She Lives Here by Kristina Costis Hamlett
On March 15, 2021, She Lives Here, written by my dear friend, Kristina Hamlett, had its “book born day.” She had a beautiful launch on March 19, 2021, streamed on Facebook Live by Life in 10 Minutes Press. Here is the link so you can hear Kristina read her powerful pieces full of storytelling and poetry. Launch Party. In this time of COVID, online is how it has to be done, but once we have restrictions lifted and that wonderful herd immunity kicks in, we will celebrate Kristina’s book in real life, in person, clapping and raising glasses. It was an honor, and a pleasure to write a blurb for She Lives Here. After reading her manuscript, I took off my glasses and wiped tears from my eyes. I was so happy and proud and profoundly touched by her words. Here is my blurb:
“Kristina Hamlett turns each moment of experience in her hands, examines it with intelligence, compassion, and sincerity, and then conveys her insights with a measured grace that leaves the reader gasping for moments of breath.
From the opening love letter to Queens, NY, to the tenderness of her marriage, to finding joy in a world where racism and gender inequality run rampant, Hamlett has achieved greatness while finding her way through life’s complicated maze.
In the shreds, pieces, shards, layers, folds, slivers of images, and notes of magic in She Lives Here, Hamlett seeks and finds balance as she is tired, lonely, searches for comfort, gives comfort, heartbroken, mending broken hearts, catching and releasing ghosts, shouting don’t send me out among the strangers while finding family amongst the strangers. She doesn’t want us to walk in her shoes; we all have our own shoes, but we all stand on the same ground. What it all comes to is this, the world needs all its flowers, each intricate petal, each colorful hue, exalting in its audacity, thriving it its bravery.”
I encourage you to follow her blog at kristinahamlet.com Here is a beautiful post she wrote while awaiting her book to make its debut. She has been a faithful Blog Like Crazy blogger for the past few years, where she writes a post every day during November, committing herself to the art of writing. You can find information about her book by visiting her publisher at Life in 10 Minutes. If you haven’t purchased her book yet, please do so. You will love every page.
(In case you missed this in my first journal post, I love earrings and I give each pair a name.)
Today’s earrings: Haiku Temple
My playlist while writing this post:
Esperanza Spalding - Overjoyed
Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile - A Beautiful Noise
P.S. - Learn more about Unzipped at lifein10minutes.com.