Today we welcome 2 authors who co-wrote this book...
Welcome Ladies to a Q & A....
this is Amy
and here is Hollye
Q&A
with Dancing at the Shame Prom Editors, Hollye Dexter & Amy Ferris
1.
What inspired
you to put together the stories in Dancing at the Shame Prom?
HOLLYE: Amy and I had numerous long phone conversations about the ways our own shame had limited us. We each began blogging about shame, and were overwhelmed with responses from readers who shared their own stories. We realized how alone we all feel when we are carrying these silent burdens, and how in sharing them, we form bonds with others and are transformed. We wanted to share this with many more people, so we gathered essays from other courageous women we knew, and voila—the book was born.
HOLLYE: Amy and I had numerous long phone conversations about the ways our own shame had limited us. We each began blogging about shame, and were overwhelmed with responses from readers who shared their own stories. We realized how alone we all feel when we are carrying these silent burdens, and how in sharing them, we form bonds with others and are transformed. We wanted to share this with many more people, so we gathered essays from other courageous women we knew, and voila—the book was born.
AMY: Hollye & I talked (and talk!) all the
time. About our lives. Our fears. Our doubts. Our joys. Our victories & defeats.
Everything from our marriages, to the importance of friendship. And we talked a
lot about our shame. All the stuff that kept us small, kept us hiding. Talking
with Hollye gave me great courage. I think we both realized (in almost the same
moment) that by sharing all that pain & suffering we were able to loosen
its grip. We both came to the realization that if we shared our stories, others
would be inspired and join in... and that was pretty miraculous.
2.
What do you
hope readers will take away from the book overall?
HOLLYE: Shame is that sneaky little bugger that hides in your psyche and makes you feel that you are somehow not enough. Not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty or talented enough. Shame makes us feel we are defective. But the truth is, every one of us feels that way on some level. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to admit our frailty, our broken-ness, our flaws, we realize we are all just imperfect human beings. It frees us up to get on with the business of living a joyful life.
AMY: I hope readers take away that what we share,
what we have in common is far more powerful and important than what
our differences are. There isn't a soul out there who doesn't have doubt, fear,
worry, (maybe) guilt, a bit of self-loathing, and shame. If you stripped away
all the externals, we're all the same—inside. I hope from the bottom of my
heart that readers take away that by sharing our stories, by coming clean, we
are giving others the permission to stand in their truth, speak from their
hearts, and treasure and love their lives more. And mostly forgive
themselves.
3.
Which story in
the book, aside from your own, spoke to you the most?
HOLLYE:
Every story spoke to me. Although I hadn't lived their experiences, I could see
a piece of myself reflected in every woman's story. I think that's what readers
will realize after reading the book—that we are all far more alike than we are
different.
AMY: Oh. I like
them all. Each opened my heart differently.
Amy and Hollye, we can certainly identify with so many things
you wrote about.. I love your quote..
"we are all far more alike that we are different"
We should be reminded of this daily in our interactions with others..
Thank you with all the warmth we can muster!
This book is up for a giveaway today!
Members of the Perseus Books Group | Distributed by Publishers Group West
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YOU won Run like a Girl from yesterday...
I would love to read this book! We are all more alike than different.
ReplyDeleteThis is another one that hits home.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I didnt miss this post due to holiday responsibilities. good reading, hope I get the chance to read it.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to remeber at sme point that we are not alone!
ReplyDeleteI like what Hollye said ... "that we are all far more alike than we are different." You don't realize that until you stop and think about it. At least I didn't.
ReplyDeleteOnce again an interesting topic and book to take to my heart. I think this book is a must for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
This sounds great! This is a book i definitely want to read. Just the idea of it speaks to me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a book that everyone can relate to in one way or another. We always think the other person has it all together, when they are just as insecure as we are.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a book full of deep hurting and with the help of friends they came through it and learned how to get up and get on with life. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have been touched by every book you've discussed in this Hop, but this is one that I will go straight out to buy. When I think of the life I could have had but for the nagging shames that come with family dysfunction, poor self image, and such, I could cry. I try instead to build forward from now, over and over again as I try and fail, try and succeed. If there are lessons to be learned about how to help other people avoid those same traps, I want to learn them!
ReplyDeleteAgain, another great book! I would love to read this one but more important, I can think of one special friend that I think would really benefit from this book. I might have to buy this just for her.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all the work you and the other cheerleaders have done for this Books for Women by Women Hop!
Sounds like another great read. You've done a fantastic job in selecting the books for this series!
ReplyDeleteOh! Another great book with terrific lessons for us all.
ReplyDeleteAnother good book to add my reading list and I know someone who could benefit from reading this as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this blog hop!
I would love to read this book. It is a hard thing to deal with shame and to know that we all live with it would be refreshing. Thanks for the great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a good book! Wouldn't this be a wonderful book for a book club? I can just envision the lively discussion! Women are wonderful at carrying their shame around like their children. They hate to let go of it! What a timely book.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Samm.. Another interesting book you have found. I'm sure most of us can relate to this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely reading this book. The review really jumped out at me--we need to let go of those things in our past that continue to haunt us, even though we weren't at fault or have made amends with others. It is most difficult to forgive ourselves. Thank you for this interview!
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that we tend to hold near those things that we should not, leaving very little room for those things that we should hold close?
ReplyDeleteFrom the comments, there appears to be a number of us with something lurking in the dark. Maybe this book holds that answer?
Wow, I never thought about a book on the topic of shame. Especially to bring women together & to free them from it. This book is long overdue.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! Another book to add to my list.
ReplyDeleteI just read all the comments about this book and agreed with them all. Sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteIt is the little things - good or bad, isn't it? Interesting read.
ReplyDeletePretty soon my list will be so long that I won't be able to carry my suitcase the next time I visit the states.
ReplyDeleteWe are all shaped by the events of our lives. I think the authors are telling us that some of those events are not positive, and we need to deal with them and put them in perspective. Talking with other women can help us see that those mountains are really molehills. A book that every woman can relate to.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness... another great one!!! Who hasn't been shamed in childhood, and that shame follow us like a dirty shadowy secret all through our lives? I bet no one!!! This one is going on my list for sure - I want my daughter and all my granddaughters to read this one.
ReplyDeleteEveryone could probably benefit from this read - would love the opportunity - where did you find all these wonderful authors, Samm?
ReplyDeleteGreat sponsors. judy c still huntin 'n peckin!
Sounds like another interesting book. We all have different struggles and challenges. We need to be kind and supportive of and for each other.
ReplyDeleteThank you and All the Sponsors for amazing giveaways and the chances to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
Another interesting book...love the quote "we are all far more alike that we are different". Although each story may be slightly different, there are lessons to be learned and will apply to ourselves. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have loved every single book!! Good choices!
ReplyDeleteI want this book! I want to learn from others how they accepted themselves despite. I want to learn how to get past the nagging feeling that I wasn't what my parents expected (not a boy) and so not quite good enough. They always loved me, but I always was aware they wanted their eldest to be a boy...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to win.
Boy this book hits home and is a must read for all women. Shame and guilt needs to be gone from our lives. Thank you for having this on the book list
ReplyDeletejbechosend at sbcglobal.net
This book sounds good to me! Thanks for giving us a chance to win and thanks to all the sponsors.
ReplyDeleteThis one sound interesting! It sounds like a collection? I like that!
ReplyDeleteThank you to the sponsors for great giveaways. T hank you to Madame Sam for the great book reviews. En joying each one and would love to read any and all. Street the holidays hoping to slow down and enjoy a few good books on these cold snowy nights.
ReplyDeleteThank you to the sponsors for great giveaways. T hank you to Madame Sam for the great book reviews. En joying each one and would love to read any and all. Street the holidays hoping to slow down and enjoy a few good books on these cold snowy nights.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Patricia! I love that sameness quote. Reminds me of something that someone said. We are born deeply wounded beings -- shame is one of those wounds.
ReplyDeleteThe key is to channel the shame, use it as a moral compass and a positive base for redemption and improvement.
Hugs to all!
This is an interesting topic to ponder. Sometimes our shame is only known to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteSomething to think about, not being to quick to think we have nothing in common.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this book - being the oldest (by about 20 years) of all my colleagues, I often feel 'different' but I think that perhaps we are more alike than we are different.
ReplyDeleteWould love a copy of this book... and after I read it and mark it up I will pass it on to my daughter. We need to learn these lessons!
ReplyDeletewe all have our baggage, and it affects us differently. we need to learn to shed the bad effects of our past and move on.
ReplyDeleteI too could benefit from reading this book and then would like to pass it on to a special girlfriend! She is really working on letting go if her past...so a perfect book for her! Love your book giveaways !
ReplyDeleteI love to read this book. I would like to learn about our past shameless and try to overcome it.
ReplyDeleteThis title was surprising but with reading the interview I think I could enjoy this book. Nobody is alone or as different as you might feel at times. I may guggest this title for our next book club read.
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the more I realize we are more alike than different. I would love to read this book. I am adding it to my reading list, which is getting quite long these days.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like it holds a lot of hard earned wisdom between its covers.
ReplyDeleteInteresting book and subject matter. It has certainly sparked my curiosity.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely read...I agree that airing shame out and exposing it to the light makes it shrink and fade away! Thanks for the review. pbstrand@msn.com
ReplyDelete