{"product_id":"almost-crimson-9798349580741","title":"Almost Crimson","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCECE HAS SPENT HER LIFE \u003c\/strong\u003ecoloring inside the lines-trying to stay small, stay steady, and stay invisible within the shadow of her mother's unrelenting sadness, a force she quietly calls the Sad. Raised in a world shaped by depression, poverty, and silence, CeCe becomes a master at survival-but not at living.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlmost Crimson, \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e Dasha Kelly delivers a lyrical and deeply human portrait of a young woman on the cusp of becoming her full self. As CeCe unravels the inherited tangle of guilt, loyalty, and longing, she begins to question: Who is she without the weight of her past? And what does it mean to choose joy for yourself when sorrow has always been your home?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePoignant, poetic, and fiercely honest, \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlmost Crimson\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a story of generational trauma, quiet resilience, and the transformative power of self-definition. For anyone who has ever had to unlearn how they were taught to love-this is your book.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDASHA KELLY is a writer, performance artist, and creative change agent. \u003c\/strong\u003eA former Poet Laureate for Milwaukee and Wisconsin, she is a \u003cstrong\u003eNational Laureate Fellow\u003c\/strong\u003e with the \u003cstrong\u003eAcademy of American Poets\u003c\/strong\u003e and an alum of \u003cem\u003eHBO's\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDef Poetry Jam.\u003c\/strong\u003e As a mainstage storyteller with \u003cstrong\u003eThe Moth\u003c\/strong\u003e and creator of the touring show \u003cem\u003eMakin' Cake, \u003c\/em\u003e she sparks dialogue on race, class, and equity. She has served as a \u003cstrong\u003eU.S. Embassy Arts Envoy\u003c\/strong\u003e and founded \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eStill Waters Collective, \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e a nonprofit uplifting community voices for 25 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Traitmarker Media, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52128875282706,"sku":"9798349580741","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_6b0419dc-ed24-4373-bd33-0b0a9ffc9ff4.jpg?v=1773822241","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/almost-crimson-9798349580741","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}