Winners of Jen Tucker's books

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry (one per person, from only the entries with contact info) and asked random.org to choose FOUR numbers!

Congrats to:
2-Na
5-Linda Kish
15-bn100
16-Heidi (littlebeetle32)

UPDATE (11/8/12): One of our winners did not claim their prize, so random.org chose again and picked #3. Congrats to Sheena!

Here is a message from Jen Tucker:

Congratulations to the winners of Little Pumpkin and The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt! *Jen throws confetti in the air* Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway as well, I really appreciate your time and loved reading your answers!

One of the things I love about CLC and the entire staff that make the site happen, is how warm and welcoming they are to seasoned and new authors alike. It is a place for us all to gather, regardless of time zones and wine preference, to celebrate chick lit. Thank you, readers, for making CLC one of your go-to places, and for giving a girl that seems to get her panties in a knot, and lose spices, a place where she feels right at home. May the season of thankfulness be joyous to you and yours. 

Bless and be blessed, 
Jen XOXO

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating and telling us which TV house you'd visit on Halloween. Such a fun variety of answers. Some of you agreed with Jen about visiting the Huxtables from The Cosby Show. Other choices ranged from The Munsters to The Brady Bunch to Castle.
Thanks to Jen for visiting with us once again and making us laugh, as always. And of course, for sharing her books with our winners!

Check out our latest giveaways and also enter ones from other blogs and websites on our giveaways page.

Books of the Week - November 5th

Thanks for checking out Books of the Week! There are nine of us and we can't keep up with the many review requests we receive, even though we'd love to read everything sent our way. Therefore, we have decided to give some books their time in the spotlight and introduce you to them through this new blog feature. We will be featuring two books a week. We hope you will take the time to check these books out. (Click the titles to find them on Amazon.) If you read them and want to write a guest blogger review for us, please e-mail us and we'll be glad to work with you!

Authors: We will let you know whether or not we'll be able to review your book upon your request, and hope you'll be interested in this feature as an alternative.

Bella Fortuna
By Rosanna Chiofalo

Set in New York and Venice, Bella Fortuna explores the dynamics of first love, friendship, betrayal, loss, forgiveness, and just how much control we really have over our own destiny.

Thirty-year-old Valentina DeLuca always thought she was cursed when it came to love. To add insult to injury, Valentina designs and sews knockoff designer gowns in the bridal boutique she owns with her mother and two sisters. After making countless Bridezillas’ dreams come true, this year is Valentina’s year to finally tie the knot. Engaged to Michael Carello, Valentina has had a secret crush on Michael since she was a little girl. She can’t believe she’s really marrying Michael and in her favorite city in the world—Venice! But as Valentina is about to discover, the road to blissful matrimony will be paved with many bumps and having the perfect wedding is much harder than she ever dreamed.

Rosanna Chiofalo can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
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Such is Life
By Angel A. Walker

Melissa Jones has never had a problem with being single. That is until she receives an invite to her ten-year high school reunion, and then her ex’s wedding, both events falling on the same weekend. As Melissa debates whether to cancel or suck it up, her assistant, Brett Thomas, decides to step in to “assist” her. Melissa figures once her date problem is solved the weekend will run smoothly. Not exactly. Her family will stop at nothing to embarrass her, her exes will stop at nothing to try and win her back, and using Brett as her arm candy gets a little sticky when buried feelings are brought to the surface. By the end of the weekend Melissa will have to make decisions she always read about, but never experienced. She’ll dream of the day when being single was her only problem.

"Such is Life" is $2.99 for Kindle.

Angel A. Walker can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Alicia Long and Jayne Jones take on Washington, D.C, plus a giveway!

Introduction and interview by Tracey Meyers

**Giveaway is now closed**

I've been to Washington, D.C. twice.  Once when I was in high school and once as an adult.  As one might expect, they were two different experiences.  As a teenager, my main focus was to see the historic landmarks and prominent museums in the area.  As an adult, though I still wanted to visit the landmarks and museums, I also took an interest in those that worked for the federal government.  Anytime I was introduced to anyone who worked for the government, my eyes and ears perked-up.  Suddenly, I started asking lots and lots of questions about the inner-workings of our government.  It's this fascination with our government that compelled me to learn more about the book Capitol Hell (reviewed here), and its authors Alicia Long and Jayne Jones.

From left to right: Alicia Long and Jayne Jones

Aside from having spent time working on Capitol Hill, Alicia and Jayne both possess Juris Doctorates and continue to stay involved in serving the public.  Jayne currently resides in St. Paul, MN and dreams of one day being on Wheel of Fortune.  Alicia is a resident of Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia and hopes to one day pull the rip-cord during a sky dive jump.

So pack your bags and get ready for a crazy trip to Capitol Hell!

You can find Alicia and Jayne at their website, Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to Kelsey McBride PR for giving away a copy of Capitol Hell to one of our lucky readers in the US.

What inspired you to write Capitol Hell?
Our own experiences!! We both spent so much time on the Hill and couldn't believe the madness we witnessed. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. After we left and began reminiscing, we decided our stories were too good not to share so we got to writing!

How did you decide which experiences of your time in Washington, D.C. to use for Capitol Hell and which ones to leave out?
Great Question! We definitely had a plethora of stories to work with, and when you combined our own stories with those we heard from others, it did become difficult to narrow it down. But, at the end of the day, we chose the stories we felt would work best with the current story line. The good news is though, we still have plenty of stories left to share, so more may be in store of Allison and Janet.

What do you feel sets Capitol Hell apart from other books written about politics?
So many books about politics are serious and focus on towing the party line, tearing down an opponent, or fixing any of the number of problems our Nation faces on a day to day basis. Capitol Hell doesn't do any of that. The point of our book was to point out the absurdity of what happens behind closed doors. Everyone knows that politics can be cut throat and nasty, but do people really know how ridiculous and funny it can be too?

Which of the characters in Capitol Hell are you most invested in?
Alicia: Allison! She comes a long way from South Dakota to Capitol Hill in the book, and I would like to see her achieve more and come into her own.

Jayne: All of them! Each of the characters has such distinct personalities and traits you find only in Hill staffers, it really was a treat to create each character. Capitol Hell is only complete and witty because of all of the characters' flaws, misadventures and stirring of the office pot!

What is the biggest challenge you face when writing?
Alicia: The biggest challenge is finding the TIME to write. With a full-time job and some semblance of a social life, it can be difficult to carve out some quality time to write. Most of my writing takes place at night or on the weekends, after the work day/week is done.

Jayne: I really enjoyed the writing process and challenge. I found it to be relaxing and rewarding. I think as writers many don't realize the amount of work post-writing and post-publication. Certainly, an incredible ride but writing is the easy part. The marketing, public relations, and literally barnstorming I think is the challenge for many creative nonbusiness minded like authors.

Three things I wish I knew about writing a book that I didn't going into writing my first book that I applied to writing my second book:
  Alicia: The editing process is grueling. It is a necessary evil, but I don't think Jayne or I anticipated how much time it would take. I think I would try to spend more time editing during the drafting process.

Jayne: Technically, we haven't started book two yet! Knock on wood! We are hopeful and now I think we both have realized the amount of work post-manuscript. I think to be successful you must be willing to dedicate a large portion of your personal time to selling and marketing your book. If you don't your book sits on shelves and not in readers' hands. You have to be willing to give your energy and dedication to scheduling book signings and a tricky part, promoting yourself.

Three of my writing rituals include:
Alicia: Rituals!?!? You give us too much credit for being organized. If I had to pick, I'd say finding a quiet place, grabbing something good to drink, and relying on my trusty laptop to do the rest.

Special thanks to Alicia and Jayne for a fun chat and Kelsey McBride PR for sharing the book with our readers.

How to win Capitol Hell:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)  

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: Which president (dead or alive) would you want to have a conversation with and what is one thing you'd ask?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US only. Giveaway ends November 11th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Capitol Hell

By Cindy Roesel

I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, Independent or Republican, by now chances are you’re sick and tired of hearing about the upcoming elections. Well, lucky for us there is a fun - and I can tell you, a VERY FUNNY novel for political junkies. It’s called CAPITOL HELL and it’s about a gal working for a fictitious Senator based on my real-life neighbor, Minnesota Republican, Norm Coleman. Co-authors, Jayne Jones and Alicia Long worked on Coleman’s 2002 Senate campaign and for several years after as DC staffers.

Those of you in the Land of Ten-Thousand Lakes will instantly recognize the fictitious Sen. Anders McDermott III, everyone else get ready for a sizzling page turner. Politics is politics anywhere you play it, especially “inside the beltway.” No one ever said working on the hill was easy, but recent college graduate, Allison Amundson certainly isn’t home in the Midwest anymore. She’s hired as the senator’s scheduler and now she belongs to whoever is calling or texting her on the campaign Blackberry 24/7/365. That includes the Senator, his staff, and family, as well as the nanny.

Allison’s co-workers include a small circle of people whose job it is to jump, sit, run, and write and in some cases end up crying to make sure Senator Anders McDermott, III’s life flows effortlessly. The McDermott office motto is “ATD,” for Attention to Detail, which Allison is often reminded at various decibel levels. Allison finds comfort in fellow Midwestern co-worker and new BFF, Janet, who is also shell-shocked to find she’s working inside what could pass for a carnival.

This novel isn’t your typical chick-lit. At one point, or actually, several, Allison tries to strike up a relationship with one of her co-workers, but that isn’t possible because the only real relationship she has is with her job. Since I once was in my early 20s and had a prestigious pressure cooker position such as Allison’s, I can appreciate her focusing on her career. I really enjoyed reading CAPITOL HELL, going behind the scenes and the little bit of flirting here and there was enough for me.

What about all the antics performed by the politicians, their families and even nannies? Come on, it’s fiction, and it certainly provides a lot of comedy.

Special thanks to Kelsey McBride PR for the book in exchange for an honest review. We'll also be giving away a copy of Capitol Hell during tomorrow's interview. (US only.) Remember to VOTE, if you haven't already done so!

Book Review and Giveaway: Lifesaving for Beginners

By Becky Gulc

**Giveaway is now closed**

Lifesaving for Beginners by Ciara Geraghty is a dual narrative book with chapters alternating between the points of view of 39 year-old Kat Kavanagh living in Ireland, and Milo McIntyre, a nine year-old boy living in Brighton.

Kat Kavanagh is the secret author of a series of bestselling crime fiction novels; she loves her younger brother Ed to bits; has a somewhat forced relationship with her parents and boyfriend, Thomas, with Kat acting as a passive participant in the whole relationship. Kat has one close friend Minnie.

Milo McIntyre is a happy nine year-old boy who loves his Mum to bits (his mum being pretty much a single parent since his dad moved to Scotland to be with a younger woman) and the lifesaving classes he attends after school.

The lives of Kat and Milo are changed forever following a tragic traffic accident in Ireland. Whilst most people would be thankful to be alive after the fatal accident, Kat Kavanagh is not someone who feels blessed. In many ways the accident ends up having a detrimental and life changing affect on Kat. Whilst Thomas is more keen than ever to move their relationship forward as a couple, Kat is more keen than ever to get things back to ‘normal’ without all the ‘miracle’ talk and all the fuss; ‘normal’ for Kat means being non-committal; evasive and wondering how she ended up living with a guy like Thomas in the first place. Kat is a woman who is very happy to carry on as she is; not being the public face for her books; living in ‘her’ flat’; her terms. The problem is that since the accident, Kat hasn’t written a single word despite being hounded by her publishers. Kat has her foot firmly placed on the self-destruct button in more ways than one. Did the accident affect Kat more than she lets on? Or is there more to it? Will pushing those who love her away help her find happiness and what she’s really looking for?

Milo. Sweet, wise but vulnerable Milo. His chapters centre on him adapting to change as a result of the accident, a change he never saw coming, a change that he may not have the tools to deal with, but will those around him offer him the support he needs? Or will the needs of our young character be over-looked in the context of a complex family set-up or will his lifesaver classes help him in ways he couldn’t anticipate?

I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book. Lifesaving for Beginners really tugs at your heartstrings and I think a lot of that has to do with one of the narratives from Milo. I felt like I really got into his head and his heart, that Ciara wrote this child’s viewpoint and experience of the world impeccably; how this young child sees the world when it’s suddenly turned upside down. I can’t recall reading a book lately that alternates between an adult and child’s narrative but felt it worked really well and balanced itself well. Kat is also a really well formed character. Yes, she’s flawed, self-absorbed to an extent and very frustrating at times, but as I reader I came to understand her actions as the novel progressed which is what I was looking for.

Whilst the two stories share a common feature in terms of the accident and its aftermath there is a deeper connection between the two stories which becomes unravelled about halfway through the novel. Whilst I anticipated a clearer connection would develop (due to the blurb of the book suggesting as such), I thought a strength of the book was that I didn’t anticipate what was coming and it was seamlessly drawn together without ever being predictable. I found the book difficult to put down throughout, but especially once the twist is revealed and the deeper connection between the stories more apparent. I was actually hooked from the first chapter which actually centres on the accident from the perspective of the driver at fault, who we don’t hear of again throughout the novel. I thought this built the tension nicely before we delve into the worlds of Kat and Milo.

As well as loving Milo as a character (I’d forgotten how I viewed the world when I was nine, but I think Ciara writes this perspective so well and it did jolt me back to my childhood at times), there are some other great characters in this novel such as Kat’s brother, Ed, who I grew to love through Kat and Milo’s stories. Kat’s relationship with Ed is such a poignant one too in enabling us to care about Kat as a character as despite her flaws, she is a fabulous sister.

Overall I found this to be an emotionally satisfying read. There were definitely opportunities where plots and twists could have been conveniently tied-up but I always felt it delivered the story with a good dose of realism bearing in mind it is a book which covers some very sensitive and complex subjects and acknowledges the complex make up of many modern day families. This book made me smile, cry (in both happy and sad ways) and gave me an ending I was happy with, what more could I ask for?

I’d also like to pay credit to the cover which I think is beautiful and would definitely capture my attention if I saw it. Most importantly for me though I feel the cover reflects the story perfectly and this has obviously been carefully considered.

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for the book in exchange for an honest review. They also have one copy for a lucky UK reader.

How to win Lifesaving for Beginners:
Tell us what you were like as a child. (One entry per person). Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win.

UK only. Giveaway ends November 7th at midnight GMT.

More by Ciara Geraghty:

Not ashamed to feature Amy Ferris and Hollye Dexter...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

We are pleased to introduce you to Amy Ferris and Hollye Dexter, co-editors of Dancing at the Shame Prom (reviewed here). In this anthology, 27 brave women share the stories of shame that had kept them small in the world. We found out about the book a few weeks ago and knew it would be a perfect fit for Chick Lit Central. When we contacted Amy and Hollye, they were more than accommodating! They're incredibly sweet and have very interesting stories to tell through their blogs and in the book! They also teach writing workshops, helping others to find their authentic voices.

You can find them at their website and Facebook!

Here's some more information about these lovely ladies:

Photo by Erin Doyle

Hollye Dexter recently completed a second memoir, What Doesn’t Kill You. Her essays have been published in anthologies, such as Chicken Soup For the Soul.  A singer/songwriter with four albums out, she also founded the award-winning nonprofit Art and Soul, running workshops for teenagers in the foster care system. She is on staff for the San Miguel Writer’s Conference and a visiting author at UCLA extension. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three children, where she hikes, plays music and blogs about living an authentic life. You can also find her on Twitter at @hollyedexter

Photo by Ken Ferris

Amy Ferris is an author, editor, screenwriter and playwright. Her memoir, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions From a Midlife Crisis (Seal Press) is off-broadway bound, CAP21 Theater Company, March 2012. She has contributed to numerous anthologies, and has written everything from Young Adult novels to movies and films. She serves on the Executive Board of Directors at The Pages & Places Literary Festival, Peters Valley Arts, Education and Craft Center, and is on the Advisory Board of The Women's Media Center. She is also on faculty at The San Miguel de Allende Writers Conference. Her number one goal, desire and dream is that all women awaken to their greatness. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Ken. Follow her tweets at @amyferris and visit her blog, as well.


Thanks to Seal Press, we have FIVE copies of Dancing at the Shame Prom for some lucky readers in the US and Canada!

How were you able to assemble the group of writers for your book, Dancing at the Shame Prom?

AF: Both Hollye & I know (individually and collectively) pretty amazing talented women - writers, artists, authors, activists, memoirists, performers - so we put our wish-list together, sent out an email to all of them with our proposal, and much to our grand surprise they all said, "Yes, please include me."

HD: Amy and I both knew some pretty phenomenal women with fascinating life stories- just lucky I guess. We didn't reach out to only writers, but all types of women: songwriters, actors, therapists, and even an episcopalian priest. We sent emails out to about 32 powerhouse women, asking if they'd write essays about their deepest shame, and they all said yes.

Which story in the book, aside from your own, spoke to you the most?

AF: Truthfully, for me, each essay is so completely different, each shame story is so unique, so courageous and so brave, I would have to say that because of that - the courage and honesty in each one - that each essay speaks to me, touches me deeply. Each touches a piece of me differently.

HD: It would be so hard to choose, as I found a piece of myself reflected in all the essays. From the themes of mother guilt to family dysfunction to having a gay dad (I have two gay brothers) to being just ashamed of who you are, and even though I'm not a hoarder, I have a hard time letting go of certain things (you should see the inside of my purse) so I really related to most every story.

What inspired you to compile Dancing at the Shame Prom?

AF: Everyone (well, most everyone I know) has shame. Shame and guilt and oh so many secrets that get tucked away. Buried. What inspired us? Honestly, we both write blogs that are pretty truthful and ballsy, and we (Hollye & I) spoke (and speak) often - the topic of shame came up throughout our many conversations - so it was an organic experience. It was much more of an Aha moment then a "hey, let's write a book" moment. We had so many conversations - shared experiences - with other women - friends - who had tucked away, buried their shameful stories, or shared only bits and pieces of them. What became abundantly clear was the need to share every piece of those stories. Every detail. That was a big glorious moment. The 'let it rip' moment.

HD: Amy and I had a year-long conversation about our own issues of shame, which were holding us back in life. We dared each other to blog about a scary personal shame, posting our blogs on the same day. What happened next shocked us. We were overwhelmed with responses, some from friends but most were strangers, all were sharing their own shame stories. That's when we knew this wasn't just a conversation between two friends, but a conversation the whole country needed to be having.

Would you consider doing a sequel with chick lit novelists sharing their stories, and if so, which authors would it be imperative for you to include?

AF: Jennifer Weiner. Helen Fielding. Candace Bushnell.

HD: I'll bet Candace Bushnell has some juicy shame stories!

Did you go to your prom? If so, what was the best moment of the evening for you? If not, what did you do instead?

AF: Well, I didn't graduate from high school (I have a GED), so I'm not sure what I was doing instead - maybe (probably) doing quaaludes.

HD: My long time boyfriend Vince hated school and especially school dances. For months, I begged him to take me to Prom and finally, the day before (after many tears on my part), he broke down and relented. I rushed out and bought a dress, although there wasn't much left on the racks. Once there, he refused to dance, complained about how idiotic it was, and we left early. Yeah, so it was pretty much a bust. After that he got drunk in the parking lot with his buddies. It definitely did not live up to my expectations!

What is your biggest addiction?

AF: Hmmm. Well, here goes. Emotional addiction: worry. Spiritual addiction: goodness. Sexual addiction: my husband, Ken. Clothing addiction (2012): tee shirts. Clothing addiction (2001 to 2009): shoes.

HD: Writing.

What is the last thing that made you laugh?

AF: A really big laugh - like side splitting - the other day, sitting outside Beth and Erin's house with Hollye when they (Beth, Erin & Hollye) were sharing a few wonderful, hysterical stories with me.

HD: My youngest kid, Evan (7 years old), makes me laugh every day. My husband Troy is also really funny, and then there's Amy Ferris. She is hysterical!

With Thanksgiving coming soon, share your favorite Thanksgiving memory.

AF: Twenty-one years ago on Thanksgiving, my husband asked me to marry him. That's my favorite. I am so very thankful and grateful for him. So very.

HD: In 1994, a week before Thanksgiving, our house burned down in the middle of the night while we were sleeping. My husband, four-year-old son and I barely got out alive. I have never felt more grateful in my life than I did that Thanksgiving.

Thanks to Amy and Hollye for shamelessly sharing their stories and Seal Press for sharing their book with our readers!

How to win Dancing at the Shame Prom:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)  

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your shame story?  We're all friends here...we don't judge! (Or if you don't want to share, tell us someone you're ashamed of from the news/media/etc.)
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends November 6th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Dancing at the Shame Prom

By Melissa Amster

I may have studied psychology in college and done nothing with my degree since then, but reading "Dancing at the Shame Prom" (edited by Amy Ferris and Hollye Dexter) made me feel like I was running a therapy session for some pretty amazing sounding women!

Shame is a powerful thing. It can weigh on your heart and mind, diminish your sense of self-worth, and impact the way you live in the world. But what happens when you share that secret burden?

Amy Ferris, Hollye Dexter, and the writers they brought together are all ready to let go of shame. In Dancing at the Shame Prom, twenty-six extraordinary women—Lyena Strelkoff, Teresa Stack, Monica Holloway, Nina Burleigh, Amy Friedman, Meredith Resnick, Victoria Zackheim, and more—take the plunge and say “yes” to sharing their stories. These brave writers, journalists, musicians, artists, directors, and activists have offered up their most funny, sad, poignant, miraculous, life-changing, and jaw-dropping secrets for you to gawk at, empathize with, and learn from—in the hopes that they will inspire others to do the same. Letting go feels good!

Freeing, provocative, and audacious, "Dancing at the Shame Prom" is about flaunting the secrets that have made you feel small so that you can stand up straight, let the shame go, and finally—decisively—move on with your life. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Truth be told, the title stuck out to me because I didn't go to prom at all, and part of that was shame over my own fear of what people would say if I had shown up with a freshman, seeing that my closest guy friend at the time fit in that category. True story!

In any case, I found "Dancing at the Shame Prom" to be chock full of interesting stories from remarkable women. (I read their bios at the end!) Some of it reminded me of an extended version of reading the "Confessions" section of Cosmopolitan. At least in the sense that I felt privy to what made these women want to cower in a dark corner. I've always had a thing for reading human interest articles in magazines though....the darker, the better. I even made it all the way through "A Child Called It," which is something I could never read again, but still haunts me from time to time (and this was back in 1998).

When I was in my final year of college, the guy I was dating almost died at the beginning of second semester, as a result of a chronic illness. I was obviously upset about it and went to an emergency therapy session at the school's counseling office. The counselor was abrasive though. He kept asking me how it was my fault or why I was blaming myself. I then started going to counseling regularly, but asked to speak with a woman instead. Thankfully, the woman I saw was really nice. However, she also asked me how I thought any of what had happened could be seen as my fault. While reading "Dancing at the Shame Prom," I was reminded of these therapy sessions. In a good amount of the "confessions," the women were victims of someone else's cruelty, whether it was from bullying, rape, child abuse, etc. I kept thinking "How is this any of your fault? Why are you the one who has to be ashamed?!?" It made me sad that these women felt so poorly of themselves when they were simply victims and didn't do anything to bring it upon themselves.

While some of the stories seemed to have momentum in the beginning before going into metaphorical self-analysis, there were other stories for which I felt a strong amount of empathy:

"From Exile to Redemption" by Julie Silver: There was a strong Jewish aspect and reminded me of a situation that happened with one of my close friends.

"Raising a Cowbird" by Jenny Rough: It was heartbreaking to read in some ways, but also gave me a perspective on parenting that I was never able to truly understand before.

"The Last Secret" by Amy Wise: While the premise of it was troubling, it was told incredibly well and is one of the stories where the woman was directly in charge of her shame vs. being a victim. She had something to hide and her confession brought on different reactions than expected.

"Matching Rainbows" by Laurenne Sala and "1329 Lynx Trail" by Samantha Dunn: Both talk about what happens when one is ashamed of a parent and how it affects how they perceive themselves as a result.

"The Hair Manifesto" by Marianne Schnall: I could totally relate since I have curly hair too and have lots of fun (and sometimes not-so-much-fun) stories to go along with it.

"In the Name of the Father" by Hollye Dexter: Not only did the editors put together this book, but they also contributed their own stories. Hollye's story especially stuck out for me in the way it was written and how I felt after reading it. She had really been through a lot as a kid and I was moved by the amazing encounter she had as an adult.

This is not to say I didn't like the other stories because they all were incredible and compelling in their own ways. I just wanted to share a few that really stood out for me. I found some incredibly shocking and others just plain sad, where I wanted to give the writer a hug afterward. Some stories were inspiring, such as the first one by Lyena Strelkoff.

I definitely recommend "Dancing at the Shame Prom" to women of all ages and in all walks of life. I can guarantee at least one story, if not more, will resonate with you and make you want to share your own confessions. I hope Amy and Hollye will come together to do another book like this, either with authors we are more familiar with (I feel bad about this, but I didn't know who any of these writers were, even after reading their bios) or with ordinary women who have stories to tell and could even do it under a mask of anonymity if they wanted.

Thanks to Seal Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They're sharing some copies with readers in the US and Canada as part of our interview with Amy and Hollye!