Essays on Belonging, Redefines Rejection as a Path to Acceptance

Book of Essays Explores the Intricacies of Belonging, Self-Acceptance, and Resilience

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Michelle Fiordaliso, an acclaimed essayist whose work has graced the pages of The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Ms., presents her latest collection, Rejected: Essays on Belonging. Published by Henry Gray Publishing, the book is available starting today through all major online booksellers.

Composed of 14 poignant, and sometimes humorous, essays that were once turned away by various publications, Fiordaliso’s collection transforms the very notion of rejection into an opportunity for reflection and personal growth. The essays explore moments of profound change, from moving cross-country as a single mother to being a 9/11 first responder, delving deep into the universal human desire to belong.

An accomplished essayist, Fiordaliso is one of only a handful of people who have been published twice in the Modern Love column of The New York Times, which only accepts one percent of the 8,000 submissions it receives annually, and was recently published in the paper’s Metropolitan Diary, another column that is notoriously difficult to break into.

Reflecting on the rejection process, Fiordaliso shares, “In the early days, a rejection would linger with me for days. Now, I view it differently. I’ve learned that sometimes ‘no’ is just ‘not yet.’” Fiordaliso’s personal experience underscores the book’s themes—that belonging is less about external acceptance and more about embracing oneself.

Each essay, whether about navigating the Covid-19 lockdown or confronting her fear of cold water, carries a unifying message: in moments of rejection, we can find the deepest connections to ourselves and to others.

“Rejection and belonging are two sides of the same coin,” Fiordaliso explains. “These essays are about self-love, embracing the difficult transitions, and discovering community even in times of isolation.”

The book is also part photo essay, with each of Fiordaliso’s written works accompanied by a black-and-white photo from photographer Lindsay Morris, a 2023 TED speaker and a regular contributor to The New York Times, including photos that accompanied two New York Times Magazine cover stories. Besides being featured in renowned publications, Morris’s work has been showcased in exhibitions worldwide. She also produced the 2016 BBC documentary My Transgender Summer Camp and published You Are You, a monograph about a camp for gender-expansive children.

Rejected: Essays on Belonging is already garnering critical praise. Patricia McCormick, author of two-time National Book Award finalist Sold, wrote that it is “A masterclass in facing the most challenging moments of our lives. These essays, warm and insightful, will leave you feeling poised to move forward.”

About the Author

Michelle Fiordaliso is a PEN Center USA award-winning writer and filmmaker who won Best Documentary Short from The Chicago International Film Festival and many others. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, The Hollywood Reporter, and more. She currently resides in New York.

Bruce Scivally
Henry Gray Publishing
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