The Alchemy of Womanhood

Written in a lyrical and poetic voice, The Alchemy of Womanhood is a unique health book for young women. Unlike other straight-informational books, The Alchemy of Womanhood focuses on comforting young girls entering puberty, and indeed women well beyond, while also informing them about body development, relationship, and lifestyle in a profoundly essential way. If shared between mother and daughter, both will find the book helpful and soothing when cusping this momentous phase. If read alone, the reader will feel as though she is discovering a precious secret due to her readiness.

Descriptive and comforting in its tone, The Alchemy of Womanhood gently weaves its way through what it is to become and be a woman in the world today. It attempts to uncover the mysterious elements of womanhood at the source of feminine knowledge and wisdom. It reveals the strength to be gained from embracing the essense of womanliness and the beauty that arises from learning how to celebrate female physiology for what it is: a powerful expression of the very essence of Life.

Author: Dolores Rice
Publisher: Blackbirch Press
Published: 06/08/2016
Pages: 194
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9780997523300
Audience: Young Adult

About the Author
Rice, Dolores: - "Dublin native Dolores Rice has written two screenplays for Irish director Jim Sheridan's production company, Hell's Kitchen - "Faithful", based on the life of Marianne Faithful, and "Empty Sky", commissioned by The Irish Film Board. She was writer in residence at The Tribeca Performing Arts Center for two consecutive years, where she wrote and directed her first play "The Apology" and wrote and performed her one-woman show, "Mr Benn - A Femoir." Off- Broadway she directed two new works by Neil Labute, "Romance" and "The New Testament" to huge critical acclaim. She has written and directed two short films, "Keep Talking", "Detention" and directed one other, "Heaven in a Wildflower" and met great success on the festival circuit. Before embarking on her own film projects she worked in developing scripts for Lambart Productions in Paris (The Hairdresser's Husband and Yvonne's perfume), as well as writing social commentary for publications such as iVenus and The Sunday Independent. She is currently completing her new novel, "The Beauty of Belonging", and in development on a host of other stage and screen projects. Dolores taught Film, and French at University College Dublin, Ireland, and English and Theater at The Sorbonne, Paris, France. Alma maters both, she received a 1st Class honours Bachelor of Arts in French Literature and Philosophy from UCD and then went on to Goldsmiths College, University of London where she obtained a Masters in Theater and Philosophy. Trained as an actress and performer in Dublin, London and Paris she has performed internationally on stage and screen. She now lives in NYC with her husband and children."Blackwell, Su: - Su Blackwell is an artist working predominantly within the realm of paper. Su has exhibited her exquisite sculptures around the World. Her illustrated book of fairy tales 'The Fairytale Princess', written by Wendy Jones, and published by Thames & Hudson was released in 2012. Su has designed art fabric for Liberty London, and her illustrations are contributed to a regular column in 'Intelligent Life' magazine and Harper's Bazaar UK. Su has also turned her hand to art-direction for commercials, for clients such as Volvo and British Airways, and to theatre set-design. In 2011, Su was asked to design the set for The Rose Theatre's production of 'The Snow Queen'. Praise for 'The Snow Queen': 'There is a great deal to charm here, especially in Su Blackwell's cutout paper designs, which conjure fairytale forests and winking houses'. Lyn Gardner, The Guardian 'The scantly coloured set by Su Blackwell, with its paper cut-out trees and houses, is lovely'. Domonic Cavendish, The Telegraph Su says of her work... "I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-sculpture, cutting-out images from old books to create three-dimensional diorama's, and displaying them inside wooden boxes". "For the cut-out illustrations, I tend to lean towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder. There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material used, and choice of subtle colour." Paper has been used for communication since its invention; either between humans or in an attempt to communicate with the spirit world. I employ this delicate, accessible medium and use irreversible, destructive processes to reflect on the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams and ambitions. Su Blackwell, 2007 Su Blackwell Studio Ltd. was set up in 2011 to work on a variety of projects, commissions and collaborations. The studio comprises of Su (director) and her assistant 'Emma'. Clients include Waitrose, FT Weekend, Intelligent Life Magazine and BBH Agency, London. Su is also represented by Long and Ryle Gallery, London.