Uprooting: Leaving the Cycle of Abuse

Jade Rosina McCutcheon & Kristin Thomas

Uprooting: Leaving the Abuse Cycle is a full-color anthology of poems, visual art, and stories from survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. The book is framed around Portia Nelson’s famous poem “Autobiography in Five Chapters” (from the memoir There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk) and offers helpful information and resources for women looking to leave and recover from a cycle of abuse.

Jade Rosina McCutcheon and Kristin Thomas are the curating editors of Uprooting: Leaving the Abuse Cycle. They are passionate about volunteering their time to help women escape dangerous environments and get the help needed to recover from the trauma of abuse. As writers and artists themselves, they know how the act of creation and sharing can be a powerful force for healing, and therefore reached out to their communities to invite poets, writers, and artists to share their work as it relates to this important topic.

McCutcheon and Thomas have also done extensive research to include helpful information for leaving the cycle of abuse including how to build healthier relationships, recognize the dynamics of power & control and gaslighting, the effects of trauma on the brain and behavior, healthy exercises for healing, navigating the legal system, uplifting encouragement, and a vast list of resources for finding additional support.

Contributing Artists, Poets & Writers:

Diana Blackstone-Helt, Candice Campo, Dale Champlin, K. Commander, Frances Greenwood, Summer Harlan, Jarmac, Jayme Sue, Marilyn Johnston, Sherri Levine, Ann L. Lovejoy, RMae, L. Medsker, Kelley Morehouse, Susan Woods Morse, Shannon Rose Riley, Shawn Aveningo Sanders, Rebecca Smith, Cassandra Sumner, and many other brave women who shared their stories but choose to remain anonymous

Early Praise for Uprooting:

The anthology, Uprooting, contains the record of over 21 women who bear witness to the wretched destruction caused by emotional and physical abuse. But—most significantly—the collection also offers proven ways to escape and transcend such devastation. Daughter, mother, wife, these writers and visual artists—many published for the first time—reach out to other women, providing a tested path toward an abuse-free life. This sisterhood extends a lifeline to other sisters.

—Paulann Petersen, Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita

About the Editors:

Jade Rosina McCutcheon holds a Doctor of Creative Arts and a PhD in feminist film studies. She is a recipient of the Kay Snow Award and received honorary mentions from Kay Snow and the National Federation of Poetry Societies. Jade works with Sable House part time as an advocate and support facilitator. Publications include books, Awakening the Performing Body, Embodied Consciousness Performance Technologies, Narrative in Performance, and chapters in edited, peer reviewed journals and books. Small Feather was published in 2020 and the tossing dream comes out in May 2023, both with by Finishing Line Press. Her poetry has appeared in /pãn| dé| mïk/ 2020: An Anthology of Pandemic Poems, Beyond Words, and in The Silent World in her Vase. She is a member of the Mid Valley Poetry Society, The Salem Poetry Project, Artists in Action and the Oregon Poetry Association. Website: jaderosinamccutcheon.com

Kristin Thomas is a native Oregonian whose biggest accomplishment and source of pride is her children and grandchildren. This is her first-time writing poetry, and she finds the lines often write themselves during her early morning meditation and prayer. She is a survivor of childhood abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence. Beyond writing, she enjoys being in the forest, near any body of water and laughing.

BISAC Categories:
SEL001000 – Self-Help / Abuse
BIO026000 – Personal Memoir
POE024000 – Poetry / Women Authors

Sample Pages:

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by Debbie Hall

POETRY for CHILDREN with FULL-COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS of THEIR FAVORITE ANIMALS

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In the Jaguar’s House is a celebration of the world’s wildlife through animal poetry and photographs taken in faraway places such as Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands. Poems written for young readers are infused with humor and delight, crafted by close observation, and convey a deep appreciation for wild animals and the natural world. Several of the poems represent endangered animals and encourage readers to take active part in protecting them. Included in the book are informative “fun facts,” resources for further reading and ideas on how kids can help wildlife survive and thrive.

ENJOY A VIDEO OF DEBBIE READING FROM THE BOOK:

Debbie Hall — A Featured Poet on The Poetry Box LIVE for Kids (April 2022)

About the Author

When Debbie Hall was a child, she dreamed of going on safari in Africa one day.  In the past ten years, she has done just that—three times in fact. She’s also photographed wild animals in many other countries in the world.  Poetry and photography are her twin creative passions. Both her writing and photography have won awards and publication in a variety of journals and magazines.  She is the author of two previous collections of poetry for adults, including her chapbook, Falling into the River (3^rd place in The Poetry Box Chapbook Prize, 2019). This is her first book of poetry for young people.  Debbie lives with her family in Escondido, California, near a lake where red-tailed hawks soar and coyotes sing at night.

Early Praise for In the Jaguar’s House:

In the Jaguar’s House celebrates the magnificence of Earth’s precious wildlife with thoughtful, insightful poetry about each animal and dazzling photographs taken by the author.

—Georgeanne Irvine, author of Hope and Inspiration
(a book collection that features true animal tales,
published by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press)

These wonderful poems and stunning photographs are a feast for the ear and eye and will delight animal loving children both young and old.

—Georgia Heard, author of Creatures of Earth, Sea, and Sky

In the Jaguar’s House is a delightful book that will add interest, knowledge and enjoyment to children’s classrooms and homes. Immediately inviting with its stories in verse, stunning photos, and kid-friendly titles and formats, it masterfully combines science, language, and art. A great read for those who are already avid animal lovers, it is sure also to engage all readers to feel a personal connection to the animal kingdom.

—Ellen Yaffa, Early literacy expert and reading tutor

Have you ever looked a jaguar in the eyes, seen a herd of elephants up close, or a sea lion snoozing on the shore? In the Jaguar’s House offers children a rare glimpse into the captivating world of wild animals in nature. Hall’s photographs will draw children in, and her clever poetry will keep them engaged, offering plenty of opportunity for curiosity and learning.”

—Anna DiMartino, artist, writer, and educator

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by Julia Marshall

The Illustrated Guide to Integrated Learning explores three topics—the mind, creative inquiry, and the integration of the arts in education.  Inspired by the field study books naturalists use to record their findings and conceptualize their ideas, the book combines artwork with scholarship, and imagination with information.

The “lens” of the exploration is metaphor. Julia Marshall uses metaphors from nature to bring abstract ideas into the realm of the senses and ground them in something tangible. Viewing ideas and topics metaphorically can also change the way we see them. It can deepen our understanding of things. Each metaphor has a trail to explore; the more you follow that trail, the more you discover. Marshall takes you down her trails and, like a naturalist, explains and illustrates her discoveries along the way.

About the Author

Julia Marshall is a Professor Emeritus of Art Education at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California. Before she taught at the University, she was a teaching artist in Bay Area schools. She is also the author of many articles and two books on art education, art integration, contemporary art and creativity. Marshall is both an educator and artist. In this book, she brings the two sides of her work-life together.

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