Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir.

Shaking the Tree features 29 talented authors in one stunning anthology. 

The Memoir Showcase, Marni Freedman, and Tracy J. Jones are proud to present a selection of our most compelling, true stories drawn from our annual contests. These pivotal portraits speak to our diverse community and its willingness to share the most challenging, awe-inspiring moments that make up the human experience. From life-changing moments with a Maasai warrior to a wild and unexpected coming-of-age tale in a carnival, Shaking the Tree reveals moments of courage, vulnerability, humor, and honesty. The stories within these pages are breathtaking.

You can’t make this stuff up.

In This Edition: 

Mahshid Fashandi Hager

Anastasia Zadeik

John Cunningham

Judy Reeves

Kelly Hudson

Shawna Rawlinson

Elizabeth Oppen Eshoo

Cherie Kephart

Laura L. Engel

Barbara Huntington

Natalie Freedman

Donna Jose

Kathleen Holstad Pease

KM McNeel

Richard Farrell

Philip Pressel

Marijke McCandless

Sara Mohtashamipour

Ruth Laugesen

Danielle B. Baldwin

Leslie Johansen Nack

Catherine Spearnak

Steve Montgomery

Sarah Vosburgh

Ilene Hubbs

Kristen Balelo

Nancy G. Villalobos

Dilia Wood

Tracy J. Jones