Local women release book, ‘The Apple You Were Fed’

Tribune Chronicle
Somewhere in the world, there are people living experiences very different from our own that could one day, years later, prove instrumental in changing the course of our destiny. This was true for two local women.

While one of them was learning that a woman’s place was in the home, education meant little, and church came without doubts, the other was in another town being taught to reach for the stars, learn as much as possible, and to question everything. They would grow up to become fast friends.

Kimberly Lisowski and Andrea Pouliot, both from Canfield, have just released a new Christian non-fiction book titled ‘‘The Apple You Were Fed.’’

Kimberly Lisowski (Semple) is a Niles native and a 1987 graduate of Niles McKinley High School. She now resides in Canfield with her husband Ed and four children. Andrea Pouliot (Heddleston) is an East Liverpool native and 1990 graduate of East Liverpool High School. Andrea resides in Canfield with her husband Tony and three children.

Lisowski and Pouliot have scheduled book signings for their new book from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Christian Family Bookstore in Boardman and from 2 to 4 p.m. March 1 at Borders in Niles.

The two authors were strangers living across the street from one another: One was a spiritual-doubter with a psychology degree and a full-time sales position with a pharmaceutical company, and the other was a conservative, stay-at-home, Christian housewife. Their life choices seemed to indicate that they would not be spending very much time together, but something unexpected happened and propelled them into the depths of a soul-searching friendship.

‘‘The Apple You Were Fed” is told through both perspectives, giving readers a chance to connect with either background as they are invited along on a journey to spiritual discovery.

Pouliot and Lisowski said they talked openly about their broken viewpoints and unfulfilling moments asking and answering challenging questions from each other:

‘‘The conversations and questions were not always comfortable to address, but silence breeds shame, and shame is at odds with a person who wants more. So in the comfort of real friendship, we pushed past the awkwardness at every turn. We were not afraid to admit our shortcomings, or to be honest when we were wrong. Both of us were determined to find our best lives and our authentic selves,” Lisowski said.

The story offers an opportunity to eavesdrop on the private and sometimes controversial conversations between two women, who on the surface should have never been friends. It ends by defining how each of us can have what we all desire in life: joy, acceptance, love, and fulfillment.

‘‘It was more like the job of cleaning up after a frat party. There were bags of embarrassing trash, lots of headaches, and moments of regret, but the journey is one worth taking,’’ Pouliot said.

The book is available online at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. The book is also at the Family Christian Bookstore in Boardman, Borders in Niles, The Lion and the Lamb in Salem, and A New Beginning in Warren.

For more information, visit www.theappleyouwerefed.com.