Anne Pinkerton

I'm so glad my book resonated with Christine Jarrett, and I'm touched by her post (though I wish she didn't understand the loss of beloved larger-than-life brothers so well.) 🧡

This beautifully written memoir takes the reader on a journey from the initial shock of losing her brother to navigating the grief in the years following his death. I found the story especially touching in the way the author grew even closer to her brother in the years after he passed.

I, too, lost my larger-than-life older brother, and I deeply connected with the idea of reclaiming that bond as memories continue to surface year after year since his passing.

I'm excited to be at the Straw Dog Writers Guild table at the Northampton Antiquarian Book, Ephemera and Book Arts Fair tomorrow, Saturday, 2-4pm. Other fab local authors will be at the table throughout the Fair. Come stop by and say Hi. Maybe, even buy some locally-grown books for holiday gifts!

Northampton Antiquarian Book, Ephemera, and Book Arts Fair Browse, schmooze, and buy used and books, paper Americana, and book arts at the Northampton Book Fair on Friday, November 22nd, 5 - 8 pm and Saturday, November 23rd, 10am - 4pm at the Center for the Arts, Northampton Community Arts Trust, 33 Hawley Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Thirty six exhibitor...

It all helps more than you know! If you've read WERE YOU CLOSE? (or you'd like to!), please consider one of these FREE ways to help spread the word. 🧡🙏

https://a.co/d/iiDhnTM

“Resilience is not merely surviving adversity; it is the alchemy of transforming hardship into something meaningful. Creativity is one of the most accessible and profound tools for this transformation. Through art, writing, music, and countless everyday expressions, we externalize pain, experiment with new perspectives, and craft narratives that sustain us.”
My friend Hugh is so smart and kind and a beautiful writer.

The Art of Bouncing Forward When life unravels, resilience isn’t just about grit—it’s about creativity. Discover how everyday acts of imagination can transform pain into meaning.

Such as the lobster
cracking loose
from its exoskeleton
after moons of moulting,
or the viper that squeezes
out of the skin
of its remembrance,
this oracle invites you
to rewild yourself,
to unbox, detox, and de-
clutter your blood.
Break free from the mold
you made for yourself,
for the animal
in you that craves
routines like sugar,
addicted to the stress
of your comforts. Sling
your arm around the waist
of your discomfort
like it’s a new lover
in these uncharted
seas and distances
untraversed. Take
and give glee.
Summon surprise.
Something whim-
sical this way comes.
It smells something
like wishes wrapped
in wind as you
trod the winding path
through
the forests
of your interior.
Be warned. You will
bewilder beloveds.
Hush. Some
events are better
experienced than
explained. Take soul.
Your joy is your job;
and yours alone.
Hire your
self every day.
Climb into your traveling
shoes knowing that
there, too, will
be dancing.

— “38. Shedding the Old” by Samantha Thornhill