• Book will be supported by author’s bereavement blogs at Wanted
Chosen Planned – Life After the Loss of a Child
(www.WantedChosenPlanned.com), and the book’s website,
www.ExpectingSunshine.com.
• Author speaks around the world at conferences about grief and the
healing capacities of art and creativity, and will promote the book
at these events.
• Cross-promotional opportunities with hour-long documentary of the
same name, connected to the memoir, in which the author interviews
bereaved moms and couples, medical professionals, and
advocates.
• Author writes for many parenting publications where she has a
readership of her target audience – and also a relationship with
the editors, which will be utilize in promoting the book.
• Book will be supported by supplementary writing and products
produced by the Author, such as a gift-book of affirmations for the
forty-weeks of pregnancy, for example.
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning artist, writer, and filmmaker. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and photography from the University of Alberta, and her Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker and has traveled around the world presenting on art, writing, and the healing capacities of creativity. She is widely published in anthologies and magazines, and her artwork has been exhibited internationally. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her husband and their three living children.
2019 Eric Hoffer Award Finalist in The da Vinci Eye
2018 Body Mind Spirit Book Awards: Winner, Death & Dying
category
2018 eLit Book Awards: Bronze, Parenting category
2018 Nautilus Book Awards: Silver, Parenting & Family category
2018 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards Finalist in Best New Voices:
Non-Fiction
2018 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards Finalist in Autobiography &
Memoir
2018 Reader Views Literary Awards Finalist in
Parenting/Family/Relationships
2018 Finalist, da Vinci Eye Award, Eric Hoffer Book Award
2017 IndieReader Discovery Awards: Women's Issues, First Place
2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Award Winner in Women's Interests
2017 Canada Book Award Winner
2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner, Best Cover Design,
nonfiction
2017 USA Best Book Awards Finalist in Women's Issues
2017 USA Best Book Awards Finalist in Best New Non-Fiction
2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Parenting/Family
Non-Fiction
2017 Foreword Indies Finalist in Adult Nonfiction—Grief &
Grieving
IndieReader BEST INDIE BOOKS of 2017 pick
Kirkus Review BEST INDIE BOOKS of 2017
Best Indie Book sof 2017 Top 10
"Expecting Sunshine is an invaluable resource for those dealing
with loss, as well as a beautifully-told story of grief, hope,
healing and love."
—IndieReader
“A moving saga of motherhood in extremis that earns its moments of
certainty and bliss through an honest grappling with pain and
doubt.”
—Kirkus
“Exquisitely detailed and achingly honest. A must-read.”
—Ariel Brewster, senior editor, Today’s Parent Magazine
“Alexis Marie Chute, tasked with living as she mourns the death of
her child, writes vividly and honestly about loss and grief.
Expecting Sunshine records a journey that proves to be revelatory
for reader and writer alike. This is a brave, memorable book.”
—Jane Brox, author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial
Light
"This memoir is a moving journey of infant loss and the pregnancy
that follows in the midst of a society that does not understand the
dynamics of perinatal loss. The book explores the different ways
men and women process grief, suppressing grief while wanting others
to remember a baby no longer physically present, and how to find a
new normal. The pregnancy that follows brings multifaceted feelings
of continued grief, memories of the previous pregnancy along with
anxiety and fear for the safety of the much-wanted new sibling.
This is a book for parents, professionals, and families and friends
wishing to support someone who has suffered a loss.”
—Joann O'Leary, PhD, Parent-Infant Specialist, author of Meeting
the Needs of Families Pregnant and Parenting After the Loss of a
Baby
“Honest, raw and vulnerable—Alexis Marie Chute opens her heart to
share her journey of love, loss, transformation, and rebirth. Her
message that love binds us together even beyond death, resonates
deeply with me as a bereaved mother; it is also a consistent
message I heard in my research with bereaved families who
experience perinatal death. This is an important, engaging book for
bereaved parents, especially those who are considering a subsequent
pregnancy.”
—Christine Jonas-Simpson, RN, PhD Professor of Nursing, York
University, Toronto, ON Canada
"Alexis Marie's honest, unflinching memoir reads more like a novel
in its elegant use of prose and narrative structure. But there's no
mistaking its truth—that losing a child at any age can cause a
shift in a parent's universe. Alexis Marie's struggle to move
forward and heal, and still honour baby Zachary, is an
inspiration."
—Janice Biehn, Editor, ParentsCanada magazine
“In Expecting Sunshine, the Edmonton-based writer and artist Alexis
Marie Chute writes about loss—the most primal loss we can
experience, the loss of a child—in such luminous prose and with
such clear-eyed insight that the beauty of the text brings the
reader to the edge of tears. Tears of sadness for her family’s
loss, yes, but more profoundly, tears of release and healing as we
witness the cathartic powers of art and the scope of a young
family’s love. This is a beautiful, honest, important book that
makes death a starting point for the continuation of
life—literally, as the book chronicles Chute’s first pregnancy
after the death of her son Zachary—and grief, the catalyst from
which joy is born.”
—Pamela Petro, author of The Slow Breath of Stone, Travels in an
Old Tongue, and Sitting Up with the Dead
“Expecting Sunshine is an exquisite book for all those who have
lost a child and those who need to understand and cope with
untimely grief. It is one woman’s heart-rending story of a mother’
loss which confounds ideology, faith and any of the prescribed
cures for mourning. Its pain and wisdom are as old as time, the
simple truths of nature, nurture and the bonds of mother and child.
It is also an uplifting lesson in¬ redemption.”
—Rachel Manley, author of the Governor General Award–winning memoir
Drumblair: Memories of a Jamaican Childhood
“Wow! The story of Alexis Marie Chute and her precious pregnancies
was almost impossible for me to put down. I know that this book
will be so helpful for families living through subsequent
pregnancies—a chance to validate their varied emotions and know
that whatever they are feeling is ‘normal.’ Thank you for sharing
your story so that others can learn from your journeys. Thank you,
Zachary, for helping your mother tell yours and Eden’s
stories.”
—Lori Ives-Baine, RN, MN (CPB), Perinatal and Pediatric Grief
Support Coordinator, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
“Expecting Sunshine is a brave book, walking the reader through the
deep grief that accompanies the loss of a child and moving beyond
immediate pain to recovery. Alexis Marie Chute speaks honestly of
all the areas of life that are threatened by the death of a child:
the relationship of the parents, and their faith, creativity, and
belief in themselves and one another. At the same time, Expecting
Sunshine acknowledges the myriad support systems that exist to help
bereaved parents heal from this kind of trauma and emerge together,
altered but vital. Part memorial, part celebration, this is a
striking book.”
—Jenna Butler, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Award winner and
author of Profession of Hope
“An amazingly moving and emotional story that any woman—or any
parent—can easily relate to.”
—Jennifer Hamilton, Editor, CanadianFamily.ca
“An honest and tender memoir about the complex and difficult
emotions of grief and joy a mother goes through during a pregnancy
that follows a death of a child.”
—Lindsey Henke LICSW, founder of Pregnancy After Loss Support
“When a baby dies, too many parents suffer alone in silence. While
grieving the unexpected death of her son, Zachary, Alexis Marie
courageously gives powerful voice to a mother’s primal heartbreak
as she searches for renewal and rebirth in her own healing while
carrying her next son, Eden. In her enthralling memoir, for those
of us bereaved mothers who share similar memories, Alexis Marie
helps us to honour our own lives.”
—Shari Morash, Guelph, ON Canada, Founder of Josiah’s Journey and
author of Loving Your Baby: A Gentle and Practical Guide to
Parenting Through Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death
"In Expecting Sunshine, Alexis allows you to accompany her on the
tumultuous journey of pregnancy after loss. While navigating the
complex emotions during this time, she is vulnerable and allows the
reader to witness her most private moments. This is a beautiful
story filled with love—both for the baby who has passed on, as well
as the one she is expecting."
—Kiley Krekorian Hanish, occupational therapist, founder of the
Return to Zero Center for Healing, and bereaved mother to
Norbert
“Expecting Sunshine challenges the reader to accompany author
Alexis Marie Chute on the most heartbreaking of journeys. Fate has
dealt her the task of carrying to term and delivering a baby,
Zachary, who will not survive. How cruel, terrifying and capricious
life feels as we travel along with Alexis Marie as she summons the
courage to get pregnant again. Told week by week as she re-enters
the process of carrying new life, we suffer and worry along with
her and also revel in her down to earth embrace of her path and her
family who accompany her. The contours of grief are too often
hidden. Alexis Marie has been generous and fearless in showing
herself to us, warts and all, not just her bravery but also her
hopelessness at times, her fear, and most important, her coping.
This book will be a helpful and inspiring addition to the
literature of grief and especially meaningful to those who have
lost a child and need encouragement to try again. The world feels
larger and more spacious, pain more bearable, life more precious
after reading this book.”
—Pat Allen, Art Therapist, author of Art as a Way of Knowing: A
Guide to Self-Knowledge and Spiritual Fulfillment through
Creativity
"When mired in unthinkable and immovable pain, artistic expression
presents itself as a friend and companion, enabling life and
creative energy to flow again and transform random tragedy into an
affirmation of life and family. Alexis Marie Chute shows us how
full engagement and acceptance, rather than failed distractions,
can medicine the soul."
—Shaun McNiff, author of Art Heals, Art as Medicine, and many other
books on healing the soul through creative expression
2018 Body Mind Spirit Book Awards: Winner, Death & Dying category 2018 eLit Book Awards: Bronze, Parenting category 2018 Nautilus Book Awards: Silver, Parenting & Family category 2018 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards Finalist in Best New Voices: Non-Fiction 2018 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards Finalist in Autobiography & Memoir 2018 Reader Views Literary Awards Finalist in Parenting/Family/Relationships 2018 Finalist, da Vinci Eye Award, Eric Hoffer Book Award 2017 IndieReader Discovery Awards: Women's Issues, First Place 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Award Winner in Women's Interests 2017 Canada Book Award Winner 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner, Best Cover Design, nonfiction 2017 USA Best Book Awards Finalist in Women's Issues 2017 USA Best Book Awards Finalist in Best New Non-Fiction 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Parenting/Family Non-Fiction 2017 Foreword Indies Finalist in Adult Nonfiction--Grief & Grieving IndieReader BEST INDIE BOOKS of 2017 pick Kirkus Review BEST INDIE BOOKS of 2017 Best Indie Book sof 2017 Top 10 "Expecting Sunshine is an invaluable resource for those dealing with loss, as well as a beautifully-told story of grief, hope, healing and love." --IndieReader "A moving saga of motherhood in extremis that earns its moments of certainty and bliss through an honest grappling with pain and doubt." --Kirkus "Exquisitely detailed and achingly honest. A must-read." --Ariel Brewster, senior editor, Today's Parent Magazine "Alexis Marie Chute, tasked with living as she mourns the death of her child, writes vividly and honestly about loss and grief. Expecting Sunshine records a journey that proves to be revelatory for reader and writer alike. This is a brave, memorable book." --Jane Brox, author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light "This memoir is a moving journey of infant loss and the pregnancy that follows in the midst of a society that does not understand the dynamics of perinatal loss. The book explores the different ways men and women process grief, suppressing grief while wanting others to remember a baby no longer physically present, and how to find a new normal. The pregnancy that follows brings multifaceted feelings of continued grief, memories of the previous pregnancy along with anxiety and fear for the safety of the much-wanted new sibling. This is a book for parents, professionals, and families and friends wishing to support someone who has suffered a loss." --Joann O'Leary, PhD, Parent-Infant Specialist, author of Meeting the Needs of Families Pregnant and Parenting After the Loss of a Baby "Honest, raw and vulnerable--Alexis Marie Chute opens her heart to share her journey of love, loss, transformation, and rebirth. Her message that love binds us together even beyond death, resonates deeply with me as a bereaved mother; it is also a consistent message I heard in my research with bereaved families who experience perinatal death. This is an important, engaging book for bereaved parents, especially those who are considering a subsequent pregnancy." --Christine Jonas-Simpson, RN, PhD Professor of Nursing, York University, Toronto, ON Canada "Alexis Marie's honest, unflinching memoir reads more like a novel in its elegant use of prose and narrative structure. But there's no mistaking its truth--that losing a child at any age can cause a shift in a parent's universe. Alexis Marie's struggle to move forward and heal, and still honour baby Zachary, is an inspiration." --Janice Biehn, Editor, ParentsCanada magazine "In Expecting Sunshine, the Edmonton-based writer and artist Alexis Marie Chute writes about loss--the most primal loss we can experience, the loss of a child--in such luminous prose and with such clear-eyed insight that the beauty of the text brings the reader to the edge of tears. Tears of sadness for her family's loss, yes, but more profoundly, tears of release and healing as we witness the cathartic powers of art and the scope of a young family's love. This is a beautiful, honest, important book that makes death a starting point for the continuation of life--literally, as the book chronicles Chute's first pregnancy after the death of her son Zachary--and grief, the catalyst from which joy is born." --Pamela Petro, author of The Slow Breath of Stone, Travels in an Old Tongue, and Sitting Up with the Dead "Expecting Sunshine is an exquisite book for all those who have lost a child and those who need to understand and cope with untimely grief. It is one woman's heart-rending story of a mother' loss which confounds ideology, faith and any of the prescribed cures for mourning. Its pain and wisdom are as old as time, the simple truths of nature, nurture and the bonds of mother and child. It is also an uplifting lesson in redemption." --Rachel Manley, author of the Governor General Award-winning memoir Drumblair: Memories of a Jamaican Childhood "Wow! The story of Alexis Marie Chute and her precious pregnancies was almost impossible for me to put down. I know that this book will be so helpful for families living through subsequent pregnancies--a chance to validate their varied emotions and know that whatever they are feeling is 'normal.' Thank you for sharing your story so that others can learn from your journeys. Thank you, Zachary, for helping your mother tell yours and Eden's stories." --Lori Ives-Baine, RN, MN (CPB), Perinatal and Pediatric Grief Support Coordinator, Toronto, Ontario, Canada "Expecting Sunshine is a brave book, walking the reader through the deep grief that accompanies the loss of a child and moving beyond immediate pain to recovery. Alexis Marie Chute speaks honestly of all the areas of life that are threatened by the death of a child: the relationship of the parents, and their faith, creativity, and belief in themselves and one another. At the same time, Expecting Sunshine acknowledges the myriad support systems that exist to help bereaved parents heal from this kind of trauma and emerge together, altered but vital. Part memorial, part celebration, this is a striking book." --Jenna Butler, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Award winner and author of Profession of Hope "An amazingly moving and emotional story that any woman--or any parent--can easily relate to." --Jennifer Hamilton, Editor, CanadianFamily.ca "An honest and tender memoir about the complex and difficult emotions of grief and joy a mother goes through during a pregnancy that follows a death of a child." --Lindsey Henke LICSW, founder of Pregnancy After Loss Support "When a baby dies, too many parents suffer alone in silence. While grieving the unexpected death of her son, Zachary, Alexis Marie courageously gives powerful voice to a mother's primal heartbreak as she searches for renewal and rebirth in her own healing while carrying her next son, Eden. In her enthralling memoir, for those of us bereaved mothers who share similar memories, Alexis Marie helps us to honour our own lives." --Shari Morash, Guelph, ON Canada, Founder of Josiah's Journey and author of Loving Your Baby: A Gentle and Practical Guide to Parenting Through Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death "In Expecting Sunshine, Alexis allows you to accompany her on the tumultuous journey of pregnancy after loss. While navigating the complex emotions during this time, she is vulnerable and allows the reader to witness her most private moments. This is a beautiful story filled with love--both for the baby who has passed on, as well as the one she is expecting." --Kiley Krekorian Hanish, occupational therapist, founder of the Return to Zero Center for Healing, and bereaved mother to Norbert "Expecting Sunshine challenges the reader to accompany author Alexis Marie Chute on the most heartbreaking of journeys. Fate has dealt her the task of carrying to term and delivering a baby, Zachary, who will not survive. How cruel, terrifying and capricious life feels as we travel along with Alexis Marie as she summons the courage to get pregnant again. Told week by week as she re-enters the process of carrying new life, we suffer and worry along with her and also revel in her down to earth embrace of her path and her family who accompany her. The contours of grief are too often hidden. Alexis Marie has been generous and fearless in showing herself to us, warts and all, not just her bravery but also her hopelessness at times, her fear, and most important, her coping. This book will be a helpful and inspiring addition to the literature of grief and especially meaningful to those who have lost a child and need encouragement to try again. The world feels larger and more spacious, pain more bearable, life more precious after reading this book." --Pat Allen, Art Therapist, author of Art as a Way of Knowing: A Guide to Self-Knowledge and Spiritual Fulfillment through Creativity "When mired in unthinkable and immovable pain, artistic expression presents itself as a friend and companion, enabling life and creative energy to flow again and transform random tragedy into an affirmation of life and family. Alexis Marie Chute shows us how full engagement and acceptance, rather than failed distractions, can medicine the soul." --Shaun McNiff, author of Art Heals, Art as Medicine, and many other books on healing the soul through creative expression
Ask a Question About this Product More... |