‘Life loves the liver of it.’ That was the mantra of the extraordinary Maya Angelou, who died three years ago, aged 86. Although best known as a great poet and writer, few people realise that another of her talents was a capacity for radical living.

She not only pursued a huge range of careers (from tram attendant to brothel manager) – she was also constantly moving to new cities and countries, throwing herself into politics and love affairs, and drinking plenty of whisky along the way.

So what was her secret? How did she overcome the fear of taking risks and lack of self-confidence that hold so many of us back from living with such energy and abandon? And how did her life show that carpe diem living is full of potential dangers and dilemmas too?

I’ve written about her life in my new book Carpe Diem Regained. But today I’m launching an exclusive edited extract in the form of a ‘click essay’, a new digital storytelling medium created by digital design pioneer Ted Hunt. Try it out and share it with friends: MAYA ANGELOU AND THE ART OF WINGING IT