Growing Up Girl contributor Cherien Dabis' film "Amreeka" nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards

The super talented Growing Up Girl contributor Cherien Dabis (Amsterdam It!) first feature length film "Amreeka" is getting a lot of much deserved praise. Recently it was nominated for three Spirit Awards: Best Feature, Best First Screenplay (Cherien Dabis), Best Female Lead (Nisreen Faour).

Cherien wrote and directed this film. In total "Amreeka" has won 11 awards. You can check them out here

Synopsis

Amreeka chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, dreaming of an exciting future in small-town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high school hallways like he used to move through military checkpoints, the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking up falafel burgers at the local White Castle.

Told with heartfelt humor by writer-director Cherien Dabis in her feature film debut, Amreeka portrays the universal journey of a family of immigrants and first-generation teenagers caught between their heritage and the new world they now call home.

The awards will be telecast live on IFC on Friday, March 10, 2010 at 8:00pm. For more information check out the Spirit Awards website.

And, of course, check out the "Amreeka" trailer below.

More New Titles from GirlChild Press Contributors

Upon further investigation it seems 2009 was a huge publishing year for a lot of the contributors from GirlChild Press. There were no fewer than seven new titles added to the literary universe by these talented women. Make haste and go check them all out. Most are available on www.amazon.com and I've added a link for your buying convenience. The authors are in alphabetical order and the description of the books have been pulled from their websites or other sources when possible.

Accomplished poet Antoinette Brim (Burning Bridges),whose work appears in the anthology Just Like A Girl, released her collection of poetry PSALM OF THE SUNFLOWER in the fall of 2009. The collection was published by Willow Books. In Psalm of Sunflower, poet Antoinette Brim explores the painful reality of divorce as a foundation for self-discovery. Through exquisitely crafted poetry, filled with layered language and meaning, Brim unravels the breaking and mending of heart and spirit through a metaphoric engagement of nature, the Little Rock landscape, collective memory and song. Revelatory semantics skim just below the surface of these poems whose visionary narrative-arc mirrors the sunflower drawn to light as Brim explores a new morning of possibility through language. You can purchase the book here

Hot off the press, Just Like A Girl contributor Ellen Hagan (Our Women) new collection of poems CROWNED is ready for your reading pleasure. The Kentucky poet, who is known for bawdy, provocative, and sizzling work, doesn't disappoint with this slim volume. Ellen explores every crack and crevice, and leaves no truth untold. Her work is about intersections, history, accountability and tenderness. This is her debut collection and it is published by Sawyer House. You can purchase the book here


Growing Up Girl contributor Sheba Karim(Sacrifice) has a way with authenticating young, outsider girls' voices and does an extremely convincing job in SKUNK GIRL. Her debut young adult novel explores the world of Muslim culture and the life of a young woman on the verge. Sixteen-year-old Nina Khan feels like an outsider and finds herself chaffing and pushing against the mandates of her strict Muslim Pakistani-American parents. She feels more boxed in when she falls for a cute classmate (she is not allowed to date or go to parties), and in exploring her burgeoning romantic feelings she comes to appreciate her family. The novel is being released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. You can purchase the book here.

Growing Up Girl contributor Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa (Hair Inspection)infused all her beautiful talent into her first novel DAUGHTERS OF THE STONES, released by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press. The novel chronicles the experiences of descendants of African slaves in Puerto Rico. It is the mid-1800s. Fela, taken from Africa, is working at her second sugar plantation in colonial Puerto Rico, where her mistress is only too happy to benefit from her impressive embroidery skills. But Fela has a secret. Before she and her husband were separated and sold into slavery, they performed a tribal ceremony in which they poured the essence of their unborn child into a very special stone. Fela keeps the stone with her, waiting for the chance to finish what she started. When the plantation owner approaches her, Fela sees a better opportunity for her child, and allows the man to act out his desire. Such is the beginning of a line of daughters connected by their intense love for one another, and the stories of a lost land. You can purchase the book here

With the health care debate playing out on the evening news nightly, Just Like A Girl contributor Colleen McKee (Libby, the Only Punk Girl), along with her co-editor Amanda Stiebel, turns the discussion toward women in their poignant anthology ARE WE FEELING BETTER YET? Women Speak About Health Care in America. In this collection of 21 essays, women from around the country recount their individual efforts to access and receive quality health care within the formidable structure of the U. S. health care system. Their many voices speak with clarity, poignancy, and humor about situations familiar to all who have entered a health care setting on behalf of themselves or their loved ones. These penetrating stories cover a spectrum of health care conditions, but they unify around the themes of strong self-advocacy and personal empowerment. The book is an enlightening read not only for health care consumers, but also for health care professionals and for health policymakers. The collection was published by Penultimate Press and can be purchased here.

I had to go all the way back to the east coast to get my review copy of Just Like A Girl contributor Andrea Nicki's (Chinese Girl) new collection of poems WELCOMING and it was well worth the wait. The 93 page book really packs a punch. The poems included in this book explore many key contemporary issues, such as the relationship between the sexes; violence against girls and women; sexuality and gender identity; the relationship between human beings, animals and the environment; religion and spirituality; mental health and psychiatry; work, meaning, and exploitation; poverty and homelessness; multiculturalism; the value of children; and social community. The book was published by Inanna Publications & Education and can be purchased here.

I was quite honored to provide a jacket blurb for Just Like A Girl contributor Jessy Randall's (The Loop) young adult novel THE WANDORA UNIT. This is a funny and dead-on story of life and friendship during those high-stakes high school years. Wanda Lowell and Dora Nussbaum are best friends. They look alike, dress alike, share the same opinions, and co-edit the school's literary magazine, Galaxy. They are so close that their friends at Brighton High School have dubbed them "The Wandora Unit." But things are shifting in their senior year of high school. What once seemed absolute and certain now are just memories. While this tight-knit group of friends discovers who they are they find themselves drifting apart. As friendships turn and relationships blossom they are held together by their love of Galaxy and their desire to be individuals in a world that doesn't always let them. The Wandora Unit is a bittersweet story about the meaning of friendship, the lessons of growing beyond one's boundaries, and the joy of being part of something that makes us bigger than who we really are. Ghost Road Press is the publisher and the book can be purchased here.

Shout Out to Busboys and Poets

Since I launched GirlChild Press Busboys and Poets Teaching for Change has been a huge supporter of the books. They constantly keep a stock of the anthologies on hand and seem really interested in the press continuing. So, when I got into town I was excited to stop by and soak up the energy and possibility of the place. Check out my little video as I rave about one of my favorite places in DC.

What would you do if you had a Just Like A Girl reading and (almost) nobody came?

You talk about raising boys.

I was half way to Philly (in a surprisingly heavy rainstorm) when it occurred to me that folks might not be willing to brave the rain to come out to a reading. Count me psychic...'cause not one person came to the reading at Big Blue Marble Books.

I love this bookstore. They were one of the first bookstores to setup a reading for Growing Up Girl ,where we had a packed house. But clearly today was not going to be a repeat performance.

At 3:30, when it was clear there would be no reading, a Mom came into the store. She was not looking for the reading. She was killing time until her teenage son was finished with his community services hours next door at the local coop. She asked what the book was about. I told her. For some reason that encouraged her to talk about her son.

She was chatty and funny and realistic. It seems that the last four years had been crazy challenging with her son and she was clear that no book she had every read (and there seemed to be a ready list floating around in her head) helped her get control of her kid. Mom was a self described control freak who had her whole life mapped out when it came to how she would parent her kids (she has a daughter who is "easy as pie"), but eventually had to "put my personality in a blender and push puree." Her advice to parents, "put your expectations down when comes to raising kids." With that decisive edict, she zipped out of the store to go check that her kid was where he was supposed to be.
As soon as the door slammed I had to laugh. Not at her, but at myself. 29 minutes before she had walked in, I had been trying to talk myself out of a mood that was steadily creeping up on me. I was annoyed that I had driven two and half hours, in the rain, to be at the reading that no one showed up to - or so I thought.

Actually, I was sitting in the very empty loft reading room for a very different reason. Before I left home today, I was sketching out the call for submissions for the Woman's Work short story project (look for the call on November 1st) and also jotting down some ideas for the parenting handbook that is also slated to come out in 2009. I had already broken down the chapters and was trying to figure which "expert" I was going to assign to each. I was also asking myself what tone I wanted for the book. But after listening to this mom it was clear I was coming at this project from all the wrong directions. By the time a parent picks up How to Grow a Girl (tentative title), they are probably far down the path of parenting and looking for some concrete and sanity-saving information. I need to go back to the drawing board on this one. And regarding the tone - I think chatty, funny, and realistic is probably going to be the best choice.

Sometimes you really do have to go on a journey to find what you are looking for.

We will have a "do over" opportunity for Philly on Friday, October 31st at 8:00pm. Come check us out at Wooden Shoe Books. Don't leave me sittin' up in there by myself this time:) I don't think I can be Zen twice in the same month.


Until Later!
Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

GirlChild Press Goes to School

Spent the last two days in Keene, New Hampshire.
Both Keene State and Antioch University adopted Growing Up Girl:An Anthology as a textbook and invited me up to talk about the book, what it takes to publish women's work, and introduce the newest anthology.

My first stop was Keene State. The book is being used in their Women and Psychology class. Professor Morris (that's her to the left) is using the book to explore the various population of women (of color, queer, incarcerated, lower income, pregnant, overcoming mental health challenges) that her students will be assisting as they move into their careers as school counselors and clinicians. Professor Morris was the first person to suggest that the anthology would be a perfect addition to counseling and social work classes. I am grateful that she had that brainstorm and continues to utilize the book in this manner. This is her third semester using the anthology!

The second stop was Antioch University. Their Human Development class is using the anthology. Contributor Elizabeth Farrell (and her hubby Peter) joined me for the midday reading and discussion. I love meeting the contributors! Finally putting the voice and face with the piece is so wonderful.

The Antioch students were a great group. They were really excited about getting to know the kinds of clients they will encounter in their practice and they really seemed to get that they will have to be imaginative risk takers if they mean to effect change.

During the discussion they suggested that I explore transforming some of the works from the anthology into a Vagina Monologue-style reading. I've been told this before, it's just a matter of figuring out how and making time. For now it's just on my long "to do" list.

I have about 24 hours to rest up before the next reading. We are heading to Red Emma's Books in Baltimore, MD on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 6:00pm. I hope you can join us.

Until Later
Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

Pendleton. It Kicks!

That's the town motto! I love it! Pendleton is definitely a cowboy town. In fact, I missed the annual "Round-Up" by a week. I'm told the entire social calendar for September factors in the influx of cowboys and rodeo people in to Pendleton. My first impression of the city - it is a beautiful, but eerily quiet, place.

I'm glad folks weren't too worn out from the rodeo to come out and attend the first official reading for the book. I'm sure contributor Shaindel Beers (that's her above) had something to do with that. We had a full house - in library terms - and it was a fun and relaxed reading. Shout out to Mary Finney (librarian extraordinaire) for the juice and cookies, and the very sweet certificate.

We had a robust discussion about women writers, how to encourage young writers, writing and trauma, and what it takes to operate and keep a press on track - while working a "good government job".

What it sometimes takes, is bringing a heavy-ass shipment of anthologies across the country to readings. I had originally booked the Portland reading first, so their books were shipped well in advance. By the time the Pendleton reading was set up, I decided to bring the books with me to make sure they got here on time. I was definitely not looking forward to lugging them back to D.C.

Well, the Pendleton folks did not disappoint. During the book signing portion of the program, they bought everything in sight! It is always great to see the anthologies being purchased in twos and threes and fours! It was also wonderful to hear why folks were purchasing the books: to encourage a young writer in their life, to help someone get through a traumatic period, to introduce themselves to new voices.

I am sort of bummed that I don't have any Growing Up Girl copies left to take to the Portland reading tonight, but it's a nice problem to have.

Shaindel and I head off to Portland later this afternoon - it is about four hours away from Pendleton - and I look forward to a great reading there as well. I'll report back tomorrow.

Until then!
Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

Milestones and High Expectations

As of today, GirlChild Press has sold 2,500 copies of Growing Up Girl: An Anthology of Voices from Marginalized Spaces! For an independently published book that is pretty damn good. A lot of hard work has gone into this anthology over the last two years and I am glad folks are still interested in the book. Now with the release of the new anthology Just Like A Girl: A Manifesta! I am setting some really high expectations.

Over the next 12 months, my goal is to sell 5,000 copies of Just Like A Girl. Don't make that face. It is totally doable. It is all about getting the word out on this wonderful, funny, and powerful anthology. I'm not overstating when I tell you that the JLAG contributors have put their foot in it (go find a southern friend and ask them what the hell that means). They have crafted some amazing and unique work and you will be blown away by the wonderful and resilient world of GIRL that they have created.

Every day I feel honored that I have been given the resources to create a space where women and girls can construct and tell their stories. The mission is simple and straightforward: publish work that celebrates the triumph and defiance of girls and women, and provide a quality forum to bring their diverse voices to the foreground.

Here is a few ways you can help the press reach the "5,000 copies sold" goal:

1. Buy a copy of the book - www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

2. Buy your mama a copy of the book - www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

3. Tell your friends to buy the book - www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

4. If you work for an organization with a budget, buy a bunch of books (bulk orders of 10 copies or more will receive a discount) www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

5. Pass the word and encourage everyone you know (and even a couple strangers) to buy the book www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

6. Set up a Just Like A Girl reading at your school, bookstore, church, office, book club, sorority, or any place you want us to come.

And if you want to meet some of the fabulous writers, in the amazing book you have purchased, check out the tour schedule below and see if we are coming to your neck of the woods.

Just Like A Girl: A Manifesta! 2008 Tour Schedule

Friday, December 12, 2008 - 8:00pm
Charis Books
1189 Euclid Avenue
Atlanta, GA
www.charis.booksense.com

Friday, December 5, 2008 - 6:30pm
A Room of One's Own Feminist Bookstore
307 W. Johnson Street
Madison, WI 53703
www.roomofonesown.com

Friday, November 7, 2008 - 7:00pm
Women and Children First
5233 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL
www.womenandchildrenfirst.com

Saturday, November 1, 2008 - 4:00pm
Busboys and Poets
2021 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC
www.busboysandpoets.com

Friday, October 31, 2008 -
Wooden Shoe Books
508 S. 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA
www.woodenshoebooks.com

Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 3:00pm
Big Blue Marble Books
551 Carpenter Street
Philadelphia, PA
www.bigbluemarblebooks.com

Friday, October 17, 2008 - 6:00pm
Red Emma's Bookstore
800 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
www.redemmas.com

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 12:00pm
Antioch University
Keene, NH

Monday, October 13, 2008 -11:00pm
Diana Cage Show
Sirius Radio (channel 109)
New York, NY
*in studio interview

Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 7:00pm
Bluestockings Books
172 Allen Street
(between Stanton and Rivington)
New York, NY
www.bluestockings.com

Sunday, October 5, 2008 - 2:00pm
Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD
www.writer.org

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 6:30pm
In Other Words Books
8 NE Killingsworth Street
Portland, OR
www.inotherwords.org

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 7:00pm
Pendleton Library
502 S.W. Dorion Ave.
Pendleton, OR
www.pendleton.or.us/library.htm

We're on the Air!

Had the great honor of being on Alaina Alexander's radio show UNOBSTRUCTED. Thirty minutes of me talking about GirlChild Press and the new anthology Just Like A Girl.

This is the jumping off point for the book tour so keep checking back for tour dates and special appearances. I am looking forward to meeting you all!
Click the link below and give it a listen.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword/2008/08/30/UNOBSTRUCTED-hosted-by-Alaina-RAlexander

Also check out Alaina's site at www.alainaralexander.com

Growing Up Girl in Santa Fe

I can't begin to describe my trip to Santa Fe, NM. I think if you wake up every morning to this view then you can't help but feel amazing. I definitely feel overwhelmed by all the hospitality,knowledge, and love for the written word.

PEN New Mexico invited me out to be the keynote speaker of a two day program that was inspired by the Growing Up Girl anthology! I am blown away by the idea that an entire weekend was organized to discuss and explore what it means to grow up girl and how that concept needs to appear in more young adult books.

The Friday night discussion was lively and robust. I hadn't done a reading on the book in quite a while and I was surprised how passionate I still felt about the material. There was a lot of discussion about tangible ways that we can empower and protect girls until they get to their full selves. I was really moved by the concern and energy around the topic.



The panel discussion on Saturday was equally as fulfilling. I had the opportunity to meet some really amazing young women. Tasha and Santana are two of those girls. Both are writers and are powerful forces to be reckoned with. Nobody is going to silence these young women. How wonderful it is to know you deserve to speak your truth without permission or hesitation. I am hoping to work with them on a wonderful project that hopefully will come to light in 2010.

A special thank you to Cinny Green who spearheaded this event and made me feel super welcomed. Barbara and Bill thank you for your hospitality. I really appreciate you sharing your home and view with me. I hope Judy Blume likes the book.

Next stop: NYC

Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

So Who's Picking Up the Tab?

There is a long answer to that question - so I'll give you the highlights.

Basically the sale of the anthologies is what generates the resources to publish more books and go on the tour. When I first published Growing Up Girl: An Anthology - a small grant and my personal financial investment got the project off the ground. About six months into the life of the anthology - the sale of the book is what paid for airfare, hotel stays (subsized by my sister who works at Marriott), and car rentals while the book was on tour.

That means that I have to really hustle before the anthology is actually released to make sure there is money to cover the production, shipping, and promotion of the book. Hence the current pre-sale (stop here and go order a book. I'll wait. www.girlchildpress.com/products.html) Your back:)


The second time at bat was somewhat easier than when I first decided to release the first book. Growing Up Girl has been a solid seller and so money has been coming in rather consistently (or at least when I really need it) to cover various publishing expenses. This time around I did run into the problem of having to go to the printer with both books at the same time and that made things tight. Thank goodness I have supportive family members that believed in me enough to pull out their checkbooks to help with some of the printing cost.

Just Like A Girl is having an amazing pre-sale period! The word is out on the anthology and the sales are strong enough that I'll be able to handle mailing the books and postcards (that assist in the advertisement of the books) with little trouble. So far I haven't had to go into my personal stash. That doesn't mean I won't at some point because @#$% happens. Shoot, even Hillary had to loan her campaign 5 million dollars. But I do believe I have a strong enough marketing and business plan to make Just Like A Girl a solid success and even outsell the original anthology.
Now that the press is juggling multiple books, I am interested to see how that affects the bottomline.

In 2009, I plan on releasing two books simultaneously. One will be a short story anthology and the other a parenting book for girls. Between now and then my goal is to make the press entirely self-sustaining and even hire a staff member. I'll let you know how that goes.

Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

They are flying off the virtual shelves!

After just one day it is clear that Just Like A Girl is going to be a hit! Although the pre-sale began on March 31, 2008, yesterday is when the orders started flooding in. Folks are buying three and four copies at a time. I'm sure some of those are the supporters of the various contributors, but I also received a few notes to let me know that they really enjoyed Growing Up Girl and couldn't wait to see what Just Like A Girl had to offer. I guarantee that everyone will be blown away by this book. I am so proud of this project!

If you haven't gotten your copy yet (get it now before the price goes up) check us out at www.girlchildpress.com/products.html

Michelle
www.girlchildpress.com

Still Cleaning Out My Computer

I did a really bad job of taking pictures during the Growing Up Girl book tour. I hope to rectify that oversight on the upcoming Just Like A Girl tour.

I am grateful that contributor Wendy Altschuler

took the time to record our moment at Women and Children First Bookstore during the 2007 Chicago reading. It was wonderful to meet all the contributors. Wendy thanks for sending me the pic:)

Michelle

www.girlchildpress.com/