Blog Tour: Scribbling Women

Scribbling Women
Marthe Jocelyn
Tundra Books, 2011

Welcome to Day 4 of Tundra Books' "Scribbling Women Blog Tour"! (In case you've missed the first few days, or want to see what's happening tomorrow, be sure to check out Tundra's main schedule!)

When I saw that Tundra Books needed bloggers to host spots for Scribbling Women, I knew I had to try. When I found out I was on the list? I did a little happy dance. Before I ever read a word of the book, I knew it was one of those things I had to read -- not like you "have" to read the latest release of a favorite author, but deep-down-inside-need-to-read. Couldn't explain it, just knew it. And I did get to read it, and now I get to share it with you ...

From reading the "blurb" online, I knew that Scribbling Women was going to spotlight forgotten women writers, including some I had never even heard of in passing. Since I was a Literature and History double-major in undergrad, I found this mesmerizing. Once I got the book and started reading - wow. I guess in some part of my mind, I was expecting to discover "authors", not fully realizing I would be discovering writers. These women? They're normal women whose writings were sometimes appreciated, sometimes only seen by themselves. In a sense, they are just voices lost in the wilderness of writing - but when you stop, and take the time to really look at their stories, at their scribblings, the picture is extraordinary.

These are women who could not just "sit down and write" - while a few made a profession of writing, the others were using their pens (or pencils) to record their experiences, their thoughts, their views of their world. It is this that is so special - after getting the tiniest glimpse into the inner lives of these scribbling women, I feel like I've stumbled upon a sisterhood of scribblers. I may never find myself stranded in the Arctic or racing the clock 'round the world, I may not be compiling a first-of-its-kind recipe book or recording the minutia of a royal court - those are not my stories, but I recognized the need to write it all down.

Marthe Jocelyn did an exemplary job of threading the stories of these individual women together - linking their unique experiences by the comparisons and contrasts between them. She liberally sprinkles their own voices in her narrative, explaining who these scribblers were and the contribution their suddenly-uncovered writings can offer. I came away from the reading feeling much more knowledgeable, and also intrigued. I'd suggest that anyone who ever feels that ceaseless itch to write to read this - to realize that the important part is not fame or fortune or recognition, but the writing. That is, ultimately, what I came away from the reading with: the renewed belief in the power of words, and that when the words must come - they must come.

I like to consider myself a part of the Sisterhood of Scribblers - I have a new appreciation of the ease in which I can write, and a revived sense of dedication to scribbling away. Oh Hawthorne, your scornful title, I embrace - I want to be one of those scribbling women you bemoaned, if it means I join the ranks of such writers I've been introduced to. Maybe I'm just a hopeless WordGeek, but this was truly a learning experience for me. I'm very glad I've been able to share with you, in some part, my reading journey.

Don't forget to check out the other blog tour stops today, starting with Cassandra's post over at Indie Reader Houston!

Also, Tundra's hosting an AMAZING giveaway: You could win Marthe Jocelyn's entire collection of books, simply by commenting on this post! And you can gain another entry by commenting on every post in the tour! Check out the details, and what you could win here! And good luck!

Book provided by publisher for review.