She Writes Press (my publisher) and RETURN TO ZERO (the movie) have teamed up to break the silence in a very special anthology entitled “Three Minus One: Parents’ Stories of Love and Loss” that is comprised of stories, poetry, photographs and artwork. I’m thrilled that an excerpt from Breathe called “Not Again” has been chosen for inclusion.
The loss of a child is unlike any other, and the impact that it has on the mother, the father, their family, and their friends is devastating—a shockwave of pain and guilt that spreads through their entire community. But the majority of those affected, especially mothers, often suffer their pain in silence, convinced that their grief and trauma is theirs to bear alone. This anthology of raw memoirs, heartbreaking stories, truthful poems, beautiful painting, and stunning photography from the parents who have suffered child loss offers insight into this unique, devastating and life-changing experience—breaking the silence and offering a ray of hope to the many parents out there in search of answers, understanding, and healing. Every time one of our stories is told it helps to break the silence that much more, and an anthology of stories along with the power of a motion picture will hopefully shatter the silence once and for all.
Return to Zero, the movie, is based on the true story of the filmmaker, Sean Hanish and his wife, Kiley. The movie starts when the couple is preparing for the arrival of their first child. Just weeks before their due date they are devastated to discover that their baby son has died in the womb and will be stillborn. The all-star cast includes Minnie Driver, Paul Adelstein, Alfred Molina, Connie Neilson, Kathy Baker, Andrea Anders, and Sarah Jones.
“Three Minus One” will be in the bookstores and is available for pre-order on Amazon now. Publication date is May 2014.