“Blunt, eloquent, piercing, honest, witty, heartaching, startlingly funny, and beautifully, refreshingly unique. Can you read a book about pain while grinning and trying not to cry and not being able to think of a single book that’s anything like it? Yup. This one. Guts.” 

— Brian Doyle

“Guts is a fearless memoir about the limits of the body and the strength of the spirit. Janet Buttenwieser’s... grit and sense of humor make this an unforgettable story.”

— Leigh Stein

“You’ll be hooked from the very first scene...This book is about friendship, family, and the challenge to accept—and survive—the events in our lives beyond our control.”

— Nicole Hardy

 

Ana Maria Spagna lives and writes in Stehekin, Washington, a remote community in the North Cascades. She is the author of seven books including The Luckiest Scar on Earth, a novel about a 14 year old girl snowboarder; Reclaimers, stories of indigenous people reclaiming sacred land and water; the memoir/history, Test Ride on the Sunnyland Bus, winner of the River Teeth literary nonfiction prize; and two essay collections, Potluck and Now Go Home. She has three times been a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Uplake: Restless Essays of Coming and Going, is her latest widely praised collection of vivid, insightful new essays -- just released spring 2018. 

 

Award-winning Janet Buttenwieser writes from western WA. She says: "For me, writing is a process of exploration. It’s similar to my experience of being a parent: challenging and full of wonder. Both roles require large doses of courage and humility, and both are aided by having plenty of tissues and snacks readily available."