HERE WE NAMED OURSELVES
AVAILABLE NOW
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A mixture of poems and prose, this collection is never quite one or the other, and never equally both, paralleling the crux of the common Asian American identity crisis. With stories of gruesome heartbreaks that followed her from girlhood to adulthood, this collection from Nicole Ting explores this truth: we are more than our heartbreaks. While they do matter, they do not define the entirety of who we are: people who have been transformed by love that prevails, and love that doesn’t.
Here We Named Ourselves is for anyone who’s ever felt loneliness and loss rooted in any grief that orbits the pain of not being loved back. Whether that lies within romance or family or racial/ethnic identity—this book is proof that healing is nonlinear, frequently cyclical in nature, but it is entirely reachable.
PRAISE
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“In Here We Named Ourselves, Nicole Ting has written poems that come to life, vibrant with detail and brimming with sincerity. This collection is an excavation of memory, identity, desire, and hope. It asks no question that it doesn’t already know the answer to, sits on your chest and demands immediate attention. Through lyrical prose and dazzling poetry, Ting shows us that to love this life, this world, ourselves, is worth the agony of survival. This is a book that will linger in your bones long after you’ve finished it.”
— CAITLIN CONLON, author of The Surrender Theory
“Here We Named Ourselves is a gripping, vulnerable collection that skillfully explores the self and one’s origins. Ting is unafraid to tell an honest story of belonging — one crucial for readers everywhere. Highly recommend for those looking to read an incredible collection of narrative poetry.”
— ARI B. COFER, author of Paper Girl and the Knives That Made Her and Unfold
“Nicole Ting's debut poetry and prose collection generously invites us into Ting's experience with longing, love, and what it means to be Asian American today. Here We Named Ourselves is a gift of a book. A must-read.”
— MOLLY BURFORD, author of The No Worries Workbook
“Nicole Ting’s craft shines in Here We Named Ourselves. For any reader drawn to extended metaphors and beautifully raw depictions of emotion, this is for you. Ting poetically captures the gut of loneliness and ache. She invites you in the depth of her thoughts, insecurities, impulses, and journey to contentment. Divulge into these words and be heard.”
— ZANE FREDERICK, author of i am tired of being a dandelion
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