PIECES OF US: Call for Contributors

Some stories do not arrive fully formed. They exist in fragments, in questions, in moments that never quite resolve the way we expect them to. They live in conversations left unfinished, in relationships that shifted without explanation, and in emotions we have learned to carry without fully understanding.

Pieces of Us, the upcoming Victorious By Design (VBD) anthology, begins in those places.

Led by visionary author Ann Marie Bryan, this project does not ask for polished narratives or carefully structured conclusions. It invites something far more honest. It makes room for the parts of our lives that are still unfolding, the experiences that do not fit neatly into lessons, and the realities of love that feel complicated, distant, or incomplete.

This is not a collection of perfect stories. It is a gathering of real ones. The theme, The Spaces Between, centers on the moments most people move past quickly, the gaps where something feels unresolved, unclear, or missing. Instead of rushing toward closure, this anthology pauses. It sits in those spaces and acknowledges them for what they are, not failures, but parts of the story that still carry meaning.

That is where this project distinguishes itself. It does not require contributors to arrive with answers. It does not ask them to make sense of everything before they begin. Instead, it invites them to write from where they are, from the middle of the experience, from the tension, the uncertainty, and the quiet reflections that often go unspoken.

There is room here for the questions that linger. For relationships that changed. For moments that did not resolve the way we hoped they would. For truths that are still taking shape.

At its core, Pieces of Us is not about completion. It is about recognition. It is about acknowledging what has been, what is, and what is still becoming, without pressure, without performance, and without the need to present a finished version of ourselves.

To support contributors in this process, the anthology will include a workshop led by Kimberla Lawson Roby, an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. Her guidance will offer structure, insight, and practical tools, helping writers navigate deeply personal stories with clarity and intention.

Behind the scenes, the project is being guided with care and precision. Serving as Project Coordinator, Atinuke Oladele works closely with the team and contributors to ensure that the vision remains aligned while allowing each voice to emerge authentically.

For the VBD community, this anthology is an invitation to engage with the parts of life that are still forming, to acknowledge what may feel unfinished, and to recognize that those spaces still hold value. It is also an invitation to the reader. To see themselves reflected in these stories. To recognize that their own experiences, even the ones without clear resolution, are still valid. Still meaningful. Still worth telling. Because at the heart of Pieces of Us is a simple truth: A story does not need to be complete to matter.

As anticipation builds, what lies ahead is not a collection of neatly packaged narratives, but a body of work that reflects the complexity of love, the reality of growth, and the courage it takes to sit with what is unresolved.

For anyone who has ever felt that their story is not ready, this is your reminder that it does not have to be. You can begin where you are. You can name what is missing. You can explore what is still taking shape. And in doing so, you may discover that the spaces you once avoided are the very places where your story begins to find its voice.

If this speaks to you, we invite you to take the next step and indicate your interest at here. Spots are limited.

KEY COLLABORATORS

Ann Marie Bryan

Visionary Author

Ann Marie Bryan is a multi-talented leader with a passion for excellence. She is an International Bestselling Author, Editor-in-Chief of VBD Magazine, and CEO of Victorious By Design. Ann Marie is committed to helping writers share powerful faith-filled stories that inspire, empower, and transform lives. She desires to make her life a ministry for the Lord.

Atinuke Oladele

Project Management Coordinator 

Atinuke Oladele is an author, customer experience and quality assurance professional, and project coordinator. She is an encourager and a quiet warrior of hope. With a heart for strong friends, silent sufferers, and late-night overthinkers, she crafts honest, healing words that offer grace and space to breathe.

Kimberla Lawson Roby

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author & Speaker

Kimberla Lawson Roby is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. She has published 30 books, including The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally.

Pieces of Us: Call for Contributors. Click here to indicate your interest.