Under the Branches

What truths grow under your Family Tree? Go ahead; get closer. Crawl under the branches... "Clear the hall " I'd yell, running, goosebumps rising, completely naked except for my cape flapping behind me. Under the Branches, the debut book by writer and storyteller Kimberly Gotches, contains 15 stories passed through the generations of her Family Tree. Follow her as she runs naked through her grandparent's hallway. Learn why you should never stand up when your foot is asleep. Decide whether you'll put garland made of rope on your next shopping list. Sharing truths applicable around the winter holidays and throughout the year, Kimberly takes you on a journey to learn about life, love, and surviving loss by drawing from your roots. "Kimberly Gotches tells a story as if she is giving a person-to-person call from her heart to yours. She doesn't just share the story; she shares herself. You take away a sense of having been touched by an authentic, sensitive, joyous, and caring person-and truly enriched by the experience." -Joe Hayes, nationally recognized author and teller of Southwestern tales from the Hispanic, Native American, and Anglo cultures "Her stories are always somehow affirmative, showing us that we can survive being mortal, helping us better understand the sometimes devastating magnificence of life." -Benjamin Percy, American novelist, short story writer, essayist, comics writer, and screenwriter "Through these delightful and touching stories, Kimberly invites us to meet her Yiayi and discover the roots and reasons for her work with listeners of all ages." -Regina Ress, storyteller, actor, writer and educator; winner of the 2014 Storytelling World Honor