Cynthia Schumacher is well into her 90’s and is still writing and publishing books at a solid pace. After retiring as a teacher of 33 years, and then serving as an education advocate, she took to penning three children’s books and seven collections of stirring poetry. Now, at age 97, she has released her first book of short stories, Prose Pizza.“I try to shed light on the hidden, amazing layers that exist under ordinary people’s public lives,” says Schumacher. “These slices of life vary in tone and style, but come together as a coherent, nourishing whole.” Prose Pizza is a collection of nine short stories, exploring themes like hidden desires, identity, and social expectations through ordinary lives, with a style described as charming and insightful. The book uses the metaphor of pizza to represent the many "slices" or perspectives on life, marriage, and individual behavior, offering readers a variety of short, thoughtful pieces. Story themes include: private desires, social expectations, aging, identity, marriage, and the extraordinary within the ordinary. These stories, originally written 60 years ago, represent the slices of life. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.