Lemonade and Holy Stuff: Collected Essays

Published in February 2014, this is a collection of essays that examines the small moments in life that help us turn bad situations into good and leave us feeling more blessed than we realize. Readers will find more than their fair share of laughter and tears in her observations of everyday life. They may even find a glimpse of themselves. Whether observing the humor her children use to calm an upset cousin, complaining of “mining” for money her young son swallowed, or chronicling the lessons learned by a woman who should have been a statistic, Gargasz uses warmth and wit to convey one simple message: Cling to the little things in life.They make it so much worth the living.

Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee

Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee is filled with the crazy, brilliant, and unforgettable lessons we’ve learned from our mothers—stories shared by more than forty word-crafty writers. Some of the tales will make you laugh; some will make you cry; and a few will leave you questioning how we ever survived our childhoods. Although they may seem a little faulty, trust me, our mothers (and motherly figures) could drive like Andretti, cook like Julia Child, and shake someone up like an Italian mobster. We’ve survived and thrived, and never forgotten their enlightening words.