiran Desai

Patchett said, “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai was just a book that came out last year that while I was writing [Whistler] I loved. It was so front and center in my mind.”

What’s it about? Imagine locking eyes with a stranger on a train and immediately feeling drawn to them, only to realize it’s someone your parents tried to forcibly matchmatch you with earlier in your life. Sonia is an aspiring novelist and Sunny is a struggling journalist. They are each trying to find their way in the world, away from the strict expectations of their Indian heritage.

One reader said: “Kiran Desai’s sweeping saga is beautifully written. The reader is led through a stream of consciousness, characters who are dispossessed, lost, lonely, seeking to find the mystery of love and belonging.”

Lesson learned: Deep love requires vulnerability.

‘The Bee Sting’ by Paul Murray

This epic novel also gets named in Whistler. “I am a huge fan of Paul Murray and The Bee Sting, but the greatest thing,” revealed Patchett, “he wrote me a note at the bookstore and said that he was just reading my book and nobody had told him… and he got to find The Bee Sting right there” in Whistler. Imagine that surprise gift!

What is it about? It’s an Irish family saga that starts with problems that a teenage girl is having and stretches back in time to when the family’s deep dysfunction really began. Patchett shared in an online reel, “It’s 650 pages. This book is so good…It’s really astonishing, and at the end, you will wish it was twice as long!”

One reader called it, “Unbelievable. Buy the damn book. Ingest every morsel—and don’t take one sentence for granted. Beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.”

Lesson learned: Empathy and honest communication can save us.

As Season 5 came to a close, audiences were left wondering how the series would approach the next chapter: the crucifixion.

With Jonathan Roumie delivering such a powerful portrayal of Jesus, many viewers may find it difficult to watch those heartbreaking final moments unfold on screen. But bringing that emotional weight to life is precisely why director Dallas Jenkins has remained so committed to authenticity throughout the making of The Chosen.

Entertainment

'The Chosen' Season 6 Preview: Dallas Jenkins Shares Emotional First Look

If you count yourself as one of the 280 million fans of The Chosen TV series, then you already know the heart behind it starts with creator and director Dallas Jenkins, who works overtime as the passionate storyteller who’s made it his mission to bring the life of Jesus to the screen in a deeply […]

To capture the crucifixion with the gravity it deserves, Jenkins brought the cast to Matera, Italy, a historic city that has served as the backdrop for other iconic biblical films, including Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Its ancient streets and stone architecture made it a fitting setting for one of the most pivotal moments in the series.

The experience proved deeply moving, especially for Jenkins himself. “As the director, my job is to keep everyone stable, and even I was struggling,” Jenkins admits.

“I had my first emotional breakdown on set that I’ve ever had, where I had to get away, cry, pray and recover in some way. I think that portends what this content will be. I do think that the sacrifices we were making are going to be worth it. I still know for a fact that filming in Italy was by far the best thing we could have done.”

Dallas Jenkins reflects on faith and the show’s global impact

Bringing this story to life has also challenged Jenkins to lean on his faith in ways he never expected. “Sometimes I trust myself more than I trust God, and that’s something that I’ve required to change about myself. That’s the only way I’ve been able to absorb a project that has gotten bigger than I’m capable of producing,” says Jenkins. ‘Okay, God, I can only do what I’m capable of. I can only work with the five loaves and two fish. You’re going to have to multiply it. And God has.”

With more than 300 million viewers and translations into 75 languages, The Chosen has made a remarkable impact on the world over the last seven years. Season 6, which begins streaming its six-episode season on Prime Video on November 15, will culminate in a global theatrical film, The Chosen Crucifixion, on March 12, 2027.

Here, Woman’s World went behind the scenes on the set of The Chosen to get Season 6 secrets and insights on set from beloved cast members — from the spiritual impact to moments of redemption, hope and the emotional journey to the cross.

Entertainment

'The Chosen' Season 7 Filming Begins—Here's What Fans Can Expect

Fans of The Chosen have spent years watching Dallas Jenkins, Jonathan Roumie and the cast bring the Bible-based show to life, and it all leads up to the seventh and final season. The historical drama has taken the world by storm and helped many people — Christians and non-Christians alike — come to understand the Bible […]

Jonathan Roumie opens up about spiritual warfare on set

The emotional and thought-provoking nature of Season 6 has required sacrifice from the cast and crew — especially for Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus. Each season has brought him closer to Jesus in his own spiritual journey.

“Because of things I’ve experienced after filming that I just can’t quite explain — frustration, health issues, fatigue, self-doubt — I’m a firm observer of spiritual warfare in the many facets in my own life,” Roumie shares. “To me, this is generally a sign that what we’re doing is so spiritually potent and has the potential to do so much good in the world. I don’t quite understand how to handle all of this. But I have to trust, and I have to continue to pray and stay closer to Jesus through this whole process.”

Shahar Isaac says trusting the story was key to playing Peter

Filming Season 6 meant embracing the uncertainty of each moment and allowing the story to unfold naturally.

 “It was always day by day allowing the story to surprise me. The writers know where they’re going with it. So I just had to trust and let it happen,” says Shahar Isaac, who plays Peter. “I tried not to manipulate it in any certain way. It’s a pretty clear map that we just got to follow.”

That willingness to trust the process mirrors Peter’s own journey, reminding viewers that sometimes the next step becomes clear when we stop trying to figure out the entire path ahead.

Paras Patel on Matthew’s message of self-acceptance

For Paras Patel, playing Matthew has been a journey of personal growth and a way to help others feel seen and understood. His portrayal of the character, whom many viewers interpret as being on the autism spectrum, has also fostered meaningful connections with people around the world who see aspects of themselves reflected in his character.

“I don’t think anyone should see themselves as different, just perfectly unique,” Patel says. “I encourage people to be who they are and live their lives to the fullest. I like to say, ‘Be a Matthew.’ Matthew is someone who’s always trying to be a better version of himself, and he does that through learning and growing. We can all be a Matthew.”

Elizabeth Tabish on Mary Magdalene’s journey to trust

As the story moves toward its heartbreaking turning point, Mary Magdalene is searching for answers. But one scene filmed in Matera helped Elizabeth Tabish see how far her character has come in learning to trust Jesus, even in uncertain times.

“There have been so many moments where Mary Magdalene has been met with Jesus’ love and compassion, and there is a scene in this season where she realizes He is still bringing peace,” says Tabish. “That’s a quiet type of faith that I really admire in her character.”

To Tabish, Mary’s story shows that faith isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about holding on to peace when life is hardest.

Inside the emotional challenge of filming the crucifixion scene

Filming the crucifixion presented a unique set of technical and logistical challenges for the crew. “The crucifixion was actually one scene that I didn’t want to do because the way we actually crucified Jesus is a little different. He was actually raised on the cross. So we had machines raising [Roumie] on the cross, but had to make it look like people were raising him. I was up all hours designing this,” says production and set designer, James Cunningham.

The weight of the moment was impossible to separate from the journey that had brought the team there. “Dallas and I cried quite a few times on set because we filmed the pilot on a little farm in Illinois, and then all of a sudden we were standing in Matera, Italy, filming the crucifixion of Jesus,” Cunningham says. “It was very difficult, but it was very rewarding at the same time.”

Season 6 of The Chosen will begin streaming its six-episode season on Prime Video on November 15, and will end in a season finale global theatrical film, The Chosen Crucifixion, on March 12, 2027.

The unexpected way Kelly Rowland found out she had eczema 

“Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, and it can be super unpredictable,” explains Camille Howard-Verovic, DO, a board-certified dermatologist. Dr. Howard-Verovic says you think you have a rash not realizing it’s eczema.

That was the case for Rowland, who told Woman’s World she didn’t initially realize her symptoms were eczema when they flared up a little before she had her first son. “I just thought it was rash,” said Rowland. “I remember going to get a facial, and my esthetician…I told her what was going on. I had a flare-up just behind my nose, like all of my head, my neck, the folds of my elbows, behind my elbow, just crazy.” 

“She said, ‘Kelly, that’s eczema,’” Rowland added. “I said, ‘Well, I just thought it was a rash.’ So I told her how I was treating it. She said, ‘No, you need to go see a doctor immediately.’ And I was just happy she said that because that one thing just changed everything.”

Rowland shared that she appreciates when doctors do their “due diligence” by thoroughly evaluating patients’ symptoms and asking questions. “That’s exactly what my doctor did, and turns out I had eczema,” Rowland continued. 

Dr. Howard-Verovic says medical professionals are still understanding what exactly causes eczema. “I think it’s important for us to understand that even if you gather thousands of dermatologists in a room, we’re kind of still arguing amongst ourselves about the actual cause. The cause is unknown, but we know that genetics may play an important role.”

Beauty

Tricks for Soft Skin from Head to Toe

Easy, all-natural cures for eczema, psoriasis, and more.

Kelly Rowland’s eczema flared up on tour 

The tricky thing about eczema flare-ups is that they can strike when you least expect it. Rowland shared that she actually had an eczema flare-up while on tour. “This time last year, I remember going on tour with Brandy and Monica, and you know when you’re putting together a tour, it’s so many things that are involved from the staging, travel, lights, people, food and children,” Rowland told Woman’s World. “[There’s] so many moving parts. So my body went into a whole stress situation, which actually made it flare-up.”

“Next thing I knew, it just started sprouting just everywhere. I remember calling my dermatologist, and we calmed the flare down, but you can feel it when you’re moving and on stage and everything,” Rowland continued. 

“[Eczema] can appear at any time,” adds Dr. Howard-Verovic. “Some people mention that it may be induced by stress. It can be induced by environmental triggers. It’s just a super unpredictable disease process.”

How to treat an eczema flare-up at home 

Through her partnership with Eli Lilly, Rowland is shining a light on newer treatment options like Ebglyss. The injectable medication that has been FDA approved to help manage eczema, per Eli Lilly. “It’s approved for moderate to severe eczema; that’s the indication,” says Dr. Howard-Verovic. “It’s to treat adults and children who are 12 years and older, and they weigh at least 88 pounds.”

Your doctor can help determine if a prescription medication like Ebyglyss may be right for you. In the meantime, there are still things you can do to combat an eczema flare-up right from home. We asked Carol Eisenstat, MD, a board-certified physician and founder of Line Eraser MD, for three tips to help manage eczema.

Try a colloidal oatmeal bath

Colloidal oatmeal is ground into an extremely fine powder, which makes it easy to add to water, explains Dr. Eisenstat. “It’s one of my favorite simple recommendations for soothing itchy, irritated skin because it’s gentle and has natural anti-inflammatory properties,” she adds. 

“Add a colloidal oatmeal bath product to lukewarm water according to the package directions and soak for about 10 to 15 minutes,” suggests Dr. Eisenstat. Skip hot water, which can strip moisture from the skin and make eczema worse, she adds. 

Try a cool compress

Dr. Eisenstat says a cool compress can help with itching. “When eczema starts itching, the natural instinct is to scratch,” says Dr. Eisenstat. “Unfortunately, scratching damages the skin barrier even further, which can create a frustrating cycle of more inflammation and more itching.”

“Soak a clean, soft washcloth in cool water, wring it out and gently place it over the irritated area for about 10 to 15 minutes,” she recommends.  

Repair your skin’s moisture barrier

“One of the most effective things you can do for eczema is also one of the simplest: Keep the skin consistently moisturized,” adds Dr. Eisenstat. “I recommend taking short, lukewarm showers or baths, ideally no longer than five to 10 minutes, and applying a thick, fragrance-free moisturizing cream or ointment within three minutes of getting out.”

She recommends looking for moisturizers that are simple and don’t have fragrance or essential oils. “Petroleum jelly is a particularly good option because it creates a protective layer over the skin that helps prevent moisture from escaping,” says Dr. Eisenstat. 

Wellness

Best Dry Skin Treatments for Women Over 50: Soothe Redness and Itch Fast

If your skin feels tighter, itchier or more sensitive than it used to, you’re not imagining things. Somewhere around midlife, the moisturizer that worked for years suddenly seems to disappear the moment you smooth it on—and by evening, your cheeks are flushed, your hands are cracked and your shins itch through your leggings. The good […]

Kelly Rowland’s message to women struggling with eczema

Dealing with a chronic skin condition like eczema can be uncomfortable and take a knock at your confidence. IRowland’s words of advice. 

“For one, take a breather,” says Rowland. “I think that we’re already so hard on ourselves, and so you can just calm yourself down, but also go talk to your doctor. That’s the best thing my esthetician told me, was to make sure that I spoke to a doctor. She was like, ‘I’m not a derm. But I would go and talk to a doctor,’ which is the best advice because you do want to talk to somebody who knows what they’re talking about.”

Rowland also encourages advocating for yourself at your doctor’s appointments. “The best way of advocating for yourself is to remember all the information: how it flared up, when it flared up, when’s the time it flares up the most? That information can really help them. So I’d say go in there with information and have a clear communication with your doctor, and they’re gonna help.”

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A book gift card holder 

Every reader loves a good Barnes & Noble shopping spree, especially when it’s paid for with a gift card! So if you’re looking to give someone a Barnes & Noble gift card this holiday season, be sure to present it in this book gift card holder. It features the words “happy holidays” in gold, along with a Christmas tree nestled in the middle. This item costs $5.50.

A book advent calendar 

A book advent calendar is nothing short of a dream come true! In this one from Barnes & Noble, readers can get 24 different mini hardback books from authors like Charles Dickens, L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott and Hans Christian Andersen. It does cost $100, but when you do the math, it evens out to less than $5 a book. Now that’s a Christmas miracle.

A bag of books ornament 

If your Christmas tree is in need of a little bookish love, then grab this “bag of books” ornament from Barnes & Noble. It features, you guessed it, a black bag filled with books and even has the words “a bag of books” on it, so none of Santa’s elves get confused. This ornament costs $15.

A Little Free Library ornament 

Little Free Libraries are taking the world by storm right now, and if you or a loved one in your life love to donate or grab books from them, this ornament from Barnes & Noble is a must-have. It features a little free library filled with books of all shapes, sizes and colors and costs just $22.

Entertainment

Target's New Christmas Decor Is a Book Lover's Dream!

Christmas decor is hitting stores nationwide, and Target is no exception. The big-box store recently released their seasonal decor, and among it is tons of bookish delights. From tote bags to ornaments and even a book tracker, these items make for perfect stocking stuffers for yourself or your loved ones. To discover our top finds, […]

A Barnes & Noble ornament

Santa has his workshop, and readers, well we have Barnes & Noble, which is just as magical. This Barnes & Noble ornament features a storefront covered in snow. It also has trees and a wreath on it, which adds to the overall festiveness of the item. This ornament costs $15.

A Christmas bookmark

Barnes & Noble has tons of bookmarks, and while we love them all, we have to admit this “Have Yourself a Literary Christmas” one is our favorite. It’s $4.25 and features a variety of Christmas-colored books, as well as lights, a snow globe, gingerbread houses and more. It will go perfectly inside our upcoming Christmas reads, which we cannot wait to dive into soon.

A Christmas tote bag

No bookish merch roundup is complete without a tote bag, and this one from Barnes & Noble is in the same design as the bookmark above, but in a bigger format. It costs $22 and is 9.21(w) x 14.51(h) x 1.01(d), which might hold the amount of books on your to-be-read list, but probably not. 

Entertainment

Hobby Lobby Weekly Ad Has Gifts for Book Lovers

Christmas is right around the corner, and if you’ve been searching for the perfect gift for the book lovers in your life, head to Hobby Lobby! As part of the Hobby Lobbyweekly ad, the arts and crafts store has tons of bookish merch that’s perfect for the holiday season. We are talking about ornaments, mugs […]

A snowglobe 

Whether you live in a snowy area or not, chances are you are always dreaming of a white Christmas. Enter this snow globe from Barnes & Noble. It features two books as the base, and inside has trees, a cabin and of course the fake snow. It costs $40.

Ready for more? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond. 

Life

Your 2026 Scorpio New Moon Horoscope Reading Will Sound Eerily Accurate

On the heels of spooky season and on the precipice of the holiday season, we’re moving through an intense astrological moment that calls for you to dive deep into self-reflection and let go of fears and the past in order to move into a whole new lunar cycle. November 8’s new moon in Scorpio, falling […]

What happens when Venus goes retrograde?

In astrology, Venus colors how you relate to others, your values, your beauty ideals, your personal aesthetic, your creativity and your romantic life. It’s the planet that affects how you date or bond with a significant other, how you tend to your friendships, what you find pleasurable and how you experience pleasure. It also tells a story about how you deal with harmony and conflict with others.

When Venus is moving forward, otherwise known as direct, you can tackle all of these aspects of life with more energy and focus, pursuing related goals ahead without too many bumps in the road.

But every 18 months, for about 40 days, the planet of love moves at a slower pace than usual before appearing to move backward from our vantage point on Earth. When this happens, Venusian aspects of life slow down, incur delays and take on a more introspective tone. You’ll be compelled to go back to the drawing board on Venusian matters. For instance, you may want to reassess a friendship based on a lack of reciprocity or opt to review your household budget. And like Mercury retrograde, which makes the past a focus of your present, you may need to tie up loose ends on a creative project that was previously put on the back burner, an emotional issue with a loved one or to do serious self-work tied to self-love and self-image.

This Venus retrograde has coincided with Mercury’s final retrograde of 2026, so since October 24, you’ve likely experienced double the fuel to look backward.

How to make the most of Venus retrograde ending

Here’s what to bear in mind as Venus retrograde comes to an end on Friday, November 13 and begins to move forward once more in Libra before re-entering Scorpio on December 4.

You could start to gain clarity around a relationship issue

Over the course of this Venus retrograde, it’s been easier for wires to get crossed with a significant other or potential partner, especially in terms of clearly communicating around intimacy, values and how to best set the stage for harmony and balance. Or if you’re single, a new romance might not be exactly what it seems.

As the transit comes to an end, you could find that a belief or an assumption you’ve been making isn’t exactly true, or you could come across details that offer useful insight. This might be especially the case once Venus re-enters and moves forward through Scorpio, a sign that’s laser-focused on uncovering the truth, from December 4 to January 7. Note that clarity might not be immediate, so give yourself plenty of grace to navigate any rockiness that persists.

Lean into feeling more assertive

Because Venus retrograde can whip up self-doubt, insecurities and cause you to feel more reserved than usual, it may have been tougher to feel as confident over the last few weeks. This is often an opportunity to zero in on emotional wounds that require addressing. And as the planet of pleasure moves forward, you could apply any lessons you’ve learned toward feeling increasingly centered in your sense of self.

You can once again make big decisions around relationships, pleasure and beauty

Maybe you’ve heeded the warnings not to go all in on a major beauty treatment. Or it simply felt impossible to make a bold move in your relationship. Either way, as Venus goes direct, you can finally begin to build momentum in this part of your life.

You can trust yourself and others more readily

Venus retrograde tends to cloud our ability to trust our instincts and to know what we truly value. You could have felt hung up on a particular fantasy or proposed game plan within your closest relationship, only to find that as Venus goes direct, you’re not nearly as enamored by that path forward. Give yourself plenty of space and time to contemplate how life and love has played out for you since October 3. Conversations with your significant other or someone special could be particularly illuminating until December 4, thanks to Venus’s forward movement in its home sign of Libra. And you could find you’re more connected to your inner voice once Venus is back in intuitive Scorpio from December 4 to January 7.