my little red book

Yippee! My Little Red Book is here, the anthology of first period stories edited by Rachel Kauder-Nalebuff. It’s super cute-hard back, all red, with itty-bitty pink undies on the cover and spine. Oh wait, here it is:

I submitted my story “A Puddle, 1991″ a couple years ago and I’m so excited to see it in print. Though, I will admit, reading the little essay about my first period is astounding  as the actual event itself. I’m in good company in My Little Red Book. Other contributes include fab feminists like Jennifer Baumgardner (Grassroots, Manifesta, Look Both Ways, as a small side note, I’ve read all 3 of these books. Grassroots is a particularly good read) and Gloria Steinem (*Gloria Steinem*) and poet Maxine Kumin, among others. Moreover, reading my story along side others makes me feel, well, among friends, a little giggly, and happy to see such a collection in print. What a gift. Here’s a snippet from a book review on feminocracy:

My favorite thing about My Little Red Book is that it succeeds in showing the wide range of experiences that women have the first time they menstruate, and calls attention to the fact that those experiences tend to be frustrating more often than celebratory. I finished the book realizing the extent to which girls are not just ashamed of menstruation, but completely ignorant about the process….

My Little Red Book is an ambitiious project. I only wish it existed before my menarche. Lucky all you young girls to have it now.