Pamela Jessup Runner

About the Author

From Wine to Words

Pamela Jessup Runner is a Napa Valley memoir writer, speaker, and advocate whose work explores faith, family, and the stories that shape a life.

Her debut memoir, Grief Grit Glory: A Mother's Extraordinary Journey from Heartbreak to Hope, shares the deeply personal story of raising her son Jonny and the lessons learned through grief, grit, faith, and unwavering love.

A former winery co-founder and entrepreneur, Pamela now writes to preserve stories, inspire hope, and remind readers that families aren't replaceable.

Napa Memoir Writer

Over the years, friends have encouraged me to write about the remarkable chapters that shaped my life in Napa Valley and the unexpected turns along the way.

For now, Grief Grit Glory is the motherhood story I was called to write first. But there are more stories still waiting to be told.

Personal message from Pam

A memoir is not an autobiography. Instead, a memoir focuses on an event or a season of your life. Something happens—it changes you. The journey is your story.

Families Aren't replaceable

Born with congenital CMV (cCMV) and profound disabilities, Jonny changed the course of my life and deepened my understanding of love, advocacy, and faith. Through every season, I have learned that while services and support systems are important, they can never replace the unique bond of family.

That belief became the foundation of my advocacy and the heart of my memoir, Grief Grit Glory: A Mother's Extraordinary Journey from Heartbreak to Hope.

Families provide history, belonging, and unconditional love. Their voices matter, and their role should never be diminished or forgotten.

Today, I continue to advocate for individuals with disabilities and the families who walk beside them, carrying forward a message that remains as important as ever:

Families aren't replaceable.

Family Focused Disability Specialist and Inspirational Speaker

Pamela continues to use her voice and forty plus years of experience to champion the cause and protect the role of families of special needs' children and those whose loved one with significant disabilities cannot live in the family home.

From Wine to Words

Business coaching for vintners of boutique wineries is a niche passion. Founder/Vintner for Stanwood Cabernet Sauvignon. Co-Founder of Jessup Cellars and proprietor/founder of Wine Elevation, where she created a customized and elevated wine experience for collectors and enthusiasts of hidden gems—delivering from the vintner to their door.

Writing on the Road

Pamela is blessed in this season to travel with her adventurous husband, George Runner. She was challenged to learn a new skill—writing on the fly. She packs her laptop and printer in a small carry-on suitcase. She writes while carving out hours and days away from exploring sites or reading at the pool.

Napa Valley Roots

Napa Valley is her native hometown and the place her children and grandchildren call home, except Jonny, he lives in Sonoma. Wine Country is the natural backdrop for Pamela's memoir writing.

About Pamela Jessup Runner

Learning the Craft of Memoir

Every memoir begins with a story, but telling it well requires learning the craft. Over many years, I studied memoir writing with respected teachers, editors, and authors who challenged me to write with honesty, clarity, and heart.

That journey ultimately led to the publication of Grief Grit Glory: A Mother's Extraordinary Journey from Heartbreak to Hope. While the story belongs to my family, the craft of memoir helped me shape it into a book that could serve others.

Special thanks to:

Irene Graham
Adair Lara
Alan Kaufman
Bonnie Prestel, Editor
The Morgan James Publishing team

Living in a Writing Retreat Environment

Pamela and George spend their time at home in the scenic backdrop of the Lake Tahoe mountains. The beauty of nature, chirping of the blue jays, rushing sound of the American River, crisp fresh air provide the perfect environment for hours of writing solitude.

This is a photo of Pamela and Kate Campbell, her writing partner who sadly passed away a month after a writing day they shared. "Pam, you have at least four books in you, I better go so you can get started!" This photo sits framed next to her computer as a reminder of Kate's inspirational encouragement.

Boy Mom

Pamela became a mother and wife at seventeen years old. At twenty-four, her third son Jonny, was born with cCMV (congenital Cytomegalovirus) that caused him profound multiple disabilities. All families are unique and hers is no different.

Fighting her insecurities, she found her voice. She was armed with a determination to make life better for other families like hers. Growing from the grief she lived with, she used the resulting grit to make changes in the bureaucratic systems that operated as a medical clinical "do it for you" model, to family friendly service delivery.