“Reverence for the natural world provides her comfort, as does her fierce attachment to her sister and her parents’ poignant guidance. But it is the intimacy with another young woman that ultimately offers a path to healing.”
This is part of the description on the back of “From the Longing Orchard,” The latest release by local author and poet Jessica Jopp. She celebrated her official release of the novel on Wednesday at the White Whale Bookstore in Pittsburgh with poet Celeste Gainey.
The story was also awarded Red Hen Press’s Quill Prose Award in 2021, an award given to authors who identify as “queer” to be inclusive to all LGBTQ+ people. The award includes $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press, the award’s sponsor.