“Becoming Hazel” Takes Center Stage: A Daring, True-Inspired Story of Disability, Defiance, and the Birth of a Modern Woman

Applause was never a luxury for Hazel Cunningham, it was survival.

Inspired by true events, “Becoming Hazel: Inherited Treasures Book 1” (Second Edition) by Dorrie-Lenore Parsons reintroduces readers to an unforgettable heroine born in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1889, a young woman who refuses to be reduced to the labels others throw at her. With a severe curvature of the spine and one shortened leg, Hazel grows up hearing whispers of “curse” and cruelty “midget,” “cripple,” “stubborn” yet she also learns the power of the stage, the thrill of recognition, and the conviction that she is meant for more.

Hazel’s life changes when she is sent to Mineral Wells, Texas, supposedly to be “cured.” Instead, she finds something far more transformative: a chosen family and a path to independence. Along the way, she meets Mildred Witherspoon, a generous confidante; JB Parker, a movie theater owner and mentor; Maria de Jesus, a suffragist fighting for women’s rights; and Charlie Roberts, an unlikely suitor nearly two decades older who falls completely under Hazel’s spell. With their help, Hazel prepares to break every rule that tries to keep her small and claim the life she was told she could never have.

This Second Edition, edited and republished by Archway Publishing, arrives with a bold new cover featuring the early silent-film masterpiece “A Trip to the Moon” and new content that deepens Hazel’s world and raises the stakes of her journey. In addition, “Becoming Hazel” is being endorsed for business investment consideration for film adaptation, positioning Hazel’s story for expanded reach beyond the page.

A Five-Book Series Celebrating Women Who Changed the Rules

Parsons’ Inherited Treasures series spotlights women who defied the odds, pushed back against social norms, pursued performance, and helped advance women’s rights stories made even more compelling by their true-event inspiration.

The series includes five books:

• Book 1: “Becoming Hazel” (Second Edition)

• Book 2: “Saints & Deceivers” (published last year)

• Book 3: “Hoofers & Hooch” (available now)

• Book 4: “Gangsters & Reels” (available now)

• Book 5: “Finding Salvadora” (coming soon)

Formats & Availability

“Becoming Hazel” is available in hardback, paperback, and Kindle, with the full series available on Amazon.

About the Author

Dorrie-Lenore Parsons lives just outside of Boston with her husband and their rescue puppy. A fourth-generation member of a family of theater people, mostly women, she followed the tradition as a director, set designer, and teacher of Communication and Performing Arts, after a career in bilingual education, before becoming a novelist. She is delighted that the fifth and sixth generations continue the performance legacy.

Author Website: https://dorrieparsonsauthor.com

Contact Information

Clara Williams

Production Manager

Noble Works Media

Contact via E-mail