Meet our books
We’ve come a long way since we first dreamed up the idea for our first book, Let Me Know When You’re Home, and the Kickstarter that would fund it. Now, with four collections of fiction, non-fiction and poetry out in the world and a fifth on the way (more on that to come!), we wanted to take a moment to reintroduce you to this empowering gang.
So, how about a little speed dating? Below is a quick rundown of what each book will bring to the table. Hopefully, you’ll find a match!
Let Me Know When You’re Home: Stories of Female Friendship
Tell me about you…
Let Me Know When You’re Home is a collection that celebrates the friendships between women. From growing up together to growing apart, the writers in this collection take a look at why our relationships with other women can be our greatest loves and the source of our deepest heartbreaks.
What are some fun facts about you?
Let Me Know When You’re Home was Dear Damsels’ first book, supported by a Kickstarter campaign in February 2020 – we wrote a blog about the crowdfunding process.
During the UK lockdown in 2020, lots of people sent their friends copies of the book with personal messages of support and love – it was a beautiful example of how Let Me Know When You’re Home celebrates the friendships that mean the most to us.
If I Googled you, what would I find?
An interview with the cover designer, Anna Woodbine.
A Female Friendship special of the DD podcast, Her Own Words.
What do your friends say about you?
‘Devoured this collection of poetry, fiction and non-fiction about female friendships in one afternoon… so much of it resonates’
What She’s Having: Stories of Women and Food
Tell me about you…
What She’s Having explores the complex and meaningful relationships that women have with the food we cook, eat and share. It delves into food in all its forms – from an essay about elaborate meals for one to a story about the love to be found in a plateful of pasta. It proudly celebrates every mouthful and is a collection worth savouring.
What are some fun facts about you?
What She’s Having was featured in the Guardian Food Books of 2021, right next to the dashing face of Stanley Tucci.
If I Googled you, what would I find?
Her Own Words podcast episode, featuring readings and a discussion on food from the sixteen contributors.
What do your friends say about you?
“As nourishing to dip into as a bowl of soup, I tremendously enjoyed the collection of essays, fiction and poetry that make up What She’s Having“
Tools For Surviving A Storm: Eleven Tales of Nature, Love and Fear
Tell me about you…
In this debut collection of short stories, Nadia Henderson transports readers from Sweden’s ancient woods to the floodplains of the American South, blurring the lines between nature and the human world, evoking landscapes and stories that are brutal and beautiful: Through Nadia’s beautiful prose, the women in this collection navigate loneliness, loss and what it means to be alive in an ever-changing world.
What are some fun facts about you?
Tools For Surviving A Storm was DD’s first collection by one author, chosen through an open call for submissions – though Nadia has been sharing her words through DD’s regular online themes for years.
If I Googled you, what would I find?
An essay from Nadia Henderson on the link between Tools For Surviving A Storm and climate change.
Her Own Words podcast episode including an interview and reading from Nadia.
What do your friends say about you?
“This whole collection transports you into nature, into the hearts and fears and minds of each and every character, into the earth”
So Long As You Write: Women on Writing
Tell me about you…
So Long As You Write explores what happens when we give ourselves the space to record, discover, escape and create. It’s full of stories about stubborn characters, poems that grapple with the potential of a blank page, and essays celebrating the special connection forged through writing communities – alongside advice and encouragement for writers of all kinds from Kerry Ryan, founder of Write Like a Grrrl.
What are some fun facts about you?
The title is taken from the famous Virginia Woolf quote:
‘So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say.’
So Long As You Write has been supported by funding from Arts Council England.
It is also our only book to have matching tote bags!
If I Googled you, what would I find?
What do your friends say about you?
“Highly, highly recommend for anyone who wants to write or be creative and brave in any way. Inspiring.”
You can get a copy of your perfect match at the Dear Damsels shop. And, if you’ve fallen in love with all four, there’s a special discounted bundle on offer.
