The post Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis appeared first on She Writes Press.

“The Blue Butterfly is a vibrant period novel that reimagines the controversial love story of a classic film star.”
—Foreword Reviews

The post The Blue Butterfly appeared first on She Writes Press.

“Hilsabeck’s prose is vivid and urgent . . .”
—Kirkus Reviews 

“The blues are black folks’ breathing through the grisly legacies of white malevolence and grotesque bloodlust in America. American Blues gives readers a haunting glimpse into the casual and sustained brutality of white supremacy.”
—Pierce Freelon, writer, composer, and codirector of The History of White People in America

“A heartfelt chorus of narrative voices about decades of racial violence in America.”
—Susan Straight, author of The Gettin Place and In the Country of Women

The post American Blues appeared first on She Writes Press.

“I absolutely loved it! Such diverse characters come alive, their lives linked in such intricate ways. Ricketts captures the ‘yin-yang’ relationship between joy and sorrow, love and loss, gratitude and guilt. Wonderful insights.”
—T.R. Kerth, author of Revenge of the Sardines and syndicated newspaper columnist The View from Planet Kerth in Naples, Florida, and Huntley, IL

“What a complex story of these characters’ connection to each other and to the natural world! The dialogue is realistic and rich, Mary Em’s inner struggles are vividly compelling.”
—Betsy White, Instagram’s @BiblioBetsy book reviewer and blogger.

The post Speed of Dark appeared first on She Writes Press.

“In the pages of Anita Barrows’s luminous and layered novel, we meet characters etched by pain and loss, trapped in ways that seem to defy understanding. Yet through the profound empathy of this writer, we are also granted an intimate window into the subtle art of saving and being saved. What a deeply human and hopeful story.”
—Elizabeth Rosner, award-winning and best-selling novelist, poet, essayist, and author of The Speed of Light and Survivor Café: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory

The post The Language of Birds appeared first on She Writes Press.

“. . . devilishly fun . . . A clever, endearing, and funny tale of one woman’s missteps and her efforts to atone.”
—Kirkus Reviews 

“In this quick-paced read, Hitchcock creates characters who are well developed and humorous. She weaves complex psychological topics with a lighthearted, romantic story line in a way that proves to be both entertaining and thought provoking.”
—Booklist 

“This book is incredibly charming; the droll descriptions of Ann’s fellow gym-goers and the mental gymnastics Ann is prepared to execute to justify her sociopathic antics will literally have you laughing out loud.”
—San Francisco Book Review

“Hitchcock’s writing is visual and her voice is satirical and wry. Community Klepto is a fun read.”
—LESLIE A. RASMUSSEN, award-winning author of After Happily Ever After

“Filch some time to read this romp—you’ll lock up everything you own.”
—Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author of Crazy to Leave You 

“Community Klepto draws you in from the first page. Funny and insightful, the story explores deeper issues about settling into adulthood in our complex and ever-changing society. Full of hilarious commentary on gym rats, soccer moms, and other suburbanites, this book will keep you turning pages all the way through. As the story examines complicated romantic situations, it doesn’t shy away from hard questions about what it takes to create a meaningful relationship. Hitchcock’s latest is not to be missed!”
—Jacqueline Friedland, award-winning author of He Gets That From Me and That’s Not a Thing

“Part rom-com, part psychological profile, part redemption tale, Community Klepto is a swift read . . . . If you’re in search of laughs, heart, and an honest look at the nonlinear path to self-improvement, pick this one up.”
—Austin Chronicle

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“Judith Berlowitz’s Home So Far Awayis like stepping into an Ernest Hemingway novel, with Kristin Hannah whispering in the reader’s ear. Caught in the political strife around her, devoted to the war-injured she cares for, and struggling to surmount the betrayals of country, the powers over her, and her emerging and conflicting identities as a woman, a Jew, and a Communist, Klara Philipsborn is tossed in the storms that surround her, threatening her person and profession. This vividly told story, written as diary entries, is a captivating picture of one of the many young foreign nationals who committed their lives to this fraught time in twentieth-century Spain.”
—Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider

“An affecting, historically astute novel.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“With passionate commitment and conscientious research, Judith Berlowitz shares the story of her relative, Klara Philipsborn, a German-Jewish refugee who flees to Spain and enlists in the storied Quinto Regimiento in defense of the Republic during the Spanish Civil War . . . Berlowitz tells it with a gripping intensity that will catch you up and help you to understand this era in very personal, human terms.”
—Nancy Wallach, Board of Governors, ALBA, Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives

“Klara’s voice is pitch-perfect, through wonderful dialogues and emotional reflections about belonging and gender in a nationally-bordered, male-dominated, and antisemitic fascist world. The diary form is a palette for Berlowitz’s meticulous historical research, creating rich and vivid landscapes in which Klara forges a “freedom both from a homeland that does not recognize me as a citizen – as its child – and freedom to choose a home that resonates for me.”
—Rina Benmayor, Professor Emerita, CSU Monterey Bay, member of Genealogies of Sepharad Research Group

“Captivating. On the eve of the Nazi rise to power, a German Jewish Communist finds the home she craves in Spain, where she becomes deeply involved in defending the Republic. Klara’s passion for life and freedom and the pungent sensual details create an immersive experience. The kind of diary Anne Frank might have written if she had survived to adulthood.”
—Kate Raphael, author of Murder Under the Bridge, a Palestine mystery

“Combining meticulous archival research with compelling literary creativity, Judith Berlowitz tells Klara’s story in the form of a diary, from her first visit to Sevilla before the war to her involvement as a nurse and translator during the conflict. Home So Far Away not only brings history to us on a deeply personal level; it also offers a vital lesson for today and tomorrow about the threats to democracy and the critical role that commitment –ethical and ideological—can play in its defense.”
—Anthony L. Geist, University of Washington, Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives

“Judith Berlowitz’s Home So Far Away is an absorbing tale: as her heroine Klara moves between a Germany where Jews are increasingly threatened, to Catholic Spain where Muslims & Jews once flourished, her Jewish identity becomes more central, just as it becomes more hidden. A fascinating historical adventure!”
—Penny Rosenwasser, author of Hope into Practice

“Home So Far Away is a tour de force of historical fiction. I walked in the shoes and saw through the eyes of the heroine, Klara, and for the first time, I felt the intensity of the struggle of the Spanish Civil War in my own bones —I lived the history through Klara’s words. I couldn’t leave the story behind, inspired by the strength and courage of those who fought for freedom at great expense and live on through our memory.”
—Linda Joy Myers, President of National Association of Memoir Writers, author of Don’t Call Me Mother, Song of the Plains, and the forthcoming novel The Forger of Marseille

“Set amid the travails of the Spanish Civil War, the Second Republic, and the Primo dictatorship before it, this book portrays one character’s place in Spain’s tumultuous early twentieth century. But it is more. Portraying a woman, who is a Jew, who is German, and who shuttles between Germany and Spain, Berlowitz also ruminates on one’s place in history and the impact that large historical events have on all of us.”
—Joshua Goode, Associate Professor of History and Cultural Studies, Chair, Department of History Claremont Graduate University

“…Klara’s belief in love and her optimism, humanism, feminism, and general chutzpah make her an easy-to-root-for protagonist. . . . an inspiring, insightful, and evocative read.”
—The Indypendent

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“As soon as I started reading Seeing Eye Girl, I knew I was in the hands of a gifted writer and storyteller. Armento’s prose is rich and observant as she guides us through her struggles to understand her mother’s madness. Between the pages of heartbreak shimmers a compelling story of courage.” —Melissa Cistaro, author of Pieces of My Mother 

“Seeing Eye Girl is a brave, riveting account of a young life coping with unspeakable hardship and abuse. But more than that, this memoir is a testament to the resilience and force of the human spirit. This is a story that will move you, affect you, and linger with you long after you close this remarkable book.” —Lauretta Hannon, author of The Cracker Queen: A Memoir of a Jagged, Joyful Life 

“Seeing Eye Girl lays bare every reason for a person of lesser courage, intelligence, talent, and determination to fail in life. Instead, Beverly’s travails have been the impetus for her success as a teacher, professor, and author. A remarkable work by an amazing person. If I had read Seeing Eye Girl before I started teaching, I would have been an even better teacher than I was.”—Louis D’Amelio, retired high school English educator  

“Heartbreaking yet so empowering!”—Readers’ Favorite

“Stays with you long after you’ve read to the end.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“As an educator, I found this book highly relatable; a poignant reminder of some of the frightened, hurting children who have walked through my classroom doors, in desperate need of a positive adult role model. By sharing her story, Armento has created a tribute to teachers and a reminder that our work matters. It truly matters…. If you enjoyed Tara Westover’s Educated, you will love Seeing Eye Girl. I highly recommend Seeing Eye Girl–a moving, unforgettable story of hope, trust in God, and resilience. Bravo!”—The Cozy Book Blog

“…this book is a must-read…”—The Moving Words

“Seeing Eye Girl will be one that stays with me for years… If you remember and liked A Glass Castle, you will love this book.”—Pick a Good Book

The post Seeing Eye Girl appeared first on She Writes Press.

“Lilienthal’s story is a finely observed portrait of the wellness industry in affluent Northern California… Vera is a vibrant hoot of a hero as she wanders down the road to wisdom. A raucous, entertaining, New Age erotic yarn, by turns funny and soulful.”
—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED

“A vibrant send-up of Marin County massage scene thrums with enlightenment and hot sex.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

The post The T Room appeared first on She Writes Press.

“. . . conveys a message of hope, clarity, patience, acceptance, understanding, and non-conformity to the reader. The author makes the reader think and re-think actions and incidents that helped shape their own life. A most interesting memoir.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“The Shell and the Octopus is an insightful coming-of-age memoir about a strong and compassionate woman. Raised by her unstable father aboard a thirty-foot sailboat, Rebecca Stirling’s haphazard adventures allow her to make peace with herself in a dangerous and gorgeous world. She is an everywoman, and yet not like anyone else you’ve ever met.”
—Leslie Johansen Nack, author of The Blue Butterfly

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