Ellen R.B. Smith

Ellen R.B. Smith’s Followers (6)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
Lena
3,782 books | 375 friends

Stacey
1,676 books | 397 friends

Shantha
678 books | 12 friends

Bethany
8,386 books | 89 friends

Georgin...
2,149 books | 601 friends

Julie P...
1,509 books | 2,102 friends

Theresa
337 books | 73 friends

Doris
2,505 books | 90 friends

More friends…

Ellen R.B. Smith

Goodreads Author


Website

Genre

Influences

Member Since
May 2020


Ellen R. B. Smith received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and music from the University of Tennessee. Her professional journey spans 35 years, where she navigated industries entrenched in the prevalent misogyny of the era.
At Amazon, Ellen’s proactive initiatives led to groundbreaking promotions, amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her dedication to fostering diversity and innovation, showcased through her work, embodies a leadership style aimed at positive change. Ellen is a highly sought after strategist, speaker, and trainer.
Ellen’s memoir resonates with readers by infusing humor and introspection, encouraging them to confront life’s uncertainties with laughter and many adaptive course corrections. In her free time, Ellen s
...more

To ask Ellen R.B. Smith questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

Ellen R.B. Smith The idea to write my book sparked at a Starbucks inside the St. Louis Union Station Hotel during a business trip for Amazon. While browsing, I came ac…moreThe idea to write my book sparked at a Starbucks inside the St. Louis Union Station Hotel during a business trip for Amazon. While browsing, I came across a children's book titled "Good Night St. Louis" and wondered if a similar book existed for my hometown. After visiting the Reston Museum, I discovered "Reston A-Z" by Watt Hamlet, who kindly shared insights about his writing process. Realizing that a children's book had already been done, I decided to write my own story alongside Reston’s.
Inspired by my hometown of Reston, VA, founded by Robert E. Simon—a man who experienced marginalization and built a community centered on inclusivity—I aspired to capture that spirit in my writing. Reston is a safe harbor for many, and I seek to help kids and parents who feel out of place, reminding them they are not alone. My writing engages readers on a journey of learning, laughter, and reflection.
At first, I documented my experiences along with the history of Reston and included interviews with 40 individuals who significantly impacted my upbringing, reflecting the community's diversity. Each chapter ended with a “lessons learned” paragraph. I intentionally chose diverse voices, featuring stories from the brother of a deceased neighbor, the parents of a friend lost to a drunk driving accident, and a Native American to pay tribute to Reston's original inhabitants. After drafting approximately 175,000 words in this content-rich style, my pre-readers provided valuable feedback. They were skipping over the sections about Reston and the individual interview summaries just to get to my personal narrative. My editor and pre-readers instilled in me the confidence to recognize that my story could truly stand on its own.
(less)
Average rating: 4.53 · 45 ratings · 22 reviews · 2 distinct worksSimilar authors
Memoirs of a Suburban Troub...

4.52 avg rating — 44 ratings3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Pierre Noir : Coton de Tulear

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

I'll come to your book club!

📖 This book is a love letter to my family, friends, and hometown. Growing up in the inclusive community of Reston, Virginia, I learned invaluable lessons about equality and acceptance, inspired by the idyllic landscapes and egalitarian ideals that surrounded me.

Yet, as life often does, it interrupted my childhood tranquility with harsh realities, leading me on a journey from a curious, precocious Read more of this blog post »
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on December 09, 2024 09:24

Ellen’s Recent Updates

93961
Ellen R.B. Smith is now following Gary's reviews
9546795
Ellen R.B. Smith made a comment in the group The book you like mostLet's be friends? topic
" Add me too pls! "
1151266 1219146
Ellen R.B. Smith rated a book it was amazing
Songbird by Christine McVie
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ellen R.B. Smith has read
Songbird by Lesley-Ann Jones
Rate this book
Clear rating
As a lifelong fan of Fleetwood Mac, I was thrilled to read *Songbird: Christine McVie*—a memoir that allows us to peek behind the curtains of one of rock and roll's most iconic bands. I often reference Fleetwood Mac in my own book, *Memoirs of a Subu ...more
Ellen R.B. Smith rated a book it was amazing
She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ellen R.B. Smith is now following
9464
More of Ellen's books…
1219146 The book you like most — 49852 members — last activity 45 minutes ago
This group (ranked in the TOP 100 most popular groups on Goodreads) is dedicated to the "Vision and Story" project. Additionally, the group THE BOOK ...more
1103665 Booktok 📚 — 226736 members — last activity 1 hour, 3 min ago
A place for booktokers to interact with each other and share the love
85538 Oprah's Book Club (Official) — 86411 members — last activity 3 hours, 37 min ago
Welcome to the official Oprah's Book Club group. OBC is the interactive, multi-platform reading club bringing passionate readers together to discuss i ...more
1182275 hot girls read books — 114895 members — last activity 51 minutes ago
A little group for girls and their friends to keep up with books that they're reading :) ...more
26989 Goodreads Authors/Readers — 56496 members — last activity 3 hours, 22 min ago
This group is dedicated to connecting readers with Goodreads authors. It is divided by genres, and includes folders for writing resources, book websit ...more
345436 Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine — 175044 members — last activity 6 hours, 23 min ago
Hey Y’all, We’ve been reading together for awhile and we don’t know about you, but we’re ready to hear your thoughts and opinions. This group is a pl ...more
1151266 swifties who also read — 46547 members — last activity 20 hours, 48 min ago
join this if you love taylor swift and books -- Welcome to the group! This is your mod, Neena. The creator of this group's account sadly does not exis ...more
More of Ellen’s groups…
No comments have been added yet.