Blisscraft Life With Christina Katz

We are very fortunate to have two lovely novelists participating in our giveaway today. Please help me welcome Anita Hughes and Heather Barbieri!

Introducing Anita Hughes

Anita Hughes is the author of Monarch Beach. Her new novel, Market Street, was released by St. Martin’s Press on March 26th. A third novel, Lake Como, will be released on August 13th, 2013. She attended UC Berkeley’s Masters in Creative Writing Program and has taught Creative Writing at The Branson School in Ross, California. She lives at the St. Regis, Monarch Beach where she is at work on her next novel.

Learn about Market Street from St. Martin’s Press, March 2013

I asked Anita three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:

1. Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?

Self-expression is an important part of my life because I do it in my writing every day. Self-expression makes me happier and healthier. I find I am a better mother and more open to listening to my children and attending to their needs.

2. What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?

Self-expression to me means to say and do what I feel – I do it by writing what is inside me. Writing is exposing one’s soul and meaningful writing comes from the deepest part of our psyche.

3. How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?

I think my readers enjoy hearing my views on subjects that are universal – infidelity, female friendships, relationships between mothers and daughters. I love visiting book clubs and hearing other women’s experiences. I think starting a conversation about what is important to us is healthy and empowering.

And Introducing Heather Barbieri

A child with an overly-active imagination, I was grounded for half my young life–for stunts involving, but not limited to, seaside cliffs, 40-foot tall trees, and construction sites.

Nights were made for reading, often until dawn, turning out the light when my parents came upstairs to bed, flicking it back on when I heard my dad’s thunderous snores, never getting caught. A Wrinkle in Time, Jessamy, The Hobbit, Watership Down, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond were favorites. My mother instilled a love of books in me. She and my grandmother didn’t have much when they were growing up, but they taught me that a life surrounded by literature is rich indeed.

No wonder I became an English major. To earn a living, I did everything from driving a tour bus in Alaska to teaching piano lessons to eventually working as a journalist.

It wasn’t until marrying and having children that I turned to my first love, fiction. Many rejection slips later, I published some short stories and won fellowships. Then, finally, in 2004, a miracle happened: my novel, Snow in July, was published by Soho Press; The Lace Makers of Glenmara (Harper), in 2009, and The Cottage at Glass Beach (Harper, 2012). The novels have been Indie Next, More, Parade, and Glamour Magazine Picks, a USA Today bestseller (Lace Makers) and a Booklist Top-10 Women’s Fiction title for 2012-2013 (Cottage). I’m currently working on number four.

Writing, for me, has been and always will be a life-long apprenticeship–a way to make sense of the world, to connect with what makes us most human. My goal is deceptively simple: to write a good story, one that will keep you turning the pages long into the night, laughing, crying, and wondering what happens next.

Learn about The Cottage at Glass Beach from Harper, paperback release May 2013

I asked Heather three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:

Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?

Absolutely—writing is a part of me, something I’m driven to do, as essential as breathing—I’m happier and feel more alive when I do it. But there’s so much to explore and learn—in my case as an avid gardener, yoga practitioner (some day I’ll master a full bridge pose), aspiring jewelry artist (metalsmithing tests one’s patience), dancer (always new steps to learn), and tres mal French speaker—there’s so much out there, waiting to be discovered, in ourselves and in the world, isn’t there? So much to laugh over and learn from each misstep, and joy to be found on the journey.

What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?

I look at it not so much as self-expression as expression itself, focusing not on the individual, but connecting to what makes us human. In the case of writing, I strive to create add a story to our vast collective library, one that will hopefully resonate with readers, that will begin a conversation, and open a window into our shared experiences, on and off the page.

How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?

I think it’s important to challenge ourselves, to live our best life—to constantly be learning and growing. One of the best ways to do that, for me, is to set fear aside (boy, is it hard sometimes!) and put ourselves out there, creating, respectfully sharing our unique points of view—inspiring each other, reaching out, whatever it is we’re moved to do. It’s better to try and fail then to never try at all.

And Now, Your Turn…

You remember how this works right?

Please read the complete rules at least once!

I ask you a question.

You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.

Please just respond once, even if you make a typo.

Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).

Who do you genuinely admire who is still alive? And who do you admire who is no longer with us?

Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.

Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!

And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.

View the complete list of authors and books.

View the giveaway Pinterest board.

We have one winner today!

And the winner of Seeing Ezra by Kerry Cohen is…

Sara!

If you missed the drawing, you can read all about this book and author here.

I need each winner to send me an e-mail with your mailing address so that I can send your info on to your author and she can send you your signed book!

Please send your address in an e-mail to “christina at christina katz dot com” at your earliest convenience.

Thank you to everyone who participated. You are doing a great job answering the daily questions!

Let’s keep it up all month long!

There is still time to comment for a chance to win today’s drawing.

You can view a list of all of our awesome giveaway authors here.

And you can read “Da Rules” here.

You can see the book covers all in one place on our Pinterest page here.

Onward!

We will give away three e-books to three winners today. Best of luck!

I have been working with Christa Hines for going on four years now. And that’s how I know that she is a delightful colleague and friend, and an exceptional communicator.

Please help me welcome, Christa!

Introducing Christa Hines

Christa Melnyk Hines is a freelance journalist and communication specialist. Her articles have appeared in dozens of parenting publications around the U.S. and Canada. Between a childhood spent moving from base-to-base as a military brat, several moves as an adult and her transition from working full-time to staying home with her two young boys, Christa knows first-hand what it’s like to be the new kid/mom on the block. Christa is passionate about empowering moms to build and sustain healthy connections to better manage life’s inevitable upheavals. She resides with her family in Olathe, Kansas.

Learn about Confidently Connected: A Mom’s Guide to a Satisfying Social Life, February, 2013

Research shows that strong social networks and family connections can help us live longer, healthier and happier lives. Social bonding among women boosts oxytocin levels, a natural hormone that combats stress, anxiety and depression. Even a couple of hours spent with friends can provide emotional nourishment, reducing your stress and lifting your spirits. As a result, you’ll return home a happier, more effective parent with increased energy and enthusiasm.

If you feel alone and isolated, Confidently Connected will gently guide you back out into the world. You’ll learn how to breathe new life into your network and regain your footing with a sense of purpose and support. This book will also help you prioritize, develop boundaries and create a social network that complements rather than controls your life. Whether you are a new or seasoned mom–-working, staying home or somewhere in between–-this book will show you how to:

• Find a parenting group that matches your needs, parenting philosophy and personality.
• Connect and converse with confidence.
• Empower yourself to contend with draining relationships and mommy cliques.
• Use social media to tap new friendships and enhance old ones.
• Learn creative, practical ways to form a group of fun, supportive mom friends.

I asked Christa three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:

Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?

Self-expression is integrated into my daily life as a writer. Writing has brought me comfort and healing through family crises, personal devastation, heated exchanges, difficult work environments and challenging individuals. I love to keepsake and re-read my children’s funny quotes and record the humorous, and sometimes troubling, events of family life.

Ever since I received a pocket-sized red diary for Christmas one year when I was nine, I’ve kept records of my thoughts, dreams, triumphs, and frustrations. I remember that diary came with a small pair of gold keys. One day I accidentally dropped the keys down the vent in my bedroom. I tearfully asked my dad to fish them out for me. He never blew me off or told me to just tape the book shut or not to worry about it. Instead, he attached a magnet to a string and was able to rescue the keys.

The idea of safekeeping the harbor of my thoughts was so necessary to me and he honored that, even if my only journal entries were “it snowed again today. Nothing else happened.” These days, I find energy in sharing information with others that might resonate with them. There’s something inspiring about reading and writing about shared experiences.

What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?

Self-expression is a way I can feel more connected with friends, family and other parents, particularly moms. Transition and crisis can leave a person feeling very isolated. A powerful piece of writing or an enlightening conversation can provide a renewed sense of hope and create a bond. Connecting with others through writing makes me feel more alive and more fulfilled.

The writing life invites me to become an integral part of the world rather than a loner peering through a window wishing I was on the other side wrapped in the warmth of the party. The truth is, we are all inter-connected and when we can tap each others’ shoulders and share our struggles in a meaningful, productive way, we feel less isolated. This sharing is energizing. Through writing, speaking and inviting others to share their perspectives, I hope to build a stronger community of mothers who feel more united through common experience.

How does self-expression impact the world–your family, your friends, your readers and everyone else.

I personally draw courage from and am inspired by writers who have the ability to beautifully weave their experiences into a story that shakes me to the core. Those experiences that have me nodding my head “uh-huh, yes. I know. I’ve been there.” And, I’m always a little relieved someone else has “been there,” too. Writing personal experiences, opinions and perspectives can often feel like a leap of faith. I guess you could say I’ve finally agreed to unlock the book and put aside the little gold keys. Even on days when you think no one is paying attention, you just never know when what you have to say offers a beacon of light for someone who is struggling. Self-expression can make a positive difference in so many lives.

And Now, Your Turn…

You remember how this works right?

Please read the complete rules at least once!

I ask you a question.

You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.

Please just respond once, even if you make a typo.

Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).

Which qualities about yourself do you treasure most? How do you personally enjoy these qualities? How do you share these qualities with others and with the world?

Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.

Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!

And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.

View the complete list of authors and books.

View the giveaway Pinterest board.

I first encountered Kerry Cohen from the audience at a panel I attended at AWP a couple of years ago. She was talking about her book, Loose Girl, and I found her honesty and gutsiness refreshing. Please help me welcome Kerry Cohen to the book giveaway!

Introducing Kerry Cohen

Kerry Cohen is the author of six books, including the internationally bestselling Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity and Seeing Ezra, A Mother’s Story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and The Meaning of Normal. She has appeared on Good Morning America and Dr Phil, and her work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many journals and anthologies. She lives in Portland, Oregon with the author James Bernard Frost and their four children. Learn more at Kerry-Cohen.com.

Learn about Seeing Ezra: A Mother’s Story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and The Meaning of Normal, Seal Press, 2011

Seeing Ezra is the soulful, beautifully written memoir of a mother’s fierce love for her autistic son, and a poignant examination of what it means to be “normal.” When Kerry Cohen’s son Ezra turns one, a babysitter suggests he may be “different,” setting her family on a path in which autism dominates their world.

As he becomes a toddler and they navigate the often rigid and prescriptive world of therapy, Cohen is unsettled by the evaluations they undergo: At home, Ezra is playfully expressive, sharing profound, touching moments of connection and intimacy with his mother and other family members, but in therapy he is pathologized, prodded to behave in ways that undermine his unique expression of autism.

It soon becomes clear that more is at stake than just Ezra’s well-being; Cohen and her marriage are suffering as well. Ezra’s differentness, and the strain of pursuing varied therapies, takes a toll on the family—Cohen’s husband grows depressed and she pursues an affair—all as she tries to help others recognize and embrace Ezra’s uniqueness rather than force him to behave outside his comfort level. It isn’t until they abandon the expected, prescriptive notions about love, marriage, and individuality that they are able to come back together as two parents who fiercely love their little boy.

Powerful and eye-opening, Seeing Ezra is an inspirational chronicle of a mother’s struggle to protect her son from a system that seeks to compartmentalize and “fix” him, and of her journey toward accepting and valuing him for who he is—just as he is.

I asked Kerry three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:

1. Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?

I think that my memoirs prove that it is!

2. What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?

Self-expression means honesty in communication. I do it largely as a memoirist, but also with my children, partner, and close friends. I believe that who I am as a “writer” and persona closely matches who I am inside, and I’m proud of that. My goal is authenticity in just about everything I do. It’s when I feel most whole and connected to the world and other people.

3. How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?

Many people feel intimately connected to my work. Others hate me with such vitriol you’d think I killed their dogs or something. My sense is that what happens when you reveal yourself as I do is that people then project what they need to on you. It’s like they I’ve made myself available for their use, to work out their own stuff. I don’t always love it, but I accept it.

And Now, Your Turn…

You remember how this works right?

Please read the complete rules at least once!

I ask you a question.

You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.

Please just respond once, even if you make a typo.

Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).

When was the most creative period in your life thus far? What were you doing and why do you think the juices were flowing so well then?

Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.

Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!

And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.

View the complete list of authors and books.

View the giveaway Pinterest board.

I am thrilled to welcome critically acclaimed author, Monica Drake, to the giveaway.

One thing that sticks with me about Monica is what a great teacher she is. I participated in a session she gave at Jessica Morrel’s winter workshop last year and I remember having several aha moments in one short sitting, while working on some of her personal writing exercises.

Thank you for helping me welcome Monica!

Introducing Monica Drake

Monica Drake is the author of the indie hit novel, Clown Girl, which was optioned for film by Kristen Wiig of SNL and Bridesmaids fame. Her stories and essays have appeared in the Paris Review Daily, The Sun, The Northwest Review, Oregon Humanities and other publications. She’s currently Chair of the new BFA in Writing at the Pacific NW College of Art in Portland, Oregon. Learn more about Monica at http://monicadrake.com.

Learn about The Stud Book: A novel from Hogarth Press April 2013

A sharp-edged satire of contemporary motherhood from a comic novelist on the rise.

In the hip haven of Portland, Oregon, a pack of unsteady but loyal friends asks what it means to bring babies into an already crowded world.

Sarah studies animal behavior at the zoo. She’s well versed in the mating habits of captive animals, and at the same time she’s desperate to mate, to create sweet little offspring of her own.

Georgie is busy with a newborn, while her husband, Humble, finds solace in bourbon and televised violence.

Dulcet makes a living stripping down in high school gyms to sell the beauty of sex-ed.

Nyla is out to save the world while having trouble saving her own teen daughter, who has discovered the world of drugs and the occult.

As these friends and others navigate a space between freedom and intimacy, they realize the families they forge through shared experience are as important as those inherited through birth.

I asked Monica three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:

1. Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?

Self-expression is important to me–crucially so–though it’s possible that when you pose the question and when I answer it, we’re talking about two different things. As I see it, it’s not about expressing some inner self over and over again, as though pulling endless scarves from a hat, a magic trick, neverending. It’s more about processing the world, making sense of it, and putting those thoughts–generated in conversation with everyone and everything–back out into the stream of ideas, perceptions. So it’s “self-expression,” but only when the self is in conversation with others.

2. What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?

I may have answered this a bit in the first question. To me, self-expression is in relation to the world beyond the self. It’s not narcissistic, I would hope, but rather conversational, and an invitation to others to express their own views, ideas, or angle on the world. I hope it to be a permissive thing, granting others permission to tell stories, and to show what they find both terrifying and delightful in the world.

I express myself in writing, of course. But that tends to involve a long, steady stride, while thoughts come in quick moments. A novel can take years. My first novel took ten years, the second took six. Essays and stories come together a little more quickly, but still not as fast as thoughts. So in between I blog a bit, and blurt on places like Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr, as a way of connecting, finding feedback and insights, while keeping the longer pace and more private process of building a novel going alongside those shorter, public comments, jokes or inquiries. And I take photos. I’m not a photographer, not by any means, but like everyone I have a way of looking at the world, and it makes me happy to snap a picture, send it out through social media, or just tuck it aside for later.

3. How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?

I hope that when I put my work and ideas out in the world, it fuels the already ongoing conversation, and when I bring my thoughts and experiences to the classroom, I hope it helps build community. I’m sure there are people out there who have heard enough from me. I can be opinionated! I won’t deny it. But I hope that when I put my work and ideas out in the world, and bring my thoughts and experiences to the classroom, it lets my students know that their stories are valuable, even while those stories may be early in process of finding shape. Human experience holds the value we grant it. It’s our job to give our lives meaning. We can do that, in community and in conversation, and I’d say, though writing and reading.

And Now, Your Turn…

You remember how this works right?

Please read the complete rules at least once!

I ask you a question.

You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.

Please just respond once, even if you make a typo.

Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).

When you are alone, how do you feel? Who are you when you are alone? What happens when you are alone? Something, nothing, anything?

Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.

Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!

And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.

View the complete list of authors and books.

View the giveaway Pinterest board.