Award Winning Authors Launch STORIED-STUFF.COM; Pandemic-Inspired Website Brings People Together to Reflect on Favorite Childhood Stories, Photos, and Keepsakes
What began as a way for a group of friends to pass an evening on Zoom during the pandemic has evolved into a hugely popular website that has posted over 100 original stories from a wide range of contributors including a candidate for president in 2012, a presidential medal of freedom recipient/civil rights icon, a bestselling novelist, and a US Ambassador. Storied-stuff.com, the brainchild of Chicago-area award winning writer/editors/husband and wife Steve and Sharon Fiffer has attracted more than 45,000 page visits since its launch four months ago.
DALLAS, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The background: In May, NY Times bestselling author Steve Fiffer suggested that a Zoom cocktail night include a "Show and Tell" exercise. "Bring a cherished object from childhood or beyond and tell us why it's so important to you," Fiffer told his friends.
The result, says Sharon Fiffer, a novelist and editor of three collections of essays by contemporary American writers: "We were surprised by so many of the stories our friends told--stories that we had never heard before from people we knew so well. Writing about objects revealed so much more than simple description; it revealed personal history."
The aftermath: Moved by the evening, the Fiffers launched storied-stuff.com on Memorial Day. Through personal emails to friends and fellow writers and posts on social media, the Fiffers solicited brief, true stories about retained cherished objects and photos of those objects. Encouraged by numerous submissions from prominent persons, writers, and everyday people, the Fiffers started posting two entries with photos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. With submissions continuing to come in, they plan to continue this project for at least one year.
"We've been amazed at the wide range of objects that have triggered so many poignant, heartfelt stories that range from the funny to the sad," says Steve Fiffer. "Childhood autograph books and diaries, mothers' recipe boxes, fathers' war photos, grade school books, baseball cards, fishing lures, dolls and toys, treasure chests, letters, pottery and jewelry, and much more."
Sharon Fiffer adds: "Many of the pieces reference the pandemic. Deep cleaning and de-cluttering have led so many to discover and re-discover dusty items in their basements they've never been able to get rid of. Some have found that in trying to tell the story of a treasured object, they discover a new story about themselves. We've received many emails thanking us for doing this during these chaotic times."
The participants have also found it meaningful. "Our treasured stuff keeps us in touch with our values, our memories, and our inner selves," says Robert Jordan, a former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who wrote about Peruvian drums passed down to him by his parents. "During this time of reflection and challenges, I have loved sharing my own story and look forward to the many beautifully written installments on storied-stuff.com
The more than one hundred stories can be found on the website: storied-stuff.com
For media inquiries contact: Cindy Birne, Cindy Birne Public Relations
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SOURCE Storied-stuff.com
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