“Each woman is a story waiting to be told,” says Susan Wittig Albert, author of Writing from Life and founder of Story Circle Network, an organization that teaches and encourages women to write and share their life stories. After writing my mother’s memoir, Cherry Blossoms in Twilight, I came to believe this sentiment, too. Not to say men don’t have important personal stories, but women, even today, are usually the backbone of the family and the carriers of the hands-on, in-the-trenches stories of everyday life. Their stories don’t usually make it into history books.
I follow authors Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett and their Women’s Memoirs website which inspires and teaches women about writing their life stories and sometimes posts some of them. A couple years ago, they held a contest, inviting women to send in their short personal stories based on a season. Winning stories were featured on the website, and mine was one of them. Matilda and Kendra have just published four e-books of these vignettes, Seasons of Our Lives for spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
For 53 hours, beginning February 1 at 10:00 a.m. CDT, all four e-book volumes will be available for only $.99 each through Amazon’s Kindle* Store. Prices will increase by $1 each 53 hours until they reach the regular price of $3.99 each. The stories are sweet, sad, funny, poignant. Each is followed by a takeaway and writing tip from the editors, to help you reflect on the seasons of your life and hopefully prompt you to write your own stories. My story, A Child is Born, is in the spring volume. If you purchase one or all of these volumes, please support the writers by leaving Amazon reviews.
Seasons of Our Lives: Spring
Seasons of Our Lives: Summer
Seasons of Our Lives: Autumn
Seasons of Our Lives: Winter
*Note: You do not need a Kindle to read these e-books. When purchasing, you are given options for reading, and can choose another type of e-reader (except Nook), including your pc or Mac.
The sale countdown:
February 1, 10am CST, $.99
February 3, 3pm CST, $1.99
February 5, 8pm CST, $2.99
February 8, 1am CST, $3.99 (regular price)
moonbridgebooks 
Your mother’s story interests me and as such, I ordered one of the four Amazon had left. :-). Teenagers, my mother’s family lived in Shimbashi 5 chome. Their home and neighborhood were burned as your mother may have recollected. They rarely talked about it so I am glad you were able to interview your mother. I look forward to reading “Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”.
Thank you, Mustang Koji. Many Japanese parents did not – perhaps could not – speak of what happened during WWII in Japan, one reason I published my mother’s stories. Also because most of the rest of the world had never heard that side of the story either. War is hell for everyone.
Yes, indeed. And I am glad your mother was able to open up and talk with you on it. And your book arrived this afternoon! http://www.flickr.com/photos/p47koji/12311939425/
Great! Hope you enjoy it.
I did. I could hear your mom’s “thoughts” in Japanese. A lot of it brought back so many of my memories. Not that I was born in 1925 but the talk of karuto, the Japanese “badminton” (hanetsuki, a girl’s game), the joint cleaning of classrooms… all brought back things from my own childhood, in Japan and the States. Thank you.
Thank you, Mustang Koji. I look forward to learning more history and culture through your blog.
Thank you for letting us know about these books, Linda. I’ve ordered all four and will share on Facebook! I’m looking forward to reading your story in the Spring Season.
Thank you, Jan! I am looking forward to seeing your haiku poetry book published, too.
Thank you Linda! I’ve ordered all four and sent the word out to other women to order.
Thank you, Donna. I hope the stories and writing tips inspire you to write some of your own stories down.