“Edited by activist and poet Kay Kassirer, the book includes contributors who represent a wide variety of identities, backgrounds, abilities, genders and work experiences. But all are focused on being heard—and with this collection, they are.” —Ms.
I contributed two stories to this anthology and read at the launch event at Good Vibes Polk Street. And editor Kay Kassirer discussed my story, “The Retiree” with Tristan Taormino in this interview on the Sex Out Loud podcast. Purchase the anthology direct from Thorntree Press or through your local book shop. Excerpt below.
The Retiree
No way the woman scrutinizing Regina’s resume would hire a girl with zero experience. Regina studied the famed art dealer’s immaculate, orange-painted lips and neat, auburn pixie cut. She admired the super-sleek Donna Karan skirt suit and the gallery’s soaring, wood-beamed ceilings. She needed a steady job in art, this job, at the best gallery in the city.
So when those orange lips parted to release the words, “You’re hired,” Regina screamed inside. Back on track. Not that she’d strayed. Painting to meet deadlines had crushed her inner artist and left her burnt out. Take a break. Stock the metaphoric creative pond, she’d told herself.
Kay, a plain name for such a big deal, wore six-inch Louboutins that clacked on the polished concrete floor as she led Regina past an imposing series of lavender-and-black oil paintings. Her voice carried. “I’ll call you with a start date as soon as I get your background check.” She said it with rolling eyes and a mocking tone that trivialized the formality.
But the words echoed through the gallery rooms and caught Regina by the throat. She could barely speak. Kay might as well have told her to forget it, that they only hired good girls, not girls like her.
Not whores. She felt nauseous and dizzy but managed to shake Kay’s hand and let herself out onto the street. She stumbled around the corner in time to puke in the alley, away from the gallery windows. She had been naïve to think she could land a straight gig so easily.
***
To read the rest of this story, purchase the anthology direct from Thorntree Press or through your local book shop.