HERE'S THE STORY — Anthology
Publication Date: March 2024
Publisher: Bedazzled Ink
Editor: Andrea Simon
Contributing Authors: Amy Baruch, Stephanie Cowell, Linda Aronovsky Cox, Jane Mylum Gardner, Karen Finch, Rhonda Hunt-Del Bene, Katherine Kirkpatrick, Kathleen M. Rodgers, Andrea Simon
HERE’S THE STORY… Nine Women Write Their Lives contains forty-two pieces (stories, essays, poems) that emerged from our first Zoom meetings at a 2020 online course and continued to our 2023 “unofficial” virtual sessions. Spanning the American time zones, plus one from Down Under, and (at the time of writing) ranging in age from fifty-five to seventy-eight, we are a devoted group who has found a “safe space” to tell our stories. Each of us has had a full and singular life. We write about childhood trauma, travels, life’s goals, friendships, colorful relatives, books, and the pandemic. In short, we write about the women we had been and the women we want to be.
PRE-PUBLICATION REVIEWS/AWARDS
“These stories encompass a wide range of lifetime experiences, from childhood memories to adult challenges to literary pursuits to coping with the pandemic. Each story in this collection is told with a refreshing blend of honesty and openness, infused with the author's authentic voice. By delving into their personal challenges, the authors not only invite readers to empathize with their struggles but also encourage them to view their own trials from a fresh perspective. The power of storytelling as a form of healing resonates throughout this heartfelt volume, offering a soothing balm to readers. I highly recommend finding a comfortable spot, putting up your feet, and delving into this eye-opening and powerful collection. These stories provide firsthand insight into the personal growth that can be achieved when taking the risk to share and connect with others through writing.” —Helen (Len) Leatherwood, president and online corce coordinator, Story Circle Network
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“Here’s the Story … Nine Women Write Their Lives” is a charming and heartfelt collection of essays, stories, and poems by and about women. The narratives engage the reader on a wide variety of issues yet often come back to themes central to the lived female experience: girlhood memories, struggles with our mothers, the passions that enlist and enliven our imaginations, how we survived the pandemic. Each piece of writing represents a labor of love shared by the contributing authors and sets the reader on a soul-searching path of self-reflection and self-discovery. This is a highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read that celebrates the female experience even amidst stories of pain, loss, and heartbreak.”—Mary Caputi, Ph.D., feminist, professor, and author of Feminism and Power: The Need for Critical Theory
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“Here's the Story is an absolute pleasure to read. This extraordinary essay collection from a remarkable group of writers takes on all aspects of life, the good and bad, mothers included.”—D.Z. Stone, author of No Past Tense: Love and Survival in the Shadow of the Holocaust and A Fairy Tale Unmasked: The Teacher and the Nazi Slaves
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“Originating in a class called “Writing about Your Mom without Guilt,” the stories, essays, and poems in this anthology range far beyond the mother-daughter dynamic. Surprising, provocative, exciting, this collection brings together a group of writers whose wisdom shines through. Whether describing Covid-era lockdowns, childhood friendships, or the art of writing, the nine authors’ work will draw you in, envelop you, and make you want to keep reading until the end.”—Deborah Kalb, writer, editor, book blogger, and author of the novel Off to Join the Circus
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“The very point of this fine and heart-rending collection of life stories by nine women who met online [is that] so many of our lives and our families' experiences are unknown and untold. Read this wonderful collection of voices, then ask yourself what stories you, too, haven’t told yet. We all need this kind of inspiration.” —Ruth Pennebaker, essayist, public radio commentator, and author of the novel Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough
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“Here’s the Story … Nine Women Write Their Lives was just the tonic I needed! Reading the stories and poetry that shared the lives and seminal moments of this group of women was very much like having deep, funny, and heartbreaking conversations with people who become your friends the more you read. This wonderful collection provided valuable insight into women’s lives and prompted reflection and the emergence of long-buried memories and stories of my own. This book is a treasure."—Lene Andersen, healh and disbility advocate, and author of Your Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Tools for Managing Treatment, Side Effects and Pain
_______________________________________________ Bloggers/Press
Next Avenue Magazine https://www.nextavenue.org/a-group-of-writers-find-a-place-of-their-own/
Questions and Answers with Deborah Kalb https://tinyurl.com/55zznw9e
Ashley Hasty blog author interview: https://www.hastybooklist.com/blog/author-interview-andrea-simon
Lone Star Literary Life Magazine: "Lone Star Excerpt: Here's the Story"