Writers@Work: Interview with Mary J. Dowell author of Playing Through the Fence: Stories from 19 Women Who Challenged Stereotypes, Prejudice and Other Barriers to Achieve Career Success
Playing Through the Fence is a labor of love that took eight years to bring to fruition. It originated from a childhood memory, which I share in the book’s preface, when a young white girl moved in next door in my all-black neighborhood. We became friends but were only allowed (due to the times) to play on separate sides of the tattered wire fence that separated us. Determined, we found holes to play through for as long as the family lived there. This memory transformed into a book with what I call a gift of divine inspiration, serving as a metaphor for obstacles we all face in our lives and careers. The stories shared from the incredible women I interviewed illustrate this idea of breaking through barriers out of our control to find success in our personal and/or professional lives.
