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Joanne Brokaw's newest book, Suddenly Stardust: A Memoir (Of Sorts) About Fear, Freedom & Improv, is a quirky recounting of how improvisational theater changed her life.

"If there was a land called I Could Never Because I'm Afraid, I would be the queen," writes Joanne. "I would sit on an enormous throne wearing a mighty crown and regal robes and I'd be known far and wide for my ability to come up with excuses to avoid doing even the things I actually wanted to do. But when I turned 50, I went to an improv workshop. That's when I hopped a train from the land of I Could Never and got off at the next station, Maybe I Can."

The Rochester, New York, author describes the book as "a simple little collection of things" she learned while doing improv "that opened her eyes to the wonder and adventure she'd been missing for most of her life."

The book has received early praise. Stand-up comic Wendy Liebman calls it "a guide to life, showing how improv can act as a template for living fully with others."

And from Law Tarello, a faculty member for The Second City: "Joanne Brokaw is a powerhouse theatrical improviser. As a student, she's willing to break out of her perceived comfort zone, and on stage she uses her considerable emotional range and life experience to expand the parameters of what her scene partners thought possible."

This is her second book. What The Dog Said is a collection of her humor and slice-of-life columns.