Episode 140

Written By Eleanor Rineck

This week, we’re sitting down with Afoma Umesi, a writer and content creator who left a career in medicine to build a life centered around books, creativity, and human connection. Afoma runs Reading Middle Grade, a website and newsletter that helps parents find the perfect books for kids ages 8-14, and she’s doing it all while navigating profound grief, three moves in three months, and building a new life in Toronto, Canada.

In this deeply honest conversation, Afoma shares what it’s like to lose her mother in August and move countries days after the funeral, why she’ll never be a 6:30am workout person again (and the guilt she had to release around that), and how losing her mom changed her—making her want to connect with people in ways she never did before.

What We Cover:

  • Leaving medicine after eight years to pursue writing and creative work

  • The full, satisfying, rich reality of working 4-6 hours a day on your own terms

  • Moving three times in three months while grieving the loss of her mother

  • How grief changed her relationship to mornings, routines, and human connection

  • Working as a freelance writer before building Reading Middle Grade

  • The practical reality of running a content business: newsletters, Instagram, Substack, and blog posts

  • Why she gave up being a “crazy early morning person” and the guilt that came with it

  • Why date nights don’t work for them (and what they do instead)

  • Using movement and being outside as non-negotiable self-care during grief

  • The joy of discovering Toronto’s public library system after not having one in Nigeria

Guest Bio: Afoma Umesi is a writer, content creator, and the founder of Reading Middle Grade, where she helps parents and educators find the perfect books for kids ages 8-14. After medical school, Afoma pivoted to writing and hasn’t looked back. She started as a freelance writer for marketing and tech companies before discovering her passion for middle grade literature, sparked by rereading The Babysitter’s Club on her Kindle during med school. Originally from Nigeria, Afoma recently moved to Canada and lives in Toronto with her husband. Her work spans her website, newsletter, Substack, and Instagram, where she reviews books, creates curated lists, and helps match young readers with stories they’ll love.

Connect with Afoma:

Eleanor Rineck https://momstogether.co
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