'My Aunt's Abortion' Launch, and Other News

LAUNCH PARTY! The video kickoff for MY AUNT'S ABORTION (available for purchase now!), Jane’s book of poetry and essays from BlazeVOX [books], will be Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, at 3 pm EST.

The reading could include some guest stars who will introduce their recently-published work, as well as a question-and-answer session with Jane. To attend, please contact Jane through this site, and she will send you the Zoom code. We’ll have more updates soon.

A.W.P. Panel in March: Jane will moderate a panel discussion on writing about abortion at the annual Associated Writers and Writing Programs conference in Seattle, on Saturday, March 11, 12:10 pm, Rooms 440-442, Summit Building, Seattle Convention Center, Level 4. The panel includes former attorney and current journalist-community activist Desiree Cooper; the poet, teacher, editor, and essayist Annie Finch; the poet, award-winning short story writer, and non-fiction author Manisha Sharma; and the critic, poet, and fiction author Alina Stefanescu. To attend the conference, which includes a book fair and is considered the premiere gathering of small press and independent authors in the U.S., consult the AWP's website for more information 

Warm reviews: Joe Haward, an award-winning writer in the U.K., says MY AUNT’S ABORTION "takes the reader through an intimate journey of family, loss, confusion, regret, joy, and reflection." He praised the book for its look at childhood through both a children's and an adult's point of view: “for it’s these wonderful moments where sight, taste, and smell are the cauldron of memory." He concludes: "The poems testify to Rosenberg LaForge’s ability to share, not only her story, but the story of many women, many families, each carrying the wounds and scars that relationships (and time) inevitably produce. There is a power in MY AUNT'S ABORTION that will stay with the reader long after the final page." Read the full review here.

In Full House Literary Review, poet and novelist A. R. Salandy says, "LaForge raises important questions about women’s agency and the fear surrounding their actions which likens to some dystopian Handmaid’s Tale-esque creation." He calls the collection "extremely powerful" and encourages everyone to read it. The full review is here:

Poetry award nomination: Jane's poem, "For a Friend Going Deaf," published in the second issue of Minyan Magazine, has been nominated for the Best of the Net and for the Pushcart Prize. The Best of the Net Anthology has been published by Sundress Publications since 2006, and was designed to amplify the voices of writers "who are building an online literary landscape that seeks to break free of traditional publishing."   The Pushcart Prize/Best of the Small Presses has been awarded to writers of poetry, short stories, and essays since 1976. The prize is considered one of the most influential projects in American publishing history and is published by one of the last surviving literary co-ops from the 60's and 70's. 

Praise for ‘Sisterhood of the Infamous’: Jane's 2021 novel received a stellar review in the most recent, Summer 2022 issue of American Book Review. Written by Diane Goodman, the review calls the novel, published by New Meridian Arts Press, a "literary miracle" and says it is "is full of spectacular complexities that play out in highly original ways." The full review is available in print, but you can read an excerpt. The novel is available for purchase here.


My Aunt's Abortion

My Aunt’s Abortion, a series of poems and essays by Jane Rosenberg LaForge, details how an illegal abortion affected Jane’s family in the late 1960’s. It was published by BlazeVox [books].

You can order a copy directly from BlazeVox or through online book sellers.

The collection includes poems that have appeared in Writing in a Woman’s Voice; Pomona Valley Review; Spotlong Review;The Loch Raven Review; The Mark Literary Review; and other publications.

The cover for "My Aunt's Abortion," by Jane Rosenberg LaForge, showing the author as a toddler in her aunt's arms.

My Aunt’s Abortion is based on an essay by Jane published in The Smart Set, an online journal of arts and culture published by the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University. 

BlazeVOX, known for publishing experimental works of fiction, poetry, as well as literary criticism, has been operating since 1999. Founded as a student project at Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., the press operates out of Buffalo, N.Y. It is best known for publishing experimental fiction and poetry, and has been lauded by critics for the strength, attractiveness and eclectic selection of its poetry collections. It has published Rachel Blau DuPlessis; Jennifer Dick; Noah Eli Gordon; Cris Mazza; Corey Mesler; Tomaž Šalamun; and Ann Waldman, among others. More information is available here. 

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE….

Jane’s critically acclaimed novel, Sisterhood of the Infamous, has been named a finalist in the annual National Indie Excellence Awards.

The NIEA awards are judged by publishers, editors, authors, and designers in multiple categories, and are meant to promote books that are published by independent presses or are self-published.  Sisterhood of the Infamous was named a finalist in regional (west) fiction.

Jane’s short story, “Storytelling,” will appear in the fall issue of The Adroit Journal.

In the 12 years since its founding by then-high school student Peter LaBerge, it has become one of the most selective literary journals in the country, according to American Literary Review. The story is scheduled to appear online in October.

Starred Review for 'Sisterhood of the Infamous'

 NEW YORK, N.Y., April 12, 2021-- SISTERHOOD OF THE INFAMOUS, the second novel by Jane Rosenberg LaForge, has earned a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly, considered one of the most highly regarded sources for book reviews in the publishing industry.

SISTERHOOD OF THE INFAMOUS is an “exceptionally thoughtful murder mystery,”

Publishers Weekly wrote. “…LaForge keeps readers wondering what the truth is while balancing a whodunit with a deep look at the complex relationship between two sisters.”

A starred review is considered an “unbiased indication of truly outstanding quality,” according to the Publishers Weekly BookLife FAQ website (https://booklife.com/about-us/publishers-weekly-reviews-faqs.html). Reviews are written by experts in the book’s genre or field and are published anonymously in the print magazine and on publishersweekly.com. 

The novel, published by New Meridian Arts Press of New York on Feb. 23, 2021, has also received outstanding reviews from Kirkus and Foreword Reviews. Kirkus called SISTERHOOD “powerful family drama” and Foreword said the book is “a thrilling and gritty novel,” with details “as painful and bright as a slash of blood.”

SISTERHOOD is the story of the Ross sisters as they navigate the murder investigation of Jasmine, a ground-breaking singer songwriter who is known both as America’s sweetheart and a popular role model for LGBTQ listeners. The story of SISTERHOOD OF THE INFAMOUS is part murder mystery, part meditation on the costs of fame and celebrity, and part investigation into sibling rivalry, identity, and growing up LGBTQ in the 1970’s.

At the dawn of the storied punk rock movement in Los Angeles, Barbara Ross was at its center, as a member of an all-girl punk outfit and the lover and protégé of Jasmine, one of punk’s rising stars. After high school, Jasmine grew up to become a pop music powerhouse, while Barbara pursued a career as an academic and software engineer.

Shortly after Jasmine’s murder, police want to interview Barbara as a “person of interest,” but discover her bedridden and dying of breast cancer. Barbara’s older sister, a retired ballerina, is keeping watch over her, and wondering more each day whether Barbara could have had a role in what the media says is the murder of the century.  

Readings: Sisterhood of the Infamous, Medusa's Daughter

Update: SISTERHOOD OF THE INFAMOUS has arrived. Click here to order now on Amazon or ask for a copy at your favorite, local independent bookstore. While you’re here, watch the YouTube trailer with photos from the L.A. punk scene:


On Feb. 20 at 3 pm EST, Animal Heart Press will host an online launch event for Jane's third full-length poetry collection, MEDUSA'S DAUGHTER (preorder here). The event will include a reading, a Q and A session, and an open mic for other poets out there. To attend, please complete this form for access.

On Feb. 27 at 3 pm EST, Jane will host an online launch for her new novel, SISTERHOOD OF THE INFAMOUS. The book, to be published Feb. 23 by New Meridian Arts Press, was inspired by the life and death of Jane's sister, Susan Rosenberg. Jane writes here about how their difficult relationship complicated the task of telling their story within a murder mystery. If you would like to attend this event, please email us through our contact form, and we will provide you with the Zoom code when it is available.

Jane is scheduled to appear on the Drinks with Tony podcast soon. Hosted by Tony DuShane, author of Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk, which was made into a movie for Amazon Prime. He has been interviewing authors and storytellers on his podcast since 2001. We’ll post a link to the episode here when it’s available.

Jane is tentatively scheduled to do more radio and podcast appearances; we'll let you know as soon as details become available.

Early Rave Reviews for "The Hawkman"

Available June 5. We are so thrilled by the advance reviews  for The Hawkman: A Fairy Tale of the Great War. 

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Reserve your copy now on Amazon (print or Kindle) or through other sellers, including direct from Amberjack.

A"a stunning story about how people can heal each other even when it doesn't look like there is any hope left" -- Sarah Perchikoff

"This captures the desperation of trench warfare, the aftermath of war, and what it means to live with those nightmares." -- Ron Samul, author of "The Staff"

"lyrical magical realism that blends historical fiction with fairytale retelling" -- Nicki Markus

"...a severely PTSD Irish Soldier and the lively American teacher who brings him back to life. ...The author transports with elegant language and shimmering prose." -- Andrew Cutler

"This will be one of my favorite books of the year" -- Ria Potter

Sarah Perchikoff called The Hawkman "bittersweet" and rated the book with four out of five stars. 

The writer Ron Samul, author of The Staff, which was a finalist for the 2017 Del Sol Press First Novel Prize, said, "The Hawkman is a stunning vision of the blurred lines between the darkest realities and the most beautiful stories, all spinning in a whirlwind of narrative, hope, and loss..This novel brings narrative together with a lyrical style to rebuild the lives of people who are separately and desperately fragmented."  The full review is available here.  

In her NetGalley review, Bonnye Reed F wrote, " The Hawkman has all the prerequisites of a fairy tale - the obvious parable, the mix of fantasy and reality that can twist your vision, making the bizarre perfectly acceptable, the consistent personal mistreatment to a depth that would make the break into fairytale completely understood. It is also an excellent case against the atrocities of war, and the mental break entailed when personal acceptance of the same is no longer tenable. Aligning these horrors in this historical novel gives us a glimpse into the world our veterans encounter daily. This is a novel that approaches that pain in a more understandable way for the layperson, in a more empathetic way, than anything else I have read. Thank you Ms. LaForge for sharing this tale with us. This is a story I can happily recommend for friends and family."

The Misadventures of a Reader blog gave "The Hawkman" a rating of "5 (stars) and then some," and said she finished the book in two sittings. "What I liked: I didn’t just like this story. I loved it....What I didn’t like: Nothing, I can honestly say that this amazingly haunting book ticks all boxes and there isn’t anything I didn’t like," she wrote. 

Thanks to NetGalley, a service for authors, publishers, bloggers and reviewers, for making these reviews possible. Thank you to reviewers who reposted theirs and rated the novel on Goodreads.