Publications
No One Ever Asked Me That: Conversations on the Afterlife
By, Catherine Levison
What are the purposes of imagination? Catherine Levison was intrigued by topics like this from an early age. Seeking more meaningful conversations, she developed a series of questions to bypass small talk and enable others to speak comfortably on deep issues. Not only did her approach generate fascinating conversations, it had a profound effect on those she spoke with. This book compiles interviews, held over the course of more than a decade with a diverse group of people, from monks, to teachers, to dish washers. The results are thought-provoking, often surprising and you will find yourself wondering why no one ever asked you that.
“Reminiscent of Socrates in the Golden Age of Greece; listening to others is an exalted virtue—and Levison has it in spades. Not until the final pages does she—like Socrates—answer them herself. An intriguing study, sure to raise important questions about imagination and the afterlife—and compel readers to discover the answers.” Douglas Bond, author of The Betrayal
“When Catherine first sprang these questions on me, I was absolutely fascinated. I had never thought about imagination in this way before. After that, I just had to read the book to find out how others had responded. I love the variety of people she has interviewed and so many unique responses!” Cathy Duffy, author, speaker, educational curriculum expert
“Catherine's quest to provoke thought and interesting conversation with a wide variety of people and personalities results in a book of heart-bearing honesty, quirky humor, and a rare insight into the thoughts of others around us. Remarkable in many ways, these interviews expose our differences and our common humanity.” Laurie Ann Powell, health coach & certified public teacher
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Stripping Down
By, Sheila Hageman
“I feel the weight of the hammer from the dusty workbench in my sweaty palm and hit the padlock. My heart thumps in my bony chest. I listen for the humming sound of my mother’s car backing into the driveway. I hit again. I listen. The lock pops open.”
At twelve years old, everything changed for Sheila with the discovery of her estranged father’s porn collection. Found locked away in a corner of the basement, the glossy images ignite in her an unrelenting desire for attention and adoration. Now, reflections on her past as a stripper permeate her thoughts as she takes on the new roles of mother, caregiver and wife. While helping her baby daughter take her first steps, she nurses her mother through the final stages of breast cancer. This powerful and beautiful story is a moving meditation on a woman’s life through her body, motherhood and loss.
Spiraling through memories and torn between the woman she is becoming and the woman she has been, Sheila Hageman is continually Stripping Down.
“It removes the varnish from the surface of one woman’s life to see what dances below. This is not a romanticized tale of easy redemption—e.g. unhappy girl stripper becomes happy woman, yogini, and mother; rather, it takes you on a sincere and complicated journey—a long drive to the self.” -Elena Georgiou
“I admit I didn't expect what I found in Hageman's beautiful prose. This is not another stripper memoir. It's a powerful meditation on the body, on family, and ultimately on self-love.” - Kerry Cohen, author of Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity
“Stripping Down is more than a tale of an ex-stripper. It’s an author’s exploration of her relationships, insecurities and decisions—however unsavory. With complete candor, Hageman reveals how she danced naked for money and adoration, her infidelities, mixed feelings about motherhood, and the toll her mother’s battle with breast cancer took on her. Hageman's story is told without pretense or excuse, allowing for a vulnerability and honesty rarely seen, resulting in her most courageous act of all-an emotional stripping.” -Corbin Lewars, author of Creating a Life: The memoir of a writer and mom in the making
“Sheila Hageman's Stripping Down is that brilliant, impossible, difficult, and intensely satisfying book that tells the truth about the body–an enterprise, according to Virginia Woolf, that is well-nigh impossible. The province of womanhood and daughterhood, wellness and illness, concealment and exposure are examined with an intensity and honesty that's truly rare. A necessary and important book.” -Louise DeSalvo author of Writing as a Way of Healing
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Guidebook for Working with Small Independent Publishers
By, Terry Persun
There are only a handful of corporate publishers and literally thousands of independent presses. For authors looking to publish, the choices can be daunting. This guidebook explains the pros and cons of making the choice to work with small publishers, explains the independent press process, and offers a valuable sample marketing plan.
With years of publishing experience, author Terry Persun helps navigate the world of small, independent publishers in this concise and illuminating guidebook.
“If you have been considering the indie route, this book is a great place to start researching.” - Line Zero
The Indie Writer's Workshop
Your writing is not a product; it’s a piece of art.
By choosing the indie writer’s path, you can take control of your art from concept to completion. The Indie Writer’s Workshop is your guidebook to the world of independent publication, taking you from idea, to draft, to manuscript and, finally, to a published book.
Formatted as a workbook, presented as a workshop and packed with helpful reference material, this is your personal journal for artistic growth. Beginning with the concept of writing as art, this guide will help perfect plot, structure and the revision process. The journey to publication begins with the strongest fiction you can write.
The Indie Writer’s Workshop Contains:
- Many diverse exercises and worksheets to help cultivate your ideas and characters
- Information to help anyone learn to master basic grammar and revision techniques
- An examination of the current industry, and a realistic look at your publishing options
- Proven techniques that benefit writers of all skill levels using step-by-step instructions
Drawing from years of experience gained from facilitating popular, in-person writing workshops, indie author and small press owner Renda Dodge brings dynamic practices to the page. Touching on all aspects of writing, she covers the importance of craft, revision and the true potential of indie authorship.
“I was thoroughly inspired.” –Hannah Rose
“Thank you! Your workbook was the perfect thing! I feel really confident.” – Jeaneen G.
“A terrific way of explaining concepts.” – James Perry
“Gave me a great start on the plot that wasn't there” – K.R.
Purchase The Indie Writer's Workshop!
Line Zero
Line Zero, the place where it all begins. It’s the blank page, the empty beginning and the start of something new. It’s the excitement of a story about to unfold, and it’s also the terrifying emptiness of writer’s block.
Most of all it’s taking that step into artistic creation.
Line Zero is an emerging, independent print journal dedicated to writing and the arts. It is unlike any other publication of its kind. Line Zero features a hybrid of content between a traditional literary journal and a collection of editorial essays on art, writing, music, publishing, photography, guides, book and tech reviews and art events. Each quarterly issue features the writing of artists currently entrenched in the creative process and covering a range of experiences, featured photographic entries, a literary contest and art & music news.
Line Zero is edited by Renda Dodge, Bailey Shoemaker Richards, Laura Pieroni and Paul Blake and published by Pink Fish Press.
Inked
T
ori Liddell has struggled through her twenties suffering from undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder. She documents her radical lifestyle changes and shifting identity through the colorful tattoos covering her body. After years spent disconnecting from family and widening the rift created by her absence, Tori returns to small-town Oregon to help facilitate the care of her mother, recently diagnosed with AIDS. At her homecoming, she faces her own mortality, the inevitable loss of her mother and the interests of an enigmatic neighbor. Tori also confronts the realization that things and people are not always the way she remembers as she searches for the meaning of home in the rubble of her past.
Inked is a window into the life of a woman trying to overcome herself, her choices and a psychological affliction etched under her skin.
What People are Saying about Inked
“Greatly enjoyed it … Loved the relationship between mother and daughter, detailed, intriguing, ‘stick with you after book ends’ characters.” -Laura Church
“Inked is not a typical book in any sense of the word. The main character is captivating …The story itself is potent and that makes it a page turner.” -Kate James
Upcoming Releases
These Things I Know, Jessica Karbowiak (June 2012)
Taking Flight, Adrian R. Magnuson (July 2012)
Not Jewish: A Novel, Jennifer Brennock (October 2012)
The End of the City, David Bendernagel (December 2012)
In Transit, Renda Dodge (April 2013)
