Strong Like Butterfly: Essay Anthology and Giveaway!

by Abby on February 1, 2013

I can’t remember exactly how or when I first connected with writer Pauline Campos, but it may have been when she praised the writing on my blog. I have Google Alerts to track that sort of thing. What? Everyone knows writers are self-absorbed slaves to praise! Then I began reading her blog, Aspiring Mama, and discovered she is no slouch herself when it comes to witty prose.

Also, I liked Pauline’s work ethic. With no ego or excuses, she made it clear that she was avidly pursuing publication and putting in the necessary time and effort. She took the smart step of connecting and collaborating with other writers to share ideas and pick their brains. (Note: this is drastically different from blindly spamming people with unsolicited offers to guest post and/or promote You! You! You! without a thought to the other person’s needs. You know who you are!)

Strong Like Butterfly: An Anthology, edited by Pauline CamposPauline’s people skills, writing talent, and seemingly boundless energy have resulted in a literary agent, a new blog, Girl Body Pride, and a brand-new essay anthology, Strong Like Butterfly, which includes my piece, “Belly Flop,” about my post-baby body. (Spoiler alert: it does not look like Gwyneth Paltrow’s!) While the collection of 15 essays from female writers is primarily about body image and self acceptance, it also encompasses themes like sexuality, motherhood, and grief.

Strong Like Butterfly includes essays by bestselling author Lissa Rankin of Owning Pink, Therese Walsh, author of The Last Will of Moira Leahy, and Beautiful Sorrows author Mercedes Yardley, as well as Leslie Marinelli, Jessi Sanfillippo, Carol Cain, Jeanne V. Bowerman, Sue O’Lear, Elan “Schmutzie” Morgan, Kim Tracy Prince, Heather Palmquist, Shoshana Rachel and Alexandra Rosas (whom you should totally follow on Twitter, BTW: @GDRPempress).

A complaint I hear a lot from both bloggers and non-bloggers is that it’s difficult and time-consuming to separate the wheat from the chaff online, to use a non-gluten-free metaphor. (Sorry, Gwynnie!) My Google Reader is more backed up than my laundry pile. And when I sit down at my computer, it’s usually to write, not to aimlessly surf the web looking for well-written, thought-provoking blog posts. Lucky for us, Pauline’s done the work for us with this ebook. Thanks, mama! I’m pleased to be a part of this project.

To win your very own copy of Strong Like Butterfly, leave a comment below by Sunday 2/3 at 9pm EST. I’ll pick a winner at random and contact you shortly to collect your prize!

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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

Heidi Smith Luedtke February 1, 2013 at 7:13 am

This sounds like a gorgeous, thought-provoking anthology! Pregnancy and motherhood changed my relationship with my own body in such profound ways — I imagine the experience is different (but equally transforming) for others. Thanks for sharing the details on the book.

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Angie Mizzell February 2, 2013 at 6:09 am

You know I’m all about the butterfly. Awesome that you’re in the anthology. You didn’t tell me that. Or did you? This butterfly is tired.

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erin margolin February 3, 2013 at 12:21 pm

Abby,

Hooray for this giveaway and what you’re doing to support GBP!! I love Pauline and this anthology. I can’t wait to read it. I’ve been super swamped with my own projects, but I’m behind this one 100% and can’t wait to read it now that I have more time!

p.s. congrats for being featured in it! xoxox

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lilli February 3, 2013 at 5:30 pm

This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the giveaway!

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Abby February 4, 2013 at 9:23 am

Lilli, you are the winner! Please contact me at AbbyGF (at) gmail.com ASAP to collect your prize! If I don’t hear from you in 2 days, I will pick another winner.

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Kara G. February 3, 2013 at 5:37 pm

Ah, the post-baby(ies) belly. No amount of warning can quite prepare you for it. Looking forward to reading your essay! Thanks for the information, and the opportunity!

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Abby February 4, 2013 at 9:24 am

And the winner is… lilli! Thanks for playing, everyone! I hope you’ll check out the book even if you didn’t win. It’s worth the read.

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jetts31 February 6, 2013 at 12:18 am

Damn! I missed the entry. But congrats on being a part of a dang cool anthology w/a high caliber of writers (which you totally earned and deserve). Congrats!

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