For most of her life, the creator of Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder said no to just about every social invitation that came her way. The same woman who can write snappy, smart dialogue for days was so introverted that she completely avoided situations in which she’d have to speak extemporaneously, be interviewed or face an unknown situation.
She was content to stay home with her three kids until Thanksgiving of 2013, when her sister remarked that Rhimes always said no and that it was time to say yes. It was a daunting challenge, but she accepted it and cemented her commitment by writing a book about her experience. Her account of the year that followed her Thanksgiving transformation from fearful to fearless is full of surprises and juicy anecdotes. It’s also candid, clever, inspiring and funny.
By Shonda Rhimes
November; Simon & Schuster; $25
This article appears in the January 2016 issue of SUCCESS magazine.