Hey friends! Its spring already (though the last few days in New York City have felt like summer. It is far too soon for these nearly 90 days)!
I have some NEWS! And the NEWS is book-shaped!
That’s right! I wrote a Little Women book with some friends and come 2025 you will be able to read it! I know that sounds like a long time but I promise it will be here before we know it (oh speaking of I listened to this great podcast called InnerCosmos and now I know why time seems to go faster when you’re an adult and it’s because you are not laying down as many new memories like you did as a kid. Isn’t that both depressing and fascinating??)
So we did something, I think, pretty special with this book. It lives in the world of Little Women taking place in the story when Jo is in New York City, Amy is traveling Europe, Meg is a new mother and Beth is the only one left at home. And the biggest part about it is that it’s not about Jo. She’s not in it. Because, as you can tell from the title it’s about The Other March Sisters!
And I am so excited for you to read Linda’s incredible Amy – where she blows apart the myth that Amy is just a little brat – and I’m so excited for you to read Liz’s witchy Meg navigating new motherhood and marriage – and I’m excited for you to meet my Beth (and to read my first foray into historical, non-horror, adult writing!)
You see the thing is, we have always felt like while Louisa did a good job of making Jo fully realized, her sisters have always read a little one dimensional. So, we reached back to the real life Alcott sisters – Anna, Lizzie, and May for inspiration. And I need you to know, after reading Lizzie’s letters (as well as this amazing essay by Carmen Maria Machado) the House Angel that Louisa gave us was very different from the dark-humored woman that Louisa actually knew.
For instance, this is from one of her letters:
I hope I did that woman, the one who called herself Your Little Skeleton – the one who was more than her illness – I hope I did her right.
I can’t wait for you to meet Our Other March Sisters!
P.S. – It’s also very gay! lol
Peace, love and starbursts,
Ally
Ally Malinenko 