Write Your Own Story: How I Took Control by Letting Go

by Patti Ann Browne

Overview

As seen on Gutfeld!

A witty and candid glimpse of life in cable news from a long-time anchor who walked away from the spotlight and found joy in faith, family, and life’s simple pleasures.

This upbeat memoir is full of the edgy humor Patti Ann Browne’s fans love. She takes an honest look at the highs and lows of her life, both on and off the air. She provides insights into the turbulent world of television news and weaves in advice for aspiring journalists, parents of preemies, working moms, and anyone trying to stay grounded in a world that increasingly values superficiality.

In this entertaining and intimate memoir, the woman known by fans as “The Notorious P.A.B.” reveals why she walked away from her TV news career after three decades. Patti Ann Browne also shares funny and poignant stories of her life off camera—from how she met her husband four years after turning down a blind date with him, to her son’s near death shortly after his premature birth and how it changed her perspective on life. She chronicles life as an “Irish triplet,” and tells the dramatic story of her twin sister secretly placing a baby for adoption and being reunited with him decades later.

While many books declare that you can “have it all,” Patti Ann dares to say no one can...but with flexibility and gratitude, you can come close. From local cable to MSNBC and then Fox, the #1 cable news network in America, Patti Ann describes her determination to write her own story. She resists the pressures of climbing to the top and the sacrifices that entails, ultimately choosing faith and family.

From her humble upbringing in Queens to rubbing elbows daily with the world’s movers and shakers in Manhattan, Patti Ann explains how she found a way to enjoy the perks of the glamorous life of an anchor while (mostly) avoiding the pitfalls.

Fiercely protective of her middle-class lifestyle, Patti Ann believes simple pleasures are life’s greatest joys. Her uplifting story is one of following your heart, owning your mistakes, living with integrity, and leaving the rest to God. Rooted in faith and optimism, it’s a redemptive tale of humility and serendipity. Patti Ann demonstrates that with hard work and a willingness to change course, we can all write a life story with a happy ending.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637582060
Publisher:	Post Hill Press
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	280
Sales rank:	346,057
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Patti Ann Browne was a TV news anchor for three decades. Best known for her seventeen years with Fox News Channel, she co-hosted a morning show with Ainsley Earhardt and others for almost two years, appeared nightly on Glenn Beck’s top-rated Fox News program for its entire run, and was a regular on the late-night talk show Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld.

Also a veteran of MSNBC and News 12 Long Island, Patti Ann is a Fordham University alum and has a master’s degree from the New York Institute of Technology. Having quit the news business in 2018, she does some voiceover work, speaking engagements, and volunteering, while enjoying life on Long Island with her husband and teenage son.

Named one of the “Top 30 in Irish American Media” nationwide, Patti Ann is the recipient of an Associated Press Regional Award for 1st Place Documentary Feature, a FOLIO Award, and the Dennis Puleston Award for Environmental Achievement. She was featured in World of Hibernia magazine as one of the “New New York Irish: Bright, Brave and Breaking New Boundaries in NYC.” A practicing Catholic, Patti Ann is in the Brooklyn Diocese Hall of Fame (which includes Queens, where she grew up).

For on-air photos, links to videos and her social media, see www.PattiAnnBrowne.net

Table of Contents

Author's Note 9

Chapter 1 Much Wanted, Strong-Willed 11

Chapter 2 Triangles and Squares 32

Chapter 3 The Jigsaw Puzzle 45

Chapter 4 Doors 63

Chapter 5 Plant Another Crop, See What Grows 83

Chapter 6 Jumping the Fence 94

Chapter 7 Fox on the Run 114

Chapter 8 Musical Chairs 131

Chapter 9 Cool Roman Catholics 152

Chapter 10 "Amen, Alleluia" 170

Chapter 11 The Notorious P.A.B 189

Chapter 12 Patrick 206

Chapter 13 Seasons 221

Chapter 14 Hunter 241

Chapter 15 Writing My Own Story 255

Acknowledgments 271

Editorial Reviews

There is so much more to a TV news anchor's work than meets the viewer's eye—hours of preparation, rewrites, wardrobe, guests, laughter, mishaps. Patti Ann Browne's memoir of her career, and the life she has led off camera, is charming, funny, self-deprecating, and heart wrenching. Above all, as she now invites her viewers to see the ‘big picture’ of her life, she movingly reveals how she discovered the loving God as her real producer, who was always behind the scenes and present to every step she took.

David G. Bonagura

"I’m so proud of my friend Patti Ann who has written a beautiful, honest and emotional memoir. In the world of TV, you only see the 'perfect' version of ourselves, while behind the scenes life can get messy and complicated. If you’re planning a career in broadcasting, Patti Ann gives you a wonderful road map on how to achieve your dreams. She also gives great advice on when might be the time to try something new. The bottom line is, it’s always important to stay true to yourself, know what’s precious in life, and the rest will fall into place."

Janice Dean

Patti Ann Browne is the ultimate professional and a friend I have known for almost her entire career. Her memoir is a must-read: behind the scenes at cable news; her victories and crises; her strong, loving family; her son’s courageous efforts to overcome serious health crises. All told with class and self-deprecating humor in a genuinely conversational tone. Patti Ann Browne is the real deal!

Peter King

Patti Ann has written a must-read memoir. From the Fordham University newsroom to Fox News Channel, she takes you on a journey of her personal and professional triumphs and disappointments. Along the way, life lessons are dispensed, making you feel like you have been friends for years.

Carl Denaro

Incredibly moving...a real page turner...so powerful.

Greg Kelly