Well, today is our big day! For the past few weeks (and months!) we’ve been busily and excitedly preparing for our Launch Day: The HerStories Project: Women Explore the Joy, Pain, and Power of Female Friendship is now available!
On a personal note, let me say this: Self-publishing this book has been quite a journey. It has been challenging, frustrating at times, nerve-wracking, exhilarating, and ultimately- extremely gratifying. Watching the project evolve from an idea to a growing collection of contributors to an actual book that I could hold in my hands was thrilling. I’m not embarrassed to admit that when the book arrived in the mail, I jumped up and down and squealed like a maniac. I ran out into the driveway in my pajama bottoms (it was after 4:00 pm, after all) to greet my husband — clutching my book and shrieking, of course– as he came home from work. My oldest daughter was equally excited.
My writing partner and co-editor, Jessica Smock of School of Smock, and I are so proud of this book. It features 50 fantastic contributors, including a foreword from Jill Smokler of Scary Mommy. We think this collection of essays about women’s friendship is a reflection of just how important these relationships can be.
All women’s friendships tell a story: these sacred bonds define us, and contain our history within walls that are both fragile and powerful. The girlfriend who held your hand during a time of intense grief. The best friend who broke your heart. The woman who helped you find your footing and retain your sanity as a mother. The friendship that turned toxic. The person you don’t think you could survive without. The bonds of female friendship are among the most essential and distinct of all relationships. The friendships in the life of a woman serve as mirrors, reflecting who she was, how she has evolved, and revealing what she needs and craves in her life.
In this book, 50 women writers paint real pictures of friendship; in addition to paying homage to the beauty and power of their relationships, they share the gritty details of bitter friendship breakups and uncomfortable life transitions. This anthology will enable readers to find their own stories in the words of others, cause them to reflect on their own unique friendship history, and perhaps even inspire them to rekindle connections with women who have shaped them. The authors of this book share their stories of friendship loss, enduring bonds from childhood, navigating the transition to motherhood, and renegotiating the role of friendship in their adult lives. The diverse essays in this collection will evoke tears, laughter, and a deep recognition and appreciation for the friends with whom women everywhere share their lives.
You can learn more about our project and our fantastic contributors at The HerStories Project website, and our book is now available for purchase! We have been so amazed and humbled by the support we’ve received for this project. We couldn’t have gotten this far without all your encouragement, and today we are asking for your support once again. To help The HerStories Project have a successful Launch Day, you can:
- Buy a copy of our paperback here.
- Do some holiday shopping for your gal pals and pick up a gift copy as well! (We think this book makes a great present for girlfriends and sisters.)
- Download our e-book (FREE for the next few days!) on Amazon
- Share our big news on Facebook, Twitter, and with your friends.
- If you’re one of our early readers, we’d love some more reviews on our Amazon or Goodreads pages!
The girls and I getting excited for the big day!
Again, we want to thank you so much for helping us to make this project become a reality. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or comments at info@herstoriesproject.com. We hope you love this book as much as we do!
Congratulations, Stephanie!!
Please tell me where I can buy your book without using Amazon or GoodReads (now owned by Amazon). Are you selling any directly? (Please?!)
Simply could not be more thrilled for you all if we tried!! What an incredible effort to produce something that women will treasure! 🙂 Forever. You are showing your daughters exactly what being a good friend, woman, wife and mother looks like! Congratulations! :)-The Dose Girls
Huge congrats and can only imagine how much of your own blood, sweat and tears you put into this. You have every right to be proud and seriously totally over the moon for you! 🙂
Hats off to you my dear friend. What a proud day! I was thinking back to BlogHer 13 today and realized that listening to the conversations you were having on potentially putting this huge project together and now seeing the book out merely five short months after feels like having watched someone in the early stages of pregnancy (forgive the book = baby cliche). I am in awe of what you and Jessica have accomplished here. Congratulations!
Your daughter’s expression says it all. Congratulations! What a huge, splendid, and oh, so worthy undertaking. I am delighted for all 50 of you!!!
Hip hip, hooray! I love Izzy’s jaw-drop expression. It is awesome to be part of this movement. There is nothing comparable to holding a book with your words inside. Thank you millions more times and CONGRATULATIONS!
Happy pub day!! You two deserve every last bit of excitement today! You’ve truly created a (stunning) work of heart!
Woo hoo! I love that picture of you and your girls. Stunning.
A huge congratulations to you and Jessica for all you have done! I am so proud of you two and so honored to be part of the book. Lovely pictures of you with your girls and the book 🙂 xoxo
Congratulations!! I’m so happy for you!! What you and Jessica have put together is just amazing and I can’t thank you enough for letting me be a small part of it. Much love to you!! And, your daughters face is just priceless!!!! xox
WOOOOOT! You and Jessica rocked this project so successfully! And these details could not have been easy. I’m so impressed (but not at all surprised) by your level of vision, professionalism, and creativity. So proud to be associated with this book.
I’m sooo excited! My copy arrived today and after a crazy icky day full of doc visits for a recently broken hand, it was the very best part of the week! I showed Tucker and he said “Oh, Mommy’s book?” Yes, yes…all of our’s book. Thanks so much to you and Jessica!!!
BIG congrats!! I can’t wait to read it!
Woohoo!! I’m sure it was stressful at times but I’ve got to say, you and Jessica made it look absolutely easy. You have been wonderful, fearless leaders and I’m so happy to be a part of it.
This is so exciting! This project has made me even more grateful for the amazing relationships I have with my best ladies. When I reflected on the relationships I have had in my lifetime, I couldn’t help but be in awe of what they provided me, even if I didn’t realize it at the time. Thanks so much for all the work you have done to make this dream come true for all of us!
I can picture you jumping up and down, squealing. So exciting! I feel very honored to be in the book. Thank you so much for including me!!!! It really means a lot to me. 🙂
Thank you, Stephanie for all the work that you and Jessica out into this project to bring all these voices together in this amazing purple book! I have been pouring through the essays and love them all! You did a fantastic job and I am thrilled and honored to be a part of this!! My heartfelt congratulations to you!!!
How exciting! Congrats!
YEA!
So awesome!! 🙂
The only reason I haven’t finished this wonderful compilation yet is because I have to stop reading every few essays to call a friend or family member. So many stories hit home for me. Congratulations, again. To you, Jessica, and all the women featured!
So proud of you and thrilled to be part of this project!!!!!
Congrats my friend! You’re a true Gem.
I can’t believe I haven’t commented on this yet to show you some love and appreciation. I think I have been too busy skipping around in my own little world of euphoria. (And if I already commented then I should comment AGAIN and AGAIN darnit!) xo and thanks for this