Ellen Garbarino
Historical fiction and narrative nonfiction about women, recovery, community, and what it really takes to challenge the roles we inherit.
My current work includes GOOD WOMAN GONE, a young adult historical novel set in Idaho during World War II, and How a Small Town Refused to Lose Its Hospital, a narrative nonfiction series about an Oregon community that organized to protect local healthcare.
Through Restless by Design, I challenge outdated ideas around recovery, neurodivergence, chronic pain, creativity, and intuition that keep people stuck.
Restless by Design
“Think of a tiger. A tiger doesn’t relax, nap, or dream when it’s being watched. Even if it’s safe, if eyes are on it, the tiger is scanning — alert, ready, tracking. That’s survival. But give that tiger cover — a patch of brush, a shaded corner where no one’s looking — and suddenly it exhales. It stretches out. It naps. It releases hypervigilance and finally gets to be its tiger self. That’s me in Studio A. That’s so many of us with ADHD. When we’re observed — in classrooms, open offices, even just sharing a wall at home — our nervous system stays on alert. But when we find our brush, our Studio A, we settle into something deeper. I call this the Tiger Effect.”
Restless by Design
About the author
A certified mind-body hypnotist and longtime student of storytelling and human behavior, she is currently participating in Pitch to Published while preparing GOOD WOMAN GONE for traditional publication.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her handyman.
What readers said
★★★★★
An unparalleled epic that blends adventure, wisdom, and timeless storytelling.
★★★★★
Homer’s Odyssey is the foundation of every hero’s journey—a must-read.
★★★★★
Rich, poetic, and alive with mythology, it defines the essence of classic literature.