Yellow Arrow Publishing announces the release of our latest chapbook, What is Another Word for Intimacy? by Amanda Baker. Since its establishment in 2016, Yellow Arrow has devoted its efforts to advocate for all women writers through inclusion in the biannual Yellow Arrow Journal as well as single-author publications, and by providing strong author support, writing workshops, and volunteering opportunities. We at Yellow Arrow are excited to continue our mission by supporting Amanda in all her writing and publishing endeavors.
What is Another Word for Intimacy? came to fruition after years of not writing. As a child and teenager, Amanda had a passion for writing that got lost amidst the illusion of glamor in straight As and the molding of oneself to be apologetically pleasing. Who has time for vulnerability, fascination, imagination, and daydreaming when you’re told they get in the way of productivity and accomplishment? How can you access inner deepness if your heart closes? What leads to a closed heart? Without these answers, Amanda was rarely intimate, unless you count psychology books and social parties, where intimacy is diluted by the appetizers, side wall conversations, and free drinks. Amanda’s passion and deep-seated writing did not fully return until her 30s. Now, she writes to fill the void. She writes to create connections. She writes to find true intimacy, believing it is about the vulnerability that comes with being open and honest when connecting to someone else, whether in friendship, companionship, or love.
In What is Another Word for Intimacy? Amanda travels through unexpected moments of intimacy—a pack of fruit mint gum, the inside of a pocket, an old green dress that still fits—only to realize that all exists within oneself. Relationships are a vessel for growth. Relationships are a mirror, reflecting back in us what we believe about ourselves.
Amanda is a mental health therapist, 200-hour yoga instructor, and poet from Baltimore, Maryland. She attended the University of Maryland School of Social Work and James Madison University. She is a mother of her four-year-old son, Dylan, and enjoys time in nature. Amanda has self-published a poetry collection that includes written work from her early teens into her 30s. You may find her book ASK: A Collection of Poetry, Lyrics, and Words on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
The incredible cover was created in-house by Creative Director Alexa Laharty after a few conversations with Amanda. “Intimacy does not need to be defined in words,” Amanda conveyed in a recent chat, “this cover represents all that we are not able to fully say, understand, or see. It still creates a shared authentic experience. It creates a resonance, a vitality, a life force. Touching palm lines, interlaced fingers, a hug of hands is my favorite! The way energy can be felt from miles and miles away and in a touch, in hand holding.”
Paperback and PDF versions of What is Another Word for Intimacy? are now available from the Yellow Arrow bookstore. If interested in purchasing more than one paperback copy for friends and family, check out our discounted wholesale prices here. You can also search for What is Another Word for Intimacy? wherever you purchase your books including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. To learn more about Amanda and What is Another Word for Intimacy?, check out our recent interview with her.
You can find Amanda on Instagram @amandabakerwrites and connect with Yellow Arrow on Facebook and Instagram, to share some love for this chapbook. We’d love to hear from you.
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