“I feel no way other than fact,” author Annastacia Stegall said of her debut poetry collection, Tears, Bra, and All: An Autobiographical Collage, published by Girl Noise Press. The multimodal book blends poetry, personal essays, and childhood games to examine memory, gender, and the ways clothing intertwines with the stories told about women, littlevillagemag.com reported.
The collection stems from questions Stegall began exploring during her MFA program at Eastern Washington University in 2022. While writing, her thesis advisor noted how frequently she connected memories to clothing, sparking an epiphany that shaped the book’s central themes. The cover features a paper doll motif inspired by childhood experiences playing the online dress-up game My Scene. Stegall used the imagery to critique how clothing is weaponized against women, pointing to the familiar, invasive question often asked following acts of violence: “What was she wearing?”
Spokane Book Launch and Upcoming Iowa Events
Stegall launched the book in Spokane, Washington, on Sept. 9, 2026, reading selections for local audiences. Rather than sticking to a standard author reading, she incorporated multimodal elements reflecting the book’s interactive nature. The event featured childhood games like MASH, Mad Libs, and cootie catchers that readers could assemble themselves, alongside a video poem and T-shirts screen-printed with a chainmail bra design created by her partner. The design references the book’s opening poem, “Her Land,” which draws inspiration from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s utopian novel Herland.
Stegall brings her multimodal readings to Iowa with two scheduled autumn appearances. She will appear for a meet-the-author event at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Following that appearance, she is scheduled to participate in a Poetry Art Night at DSM Flea on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, beginning at 5 p.m.
Poetic Research and Community Interaction
For the third section of the book, which takes the form of a lyric essay, Stegall shifted her creative process by conducting extensive research before writing. She mapped out her ideas using multiple sources to ground her personal experiences within a broader chorus of perspectives. Though the subjects trace events from roughly a decade prior, Stegall approached the writing with emotional distance, fueled by a desire to be heard and to build connection. She noted that the process transformed into writing for a community.
Despite the deeply personal nature of the work, Stegall intentionally avoids prescribing specific takeaways for her audience. She wants readers to interpret the text independently and interact with the physical elements of the book without placing the author on a pedestal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tears, Bra, and All
What inspired the paper doll cover of the book?
The cover design draws inspiration from My Scene, an online dress-up game Stegall played during her childhood. Her publisher suggested the paper-doll concept using clothing items from the text, which ultimately helped tie the physical imagery to the book’s examination of gender bias and personal expression.
What interactive activities are featured in the book and readings?
The collection incorporates childhood activities and games such as paper fortune tellers or cootie catchers, MASH, Mad Libs, and Two Truths and a Lie. Stegall features these same interactive elements at her live author events alongside screen-printed apparel and video poetry.
Where did Annastacia Stegall complete her MFA?
Stegall began developing the core concepts for her writing during her MFA program at Eastern Washington University starting in 2022. She is currently based in Spokane, Washington.