“Words are my matter—my stuff. Words are my skein of yarn, my lump of wet clay, my block of uncarved wood. Words are my magic, antiproverbial cake. I eat it, and I still have it.” -Ursula K. LeGuin
V. L. Mitchell is a writer, diplomat, and creative writing student at the Harvard Extension School. She is the author of two forthcoming books: the non-fiction work The Radical Art of Reclaiming Community, and the speculative fiction novel The Bureau of Toxic Individualism. Having lived and worked in more than a dozen countries, her writing delves into themes of community, environmental resilience, and societal transformation. She has been published in the Washington Post’s online newsletter, Lily Lines, and is actively seeking representation for her books.
The Bureau of Toxic Individualism
Florence Foster, born in the matriarchal society of Matrileva, is ushered into covert operative training in the year 2353 to end the world’s patriarchy. But when she’s selected for a mission to Patronia—a territory ravaged by climate disaster and patriarchal control—her dying mother pleads with her to stay. Florence chooses duty over family, leaving behind her only home.
In Patronia, assigned as a diplomat in her cover role, Florence faces rivalry with another female diplomat and meets Seb, a climate scientist who changes her life. When Florence unexpectedly becomes pregnant despite failsafe birth control, she loses the child and Seb vanishes without explanation. Heartbroken and trapped in Patronia, Florence longs for her homeland but knows she can never return.
Years later, a cryptic letter from her aunt—an undercover operative in Patronia—offers Florence a glimmer of hope. As she uncovers a secret organization, the Bureau of Toxic Individualism, Florence is called back to Matrileva. There, she discovers Seb is alive and living in her homeland. Betrayed by her nation and burdened with new leadership, Florence learns that Matrileva’s plans to dismantle the patriarchy are far more radical than she ever imagined.
The Radical Art of Reclaiming Community
In her poignant and insightful book The Radical Art of Reclaiming Community, crafted with a deep sense of purpose for her children navigating the complexities of a nomadic foreign service lifestyle, Victoria Mitchell weaves together a tapestry of personal narratives and insights from her decades-long expatriate journey. Mitchell lays bare her own struggles in forging connections within a world seemingly enamored with individualism, pushing back against the prevailing tide of isolation.
As an experienced leadership coach and facilitator, she skillfully employs coaching questions and practical tips, guiding readers through the nuanced terrain of building in-person and hybrid communities that evolve with life's varying stages. Delving into the essence of community, she prompts reflection on its meaning, aligning values, and customizing community dynamics while embracing an imperfectionist approach. With an astute gaze into the future of community-building, Mitchell envisions a life enriched by the vibrant textures of a fully immersed, community-driven existence.
Her narrative propels readers toward the radical notion of creating and nurturing a community that resonates, not only for personal fulfillment but also for contributing positively to the wider world. The book instills a sense of readiness to embark on the transformative journey of community building, debunking the myth of individual impotence in the face of change, as within the folds of robust community, radical transformations become not only possible but inherently achievable in every season of life.