This great review from Estella’s Revenge (love that blog title) on the anthology Sugar in My Bowl (Ecco 2011) and my short story “Light Me Up.”  She writes:

I downloaded it, I read it on my new Nook in two days flat (over the holidays!!!), and the rest is history. Good history…

In fact, the first story that comes to mind when I think of this collection is Margot Magowan’s “Light Me Up.” Juliet is a new mother, married to Henry, and struggling with her sexuality in light of being a new mom. She feels ugly, used up, exhausted, confused, hormonal, empowered, embittered, and a host of other swirling emotions. The confusion in this story and the struggle between the two main characters rang so true to life, I was quick to start highlighting. However, I think it was ultimately Juliet’s mental change of attitude about sex that really spoke volumes in this story.

‘There were other differences I noticed in myself. Sex, or even just blatant sexuality, on TV disgusted me–watching reality shows’ horny drunks or all those women shaking their asses in videos. Previously, even when I didn’t like something that was on, I often got sucked in, fascinated, curious, analyzing, trying to figure it all out. Now it was just gross. ‘

I was really pulling for Juliet as she worked through her feelings post-baby and I felt really sorry for her at times, triumphant for her at others. Magowan did a good job injecting a lot of meaning and eliciting an emotional response with the content of this story.

Read the rest of the review here.

My godmother also recently sent me a nice review on SIMB from Columbia’s alumni magazine (Erica Jong is a Barnard graduate) where the writer called my story “luminous” which was nice to see. I’m thrilled to be in the anthology “company” of so many great writers who I admire. I’d probably be terrified to write the story that I did if I were out there all alone.

If you haven’t read Sugar In My Bowl yet, you can order it here.