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Kristine Van Raden stumbled upon a bit of a miracle 15 years ago with her best friend Molly Davis. A shared idea led to an interesting project, which led to a dinner party with a slightly inebriated and highly enthusiastic publisher. Soon Kristine and Molly were interviewing strangers on street corners, produce sections of grocery stores -even on an elevator trip up the Eiffel tower- compiling a collection of letters from women around the world which became Letters to Our Daughters (Hyperion,1999). Since then, they formed Matters That Matter (LLC), offering workshops around the country, building upon the honesty and transparency of the women they have met throughout this experience. They have come to understand that we are all more alike than we are different, and that if we can get past the differences, there are common threads that connect us as human beings.​  ​

Website:  mattersthatmatter.com  Blog:  themattersthatmatter.wordpress.com​

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Kate Van Raden is a self-taught photographer who pens both a fashion blog and poetry blog: katevanraden.wordpress.com. She is also a twenty-seven year old woman who has struggled with the trials and tribulations of anorexia for the better part of five years; throughout college and modeling in New York. She is currently juggling a zoology degree, a full time job and her continued pursuit of wellness. Kate continues to attend treatment and therapy for her mental illness; making great strides towards increasing personal capabilities for love, growth and self-acceptance; all the while, passionately and vigorously committing herself to her work with endangered species. Kate lives with her three-year old hedgehog Rosebud in an apartment in Portland, Oregon.​

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Kedren Werner: I was born, raised and continue to live in Los Angeles, California. I have been married for twenty years and have a son fourteen years old. I am a published writer (personal essays), and this is my first anthology.​

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Amy Wise is an author, writer, blogger, ghost writer and editor. She is the author of; "Believe in Yourself ~ Inspire Others ~ Spread Joy!" (2012) and "This is Me....Coming Out of the Darkness" (forthcoming), for which she is also working on a screenplay. Additionally, Amy is a contributing author in the anthology "Oil and Water and Other Things That Don't Mix" (2010). She is the creator of The Many Shades of Love blog (www.themanyshadesoflove.blogspot.com) where she writes about the ups and downs of being in an interracial marriage and family, as well as a contributing writer for TheNextFamily.com online magazine, EmbraceUS Multicultural Magazine and the Oil and Water blog. Previously she wrote for Adaptu.com where her stories were about making it through financially hard times. She also writes as a guest writer on various websites and blogs, and is a ghost writer and editor for all genres of writers. She recently edited, "The Eat From Home Diet: How to Get a Slim Body and Fat Wallet" (2012). Amy is forever passionate about helping others find their joy. www.amywisewriter.com

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