Women over 80 have done and are doing important, beautiful, and amazing things. The idea for this book came about as friends sat around talking about what it meant to be turning 80, wondering what other women felt, what their lives were like. A couple of us had the idea of collecting accounts and putting together a book. So off went calls for submissions in various literary sources, and we were amazed at the response. Women in their 80s and 90s from all over the country and abroad sent us stories about their joys, sorrows, adventures, love lives, losses, memories, and their aches and pains. There was sadness. There was humor. There was advice. There was so much! And we received artwork as well, some of which is included.

The title, When A Woman Tells the Truth, is part of a quote by the writer Adrienne Rich. The full sentence is When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her. It is in her landmark book On Lies, Secrets, and Silence, published by W.W. Norton & Co., 1979.

Ruth Mountaingrove was a songwriter, musician and composer, artist and photographer, editor and publisher of WomanSpirit Magazine and The Blatant Image Magazine of Feminist Photography. She was also a playwright, Humboldt State University radio show producer, tech teacher, multimedia performer, and above all, a lifelong poet. Here are poems collected from friends, family and the University of Oregon archives, along with prints, photographs and art pieces. Ruth was a passionate lesbian feminist, and a very creative artist and writer who passed away in 2016 in Arcata, California at the age of 93. With a generous grant from the Ink People in Arcata, California, this collection is our tribute to her as an outstanding maverick working for women's rights, equality and freedom in all things through art, music and writing.