An inspiring guide featuring the wit, wisdom, and stories of Zona Rosa, the writing-and-sisterhood workshop that has empowered thousands of womenFor more than twenty years, Rosemary Daniell-Southern belle, successful writer, and tireless champion of female empowerment-has led Zona Rosa, a writing workshop for women founded on the premise that writing can be not only a creative challenge but a tool for healing. Here, she shares the secrets of Zona Rosa: practical advice and home-grown "Exorcises" that help you face and think through writing issues, and life in general.You'll learn how to avoid the "13 (Possible) Boo Boos" that plague everyone's writing. You'll bring yourself to "Write About the Thing I Most Don't Want to Write About" and learn how facing the difficult past can lead to breakthroughs. You'll discover "The Emotional Tai Chi of Getting Your Work Out There," with suggestions for painlessly sending your work into the world. Along the way, you'll meet some of the many women who have improved their writing-and lives-through the camaraderie, constructive advice, and fun of Zona Rosa. And you'll be inspired by Rosemary Daniell herself, who has weathered personal tragedy, Bad Love, and her own writing issues to come out singing. Secrets of the Zona Rosa is essential reading for any woman who writes-and who has lived a life full of stories.

Preface: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE ZONA ROSAChapter One:THE STORY OF MY WRITING (AND OTHER) LIFEWhy Where You Are Is Good EnoughChapter Two:WE ARE ALL DOORS UNTIL SOMEONE SLAMS USHow We Can Empower Ourselves No Matter WhatChapter Three:IF I WAS REALLY WILDWhy Courage and Daring Are Not Just for Other WomenChapter Four:WHEN I'VE STEPPED OUT IN FAITHHow Patience, Perseverance, and Some Other Virtues Your Grandmama Taught You Can Help You in Writing and LifeChapter Five:IF I TOLD MY JUICY SECRETSHow the Power of the Pink Keeps Us Laughing, or Why Even Serious Babes Still Want to Have FunChapter Six:"IF I'M REALLY HONEST, I'M NOT ACTUALLY OKAY WITH . . ."How Writing plus the Power of the Pink Helps Keep Us Sane When the Worst HappensChapter Seven:IF I THOUGHT LIKE A GUYYes, There's a Lot We Can Learn from Them!Chapter Eight:A CHORUS LINE OF WINNING LEGSTo Take You Where You Want to GoChapter Nine:A BEVY OF PERFECT T.I.T.SAll the Writing How-to You Will Ever NeedEpilogue:FIREWORKS, OR THE BIG ZONA ROSA PARTY IN THE SKYAfterword, and an InvitationAppendix A:My Third Brother's Wife's Strawberry Cream Cake, or the Official Zona Rosa DessertAppendix B:A Slew of Writing Fears-Do Any of Them Hit Home?Appendix C:Tap into the Power of the Pink-Start Your Own Sub Rosa Group!Acknowledgments