Women's History Facts & Fictions

Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist by Jennifer Wright
non-fiction biography, sociopolitical history
Hachette Books, February 2023

A prologue, thirty-eight chapters, an epilogue, acknowledgments, notes, and an index lay out the compelling real-life saga of Ann Trow, who transformed herself into Madame Restell. This unapologetically pro-choice champion battled poverty, ignorance, misogyny, and anti-choice zealot Anthony Comstock. The details of her ordeal, triumphs, and criminalization, and the author's narrative tone and pace are compelling.

This passage from the epilogue summarizes the ongoing battle for women's bodily sovereignty in the United States:
The same sentiments that motivated Comstockery are alive and well today...

[note: Reading this nudged me to add a biography of Margaret Sanger to my TBR list.]

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman, Jake Silverstein
non-fiction with fiction and poetry
One World, November 2021

Like the quilts used by enslaved people who self-liberated en route to freedom in the northern U.S. and Canada, this text stitches together official accounts of historical records with autobiographical reflections and artistic expressions that together frame multi-tiered images and ideas about the origins of the United States of America. Its informational density demands conscientious focus and a measured reading pace in order to absorb and process the preface and each of the eighteen chapters. Acknowledgments, notes, contributors, credits, and an index also offer additional topics to pursue in-depth.

A Sinister Revenge (Veronica Speedwell #8) by Deanna Raybourn
fiction, 19th-c. historical mystery
Berkley, March 2023

The pragmatic-grumpy-reserved trio of Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius reunite to solve a mystery rooted in the past. Misdirection, deadly grudges, and mayhem combined with humor entertain in the most recent installment of this irresistible series.

Some of Them Will Carry Me by Giada Scodellaro
fiction
Dorothy Project, October 2022

The cover art of "Two Women" by Tschabalala Self is a multi-media work as is Some of Them Will Carry Me. Poems, very short stories, footnotes and more offer a string of vignettes, mostly in English--"La Genovese" also in Italian--all contemplating and confessing to inhabiting womanhood while moving through a world that too often ignores, dismisses or distorts women's existence. In this collection women assert their voices and points of view and dynamic presence in a multitude of powerful ways that demand recognition.

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Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce contemporary romance Love Snacks Publishing 8 January 2019 Despite addressing heavy themes of domestic violence, incarceration, and grief, Redemption of the Heart is a charming and sweet spicy read in the tradition of a 21st-century interracial homage to Janet Dailey’s monthly romance era. Gemma’s open-hearted ingénue contrasts starkly with Alex’s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isn’t one of them—a spin that feels particularly modern. Once readers commit to their suspension of disbelief regarding the cascading impact of lacks in due diligence by several characters, it’s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gillette’s “We believe the best man can be” campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. There’s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among coworkers

Meeting Some Author Sheroes IRL at the Yale Pop Rom Fic Conference

Flashback Friday to 2 weeks ago when my fandom for romance authors was rewarded while sitting in a Yale University auditorium in a How to Write a Romance Novel workshop taught by publishing phenoms Adriana Herrera & Sarah MacLean! With my sitting in the front row seated next to brilliant Dr. Margo Henderson (Elysabeth Grace*) and Legendary Shirley Hailstock on one side; TWWBF2023 participating author Briana Ellis on the other, who recognized me even with my face half-hidden by my mask! I THINK Nalini Singh was in the audience along with Ms. Bev and so many other super talented, successful authors and book industry professionals. 5th annual The Write Women Book Fest featured panelist Leslye Penelope and I crossed paths in a hallway while searching for the ladies room. WordLink literary agent Macey Howell and I had a lovely chat after a different session. The sister to the documentarian for "Love Between the Covers" was quite engaging as she snapped pics per her sibling&#

DMV-Area & TWWBF Authors at PGCMLS South Bowie Branch

[TWWBF2023 authors Shameka Erby, Eden Appiah-Kubi & author Courtney Duke Foster, who also supported TWWBF2023 by attending; TWWBF2023 author Briana L. Smith; book baskets as raffle prizes created by Nikki Payne's mom; the edge of PGCMLS Community Outreach Facilitator's left arm, Shameka Erby, Eden Appiah-Kubi, Nikki Payne; Briana & Eden looking toward the 1st raffle winner; Eden, Nikki & Courtney] Saturday's "Celebrating Black Women's Voices in Fiction" with authors Eden Appiah-Kubi, Courtney Duke Foster, Shameka Erby, and Nikki Payne offered an abundance of thoughtful insights, personal revelations, and laughs from these brilliant, generous, successful human beings. As moderator, Eden Appiah-Kubi's questions about inspirational authors, pivotal reads, book recommendations, the writing craft, self-publishing versus traditional publishing pros and cons, and more invited panelists to answer beyond the superficial, which offered the audien

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