A Change of Plans

While I was at the Pride Week readings last Tuesday (May 10, 2011), I took the opportunity to talk to Margaret Phillips of the Northern Woman's Bookstore and ask about a book called A Change of Plans.

"Sold the last copy today," said Margaret.

"Rats!"  I had just about finished Ann Patchett's wonderful and fantastical novel, State of Wonder, the story of a scientist who heads up the Amazon to find a missing colleague. Now, I wanted something different, something non-fiction, closer to home and written by a Thunder Bay writer.

"I'll call you as soon as I get more copies," said Margaret.  The wonderful thing about the Northern Woman's Bookstore is that she means it and she will do it.

The book tells the stories of eleven young women who have survived a stroke.

The book is called Change of Plans, authored by Sharon Dale Stone.  Each section highlights different aspects of a woman's experience as she recovers and reclaims her life. Each survivor shows courage and strength, as well as humour and creativity in dealing with such a tremendous upheaval.

The author is herself a survivor and wants the stories to be empowering for other women survivors of stroke.

The stories pay special attention to the issue of invisible impairments, which is surrounded by silence in so many ways, and this silence leads so many of us to feel inadequate, even doubting our own bodily experiences. Stone hopes that these stories will let women know that they are not crazy and they are not alone in what they experience.

I love to read the stories of real people just as much as I love to read fictional short stories.  So I will wait for Margaret's call.   So meanwhile, I pick up New Zealand Stories by Katherine Mansfield, a gift from writer friend Laura Atkinson.