Congratulations to Nikki Patin and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Working on Me, a memoir that explores what it means to work on oneself to heal and break patterns of harm and violence.
★★★★★ "A book about everything—transcendent creativity and generational hurt, relentless pain and effervescent joy, elusive trauma and remorseless triumph... This book is a fearless, voiceful, middle finger of joy." ~Jaed Coffin, author of A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants
Working on Me: A Memoir
NEW RELEASE: April 9, 2024Genre: Memoir
Paperback: From $17.99
Ebook: From $6.49
Working on Me chronicles the dysfunction and lore of a Black Russian Jewish interracial family on the far south side of Chicago, and the resulting trajectory of its prodigal child: multifaceted, multidisciplinary artist, performer, and sexual and domestic violence survivor Nikki Patin.
A meditation on the biomythography genre defined by Audre Lorde, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Joy Harjo, Working on Me lyrically dances in and out of different voices and perspectives in order to get to something like the truth. Patin’s prowess as a poet and a songwriter is reflected in prose that is brutal, beautiful, and brave.
Working on Me is about what it means to work on oneself to heal and break patterns of harm and violence and what makes the healing necessary in the first place: all the forces beyond our control that work on us.
Praise for Working on Me
★★★★★ “World-splitting. Fast, crucial, intimate, high, deep, it has the undeniable shine of a brilliant being finding her way in a world that cannot handle her shine.” ~cin salach, author of When I Am Yes
★★★★★ “A captivating blend of humor, wisdom, depth, and beauty, offering readers a profound exploration of bravery and self-acceptance. Nikki Patin’s words resonate as a guiding beacon, illuminating the path toward a stronger, more authentic self.” ~Dr. Ni’Cola Mitchell, Entrepreneur, Author, Executive Producer for Lifetime Movie Network, Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story
★★★★★ “If writing is emotional excavation, then Working On Me is like the unearthing of the Roman city of Pompeii. Even covered with dust, dirt, and grime, this gem of a book can’t help but shine.” ~Tracy Baim, Cofounder, Windy City Times and former Publisher, Chicago Reader
★★★★★ “Nikki Patin sings into the darkest corners of her story, infusing her trauma with a vibrant, urgent light. She refuses to be invisible—every inch of her, every word of this book, demands to be fully seen.” ~Penny Guisinger, author of Postcards from Here
About the Author
Featured in The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, on WBEZ, WTTW, FoxSoul, and on international television and radio, Nikki Patin has been writing, performing, educating, and advocating for more than two decades throughout the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Patin is the Executive Director of Calling All Crows and the founder of Surviving the Mic, a trauma-informed, survivor-led organization that holds brave and affirming space to support the writing and performances of survivors of sexual harm. Nikki Patin holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine. Learn more at NikkiPatin.com.
About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent. Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at VineLeavesPress.com.