CNN anchor, commentator, and broadcast journalist Alisyn Camerota chatted about her new book “Combat Love: A Story of Leaving, Longing, and Searching for Home,” which will be released on March 26, 2024.
Writing process for the book
On the writing process for the book, she said, “It was long. It took me such a long time to write it. I have a full-time job, but it also involved time traveling back to my past.”
“I had to dig out old diaries and I went back and interviewed all the main players in it. The process was very rewarding, I really enjoyed it, but it was extremely time-consuming over the years. It took me years to write this book,” she elaborated.
A ‘cathartic’ experience to write this book
Camerota noted that it was “extremely cathartic” to write this book. “I had all this unfinished business from my teenage years. I lived in six different houses in five different towns in two different states in the space of two years.”
“I kept leaving and moving so fast before I was ever able to properly close the chapter. I had a lot of unfinished business,” she said.
“Writing it all down and going back to talk to the people involved has been so healing in terms of being able to finally put some of those intense feelings to rest,” she explained.
Lessons learned from writing this book
On the lessons learned from writing this book, she stated, “This book taught me that I was a survivor. I had to fend for myself a lot probably before I was ever ready to. Looking back, I am proud of that teenage girl who survived some dicey situations and I think that’s a universal experience.”
“A lot of people are survivors, and a lot of people are programmed in their DNA to survive. Everyone’s survival story looks different. Obviously, some survival stories are extremely intense,” she noted.
“In my own way, as a teenager, I was on the edge at times, and I think it’s inspiring to read about other people’s survival stories. I am proud of that 16-year-old girl who came through those problems,” she elaborated.
“This girl was on a journey searching for love, stability, and a foundation, and she found it. I am inspired by that teenager that I used to be,” she explained.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Camerota said, “It feels hard. It is harder to do the news in this digital age; it’s a challenge. There used to be certain information streams, and now, they are like a firehose of information. Now, people are getting a lot of misinformation each day, and that’s really a challenge.”
“People have a hard time distinguishing a really legitimate news source (such as CNN or The Washington Post) from some partisan website, which is dressed up to act like real news or information, and it’s not, it’s disinformation and propaganda often,” she elaborated.
“People are very confused these days, and they do not know who to trust. My job has gotten harder to just make inroads with people who are getting their information from untrustworthy sources,” she added.
“The accessibility aspect of the digital age has made it more democratic,” she said. “Obviously, social media allows us to not feel as alone.”
“We can connect with people around the country and around the world, and we can form community with people who are not necessarily in our house or our neighborhood,” she acknowledged.
Advice for aspiring authors and journalists
For young and aspiring broadcast journalists and authors, she said, “Do it! Journalism is a great career; people will always need real information and they will always want to hear real people’s stories.”
“I don’t know what the delivery system will be (whether it will be streaming, digital, or on TV), but people will always need that content and those stories,” she said.
“Journalism is such a rewarding career,” she noted. “I really recommend it, especially if people have the journalism bug, even though it’s not an easy job.”
“You are in a front row seat of history; you get to meet interesting people and you get to tell their stories every day. I decided I wanted to do this at 15 years old,” she added.
Career-defining moment: ‘America’s Most Wanted’
On her career-defining moments, she shared, “I was a crime reporter for five years for ‘America’s Most Wanted.’ That was a really defining period because those stories can be scary since they entailed a violent crime and a criminal being on the run.”
“It made me understand the power of television and the power of seeking justice. I got to be the conduit to help them get that justice. This touched me on a deeper, cellular level,” she expressed.
“Journalism and television at their best are such powerful mediums, and they can really help to bring people justice, closure, and it can change people’s lives. I was very honored to do that story,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Camerota revealed, “Gratitude.” “I am really feeling gratitude in this chapter,” she said.
“A friend of mine gave me a ‘Gratitude Journal’ and each morning, I write in my gratitude journal for a few minutes, where I respond to a few prompts. It is life-changing to start your day with gratitude. I really recommend it,” she exclaimed.
“Framing your day and your morning about what you are grateful for that day has been a life changer for me,” she admitted. “I am just really grateful that I get the chance to use that lens. If you start with gratitude, it just ends up being a better day.”
Superpower of choice
Camerota listed “time travel” as her superpower of choice.
“I would do anything to go back just for a night or a day to some of those iridescent, intense teenage moments,” she admitted. “To be able to go back with my knowledge now and to experience it all again would be so delicious to me.”
“I do feel like my book is a bit of a time capsule because I get to time travel back to the ‘80s complete with the music, styles, and misadventures of the ‘80s,” she added.
Success
Camerota defined the word success simply as “the fulfillment of your dreams, as well as finding lasting love.”
“If you are able to fulfill the dreams in your life through whatever it takes, then that’s success to me,” she explained. “Success is the contentment is being able to live your dream.”
Message for her fans and readers
For fans and readers, Camerota remarked about the book, “I hope people find inspiration with this book. Even when they feel like they may be at rock bottom (you can go through depression or be homeless or be broke), and then, all that can turn around and you can turn the corner.”
“I hope that inspires some people that are struggling in whatever point they are at in their lives, and not yet having achieved their dreams,” she concluded.
Her book is available for pre-order on Amazon by clicking here.
To learn more about Alisyn Camerota, follow her on Instagram.
