ARISING

THE 1970'S and weight-loss companies are debuting on the scene. Abby gets a job as editor, but ambition meets reality when the all-male executives push her down as she tries to climb the corporate ladder. Undaunted, she wages a one-woman campaign for equal power.At the same time she's trying to jump-start life as a single woman after her husband's death. Her search for love gets her tangled up with an egotistical artist whose sole interest is getting her into bed; then with a man she can't get into bed! She takes secret revenge by writing feminist versions of children's tales (a Jill who refuses to tumble after Jack!). But Abby's real challenge is to find courage to become her own woman in the board room and the bedroom.

ARISING tells Abby's story as she fights to survive in a 1970's weight loss company. Desperate for money and a new life after her husband's death, she gets a job as editor for Dieters United. But ambition meets reality when the solely male executives push her down as she tries to climb the corporate ladder. Despite being warned by the CEO that men don't like "assertive females," Abby wages a one-woman campaign for equal power. At the same time, she's trying to jumpstart life as a single woman in her forties. She falls for an egotistical artist who's only interested in getting her into bed, then pursues a man she can't get into bed. She takes secret revenge by writing feminist parodies of children's tales (a Jill who doesn't tumble after Jack). Abby's attempts to make her editing job more important are frustrated by the CEO's resentment of her growing independence. His racism vetoes her interview with the company's sole Black lecturer. Enraged, Abby wants to leave.but is afraid to without the safety net of another job, plus the hurdle of ageism. Inspired by her friendship with a woman who shows her what it means to be strong, Abby faces her major challenge: does she have the courage to become her own woman in both board room and bedroom?

Anne Hosansky is the author of the memoir Widow's Walk, plus Turning Toward Tomorrow, Ten Women of Valor, Role Play and Come And Go. Dozens of her short stories have been published internationally. She also writes the blog SURVIVING LOSS. In her "other life," she was an actor, which provided candid backstage material for her novel Role Play. Surrently she teaches memoir writing in New York.