Co-Editors Jane and Elaine are gearing up to launch Writing Menopause, a literary anthology forthcoming from the indie Inanna Publications in Spring 2017. The project has flourished with the help and support of the Crabapples, including our resident book doula Lou, (also a contributor) and boosterism from our six members all around. We can’t stress enough how important it’s been to have the enthusiasm of supportive writers in our lives.
It’s been quite a journey from idea to book, especially with the typical extended publication timelines associated with book publishing. We first identified the need for an anthology in 2013 after reading a post on a writer’s forum. Someone mentioned that menopause was affecting their work and asked if menopause had also affected anyone else’s writing. The idea for an anthology was born.
It felt like the right time to highlight an experience that’s had too little exposure in literature. In January 2014 we put the word out. We knew we were on to something when the submissions started filling our inboxes. Then, a publisher, having seen our call for submissions, requested to see the manuscript. Their interest confirmed we were heading in an exciting direction and although we didn’t feel they were the right fit for us, we’ve since found a perfect fit with Inanna.
In June of 2015, we presented the anthology in Boston at the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research Conference – a group of academics and artists that study all aspects of women’s reproductive health, including menopause. We were delighted to discover that what our contributors had written as fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry dovetailed with the most up-to-date findings of academic researchers. Likewise, audience reaction to an excerpt read at an Inanna authors event in Calgary reinforced we were heading in the right direction.
Meanwhile, we’ve had the joyful experience of working with over fifty contributors who’ve explored menopause through their writing. Our publication date is coming swiftly. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be working with Inanna to finalize the manuscript and cover design. We’ve come a long way, and are excited to share this project with readers and writers!
Elaine and Jane