Lori Lindstrom is a writer currently working on her memoir. She hopes her stories can help others struggling to come to terms with a difficult past.
Lori Lindstrom chronicles growing up in a family with more than its share of daily challenges. When she retired, she began writing the memoir and revisited her childhood diaries to fill in memory gaps. Her own words describe moments and events she didn’t recall or had suppressed. Lori’s stories reveal what it was like to grow up in a family where she often felt invisible.
Publications
Lori’s work has appeared in literary magazines, online journals, and mixed-media platforms. Below are links to stories Lori has written about her life:
Two Identical Gifts
First published at Allium, A Journal of Poetry and Prose
September 2022
I Love You
First published at Discretionary Love
May 2022
Piano
First published at bioStories
August 2021
Guest of Honor
First published at Potato Soup Journal
April 2021
Featured Excerpt
Most of their adult children lived out of state, yet my husband’s parents called them every Sunday. Carl and I lived nearby, and they called us too; my husband talking on one extension, me on another. One Sunday, the call proceeded as usual, but this time, Nicole didn’t close with her normal “goodbye.” This time, she -paused and said, “We love you, Lori.”
I froze. I had only heard those words from my boyfriends and now my husband. I gripped the phone, not knowing what to say, and after an awkward gap, I threw out, “I love you, too.”
Bill and Nicole were affectionate, hugging and kissing me every chance they got. It didn’t take me long to feel comfortable with their demonstrative ways. I got a kick out of Bill’s intense bear hugs that left me wondering if he could accidentally break a rib. I could handle that.
What I couldn’t handle were Nicole’s words. They triggered feelings of unease and left me unhinged. When I heard my mother-in-law say, “We love you, Lori,” I realized how much I had been missing.
Last summer, I said to my brother, “I never heard ‘I love you’ from our parents.”
“I never heard it either.”
“I sure wish they’d told me,” I said.
Upcoming Stories
Lori’s next story is slated for publication in the upcoming months. Please fill out this form if you’d like to receive notifications about this and future publications.
Rave Reviews About Lori’s Published Work
“Lori elevates her craft with everything she writes. Her working memoir has propulsive force and disquieting impact.“
~ Linda L.
“Her writing is compassionate, engaging, and deeply concerned with social issues, particularly the complexity of family life. She observes the world, and her characters within it, with a keen eye.”
~ Melissa G.
“Such a beautiful expression of a young girl in the 60s and the window of that experience we get to feel with the author... this story allows the readers to open our window and explore. Very honest, touching, and important.”
~ Nancy P.
Lori Lindstrom 