To learn more about Sarah’s work, including her other writing and performance art, please visit www.SarahKilborne.com. Thank you for your interest and support and don’t hesitate to drop a line to say hello!

In the wake of Hillary Clinton’s NPR interview last week, much attention was paid to her evolution on same-sex marriage. If you didn’t hear the interview, you might think that was all she and Terry Gross talked about. It was not. Indeed, Clinton gave us firsthand reminders of the challenges facing the international LGBT community – challenges that affect anyone who believes in the fundamental right to freedom.

This is what I want. And I ask: what about you?

I want an international print campaign to support equal rights. I want newspapers, magazines, websites, billboards – you name it – to fill our world with support for equality so that any child, youth, grown-up or elderly person who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, anywhere in the world, will know they are not alone.

Can a picture tell a thousand words? Well the story behind this one might do just that.

The other week I had lunch with the Tessier family who have had a picture of William Skinner (shown on the mantel) in their house for the last 52 years – ever since Mr. Tessier brought it home from an auction at the Skinner mills in 1961.

I wanted to share with you all a campaign I have been involved with these past few months: The Supreme Kiss: Let’s Kiss Inequality Good-bye. The goal of the campaign has been to raise awareness about the Supreme Court hearings on marriage equality, which took place this week. Beginning last weekend, people from all over the country have been showing their support for equality by kissing a loved one and then sharing their kiss online in an act of solidarity with gay rights.  Many of the photos can be found on the Supreme Kiss Facebook page. The photos feature all ages, all types, gay, straight, bi, transgender and so forth. They are filled with love and joy. The Huffington Post did an article on the campaign and put together a really nice slide show. BuzzFeed also featured the campaign. I recommend the Huffington Post article in particular because it shows how these “kisses” have become a form of art in the cause for democracy. Or check out the Facebook page. As equality advances, so too does our awareness of what it means to be able to enjoy “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Wrote one man who submitted a photograph, “Not all love is the same, but all love is equal.”

On January 1, 1865, William Skinner sat down with pen and paper, reflected on his character and chronicled his aspirations for the New Year. He wanted to become a better man. He wanted to swear less, control his emotions better, get up on time in the morning, work harder, follow the Bible, and in all ways be more dutiful in the eyes of the Lord.

In 1874, my great-great grandfather William Skinner lost everything in a catastrophic flood. He thought he was ruined, and he could have been, but he figured out a way to survive. Writing about him has taught me the power of resilience, creativity and courage in the face of whatever life brings. It has also reinforced for me that the one of the most powerful gifts we have is the gift of ourselves. Give the world what only you can offer. Believe in yourself and your dreams. We all make a difference. This book has taken me many years to write and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you at last. Wishing you all happy holidays – and happy reading!