conversations

About the Book

"Conversations" brings women ages 20-80 through a journey of self-discovery, community and personal empowerment. The book’s genesis is the result of an ongoing discussion between the co-authors over the course of twenty years. We started "Conversations" with four simple questions to women throughout the United States. The forms of communication included written, voice, and e-mail. What we found important was not the communication vehicles, but the questions, answers and advice resulting from these conversations.

"Conversations" is a collection of thirty women’s stories who participated in the dialogue. They talked about who they are, what they did right, what they would do over, and asked a question or two. So began the conversation. . . “you asked”. . . “you answered.” We contacted the women ten years later and have included those who responded in this collection.

Women want other women’s input into the daily happenings of their life and they want to know how other women tackled fears, joys and health issues. "Conversations" addresses the concerns of modern American Women of all ages, race and economics. "Conversations" shares common themes found in recent books: the quest for meaning, direction and clarity in one’s life.

About the Author

Karen Gutowsky, is a Professor in Visual Communications at Seattle Pacific University. She is a co-owner of a design firm working primarily in corporate branding. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and graduate work at University of Washington. She lives in the Northwest with her husband, and has two grown children. In her spare time she writes children novels.

Pat Mesch has co-authored four text books for English teachers, published poetry, articles in the English Journal and have presented at NCTE national conventions. She has taught High School and College students in Illinois, Colorado and Washington. Her undergraduate work was completed at Barat College in Lake Forest; graduate degrees from the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago. She has four daughters, two sons-in-law, seven grandchildren and a grandson in law.

Karen and Pat have been in “Conversation” for 45 years.