Swift & Sparrow Press

Swift & Sparrow Press launched in 2019 to publish Bethel Swift's debut book, Conversations with Good Men (Spring 2020). Bethel reads from her work and signs books at local libraries, bookstores, festivals, fairs, and Open Mics in San Diego and Chicago. Books published by Swift & Sparrow Press explore the concept of "good" and "goodness" so next up for the press is an anthology of body affirming poetry as well as a full-length memoir-in-verse poetry collection (full title TBA) from Bethel Swift.

#ConvosBook

Conversations with Good Men, ponders themes of love and loneliness, heartbreak and hope. Through real and imagined (spoken and internal) dialogue between feminine and masculine voices, the poet invites readers to join her on a three-act journey exploring the spiritual and practical complexity of awakening as a feminist while being in relationship with one’s faith, family, friends, lovers, and self. Swift’s book compassionately tackles the struggle to better understand upbringing and belief, self-esteem and desire, betrayal and healing while learning to love, lose, and become open to loving again. Fans of poets from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, to E.E. Cummings, to Rupi Kaur and Charly Cox will appreciate Bethel Swift’s brevity, wit, transparency, and heart in this collection. Click here to purchase the book in audio, print, or ebook format.

Monday's Child

Bethel Swift's coming-of-age memoir-in-verse (in the style of Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson) is anticipated to release in 2025. Stay tuned via social media, and by signing up for Bethel's monthly emails, for more insider-information about this full-length project.

Live, Laugh, Love, Luda: The Interviews

A collection of interviews with and about Dr Ludmilla Shokoli Finkelstein (1913-2011) who was Bethel's first boss and close mentor. Ludmilla was a retired physician at Hines V.A. Hospital and a teacher at Loyola University School of Medicine. Although she suffered many losses and much physical pain throughout her 98 years, Luda's joy and zest for life right up until she passed, was beautiful to witness. Audio and images will be posted to this website as this memorial project unfolds. Bethel is also at work on a complete series of artworks based on photos of Luda's life.