In 2020, a follower who worked for a publishing company connected me to her friend at Park & Fine - suggesting that her contact was a better fit should I write a memoir, which she encouraged me to go for. I’m not sure which of my captions caught her attention to reach out, but I was giddy with shock for the introduction. We hopped on a call and walked through the process. “Eating an elephant” is the best descriptor for the immediate overwhelm I felt when opening the proposal outline. Timidly and slowly, I began to chip away at it, or so I thought. Chunks of writing here and there, but my creations still coming in paragraph bits - during walks or in the shower or sobbing on the floor after talking to my attorney. Telling a story from beginning to end while drowning in the middle, was more chaos than I could handle. It was peak pandemic, I was 7 months pregnant, and my belly, baby, four year old and I were sharing a bedroom at my friend’s house. Months went by, and I lost touch with the woman. I continued to focus on what was necessary to make ends meet - piecing together jobs, survival, and soaking up our day to day adventures whenever time allowed, refusing stress to entirely take me over. I attempted to self publish two more times after that - neither of those stuck either.
Fast forward to today, where things are very different now - the papers finalized, court orders and parenting plans. I live on my own, focused on the care of the boys within these pages - free, happy, independent. When I went to California earlier this year to record a podcast, I met @meeththesource for coffee. Roxanne asked how work was going and I sighed with exhaustion, telling her about my disappointment for my “missed shot”. Although, I also mentioned this very idea… she connected me to Lori Frye, who has now, compiled and designed my very first book in order to bring this moment to life.
LINES, volume 1, is a combination of photography and words (some published and some not), of thoughts, tears, and triumphs, as it is my intention to release this work, and finally gift myself the temporal space to write what has not been written.
Books are made to order through the publisher. Please allow up to three weeks for shipping.
Original writing by Samantha Demarkles
Original photography by Samantha Demarkles
Special portraiture by Grace McGuire @gracemcguireart
Special portraiture by Lindsey Hinderer @lindseyhindererportraits
Original Creative direction and design by Lori Frye @lofrye_