Ann S. Epstein writes novels, short stories, memoir, essays, and poems. Please use the links or site menu to go to the HOME PAGE; learn about her NOVELS, SHORT STORIES, MEMOIR, ESSAYS, and POEMS; find interesting facts in BEHIND THE STORY; read REFLECTIONS on writing; check NEWS for updates on publications and related events; see REVIEWS; learn about her END-OF-LIFE DOULA credentials and services; and CONTACT US to send webmail.
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Words can inspire. Words can heal. In times of crisis, we seek enlightenment and comfort from the words of our leaders. Here are the wise and compassionate words of a true leader, Eleanor Roosevelt: THE ENCOURAGING THING.
My essay “Theirs or Ours? Who Owns Culture? Appropriation on the Docket” is now online in the May 2020 issue of Vine Leaves Press SPILL IT! The essay decries blanket accusations of cultural appropriation and argues that culture belongs to everyone. Examples are drawn not only from creative pursuits, but everyday life such as what we cook, the music we listen to, the clothes we wear, and how we celebrate special occasions. Please use the buttons at the bottom of the essay to share and voice your opinion. Find more of my thoughts about writing in ESSAYS and REFLECTIONS.
Tens of thousands of teachers, parents, and researchers have read my books about early development and education, most notably The Intentional Teacher. I also write literary fiction for grownups: On the Shore, Tazia and Gemma, and A Brain. A Heart. The Nerve. Read more about my NOVELS and SHORT STORIES. We’re never too old to learn.
In my short story, “The Inventor,” I creep inside the head of the person who I imagine created Mr. Potato Head. Researching the real origins of popular toys from my childhood, I discovered that the Slinky was invented accidentally by a naval engineer, Richard James, who was designing a device to secure equipment to rocking ships. While experimenting, he dropped a coil of wire and watched it roll end-over-end across the floor. Instead of thinking “Oops,” he thought, “This would make an interesting toy.” His wife Betty came up with the name Slinky, meaning “sleek or sinuous in its movements.” Richard perfected the materials and dimensions, and the toy was a hit in the stores where they demonstrated it. Richard was granted a patent in 1947, but in 1960, he left his family (slunk off) to join a religious cult. Betty, with six children to support, took over the business and masterminded the toy’s marketing into a national craze and then a perennial favorite. Slinky was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000. An estimated 400 million have been sold to date. Learn more about my SHORT STORIES, including where their ideas originate, and see BEHIND THE STORY to discover other interesting facts I’ve uncovered while researching them.
I’m pleased to announce that my short story, “Orphan Camp” has just been published in The Summerset Review, Winter 2019. Here’s the log line: “Orphan Camp” examines how the resilience that allowed Jewish children to survive during WWII made them resistant to adoption afterwards. Although set seventy years ago, the story speaks to today’s many war orphans. Read the story online at http://www.summersetreview.org/19winter/orphan.html.
