KCRA Alum Joan Lunden returns to Sacramento to celebrate new memoir
Award-winning journalist to sign copies of her latest book, Joan: Life Beyond the Script, at Capitol Books
MORNING AND BRING YOU ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS AS WE GET THEM. WELL, FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, MILLIONS STARTED THEIR MORNINGS WATCHING JOAN LUNDEN ON THEIR TVS. BUT JOAN LUNDEN LIFE AS A BROADCASTER ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE AT KCRA 3. CHECK OUT THIS FOOTAGE RIGHT THERE. THAT’S ME. BRING YOU BACK. AND NOW, HER IMPRESSIVE CAREER HAS A NEW ADDITION. BEST SELLING AUTHOR FOR HER NEW BOOK, JOAN LIFE BEYOND THE SCRIPT. AND OF COURSE, JOAN JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO BACK HERE. EVERYTHING LOOKS SO DIFFERENT. I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU ACTUALLY STARTED HERE. IF YOU DON’T MIND, JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT. PEEL THE LAYER BACK 1973. AND AND I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE WHO WORKED AND SALES HERE, LIKE THEY’RE GOING TO HIRE WOMEN. THEY REALLY ARE. THERE’S PRESSURE. SO JUST GO TALK TO THE NEWS DIRECTOR. AND I WENT IN TO JUST KIND OF A FACT FINDING MISSION. AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, AND I WANT TO AUDITION YOU. AND HE CALLED THE STUDIO AND SAID, FIRE UP A CAMERA. AND HE AUDITIONED ME. AND HE WAS REALLY FLATTERING, BUT HE SAID, BUT I DON’T HAVE A JOB OPENING HERE. AND HARRY GEIST AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SACRAMENTO WILL REMEMBER HARRY GEIST WAS LIKE A LEGENDARY WEATHERMAN, AND HE SAW THE AUDITION BECAUSE HE WAS BACK BEHIND THE SET, GETTING THE THE MAPS READY FOLLOWED ME INTO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH USED TO BE RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING, AND SAID, THERE ARE A FEW STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY PUTTING WEATHER GIRLS ON. I WANT TO MAKE YOU SACRAMENTO’S FIRST WEATHER GIRL, AND I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE WEATHER, BUT I KNEW AN OPPORTUNITY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND OF COURSE THAT WAS JUST. WHO KNEW BACK THEN AT THAT TIME THAT THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD ALL LEAD UP TO. AND I HAD NO I HAD NO INTENTION BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T HIRING WOMEN ON LOCAL OR LANDSCAPE. YEAH. IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT. LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEING A BEST SELLING AUTHOR. HOW DOES THAT FEEL? THIS IS MY 11TH BOOK AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. SO HE’S GOT IT RIGHT THERE. OH, HERE WE GO. THIS IS MY 11TH BOOK, BUT OBVIOUSLY I CONSIDER IT MY MOST IMPORTANT BOOK BECAUSE IT IS MY LIFE. IT’S MY LEGACY MEMOIR. SO I ALWAYS PUT A LOT OF PICTURES IN THE BOOK BECAUSE I JUST THINK PEOPLE ARE USED TO CONSUMING ME VISUALLY. SURE. AND THEN I STARTED THINKING, OH, BUT THIS IS REALLY GREAT VIDEO. SO THEN I FOUND OUT THAT I COULD PUT QR CODES IN THE BOOK. AND THAT’S SUCH A NEAT THING BECAUSE YOU START FLIPPING THROUGH THE BOOK AND YOU SEE THE QR CODE, YOU READ THE STORY, YOU READ. I TELL YOU HOW IT HAPPENED. AND THEN YOU AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER, YOU PUT YOUR PHONE OVER THE QR CODE AND IT OPENS UP LIKE THE FOOTAGE YOU JUST SAW FROM HERE IS IN THE BOOK. OH MY GOSH. SO AGAIN, SO MANY FOLKS ARE USED TO SEEING YOU IN THE MORNINGS, AND A LOT OF FOLKS MIGHT EVEN FEEL LIKE THEY GREW UP WITH YOU, MYSELF INCLUDED. BUT WHAT, WHAT DO YOU REALLY DIVE DEEP INTO IN THIS BOOK, I DIVE NOT ONLY INTO THAT 25 KIND OF ILLUSTRIOUS, YOU KNOW, BIG, SHINY CAREER IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA, BUT ALSO THE 25 YEARS SINCE WHERE I REALLY LEANED INTO ADVOCACY AND ESPECIALLY WOMEN’S HEALTH, YOU KNOW, GOING IN FRONT OF THE FDA TO FIGHT FOR MANDATORY MAMMOGRAM REPORTING OR IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE TO TESTIFY, TO EXPAND THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT, TO COVER SENIOR CARE, AS WELL AS NEWBORN CARE. AND I AND IT TOOK UNTIL NOW, I THINK, TO LOOK AT MY WHOLE LIFE AND REALIZE THAT THAT LAST 25 YEARS MAYBE EVEN GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY, MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO THAT’S WHY IT’S LIFE BEYOND THE SCRIPT, BECAUSE EVERYONE EXPECTED ME TO LIKE POP UP, YOU KNOW, ON THE TODAY SHOW OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND I HAD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND DIDN’T REALLY LEAN INTO THEM. AND I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLORE THAT IN THIS BOOK. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S A BOOK ABOUT REINVENTION AND ABOUT PERSEVERANCE AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST RESILIENCE AND ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE CHALLENGING SITUATIONS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN I GOT THE CALL, THE DAY I GOT THE CALL THAT I HAD THE GOOD MORNING AMERICA JOB, 20 MINUTES LATER, I GOT THE CALL FROM MY GYNECOLOGIST, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU’RE PREGNANT WITH YOUR FIRST CHILD. OH, GOSH. AND I WAS LIKE, DELIGHT AND DELIGHT. AND I JUST HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO I ASKED ABC IF I COULD BRING MY BABY TO WORK WITH ME. SHE WAS SEVEN WEEKS OLD BECAUSE I WAS BREASTFEEDING. NOW, IN 1979. THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORDS THAT THE FCC DID NOT ALLOW YOU TO SAY ON TELEVISION. YOU COULD NOT SAY BREAST OR BREASTFEEDING ON TELEVISION IN 1979. WELL, WE’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO BLEEP YOU OUT THIS TIME, I PROMISE YOU THAT MUCH. AND AGAIN, NAVIGATING NEW CHAPTERS IN LIFE ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME RIGHT HERE, JOAN LUNDEN. AND WE ALSO KNOW REAL QUICK I’M GOING TO BE A CAPITAL A CAPITAL BOOKS TOMORROW NIGHT, 5:00, 5:00. SO COME ON K STR
KCRA Alum Joan Lunden returns to Sacramento to celebrate new memoir
Award-winning journalist to sign copies of her latest book, Joan: Life Beyond the Script, at Capitol Books
Updated: 12:19 PM PDT Jun 12, 2026
Award-winning journalist and former KCRA 3 reporter Joan Lunden is returning to Sacramento to celebrate the release of her new memoir, Joan: Life Beyond the Script.Lunden will be in the area on June 12 and will host a book signing at Capitol Books on June 13.Best known for her nearly 20-year run as co-host of Good Morning America, Lunden became the longest-running female host in early morning television history. In her 11th book, she reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her life and career, from breaking barriers for women in broadcasting to navigating motherhood, reinvention and advocacy.The memoir includes never-before-shared stories from Lunden’s life, along with QR codes that allow readers to revisit some of her most memorable on-air moments.A multiple New York Times bestselling author, television host, and motivational speaker, Lunden continues to inspire audiences with her story of resilience and transformation.Lunden joined KCRA 3 Friday to discuss her new book. Click the video above to watch the full interview. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Award-winning journalist and former KCRA 3 reporter Joan Lunden is returning to Sacramento to celebrate the release of her new memoir, Joan: Life Beyond the Script.
Lunden will be in the area on June 12 and will host a book signing at Capitol Books on June 13.
Best known for her nearly 20-year run as co-host of Good Morning America, Lunden became the longest-running female host in early morning television history.
In her 11th book, she reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her life and career, from breaking barriers for women in broadcasting to navigating motherhood, reinvention and advocacy.
The memoir includes never-before-shared stories from Lunden’s life, along with QR codes that allow readers to revisit some of her most memorable on-air moments.
A multiple New York Times bestselling author, television host, and motivational speaker, Lunden continues to inspire audiences with her story of resilience and transformation.
Lunden joined KCRA 3 Friday to discuss her new book.
Click the video above to watch the full interview.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel