SouthWest Writers Reading

Reading for SouthWest Writers new anthology Holes in Our Hearts

Featuring: Joe Brown, Mark Fleisher, Paul Gonzales, M. Elder Hays, Carl Hitchens, Paula Nixon, Harper O’Connor, Jeff Otis, Ben White, Norbert Wood.

Holes in Our Hearts: An anthology of stories and poetry by and about the defenders of our country.  Authors of this collection are New Mexico military veterans, their families, and caregivers.  Created by SWW and supported by a grant from New Mexico Arts. 

Holes in Our Hearts is more than a collection of works written by individuals with some connection to the United States military services. Whether active duty, veterans, or relatives of those who served, these short stories, memoirs, poems, essays, etc., are the expressions of deeply ingrained memories and experiences.

It is often difficult for those who have served and their family members to verbally relate memories and experiences to others. Whether too personal, too poignant, or traumatic, these memories and experiences, more often than not, rest in the back rooms of their minds, never to be shared. This lack of sharing is tragic on two levels. First, those who never had the privilege of hearing these stories will never fully understand what it means to serve their country through the military. And the people who had the privilege of serving never have the opportunity to realize the catharsis of sharing their experiences.

This anthology includes offerings from members of all the armed services, as well as family members of men and women who served. It is a beautiful collection of works that are, at times emotional, humorous, frightening, enlightening, or thought-provoking. The reader should be aware that the recollections in Holes in Our Hearts are, in many instances, the only way that the authors could share with you their memories and experiences.

And I hope that the contributors to this collection have realized some psychic and cathartic relief through the relating of their memories and experiences. Joseph Badal – New York Times best-selling author