565 ratings | 34 reviews | avg rating:4.09

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Allison McCarthy

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://allisonmccarthy.net

Twitter

allison_writes

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction

Influences

Dorothy Allison, Ariel Gore, Janet Fitch, Roxane Gay, Michelle Tea, Ch ...more

Member Since

October 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/allisonmcc221

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Allison McCarthy is a writer with a focus on personal essays, intersectional feminism and social justice. Her work has been featured in print and online publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian (U.K.), AlterNet, The Establishment, Vox, Time.com, Argot, xoJane, DAME, Autostraddle, Ravishly, The Frisky, Medium.com (“Human Parts” series), Bitch, make/shift, Ms., Girlistic, Shabby Doll House, YourTango, Hip Mama, Bustle, Global Comment, Role/Reboot, Shameless, The Feminist Wire, ColorsNW, The Baltimore Review and Hoax.

Her work has also been published in several anthologies, including Robot Hearts: True and Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age (Pinchback Press), Dear Sister: Letters From Survivors of Sexual Violence (AK ...more

6 posts
Allison McCarthy's Blog

It Took a Long Time

Some essays come together in a flurry of draft writing. Others take a bit longer to conceive.

My new essay, “And She Was” (Argot), took about two years to write, re-write, submit, face a few rejections, re-write some more, pitch a query, clean up the prose before hitting send… and finally find a home. It is one of the essays I’m most proud of putting out into the world.

After a few months of fussing

Combine Editions
Allison McCarthy’s books

Average rating: 4.31 · 256 ratings · 33 reviews · 4 distinct works

	Dear Sister: Letters From Survivors of Sexual Violence by Lisa Factora-Borchers (editor), Aishah Shahidah Simmons (Goodreads Author) (Introduction), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.31 avg rating — 241 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Robot Hearts: True and Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age by Cara Bruce (Editor), Shawna Kenney (Editor), Slash Coleman (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.14 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2010 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Places Like Home by Ariel Gore (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Meg Weber (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2020	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Queer Around the World: A LGBTQ+ True Stories Anthology by Curry Kalmus (Editor), Sage Kalmus (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Allison is Currently Reading

Allison is currently reading

I Can Fix Her

by Rae Wilde (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 28, 2025 03:33AM

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Fragments Of Wasted Devotion

by Mia Arias Tsang

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Jul 28, 2025 03:31AM

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The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex

by Melissa Febos (Goodreads Author)

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Apr 27, 2025 01:59AM

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Allison’s Recent Updates

Allison and 57 other people liked Nancy's review of The Girl's Guide to Homelessness: "I tried so hard to give the author the benefit of the doubt. I really did. Bottom line is that I think Brianna is on the road to being gifted writer who will write very well when she has more experience. This is not a criticism by any means. She is a" Read more of this review »
Aug 27, 2025 08:01AM · see review
Allison is currently reading I Can Fix Her by Rae Wilde (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 28, 2025 03:33AM · like
Allison wants to read Something Bright, Then Holes by Maggie Nelson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 28, 2025 03:33AM · like
Allison is now following Mia's reviews
Jul 28, 2025 03:32AM · like
Allison is now following Mia Arias Tsang Author of Fragments Of Wasted Devotion
Jul 28, 2025 03:32AM · like
Allison and 15 other people liked Mia's review of Fragments Of Wasted Devotion: "i wrote this :) i hope it helps your heart. 🩵"
Jul 28, 2025 03:31AM · see review
Allison is currently reading Fragments Of Wasted Devotion by Mia Arias Tsang	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 28, 2025 03:31AM · like
Allison wants to read Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 23, 2025 01:31AM · like
Allison wants to read Bad Girls, Honey: Poems About Lana Del Rey by Megan Falley	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2025 11:58PM · like
Allison wants to read You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2025 11:57PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Allison’s Quotes

“But no, I came by these feelings honestly. And I don’t accept bitter. Wounded, yes. Traumatized, sure. Grieving, okay. Anything other than bitter. I put too much work in to be callously tossed aside as bitter. Bitter is for someone who hasn’t earned it.”
― Samantha Irby, Meaty

28 likes

“Do you know why we have the sunflowers? It’s not because Vincent van Gogh suffered. It’s because Vincent van Gogh had a brother who loved him. Through all the pain, he had a tether, a connection to the world. And that is the focus of the story we need – connection.”
― Hannah Gadsby

tags: art, art-saves, artists-life, artists-quotes, brother, connection, depression, pain, painting, van-gogh

109 likes

“Let your intention be freedom from useless suffering. Then, let go. Watch the heat of day pass into the cool night. Let go. When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It’s safe. Let go. When the past has passed from you at last, let go. Then climb down and begin the rest of your life. With great joy.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

1 likes