Alexis Marie Chute's Blog, page 9

Awards, Book Tour, Mother’s Day & Giveaways!

Awards, Book Tour, Mother’s Day & Giveaways!

It seems like every time I post an update I have a long list of things to include – a good problem to have! There has been so much going on with Expecting Sunshine that I can barely keep track of it all myself. So, on that note, please brace yourself for this plump update! And, as always, thank you so much for reading and taking this journey with me.

Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to acknowledge the Moms in our lives that work so hard and have done so much for us. Motherhood is a wonderful and challenging journey.
For some, that journey may include heartbreaking loss. We don’t know what we sign-up for when becoming mothers, but I think it’s safe to say: IT’S ALL WORTH IT.
Expecting Sunshine is a great gift for ANY MOM, whether she has lost a child or not. Expecting Sunshine is a story about the bonds of family, which can never be broken, and the power of a mother’s love for her child. 

Buy a signed copy for Mom!

Purchase on Amazon!

Find other retailers! (Scroll down on ES site)

Book Awards

It is a huge honour to receive 2 awards in the…

Next Generation Indie Book Awards!

Expecting Sunshine received the following distinctions:

Winner, Best Cover, Non-Fiction
Finalist, Parenting-Family Category

Here is a little bit about the awards:

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest Not-for-Profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its eleventh year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in over 70 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com ) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency.

Medal Presentation:

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Harvard Club of New York

New York City, NY

5:00 – 7:00 pm

It means a lot to me to receive awards for my book. I am incredibly grateful!

Goodreads Giveaway
Who doesn’t love free stuff?
And if you’re a reader, a free book is extra amazing!
Well, all you have to do to be in the running to win a free copy of Expecting Sunshine mailed to your doorstep is enter the Goodreads giveaway by May 19!

Click here to visit Goodreads! 

(First you’ll see info about the book. Scroll down and click “Enter Giveaway”)

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Book Tour

The book tour is marching along! In the next two weeks I will be speaking at two bereavement groups in my home city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. And after that, NEW YORK CITY, BABY!

It is a wonderful thing to be able to travel and meet people all over the world who all have one important thing in common: family love. The love of a parent for his or her child is the strongest thing I’ve seen; it’s beautiful, protective, empowering, and eternal.

I love sharing Zachary’s story and encouraging people who are grieving. There is hope and healing after hard times, no matter what kind of loss or struggle. This book tour is all about this HOPE. 

In New York City, my publisher – She Writes Press – will be featuring my book at their Book Expo America booth. Also, my publicity team – at Smith Publicity – will be sharing my book at their booth at BookCon. It will surely be an exciting time!

ABOUT BOOK EXPO AMERICA:

BookExpo is evolving to lead the global publishing industry to its consumer driven future and celebrate storytelling in all its forms. It’s the place where industry, authors and readers converge to define the new publishing universe. BookExpo provides a focused professional environment to discover emerging authors and the next blockbuster titles, engage with the world’s most influential publishers and learn from industry leaders and peers. Embrace future publishing with us in New York City on May 31-June 2, 2017.

ABOUT BOOKCON:

BookCon is the event where storytelling and pop culture collide. Experience the origin of the story in all its forms by interacting with the authors, publishers, celebrities and creators of content that influence everything we read, hear and see. BookCon is an immersive experience that features interactive, forward thinking content including Q&As with the hottest talent, autographing sessions, storytelling podcasts, special screenings, literary quiz shows and so much more. BookCon is the ultimate celebration of books, where your favorite stories come to life.

Thank you for reading!
– Alexis Marie Chute

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Calgary Book Launch Today! Plus Other Expecting Sunshine Updates

Today is the Expecting Sunshine book launch party at Shelf Life Books in Calgary!

I am excited to embark on the second city of my book tour!

Calgary, Alberta, Canada!

After I press “post” on this update, I will be hitting the road south towards Calgary! Tonight is the book launch party at Shelf Life Books. I had such a great time at the Edmonton launch at Audrey’s Books just a week and a half ago, that I can’t wait for tonight. There is something really special about logging off the social sites and connecting with people in person.

If you live in Calgary, or are in the Calgary area, I hope you can make it tonight!

Shelf Life Books
1302 4 St SW
Calgary, AB T2R 0X8
7:00 pm

Click here to visit Shelf Life Books on the web.

On May 1’17 I had the privilege of being interviewed on Dinner Television in Edmonton. I love talking about parenting and motherhood, especially in the context of living a whole and happy life after loss. With Mother’s Day, this is an important topic. I will share in these updates some of the articles I am publishing around Mother’s Day and International Bereaved Mother’s Day, which is coming up this weekend on May 7th.

I truly believe that talking about these topics is the best way to break their taboo status and make grief and healing healthy parts of the human experience.

Here are a few other places where you can hear interviews about the book and this topic, as well as see what some awesome momma bloggers have to say:

Pregnancy Loss Journey Podcast – click here to listen


This Charming Life – Things I Love Thursdays – click here to read


This Mom Loves – Kate’s Favorite Things – click here to read

I just realized the time!

Time to hit the road!

Hugs

– Alexis Marie

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The post Calgary Book Launch Today! Plus Other Expecting Sunshine Updates appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Edmonton Book Launch Party TODAY

Expecting Sunshine Edmonton Book Launch Party TODAY!

Hey everyone! I just got off the radio with Peter Watts on the Alberta Morning News, 630 CHED radio show.

Here is a portion of the radio interview from JUST NOW:

My energy is buzzing from the interview! Thanks for listening!

BOOK LAUNCH TODAY!

Tuesday was a special day because Expecting Sunshine memoir was released, but TODAY – Saturday, April 22 – is the day we party! I am so excited to celebrate my book with my city. The topic of loss – miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, early infant loss… – it is so timely and affects so many. It is a healing and inspiring thing to gather and talk about these experiences that are defining for a multitude of families around the world.

If you can join me in Edmonton today, here are the details of the book launch party:
 Audreys Books, Jasper Avenue, Edmonton
2:00 – 4:00 pm, Author talk and book reading at 2:00 pm

Books available for purchase and signed by the Author

One-0f-a-kind painting bookmarks given out with every copy of Expecting Sunshine

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One-of-a-Kind Painting Bookmarks – UPDATE

I’ve posted in past blog entries here on Expecting Sunshine about the painting I made for a special gift for people that come out to my book launch parties and buy a book.

Here are some details about the bookmarks:


The original painting I made for the bookmarks SOLD! So I made another : )
The total dimensions of the painting are 84 x 72 inches OR 7 x 6 feet
The bookmarks are 3 x 6 inches and are numbered and signed on the back
There are 336 bookmarks in total, hopefully enough for the book tour over the next six months
Everyone who comes out to a book launch at a bookstore and buys a book (or shows proof of purchase) will get one of these mini-paintings
The idea is that we are all connected, all pieces of one greater whole, and when one of us struggles, we can all carry the load and support each other.

Check out these photos of the painting and the cutting process:
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This is the finished painting, minus the text obviously. It was inspired by the book cover of Expecting Sunshine. The idea for this project came from some of my amazing friends.

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This is the grid of the painting. When you receive your bookmark at the event, look at the back. In the top left corner, you will see a number. That number corresponds to the numbers on this grid. It will let you know which piece of the painting belongs to you.

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Author and Artist, Alexis Marie Chute, after the numbering is done. Then off to cut the bookmarks!

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Each piece of the painting is unique.

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Each bookmark is signed and numbered.

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The bookmarks have been cut!

Here is the original painting video:



Now it’s PARTY TIME!

Please share the invite! See you soon!

The post Edmonton Book Launch Party TODAY appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Nancy Kerrigan’s Story & Expecting Sunshine Pub Day!

This is a short but sweet post today, a very special day for Expecting Sunshine! Also, sharing a powerful article on bereaved mom, Nancy Kerrigan.

PUB DAY!

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I still remember the day I signed the publishing contract with She Writes Press. From the day I signed it was roughly a year till my book was slated to be released. It felt like an eternity. And yet, here we are!

I cannot express what a journey it has been to get Expecting Sunshine out into the world. Here are some specifics for you:

6 months of writing the first draft
120,000 word, 400 page first draft
4+ years of editing
8 drafts of editing
3 editors
1 agent
1 (Amazing) publisher, Brooke Warner at She Writes Press
2+ book cover designers
3 (Fabulous) publicists at Smith Publicity
April 18, 2017!
1 tired but happy author!

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Watch for my article next week!

I have so many people to thank! And I do name them all in my book in the acknowledgements section. As I’ve just got word that Time Magazine’s site, Time Motto, wants me to write an essay for them on miscarriage (YAY! BIG NEWS!!), I will thank all the wonderful people who have made such a huge difference for me by including pics of my acknowledgements from Expecting Sunshine! This is a bit of a sneak peak inside the book as well.

 

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More Exciting News:

Article in Womanista:

What Nancy Kerrigan’s Public Heartache Is Doing for Other Women

I got interviewed for a very special article about Nancy Kerrigan’s experience of multiple miscarriages, which she shared about on Dancing With The Stars.

You can read the article by clicking here. In it I share all the things I’ve learned over my years as a bereaved mom and since becoming a parent advocate, author and public speaker.

If you want to learn more about Nancy Kerrigan’s story, here is a powerful video:

Thank you so much for reading this pub day update!

If you’d like to purchase the book directly from me – for a signed copy – please click here. Expecting Sunshine is available wherever good books are sold. 

Sending out warm wishes of love, hope and healing,
Alexis Marie Chute

The post Nancy Kerrigan’s Story & Expecting Sunshine Pub Day! appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Bookmarks, Reviews & New Trailer

Welcome to the Expecting Sunshine blog! In this post, I’ll be sharing about bookmark-making in a special behind-the-scenes video, some great reviews for the book, and our brand new book trailer!

Bookmarks:
Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss

Expecting Sunshine is about love and loss, true, but it is also about the power of sharing stories. I believe that openness about our struggle with grief can be incredibly healing. And not only for the person sharing. When we are vulnerable with our loss, we can receive support from others, but AT THE SAME TIME others are also encouraged.

They are encouraged to:

Figure out helpful ways to show love to those they know are hurting
Help themselves if they are that person needing support
Move forward with all they have been through into a new season of hope and healing

Sharing stories connects us in meaningful ways. It creates community.

I am making special bookmarks for people that come out to my book launch events at bookstores around the world. These bookmarks come from one huge painting inspired by the cover of my book. The symbolism here is that we will all have 1 piece of a greater whole, that we are all connected. This ties into my book as it is a story about family and those bonds which can never be broken, not even by death. 

Here’s the video of me painting! I will share a follow-up video once all the cutting and autographing has been done. I am making a huge grid of the painting and will number each piece. Then everyone will be able to see where their bookmark fits in the whole of the painting. You may have the piece right beside someone who lives in New Zealand. Now that’s pretty cool!

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The first book launch party is taking place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at Audrey’s Books on Jasper Avenue, Saturday, April 22 from 2 – 4pm. Please share this invite!

For more events, please click here.

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Click any of the above book party invites to enlarge, save and share!

Book Reviews:
Expecting Sunshine has been receiving some very lovely reviews. Here are two examples:
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Expecting Sunshine received 5 out of 5 stars from IndieReader, making the book “IndieReader Approved”, a designation created to make it easier for readers and booksellers to identify quality indie titles.

IndieReader Review:
Verdict: EXPECTING SUNSHINE is an invaluable resource for those dealing with loss, as well as a beautifully-told story of grief, hope, healing and love.



 5.0 Stars

Alexis Marie Chute and her husband Aaron lost their second child, their son Zachary, minutes after his birth due to a heart condition called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. For a year, Chute descended into what she calls her “Year of Distraction,” in which she was unable to function or focus for grief. On emerging from that year of mourning, she became pregnant once more, hoping desperately this time for a healthy baby. This book is a narrative of that pregnancy, full of anxiety, anticipation, fear, healing, and hope.

There are few if any losses in life that match the heartbreak of losing a child, and this book is an achingly beautiful response to such a loss. This is a straightforward, honest, day-by-day first-person account, all the more effective for being simply and clearly told, without melodrama but with an lovely, lyrical, almost poetic writing style.  Chute holds nothing back, from her anger at God to marital stresses to her panicked anxiety at the thought of possibly losing either this new pregnancy or her oldest child, her cherished daughter Hannah. However, there are moments of brilliant sunshine that illuminate the book as well, as when she hears her new baby’s heartbeat for the first time, singing a refrain of “I am alive, I am well, I am here.”

Bring a handkerchief either way – tears of sorrow and tears of joy are intertwined throughout the book. The honesty and the clarity of the writing make this an invaluable resource not only for those who have lost a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth, or early death, but also to their friends and family, who may be unsure of what to say or how to approach their loved one’s grief. Chute openly and directly discusses what helped her and what did not – the gentleness, openness, and warmth of her devout Aunt Ruth’s approach to her doubts about religion and faith versus the overbearing dogmatism of some members of her Mourning Together group, for example. The result is a book that is useful as well as deeply heartwarming.

EXPECTING SUNSHINE is an invaluable resource for those dealing with loss, as well as a beautifully-told story of grief, hope, healing and love.

~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader

Kirkus Review:
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A mother recovering from the death of her newborn child experiences both hope and intense anxiety as she embarks on another pregnancy in this debut memoir.

Chute, a photographer and artist, lost her second child, Zachary, just moments after his birth when he died of an inoperable heart tumor caused by a genetic abnormality called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. After a period of anguish that included an episode in which she pounded her head against a wall and stabbed her palm with a golf tee, she immersed herself in a “Year of Distraction” through frenetic work. Then, after being reassured that Zachary’s illness was not inherited, she became pregnant again—and began a new ordeal, chronicled here in 40 week-by-week chapters. Chute’s worry that the new pregnancy would also end in tragedy preoccupied her and made every doctor’s appointment, ultrasound scan, and bodily twinge an agony of apprehension. Meanwhile, she tried to process the unfinished business of Zachary’s death in a church-run mourning group where she found mainly a gruel of unhelpful platitudes; mothered her rambunctious 2-year-old daughter, Hannah; and tussled and bonded with her husband, Aaron, who was supportive but sometimes wounded her with his determination to get on with life. In this sometimes fraught, sometimes luminous work, Chute’s narrative brings together in a roiling, deeply felt tangle maternal experiences that are usually separated, as the exhilaration of pregnancy and the exhausting happiness of raising a toddler are overshadowed by lingering grief and dread. It’s an emotional roller-coaster, with giddy anticipation turning on a dime into fretful, claustrophobic brooding and self-laceration. Chute’s prose conveys the full force of her turmoil with powerful imagery—“I felt that I would be like uncooked ground beef, bloody and grated, for the rest of my life”—but keeps enough distance to probe and interrogate her feelings, and gain a deeper understanding of them.

A moving saga of motherhood in extremis that earns its moments of certainty and bliss through an honest grappling with pain and doubt.

Book Trailer 2:
Expecting Sunshine has a second book trailer!

A huge thank-you to Tom Lim, crew member for the documentary, for putting together this awesome second book trailer for Expecting Sunshine!

Please share this trailer and help spread the word.

Special BONUS Giveaway for Pre-Orders! Limited-time bonus reading!

[image error]I re-wrote one chapter from my book from my husband Aaron’s perspective; and the writing itself is an interesting story, which I share in the bonus.

In the bonus material, you will receive the chapter seen through my eyes AND the chapter re-imagined from the male perspective. Aaron joined me in this process to create as accurate a representation of his experience as possible.

This is a fascinating look into male grief and the effect of loss on a marriage.

Anyone who wishes they could climb into their partner’s head, to figure out where he or she is coming from, will enjoy this behind-the-scenes speak peak.
This special bonus only runs until April 18, 2017 when the book hits the shelves! 
That’s only 4 days from now!

All you have to do to get this 10 page bonus PDF:

Pre-order Expecting Sunshine from ANY bookstore or online retailer.

Pre-order from my store: http://shop.alexismariechute.com/product/expecting-sunshine-book/
Pre-order on Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/orderES 
See other retailers for pre-ordering: http://www.expectingsunshine.com/ (Click bookstore logos)


Email:

bonus@expectingsunshine.com

with your proof of purchase. This can be a screen shot or a PDF or phone-captured image.
I will verify and email you the bonus material!

Thank you so much for reading this book update!

Sending love and gratitude your way!

 – Alexis Marie Chute

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Two Weeks till the Release of Expecting Sunshine

Hello! This is a long overdue update for both Expecting Sunshine memoir and documentary film! Better late than never and this update is a big one!

The BOOK:
Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss

Expecting Sunshine will be released in 2 weeks! Pub-day, as my publisher calls it, is April 18, 2017! I am overjoyed that my story is getting out into the world – and that it is already touching the hearts of so many. I am getting news from readers that ordered Expecting Sunshine on Amazon that their books are already in the mail or have arrived at their homes! If you are a prime member on Amazon and want a book NOW, not two weeks from now, order and you’ll get it right away!

For even more motivation to pre-order Expecting Sunshine, do so BEFORE APRIL 18 to receive a very fun BONUS giveaway! Here is the info below. Please share it and help spread the word!

Special BONUS Giveaway for Pre-Orders! Limited-time bonus reading!
People ask me all the time:
– What was your husband’s experience of loss?
– What is the difference between male and female grief?

Well, in this bonus material, you will learn the answers to these questions – and more! You’ll get “in the head” of my hubby, Aaron Chute, and be able to compare, side by side, our opposing views on the same experience.

I re-wrote one chapter from my book from Aaron’s perspective; and the writing itself is an interesting story, which I share in the bonus.

In the bonus material, you will receive the chapter seen through my eyes AND the chapter re-imagined from the male perspective. But I didn’t just assume or make-up what Aaron was going through. We talked it out for three hours! He read the new chapter as I wrote it and has given his approval on this final version. This bonus chapter is right-on in terms of what he was thinking and feeling.

This is a fascinating look into male grief and the effect of loss on a marriage.

Anyone who wishes they could climb into their partner’s head, to figure out where he or she is coming from, will enjoy this behind-the-scenes speak peak.
This special only runs until April 18, 2017 when the book hits the shelves!
Don’t miss out on this exclusive bonus offer not found in the book or published anywhere else.

All you have to do to get this 10 page bonus PDF:

Pre-order Expecting Sunshine from ANY bookstore or online retailer.

Pre-order from my store: http://shop.alexismariechute.com/product/expecting-sunshine-book/
Pre-order on Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/orderES 
See other retailers for pre-ordering: http://www.expectingsunshine.com/ (Click bookstore logos)


Email:

bonus@expectingsunshine.com

with your proof of purchase. This can be a screen shot or a PDF or phone-captured image.
I will verify and email you the bonus material!



The FILM:
Expecting Sunshine: The Truth About Pregnancy After Loss

As much as I would love to have the film complete, great things take time. We made amazing progress on the film over the last year and it is so close to being finished! I get giggly just thinking about it. We are in the homestretch of editing and I’m exciting to post some editing-in-progress photos next week when I will be in the studio. Stay tuned for that and other little sneak peaks.

F or now, I do have a passionate ask: we are still needing to reach our crowdfunding goal. We are shy $4000, which is the amount the editor needs to finish the project. I know everyone has already given so much, so I would ask: do you know anyone who would be interested in donating? It could be an individual or a business donation. Any little amount will make a big difference.

Here is our crowdfunding page with information about the film. Click here.

Here is our online donation page. Click here.  

Thank you so much for helping spread the word and support this truly meaningful project! BIG GRATITUDE to you!

The TOUR:

The book tour officially kicks off on Saturday, April 22, 2107 in EDMONTON at Audreys Books on Jasper Avenue. The event will run from 2 – 4 pm. Everyone is welcome – kids too!

I will giving away something very special at each bookstore launch party… I will release more details on this soon. For now, a hint:

The gift involves a very large painting and one-of-a-kind bookmarks…

I hope that tickles your curiosity.

Here is the book party invite for Edmonton. Click on it to download. Please share it, email it, print and post it. It’s going to be a great event!

Right click to download and share!

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THANK YOU:

Thanks for reading and sharing. Thank you for all the support with both the book and the film. I appreciate you more than you know!

I will be posting updates more frequently now with the book launch and tour starting right away. Thank you for understanding this need to communicate. I am glad you are subscribed to this list and I look forward to hearing from you as Expecting Sunshine continues to make an impact.

With Gratitude,

–   Alexis Marie Chute

Right click to download and share!

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February Book Updates

Thanks for reading this February update for Expecting Sunshine memoir! There are so many exciting things to report that I’m sure I’m going to forget something important. It’s an exciting season and the build-up for the big release date, April 18, is quickly approaching. So lets dive in…

ALBERTA PRIMETIME + DINNER TELEVISION

My publicists are hard at work and doing a fabulous job. Two exciting pieces of press that came out recently are feature interviews on Alberta Primetime on CTV Two AND Dinner Television, City TV. It is always so great to share Zachary’s story and to talk about the book. Here are the videos so you can watch for yourself. (And if you like, please share. Thanks!)

 

PRE-ORDER TIME

If you have not already pre-ordered your copy of Expecting Sunshine, you can do so now! You can order it from all major bookstores and also from Amazon. I’ve heard that Amazon pre-orders will often arrive to the person who ordered the book even before the official publication date (April 18, 2017). So order now and you may get your copy by the end of March!

Click here to order Expecting Sunshine on Amazon.
Thank you in advance!!

 

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LET’S GET SHARING
As soon as you receive your book, share it on all your social networks using the hashtags and handles below:
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Twitter:

@expectsunbook   #ExpectingSunshine   @_Alexis_Marie

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Instagram:

@alexismariechute #ExpectingSunshine

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Facebook:

Tag: facebook.com/expectingsunshine/

MORE PRAISE FOR EXPECTING SUNSHINE

Here is our latest endorsement:

“Exquisitely detailed and achingly honest. A must-read.”
– Ariel Brewster, Senior Editor, Today’s Parent Magazine

Click here to read more testimonials about the book.

Thanks for reading! Soon I will be sharing the book tour schedule. There are a lot of exciting stops all across North America! Maybe even some European destinations… TBD.

As always, your support is beyond appreciated. Expecting Sunshine may seem like a sad story, but it’s actually an inspiring story about resiliency and love. I hope you will read the book and see for yourself.

Wishing you all the best,

Alexis Marie Chute

 

 

The post February Book Updates appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Expecting Sunshine Memoir Pre-Order & Book Trailers

Exciting News: You can now pre-order Expecting Sunshine Memoir online!

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Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss, a memoir by Alexis Marie Chute

PRE-ORDER INFO:

The book is available on Amazon for pre-orders. Check it out now by clicking here. I’ve also heard that pre-ordered books are often shipped before the actual release date, so that’s just one more reason to order early.

I will also have a select number of books that I am selling directly from my website. You can click here to pre-order that way. Any books ordered through me will be signed by yours truly.

Once the book is officially released on April 18, 2017, it will be available for purchase through all major book stores.

 

BOOK TRAILERS:

As an author AND visual artist, I love every opportunity to combine these two worlds. Therefore, making book trailers for Expecting Sunshine was a no brainer. My wonderful friend Helen Massini did the voice overs for two of the trailers. Helen is such a pro and truly an up-and-coming actress and singer.

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Helen Massini, behind the scenes in making Expecting Sunshine Book Trailers

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The script.

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Author and artist, Alexis Marie Chute, with creative talent (and friend) Helen Massini.

 

Helen and I had a blast hanging out while our daughters where at Brownies. It was amazing to see Helen bring my words to life, and with such wonderful musicality.

Now, the footage and audio is in the talented hands of Expecting Sunshine crew member, Tom Lim. Tom never fails to surprise me with his creativity. He’s an engineer by day, and a creative force by night.

It will still be a few weeks before the trailers are ready to share, but if you want to see them first, subscribe to receive this blog feed by email. Click here to subscribe. Subscribers will also stay up to date on all happenings with Expecting Sunshine, both the film and the documentary. This includes book launches, special offers, film premiers, and much more. I look forward to connecting with you!

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well I also believe it takes a group of people to create a movement. That is the goal with Expecting Sunshine. I hope this movement will lead our culture into a better understanding of death, how to talk about it, and how to accept its reality in a healthy and positive way in our lives. I also hope that this movement will move the hearts of readers and viewers.

 

As always, thank you so much for reading – and sharing – this blog post!

Sincerely,

Alexis Marie Chute

 

The post Expecting Sunshine Memoir Pre-Order & Book Trailers appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Last Chance to Include your Baby’s Name in the Film

Expecting Sunshine documentary still needs contributions to bring the film to life. We are still $4,860 short of our fundraising goal. This is where we need your help.

As the film is nearing completion in the editing stage, there are a few very special opportunities to get involved and support the project.

We have four contribution levels that will be closing soon. By November 30, 2016. These contribution levels all include personal or business names in the film credits. These credits will always be a part of the documentary, which will be shown all over the world.

This is your opportunity as a parent to remember your baby that died. Or to celebrate your child born after your loss. Your son or daughter’s name, or nickname, will be publicly acknowledged and celebrated. At the end of the day, this is what brings me the most joy with this film.

This is also an opportunity for businesses and professionals to join with the film in supporting those who grieve. Expecting Sunshine Documentary strives to bring attention to taboo topics, to remove the stigma around these types of losses and celebrate children! Children with us, and those that live on in our hearts.

 

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING BEFORE NOVEMBER 30, 2016

Click here to read about the fundraising effort and see where the money will be spent.

Click here to donate.

 

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The cover image for Expecting Sunshine Documentary Film.

CONTRIBUTION LEVELS:

 

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“In Memory / Supporter / Rainbow Baby” Credit in THE FILM $250

A unique commemoration! We join with you in honouring your deceased child, your rainbow baby, or you as a supporter, by listing a name in the “In Memory / Supporter / Rainbow Baby” in the film credit reel. We dedicate this project to these individuals.

Please email Alexis Marie at info@alexismariechute.com with the name you want commemorated.

Feature Film Credit $1,000

Not only a name, but with this film credit you also receive a photo of your deceased child or your rainbow baby, or business logo or honorary symbol of support, in the credit reel of the film.

Associate Producer Status $5,000

To celebrate your generosity for the project, we will name you an Associate Producer in the credits with a photo, logo or symbol to mark your support.

 

Executive Producer Status $10,000

To choose this perk means you’re our hero! You will be named an Executive Producer in the credits with a photo, logo or symbol to mark your support. You will also receive two VIP invitations to the premier of the film and unlimited good vibes sent your way.

Travel not included.

 

Thank you so much for reading and supporting this project. Even simply sharing this blog post will do a world of good.

 

Sincerely,

 

Alexis Marie Chute

 

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The post appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.

Expecting Sunshine Fall Update

Thank you to everyone reading this update! There are a lot of awesome things happening with Expecting Sunshine documentary and memoir. I’m excited to share them with you, particularly this month, which is Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Awareness Month.

 

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Expecting Sunshine Memoir

The book cover has been finalized! I love the bright colors. The rainbow umbrella is also very important to me. It references the rainbow pregnancy and rainbow baby. If you don’t know these terms, they mean the pregnancy and the baby born after loss.
The official release date for the book is April 18, 2017 and it will be available at all places where books are sold.
While April is still a few months away, you can pre-order your copy now with two handy ways to do so:
I am accepting pre-orders for the book on my online store. You can visit the store by clicking here. Books ordered from the store will be signed and mailed out by yours truly : )
You can also pre-order on Amazon. Check out Expecting Sunshine on Amazon by clicking here.
Expecting Sunshine continues to receive wonderful testimonials from early readers. You can see many of these online by clicking here.

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Expecting Sunshine Documentary

Along with the book cover, the film cover has also been finalized. I love how the silhouette of the woman fades into watercolor marks at the bottom. This could be any woman, which is the point, that loss happens to so many women and families.
The film is being edited right now and will be released around the time of the book, in the spring of 2017.
Like the book, the film is also available for pre-order. You can place your pre-order now on my online store by clicking here. When the film is released in the spring, it will be a file which you can digitally download.
We also have the pre-order available for the educational version, which comes with an audio visual public performance license agreement so that the film can be shown to support groups or at other events. Click here to order the educational version of the film. 

 

We are continuing to fundraise for Expecting Sunshine Documentary!
I want to acknowledge our recent donor to the film:

Jamie Albrecht-Gilchriest

Jamie and I met at the International Perinatal Bereavement Conference in Phoenix, Arizona earlier this fall. I really appreciate her vision and passion for the bereavement work that she does. Along with donating to the film, she also pre-ordered a copy to show to her grief support programs, along with copies of the book. Thank you so much Jamie!

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Taken from the Expecting Sunshine Twitter feed. Jamie is on the right, me (Alexis Marie) on the left. Click here to follow Expecting Sunshine on Twitter.

 

If you would like to donate to Expecting Sunshine documentary, that would be WONDERFUL! Thank you in advance. We are so close to our fundraising goal, but still need all the support we can get.

Read more about donating to the film and where the money goes.

Click here to donate. Thank you so much!

 

I think that is all for now! More updates will come as Expecting Sunshine finds its home out in the world. Thank you for reading and for supporting and cheering on this important project on this even more important topic!

With much gratitude,

Alexis Marie Chute

 

The post Expecting Sunshine Fall Update appeared first on Expecting Sunshine.