The new anthology Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors contains 21 stories written by women from throughout the U.S. and Canada—including Arlington’s own Sandra Hull, an e-learning instructional designer, and Kim O’Connell, a freelance writer and Arlington Magazine contributor (see her story on Arlington’s war over green space on page 72 of this issue).
Hull has been telling personal stories onstage since 2015 with the Northern Virginia storytelling group Better Said Than Done. Her story, “Five Ounces of Milk,” focuses on a painful family dinner from her childhood and the moment she realized that her parents, despite their perfect exteriors, were actually bullies. “I think it’s important to share a story like this,” Hull says. “I’m hoping it will give other people who have had the same experience hope…and let them know they’re not alone.”
In “Mary’s Rock,” O’Connell recounts being stalked by a man she spoke to while waiting in line at a grocery store, and how she later overcame the resulting fear of walking alone. “I really believe in the mission of this book,” says the writer, “to raise awareness about things women face every day, and give voice to some of those untold stories that women have to deal with.”
Proceeds from the book (available on Amazon) benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
www.bettersaidthandone.com/roar