Official Website of Author
One minute, Lisa Whalen is leaping fences on horseback, the next she is splayed in the sand. Whalen’s fall at age 42 ignites flashbacks of a different fall—one that left her sprawled on a psych ward’s carpet after battling an eating disorder and depression. Are the falls linked? Would understanding how they happened grant the healing she seeks? To find out, she must jump the fence that threw her, but getting back in the saddle is about more than overcoming fear. It’s about confronting who she has been and choosing who she wants to be. Ten special horses help Whalen overcome her falls and fears, leading her to health, happiness, and an understanding that what matters isn’t whether we fall, but that we rise.
Stable Weight is a story of resilience, empowerment, and the transformative power of the human-animal bond, revealing how even the most sensitive soul can ditch being a good girl for becoming an independent woman.
“A moving, lyrical memoir of heart and determination”
–Gail Folkins, award-winning author of Light in the Trees
“Stable Weight weaves a tapestry of hope, light, and healing that inspires and celebrates the spirit of connection among people and animals.”
—Jilian Lampert, Chief Strategy Officer of Accanto Health
About The AUthor
I am a writer and English professor whose research and writing focus on personality, body image, human-animal relationships, and nature-nurture. My first book, Stable Weight: A Memoir of Hunger, Horses, and Hope, was selected 2021 Reserve Champion by the Equus International Film and Arts Festival.
I have an M.A. in creative and critical writing from Hamline University and a Ph.D. in postsecondary and adult education from Capella University, where my research focused on narratives and empathy.
I teach composition, research, creative writing, journalism, and literature at North Hennepin Community College in Minnesota.
In my spare time, I am an equestrian and animal welfare advocate.
Stable Weight
Before and After
the Tutorial
The Simpsons'
Beloved Springfield
Writing Pathways to Student Success
An Introvert in an Extrovert World
Scholarly Publication in a Changing Academic Landscape
Publications
Stable Weight: A Memoir of Hunger, Horses, and Hope
"From Reactive to Proactive,"
Before and After
the Tutorial
"Multimodal Anthology Foreward,"
Teaching Literature with Digital Technology
"Soaring Past the Rainbow's Apex," Writing on the Edge, Spring 2019 #2
"Homer as Homework," The Simpsons'
Beloved Springfield
"Promoting Academic Skills Through Writing,"
Writing Pathways to Student Success
Empathy and Reading Narrative Fiction . . .
"What It's Like Being an INFJ Teacher,"
Introvert, Dear
"Overcoming the Seating Chart Curse," An Introvert in an Extrovert World
"Institutional Opportunities...,"
Scholarly Publication in a Changing Academic Landscape
"My Modest Proposal," Adanna, Issue #7
"Follow The Energy: Two Riders on Writing,"
Cagibi
Various essays,
The Emily Program Blog