A book of questions, not answers.

Maybe Life Hurts is built around six questions that surface again and again in a human life—about identity, companionship, grief, faith, complexity and repair. Rather than resolving them, the book gathers true stories from people who have lived them, and leaves room for you to bring your own.

Inspired by Rilke’s invitation to “live the questions,” it’s a book to read slowly and return to—on your own, or alongside others.

What’s inside Maybe Life Hurts

Six questions

Identity, relationships, grief, faith, complexity, and healing.

More than forty first-person stories, essays, poems, letters, and works of visual art, organized into six thematic sections—one for each question. Between them: short reflections, hand-lettered pull quotes, Cassandra’s own paintings and writing, and blank space designed for you.

True stories

Real voices, unresolved and honestly told. No tidy endings.

Room to reflect

Prompts, blank pages, and stationery to make it your own.

See it before you buy it

A dynamic, colorful volume including Cassandra’s original paintings, full-page poetry, typographical designs, place keeper ribbon, behind the scenes of bell hooks & Kurt’s friendship, and custom stationery inside back cover of each book for continuing the dialogue …

Specifications

368 pages · Hardcover, 4-color throughout · Trim size [TBC] · “Continue the Dialogue” stationery enclosed · Interior and cover design by Ali Brueggemann · Cassandra Jane Press · ISBN: 979-8-234-08681-5 · $59.95

“Maybe Life Hurts is animated by the spirit of a brilliant young woman who resisted the assumptions that aim to simplify and divide people, and whose legacy is a guide for meeting each other instead with delighted curiosity and sincerity. Each chapter invites readers to sharpen our desire for mutual understanding and deepen our hope for a flourishing future. The work is compelling and the invitation is irresistible.”

— SYDNEY KEOUGH, PhD, Director of the Cassandra Voss Center

The six sections of Maybe Life Hurts

  • Who Are We Meant to Become?

    On identity, and the selves we grow into.

  • Will You Go With Me?

    On companionship through the hardest passages.

  • Will the Sorrow Ever Cease?

    On mourning, and what endures after loss.

  • Where Do You Go When You Die?

    On faith, doubt, & mystery.

  • Maybe It's Complicated, By Design?

    On contradiction, and holding two things at once.

  • What If It All Works Out?

    On repair, and hope as a discipline.

A chorus of voices

  • bell hooks

  • Cathy Wurzer

  • Patty Wetterling, contributor to Maybe Life Hurts

    Patty Wetterling

  • Joan Steffend Brandmeier, contributor to Maybe Life Hurts

    Joan Steffend

  • Dr. Valeria Watikins

  • Canaan Cooper

  • Annika Osell

  • Katie Dohman

  • Mary McGreevy

  • Dr. Chris Gonzalez

  • Kim Disco

  • Dr. Bill Doherty

  • Dr. Deanna Thompson

  • Fr. Seamus Neilson

  • Jane Whitlock

  • Heather Faase

  • Melissa Gorzelanczyk

  • Alex Gruber

  • Joy Baker

  • Dr. Paul Wadell

  • Dr. Lori Baudino

  • Chancey Anderson Tauer

  • Elaine Tosetti

  • Jesie Steffes

  • Dr. Gregor Nelson

  • Dr. Christina Boyd-Smith

  • Dr. David Eddie

  • Laurie Healy

  • Devon Linssen

  • Lily Janousek

  • Dr. Anna Kudak

  • Alma Spitz

  • Ava Van Straten

  • Dr. Karlyn Crowley

  • Leah Hoffman

  • Moya McGinn Mathews

  • Dr. Ron Manning

  • Dr. Carol Bruess

  • Kurt Voss

  • Betsy Johnson

  • S. Julianne Gilbert

  • Dr. Suzan Brinker

  • Maria Burnham

  • Dr. William Brendel

Learn more about the contributors

Frequently asked questions

When is the book available?

1

Maybe Life Hurts will be available beginning September 18, 2026. Sign up below and we’ll send you a note as soon as ordering opens.

How much does it cost?

2

The hardcover is $59.95. It’s 368 pages, full color throughout, and designed to feel as much like an art book as an anthology. Take a look at the Peek Inside section to see what we mean.

Where can I buy it?

3

You’ll be able to order directly from Cassandra Jane Press, on Amazon, at other book sellers, and at launch events. Signed copies will be available exclusively at in-person events.

Can I order copies for my book club, class, or organization?

4

Absolutely. Maybe Life Hurts is designed to spark conversation, so we welcome orders for book clubs, classrooms, congregations, and organizations. For 10 or more copies, contact hello@maybelifehurts.com for group ordering and other details.

Ready to continue the dialogue?

Order a copy for yourself, reserve copies for your group, or bring Maybe Life Hurts into your next conversation.

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