Judy Young (1940--2015) was a gifted but private poet. Over the years, she established provisional collections of her best work but refrained from seeking publication due to her trepidation with sharing her deeply personal poems with an audience. She found her voice in a collective group of creatives that included Susan Starr Richards, Mary Ann Taylor-Hall, and the late Donna Boyd, Jane Gentry, Audrey Robinson, and Carolyn Hisel. This illustrious circle of friends met monthly for almost thirty years and gave her the courage to share her work -- a lyrical medley of pain, beauty, strength, and redemption. Revealed is the story of a woman's inner life -- an intimate tale of abuse and personal struggle -- from a traumatic childhood through marriage, parenthood, and lifelong friendships. Based on the final manuscript that was drafted before the author's death, this compilation traces the path of a woman finding her poetic voice in middle age, returning to an often-harrowing upbringing while closely observing the natural world -- especially the populations of birds moving through the space between her back porch and the lake below -- and meditating on the nature of creativity. With a submerged narrative behind the poems and several calls to nature through repeated motifs, the poet shares seminal emotions and experiences. A Careful Hunger is the last creative testament of this extraordinary artist -- her final act of fearlessness in a troubled yet joyful life. In the words of the poet: "I am alive and must say so / one way or another."

"Anglers" come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and can find myriad places to practice their favorite sport. Are you one? You are if you've ever gone fishing. And with more than 34 million licensed anglers in the United States, it's easy to see why fishing is our number one outdoor sport! In H is for Hook: A Fishing Alphabet, seasoned angler Judy Young tackles topics such as types of lures, where to fish, and what equipment you will need, along with the basics of cleaning, filleting, and cooking your final catch. And since every fisherman loves to brag about the "one that got away," she includes suggestions on how to capture your fishing memories through journals and photography. For anglers everywhere, reading H is for Hook is the next best thing to being at the end of a fishing pole waiting to land that big one.