A Dirty Word Called Grief

'A Dirty Word Caller Grief' is a collection of poetry and prose that journeys through the aftermath of death with the intent to help the reader befriend grief. This is a book that shamelessly speaks of tears and darkness and loss in mouthfuls and without restraint, but which also inspires hope in a new beginning after the end.

This book will not teach you how to get rid of grief or give "5 Easy Steps To Succeed When You're Shattered." This book does the opposite of that- it forces your hand on the doorknob of a heavy door that leads to a rough path in the depths of despair and taunts "come if you dare."

This book will tell you there are no answers, but that it's ok. It will tell you grief will make you unrecognizable to yourself, and that it's ok. On the hard days, these words will sit beside you and in the painful silence whisper:

"You're safe."

I wrote this book for you.

So let yourself grieve. Give yourself love. With time, I promise you will speak of grief in mouthfuls as if it were your new favorite dirty word.

-Ana Paula Bastian
Writer, Grief Befriender, Hopeless Philanthropist

A.P. Bastian is a survivor of loss and a befriender of grief. A native Brazilian, she moved to the United States in 1998 completely unfamiliar with the English language. She has since received a bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate.

As a writer, A.P. intimately strings letters together on a variety of topics such as love, loss, and self-empowerment. Through her work she brings to life poetry and prose that reaches hearts and settles in bones with the intent to cultivate connection and infuse poetry into the mundane. She is the author of "A Dirty Word Called Grief," a book she self-published and in which she openly shares her experiences on life after death.

When she is not writing, A.P. is following her passions, some of which include dancing, traveling, practicing yoga, chasing sunrises, and making homemade kombucha like the Boulder hippie she has become.