Food is about so much more than just the first bite.


What we eat can fill us up, satisfy our needs or leave us hungry for more. It connects us to our culture, defines our routines and flavours our fondest memories.

Whole stories are made across a dinner table, and in What She’s Having, sixteen writers explore the complex and meaningful relationships that women have with the food we cook, eat and share.

Bringing together fiction, non-fiction and poetry, this collection of women’s stories about food is something to savour.

What She’s Having published in February 2021 and is available to buynow

Find out more about What She’s Having

In June 2020, we held a six-week open-submissions period for pieces of creative writing by women on the subject of food. You can read our original call-out for submissions here. We were overwhelmed by the response, and after reading more than 150 submissions, we chose sixteen pieces by the following writers:

Ansa Khan, E.V. Somerville, Hannah Lawrence, Paula Hilton, Syeda Salmah,
Maria Ilona Moore, Amy Feldman, Kate Young, Candy Ikwuwunna, Grace Safford, Ettie Bailey-King, Tutku Barbaros, Alice Slater, Terri-Jane Dow, Lucy Porter,
Sorcha Collister

Following on from the success of our first book earlier this year, we’re so excited to be publishing our second paperback. We want to ensure as many people as possible know about the book, and to help get the words of these sixteen women writers into as many hands as possible. 

While Let Me Know When You’re Home was crowdfunded via Kickstarter, with What She’s Having we’ll be going it alone – but your support will make a huge difference in what we can achieve with the publication.

By ordering a copy or sharing your excitement on social media, you’ll be helping us to start spreading the word about this beautiful book. We can’t wait for you to read it.

Cover photography by Libby Earland, cover design by Marcus Chamberlain.


If you have any press queries or are interested in stocking What She’s Having, please email contact@deardamsels.com.

Support Dear Damsels

Words are empowering – not only for the women who write them, but those who read them too.

Join our Patreon and help us continue to offer an inclusive and welcoming space for women to come together, share their words, and get a resounding response back.

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