AIM Higher, Inc. announced the release of 'I Tell Henrietta,' a collaborative work between writer Tina Barry and visual artist Kristin Flynn. The collection features 40 pieces that Nathan Leslie, author of 'The Best Small Fictions,' describes as "startling and eclectic, vividly unclassifiable," noting it is "a must-read for those who love small works containing multitudes."
The title character Henrietta serves as both confidant and portal for a narrator navigating family dramas and romantic mishaps. Water imagery flows throughout the stories, appearing as pools, lakes, and oceans that both soothe and smother. Swans feature prominently, including one memorable scene where a date arrives dressed as the bird. The collection also examines how aging transforms mother-daughter relationships.
Kristin Flynn contributed nine original artworks inspired by Barry's writing, creating a visual narrative that complements the text. Mary Biddinger, author of 'Department of Elegy' and Professor at University of Akron, observes that "Barry shares truths of girlhood and womanhood, showcasing moments that drift from real into surreal" and "has a talent for recasting ordinary scenes in a way that transforms them into deeply felt revelations that resonate far beyond the page."
Barry, a teaching artist at the Poetry Barn and Writers.com, holds an MFA from Long Island University and has been published in numerous venues including Rattle and Verse Daily. Her previous collections 'Beautiful Raft' (2019) and 'Mallflower' (2016) were published by Big Table Publishing. Flynn holds a B.F.A. from Parson School of Design and has exhibited her work throughout New York.
Reviewer Glynn Young writes that "'I Tell Henrietta' is one of the most unusual and creative collections I've read...the images are vivid, and the words are as sharp and clear as cut gemstones." The book represents AIM Higher's mission to publish works that "blur boundaries, negate binaries, interrogate, confound, and delight" while supporting artists through collaboration. The collection is available in paperback and jacketed hardcover editions at http://www.aimhigher.org/books and major retailers.
This release matters because it demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can expand literary possibilities, offering readers layered experiences where visual and written narratives enhance each other. For the publishing industry, such projects challenge conventional categories and showcase innovative approaches to storytelling. For readers, 'I Tell Henrietta' provides access to work that transcends traditional genre boundaries while exploring universal themes of memory, relationships, and identity through distinctive artistic vision.
