The Longest Bloom

The Longest Bloom is a story of self-discovery and inspiration. Nearly any woman twenty to eighty can see themselves in Juliet's life. A teenager leaves rural Georgia to find adventure in San Francisco. A world-renowned painter struggles to balance family and career. A widow barely has energy to live in an empty house, let alone paint, and her daughter thinks the nursing home conversation is due.
On her seventy-fifth birthday, Juliet stares at her naked body in the mirror and realizes she has to start living again. Her college-aged granddaughter, her good friend, and the spirit of her late husband all support Juliet's awakening plan. Juliet shares her journey with frank honesty, as she dares to search for her first love, Ruby, and to engage in a new relationship with Elena.
Juliet's story is about finding ourselves between what we're supposed to do and what we want to do. She lets us see the joys of life, and even sex, through the eyes of a young adult who doesn't have a clue and the warm wisdom of an older woman. Juliet teaches us to face all of our human emotions, whether grieving or celebrating, and to find the best parts of every stage of our lives.

Rashah Solun is a writer from Atlanta, Georgia, whose stories explore the sacred and the forgotten, the seen and unseen. A graduate of Spelman College with a B.A. in Comparative Women's Studies, she weaves her love for quiet truths into her work. When she's not chasing after her spirited toddler, Rashah can be found savoring family moments, writing poetry, or lost in a good book with a warm cup of chai tea.