Celebrating Women Writers: Ann Patchett

Friends. I'm ashamed to say I didn't know what International Women's Day was mere years ago.

And then the election happened. And the #metoo movement. And I had a kid, and realized the world we were giving him was less than stellar. 

In short, I looked up. Finally.

But a good thing that I found: International Women's Day! A day for people to celebrate women, highlight achievements, be grateful for the women who came before, and to draw strength to keep up the fight. Because, somehow, this fight is not ending. 

So as I prepare for the nation's fourth Women's March on Saturday, I think about women in my life who's voice echo through my own, and keep pulling me into my best self. The first: Ann Patchett. Books include: 

• The Patron Saint of Liars
• Taft
• The Magician’s Assistant
• Bel Canto
• Run 
• State of Wonder
• Commonwealth (which I'm cracking open this weekend!) 

I just learned that last year, Ann published her first children’s book, Lambslide. So I need to buy that, stat. 

I choose the quote above for one reason: when the world gets too hard/scary/exhausting, I readily sink into my head, and find comfort in the quiet where all I need to do is figure out sentence structure, and make words sing. That voice is my imaginary friend, but also as real as they come, and I'm forever grateful for her.