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You never know where an opportunity might take you, but there are just some people you trust when they call. For me, one of those people is Gina Barreca. She is a feminist scholar who holds a doctorate in English literature and has more than 10 books to her name. Gina is at the helm of the "Fast Women" flash nonfiction series published by Woodhall Press. There have been four themed collections in the series thus far, and each time, she has invited me to contribute an essay. I have said yes without hesitation.

Gina uses her expertise, her education and her genuine desire to empower women to light the torch of each essayist, and in turn each reader. She's the kind of person who keeps moving forward while reaching a hand back for other women to come along.

Even still, when she asked me to join her as co-editor for the next collection with the intention of taking on the role of the series editor going forward, I was gobsmacked.

"It's precisely the right time for a new editor to merge into the 'Fast Women' lane," Gina said, "not necessarily because I want to slow down, but because I want to make sure that 'Fast Women,' as a series, keeps up."

Gina insists that I am the "the ideal woman to assume the next step in cultivating the collections." The fact that she trusts me with this series is a huge compliment and a complete honor.

Lifting women's voices feels particularly important right now with all that is happening in our country... our world. For this reason, the next book in the series will be titled "Fast Forbidden Women."

"As co-editor," Gina said, "we will work together to find the best 75 women writers for the upcoming collection on the lure and appeal of the forbidden (forbidden fruit, forbidden pleasure, forbidden wishes) as well as the punishments for trespassing established rules (exile, abandonment, excoriation)."

So much of life is about grappling with what has been deemed forbidden. It pushes against our hopes and dreams, and it requires us to challenge, question and sometimes accept what has been denied us. Women, especially women in marginalized communities, find themselves forbidden more vehemently and more frequently due to race, religion, gender identity and sexist "boys clubs."

It's also a time when setting boundaries and living according to our values helps us preserve our peace, whether that's by indulging in something deemed forbidden or by drawing the line to extricate oneself from toxic relationships and environments.

Together, we will publish women's stories of triumph, rebellion, indulgence and acceptance that will span every emotion from humor to heartbreak.

The opportunity to work alongside someone I greatly admire and respect is such a gift, especially when we are working together to bring women's stories to the world. As Gina said: "All good writing holds a mirror up to life, and flash nonfiction holds up a compact mirror. In it, readers will see themselves."

Learn more about the "Fast Women" series at WoodhallPress.com.

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Do you know anyone who's doing cool things to make the world a better place? I want to know. Send me an email at Bonnie@WriterBonnie.com. Also, stay in the loop by signing up for her weekly newsletter at WriterBonnie.com. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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