Standing Together is a powerful expression of women's collective and individual strength. It is a collection of personal stories from women who have suffered the horrors of violence and abuse and have made the hardest decision: to stand up, choose life, take control and walk away from the darkness.

The disturbing, compelling, and inspiring stories in Standing Together were written by women of all ages, professions, and ethnicities, from rural and urban areas and all social backgrounds; they could be women you know. They tell of abuse at the hands of husbands, boyfriends and partners, fathers and strangers. They tell of deciding to seek help, leaving a life of fear for one of hope. They tell of the family, friends, and strangers that helped them rebuild their lives. Taken together, they form a greater story of hope and inspiration: You are not alone. You can make a change. You can survive this, get through the pain, and build a new life. You have the strength; we have the strength when we stand together.

Samantha Warwick was born in Montreal and raised in Sutton, Quebec and Vancouver. She received her MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia in 2003. Her work has been broadcast on CBC Radio and has appeared in various literary magazines including Geist, Event, Room and echolocation. Samantha Warwick spent seven years coaching competitive swimming between 1997 and 2004, and has participated in long distance open-water swim races in British Columbia, California and New York. She now lives and works in Calgary where she is at work on her second novel.

Linda Goyette's profile page

"Seldom have I read a work of either fiction of non-fiction that affected me as strongly . . . [It] is many things: a plea and a cry for help, an awareness campaign about violence and, most important, a testimonial that offers hope to all women in abusive situations."