Kirtsy Takes a Bow

Today it starts. Today people will hold the book in their hands and read it for the first time. It's pretty exciting. But the truth is, I have no perspective on this book. At all. I've read it too many times, in too many iterations. I've scoured it when it had 0 design and held 802 individual entries. Then 425 pieces. Then 315. Then 207. Then 152. Over the last year, as the design grew, as the book shaped, it became what people will read tonight and all this week. This crazy, crazy week that starts in Houston, then moves to DC, then to Dallas, then to Austin.

And that's just the beginning. But the beginning is beautiful. Starting with this astonishing trailer created by the wondrous Katherine Center. She wrote the book's introduction, and these words are hers. So it's powerful to hear her read them. But the truth is, every contributor to this project has such a powerful voice in the world today. And for each one that made it into the well-designed pages, there are 1,000,000 more voices ringing right this second. Out there. In some kind of weird harmony that makes a complete, contradictory, and profoundly true story.

It's happening every day. But today, this particular collection is complete.

It's been a surprising adventure, a learning experience, a labor of love. And for the record, I'm really glad the creation part is over. Because I'm so happy it's here. And I'm so beyond thrilled to share it with you.

This one's for the girls.