Long Division

Long Division is an original collection of fiction and nonfiction. In the fiction, young women in South Carolina and North Carolina struggle to gain independence from their homes, families, and upbringing. In "Lucky," for instance, a grocery store clerk named Dallas is determined to discover what she needs to be happy. In "Feeding the Angels," Kizanna Beaufort questions her idyllic childhood on a South Carolina plantation after she realizes that her parents will go to any lengths to keep the family property. The creative non-fiction comprises essays with topics ranging from divorce to migraines. "Migraine," for example, describes the impact of migraines upon the sufferer and her family. "Headache," "Long Division," and "How to Look Like a Divorcee" explore the end of a marriage and the rediscovery of independence and happiness. As a whole, the collection portrays young women struggling to love themselves and establish independence regardless of the expectations of those around them.