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  • The HerStories Project Holiday Book Sale

    The holidays are upon us, and we would love to offer our fantastic readers a great deal on book bundles! We think our most recent essay collection, So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood, is the perfect gift for the moms in your life—your sister, your best friend, maybe even yourself! With relatable, funny, poignant stories about motherhood from pregnancy through the empty nest, there is something in these pages for every mom.

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    So we want to make right now the best time for you to buy, and we’re offering a great deal! When you purchase a paperback copy of So Glad They Told Me, you can add on any of our first three books for just $5, and you’ll get free shipping!

    Here’s a recap of our other books:

    herstories-full

    The HerStories Project: Women Explore the Joy, Pain, and Power of Female Friendship (2014)

    “This series of heartfelt essays, written by and for women, documents the common land mines that cause friendships to splinter and reaffirms the vital importance of these bonds.” – Irene Levine, PhD, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend

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    My Other Ex: Women’s True Stories of Leaving and Losing Friends (2014)

    “These pages beautifully capture the intensity and intimacy of female best-friendship, and, with the benefit of hindsight, lay bare the profound absence that so often follows a friendship’s mysterious end.” — Peyton Price, author of Suburban Haiku

    MOTHERINGTHRUDARK

    Mothering Through the Darkness: Women Open Up About the Postpartum Experience (2015)

    “Every one of these stories is about the descent into the depths, the belief that these mothers feel alone and at fault, and then their recovery. Each story has power on its own, but the essay collection as a whole really drives home to me how many women suffer, how similar their suffering is, and how it’s a tragedy that they think they are the only ones going through this and it is theirs alone to bear.” — journalist Lisa Belkin

    And here’s what you’ll find within the pages of So Glad They Told Me:

    “The personal essays in SO GLAD THEY TOLD ME offer hope, humor, and truth about parenting at all phases—from pregnancy, infancy, toddlerhood, all the way up through empty nest parenting, including topics such as special needs diagnoses, pregnancy loss, surviving colic, parenting a transgender child, and balancing work and family. I’m so glad they told me, and you will be too.” — from the book’s Foreword, Ann Imig Founder, Listen to Your Mother

    “SO GLAD THEY TOLD ME is a must-read for any mother, new or not-so new. With beautiful, funny, smart essays, this is a treasure full of voice, guidance, and best of all, quiet support for all of us. Because despite all of the love that goes into it, what mother hasn’t felt alone in the midst of the wonders of this role? The more voices of support for one another, the better.”

    — Amy JoyceEditor, The Washington Post’s On Parenting

    Learn more about the book and our amazing contributors here. You can add on any of our three first books to your order of So Gladvisit our sales page to order your books today! You can also buy So Glad They Told Me on Kindle right here. Take advantage of two books for just $20– order here!

    Happy holiday shopping! We hope you’ll treat yourself to one of the books– you deserve it!

    Warmly,

    Stephanie & Jessica

    **Our newest online writing course began this week, and there is still time to sign up! We have a few spots still available, and with a nice slow start this first week, you won’t have missed a thing! This self-paced course is four weeks long (with a holiday break) and is unlike any class we’ve offered before.  Using Our Words to Change Our World is for anyone—professional writer, blogger, or not— who wants an opportunity to process our emotions after a difficult election, to understand better how to have an empathetic dialogue with those who may not agree with us, to practice self-care, and to learn from some incredible guest instructors about how to more effectively write opinion pieces. You can find out details and sign up here.

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  • Mothering Through the Darkness: One Year Later

    It’s been just over a year since we published Mothering Through the Darkness: Women Open Up About the Postpartum Experience, an essay collection written by 35 women sharing their experiences with postpartum and post-adoption depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

    Since its publication last November, the Singapore Committee for UN Women endorsed the book, and it was one of Foreword Review’s IndieFab Book of the Year Finalists. We still believe the essays in this collection have a powerful message to share. Journalist Lisa Belkin wrote of the anthology:

    “Every one of these stories is about the descent into the depths, the belief that these mothers feel alone and at fault, and then their recovery. Each story has power on its own, but the essay collection as a whole really drives home to me how many women suffer, how similar their suffering is, and how it’s a tragedy that they think they are the only ones going through this and it is theirs alone to bear.”

    Our incredible contributors continue to be powerful advocates for spreading their messages to their community: you are not alone, ask for help, you can get through it.

    Recently, in my home state, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched an educational campaign to help women recognize the symptoms and get help. As part of Postpartum Support International, this organization shares resources for both mothers who are struggling as well as their family members and friends. It is a powerful campaign designed to spread awareness and make resources for seeking treatment more accessible to mothers.

    This campaign reiterates the important message the contributors of Mothering Through the Darkness conveyed so powerfully:

    800x800-moms2For women with pregnancy-related depression and anxiety, each day can be a struggle. Having a new baby is hard but we can help make it easier for you. You are not alone. You are not to blame. You can get help. http://www.postpartum.net/colorado #youarenotalone #Colorado #newmom #mentalhealth #PRD

    One of the campaign’s most important messages is how to support a loved one experiencing postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. They remind us: 

    Pregnant and new mothers need empathy and support from loved ones. They may find it hard to be honest about their feelings and accept help in the beginning. Be patient and be available.

    • Encourage her to get help from a professional.
    • Help her find a support group and local resources.
    • Spend time listening without needing to offer solutions and advice.
    • Look after the baby or older children, or discuss other childcare options so she can have a break.
    • Take a simple action like cooking and cleaning without taking over these activities or expecting anything in return.
    • Encourage her to take care of herself by eating, resting, walking and limiting alcohol use.

    If you are suffering, please remember that you are not alone, you are not to blame, and help is available to you. If you have a loved one who needs help, please reach out. You can find more information on the campaign, including resources for families, here.

    For providers and others (bloggers, advocates) who want to spread awareness and provide resources, please use this fantastic toolkit. We encourage you to spread this message on social media, so please take advantage of the materials here!

    And to the brave and gifted writers who shared their words with us in Mothering Through the Darkness, one year later, we are still so grateful for your words, so moved by your stories, and so honored to have worked with you on this deeply important project. Thank you so much.

    ~Stephanie & Jessica

    **You can order a copy of Mothering Through the Darkness: Women Open Up About the Postpartum Experience here.

    **We recently announced our brand new online writing course, which will begin November 28th. Using Our Words to Change Our World is for anyone—professional writer, blogger, or not— who wants an opportunity to process our emotions after a difficult election, to understand better how to have an empathetic dialogue with those who may not agree with us, to practice self-care, and to learn from some incredible guest instructors about how to more effectively write opinion pieces. Please join us for a unique self-paced course unlike any we have ever offered– it will undoubtedly be a powerful experience within a supportive community. You can find out details and sign up here.

    **You can purchase our most recent essay collection, So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood, right here. Like Mothering Through The Darkness, it aims to make motherhood less isolating and to shed light on those less-than-perfect moments and real life parenting challenges.motherhood-web1 (1)

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  • So Glad They Told Me Book Club

    Let me be honest for a second: I have a love/hate relationship with book clubs. I love the idea, because book clubs combine things I absolutely adore: BOOKS (obviously), talking about books, connecting with friends and even other women I may not know well, the way the conversation always turns deeper to delve into our own lives . . . but I also hate it sometimes. The time commitment, the obligation, the fact that I have to, you know, put on regular clothes and leave my comfy couch right about the time I want to be winding down for the night. Not to mention the fact that only half of us have read the book and we either can’t talk about how it ends or someone winds up spoiling it.

    So at The HerStories Project, we’re going to do something we’ve never tried before, and we really want you to join us! During the month of October, we’re going to have a virtual So Glad They Told Me book club. In my opinion, it’s the best part of book club without the hassle or irritation. And it’s a whole month long, so if your baby ends up throwing up one night, you haven’t missed out on the whole thing! It’s a win for busy moms for sure.

    herstories-projectvirtual-book-club

    Here’s how it will work:

    For an entire month, we’ll be discussing So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood, in a Facebook group that all our readers can join. It will be super low-key and casual (we won’t blow up your Facebook notifications with hourly, or even daily, updates!) and it will give everyone a chance to ask questions of the authors, interact with them, invite our friends and family members– even the ones who live so far away we could never have a real book club with them!–and talk about the book, and motherhood, in a supportive online environment.

    We’ll post discussion questions, members can introduce themselves and virtually “meet” the authors, other readers, and maybe even moms who are in the same stage of parenting they are.  We can share which essays we’ve been reading, which ones resonated with us, and ask questions about the book to the editors (Jessica and I!), the contributors, and other readers. We’ll probably do a bit of storytelling, venting, laughing, and supporting each other as well. These things tend to happen when women connect over books and stories, right?

    One great thing about having an essay collection for book club is that there is SO much less pressure. There isn’t one gripping “storyline” or dramatic conclusion that you can’t talk about if you’re in different places. There are 60 essays, starting with pregnancy and babyhood and winding toward the teen years and even later. You can read at your own pace, jump in when we’re discussing an essay you’ve read or are reading, and tune out if we’re talking about a piece you haven’t finished yet. You can participate at your own pace, catch up during your lunch break or during naptime, or sneak in a comment or question while watching Netflix on the couch with your partner after bedtime.

    So we’d love for you to invite your friends, moms, sisters, and members of your local book club or moms’ groups to join us for a month-long virtual book club and discussion group. We’re going to have SO much fun! Book clubs, and the inevitable discussions that arise from them, always make me reflect on the things that I am most passionate about: my identity as a mother, friendship, feminism, relationships, parenting, and how unique and yet similar all our stories are.

    Click here to request to join our Facebook Book Club group, and if you haven’t already purchased the book, you can order a paperback or grab a Kindle copy right here. (Once you read the book, we’d really appreciate it if you left a review on Amazon or Goodreads!)

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    We’re so excited to meet you, read with you, and talk about motherhood and So Glad They Told Me together! We’ll officially start in October, but we’ll open up the group now for introductions! See you soon!

    ~Stephanie & Jessica

     

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  • So Glad They Told Me Publication Day is Here!

    It’s finally here!! We’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of this book ever since we chose our fantastic contributors nearly a year ago, and the day has finally arrived! So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood is now available for purchase as a paperback or e-book!

    motherhood-web1

    We are so proud of the 60 talented contributors who shared their stories about motherhood with us, and we think there is something for every parent in these pages, whether you’re newly pregnant, immersed in the first year, raising teens, or experiencing a brand new empty nest.

    This book was inspired by our #SoGladTheyToldMe social media movement and viral essay; here is more info from the back cover of the book:

    In the increasingly competitive culture of modern motherhood, parenting advice can often be judgmental, unrealistic, or smug. Or sometimes, there isn’t anyone there to offer advice or support. Mothers may feel isolated and lack a support network to provide honest advice, and others may face a barrage of unwarranted, unhelpful tips or warnings.

    This collection of essays from 60 mothers will empower and unite parents with real, honest advice from women who have been there. These writers share the advice or support they received—or wish they had—on everything from pregnancy to surviving the first year to parenting teens to empty nest syndrome. Inspired by the viral essay and #SoGladTheyToldMe social media movement, this book aims to change conversations about motherhood by presenting a broader, more realistic, and more balanced image of motherhood so that women will feel less inadequate, adversarial, and isolated. So Glad They Told Me is filled with compassionate, honest advice, and the poignant, painful, and sometimes hilarious truths you wish your best girlfriends had told you about motherhood.

    And to give you a taste of exactly the type of supportive, honest advice you’ll read in this book, here are some photos of our contributors sharing their messages in their own words.

    This collection will share advice on surviving the early years of parenting:

    14045971_1098388620223828_7054636289806110149_n

    And work-life balance:

    13932684_1098382153557808_86847994578706347_n

    It speaks to the importance of finding a tribe and being there for other moms:

    13924936_1098372256892131_8323372958167355961_n

    And being honest with one another:

    14040108_1098371016892255_335358026752135790_n

    With so many fantastic contributors and a foreword by the incredible Ann Imig, founder of Listen To Your Mother, Jessica and I are bursting with excitement to release this book. We would love your support today! You can order a paperback or e-book here. Here are a few things you can do to help us spread the word and make our release day a success:

    We are having a Twitter party on Thursday evening at 9 pm EST to celebrate the book, interact with the authors, and share our own motherhood stories. We’d LOVE for you to join us. Use the hashtag #SGTTM and join us! Details here:

    14138329_10157279048855648_1370323123_n (1)

    We are so thrilled to finally share this book that has been over a year-and-a-half in the making. You can learn more about the project here. We can’t wait for you to read our contributors’ stories– we are so glad they shared them with us, and we think you will be, too.

    ~Stephanie & Jessica

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  • Publication Day for So Glad They Told Me!

    It’s finally here!! We’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of this book ever since we chose our fantastic contributors nearly a year ago, and the day has finally arrived! So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood is now available for purchase as a paperback or e-book!

    motherhood-web1

    We are so proud of the 60 talented contributors who shared their stories about motherhood with us, and we think there is something for every parent in these pages, whether you’re newly pregnant, immersed in the first year, raising teens, or experiencing a brand new empty nest.

    This book was inspired by our #SoGladTheyToldMe social media movement and viral essay; here is more info from the back cover of the book:

    In the increasingly competitive culture of modern motherhood, parenting advice can often be judgmental, unrealistic, or smug. Or sometimes, there isn’t anyone there to offer advice or support. Mothers may feel isolated and lack a support network to provide honest advice, and others may face a barrage of unwarranted, unhelpful tips or warnings.

    This collection of essays from 60 mothers will empower and unite parents with real, honest advice from women who have been there. These writers share the advice or support they received—or wish they had—on everything from pregnancy to surviving the first year to parenting teens to empty nest syndrome. Inspired by the viral essay and #SoGladTheyToldMe social media movement, this book aims to change conversations about motherhood by presenting a broader, more realistic, and more balanced image of motherhood so that women will feel less inadequate, adversarial, and isolated. So Glad They Told Me is filled with compassionate, honest advice, and the poignant, painful, and sometimes hilarious truths you wish your best girlfriends had told you about motherhood.

    And to give you a taste of exactly the type of supportive, honest advice you’ll read in this book, here are some photos of our contributors sharing their messages in their own words.

    This collection will share advice on surviving the early years of parenting:

    14045971_1098388620223828_7054636289806110149_n

    And work-life balance:

    13932684_1098382153557808_86847994578706347_n

    It speaks to the importance of finding a tribe and being there for other moms:

    13924936_1098372256892131_8323372958167355961_n

    And being honest with one another:

    14040108_1098371016892255_335358026752135790_n

    With so many fantastic contributors and a foreword by the incredible Ann Imig, founder of Listen To Your Mother, Jessica and I are bursting with excitement to release this book. We would love your support today! You can order a paperback or e-book here. Here are a few things you can do to help us spread the word and make our release day a success:

    We are having a Twitter party on Thursday evening at 9 pm EST to celebrate the book, interact with the authors, and share our own motherhood stories. We’d LOVE for you to join us. Use the hashtag #SGTTM and join us! Details here:

    14138329_10157279048855648_1370323123_n (1)

    We are so thrilled to finally share this book that has been over a year-and-a-half in the making. You can learn more about the project here. We can’t wait for you to read our contributors’ stories– we are so glad they shared them with us, and we think you will be, too.

    ~Stephanie & Jessica

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  • Introducing Our Foreword Author, Ann Imig!

    motherhood-web1

    We are getting SO excited about the upcoming publication of So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood. Our 60 + contributors are diverse, dynamic, and incredibly talented, and we absolutely can’t wait for you to read their words. So naturally, we had to find a foreword author who fit the mission of this project and further represented the gift of storytelling and honesty our contributors share. And one person instantly sprang to mind: Ann Imig, founder of Listen To Your Mother. I was honored to produce the 2016 Boulder show and previously participated in the casts of LTYM Denver and LTYM Boulder, and I can’t say enough about the gift that Ann and Listen To Your Mother have given women, families, and communities. If you aren’t well-acquainted with Ann and her work yet, let me be the first to introduce you!

    annheadshotAnn Imig is founder Listen To Your Mother, LLC, the storytelling series in 41 cities and video-sharing company. She is also editor of LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER:What She Said Then,What We’re Saying Now (Putnam & Sons, 2015). Ann’s writing appears on CollegeHumor, McSweeney’s, The Huffington Post and The Washington Post. TV appearances include ABCnews.com NBC Nightly News and the webseries Battleground (Hulu.com) and The Louise Log. Ann won the 2016 Iris Awards “Game Changer of the Year,” she’s a former Babble Top 100 Mom Blog/Top 50 Twitter Mom, A BlogHer #VOTY, and SheKnows Top 5 Funniest Mom. 

     

    We are SO honored to have Ann as the foreword writer for this essay collection; she truly is a game changer, and has done so much to give a voice to motherhood, representing all that is beautiful, painful, hilarious, and poignant about having a mother and being a mother. We can’t wait for you to read her words, and the words of our other contributors as they share stories that span pregnancy, infancy, the school-age and teen years, all the way through empty nest parenting. Our book releases next month– August 23rd– so make sure you have subscribed to our email newsletter to stay up to date!

    ~Stephanie & Jessica

    Other HerStories Project News:

    Create, Connect, Reflect (1) **Our newest online writing course, Create, Connect, Reflect: A Summer & Back-to-School Writing Program for Parents and School-Age/Tween Kids, is now open! Join us as we teach our kids a joy of writing and help them polish their craft, connect with them creatively, and give ourselves the space to reflect and express ourselves!

    Sign up today!

     

    **You can still take advantage of our spring/summer bundle and enroll in the self-paced versions of Publish Your Personal Essay and The Balanced Writer. Details here!

    **Our Voices column will be accepting submissions for September starting August 1st! Email our assistant editor Allie with your submission at herstoriesvoices @ gmail.com. Our September theme is friendship, and you can read full guidelines here.

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