An Open Call for Agents and Publishers

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about our book. Here’s some information we feel you ought to know:

First, some history.

Our first printing took place in September of 2018. Since then, I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book has reached thousands of bereaved moms in almost 30 countries. A single news story on I Love You Still for a local NBC affiliate caused a chain reaction that landed our book on major news outlets in the United States and abroad, including, but not limited to: TODAY, MSN, NBC, FOX, CBS, People Magazine, and theBump.com.

Our country’s leading retailers have all ordered (and reordered) stock for their customers. The same is true for some smaller bookstores, as well. Even England’s oldest bookstore, Blackwell’s—started by the Oxford family (Yes, that Oxford family!)—carries I Love You Still. Articles and news stories about our book have garnered millions of views and thousands of shares. The latest occurred in October 2020, in the form of a live interview request by CBS News in San Diego.

Our book is carried by dozens of nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and other facilities across the US, Canada, and even Europe, so that these books may be gifted to the bereaved mothers in their care. This includes, but isn’t limited to, the endorsement of the March of Dimes, Star Legacy Foundation, Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Postpartum Support International; and stocking by US government agencies, the Roger Neilson House, Noah’s Children, Bridget’s Bunnies, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Queen Mary’s Hospital, and many more. I Love You Still holds a nearly 5-star rating on Amazon.com, and a seller ranking that is consistently within the Top 100 in multiple categories. Although I’ve reprinted a larger quantity of books each year, we’re still on pace to sell-out more quickly than last year.

Then, some math.

Last year, between 500,000—1 million women in the United States experienced a pregnancy loss, with miscarriage affecting 1 in 4 women in her lifetime. That same year, 24,000 babies in the US were born sleeping; or 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies. The loss of a baby within the first 28 days of life, or neonatal death, affects approximately 4 in every 1,000 babies born in the US each year—another19,000 babies.

Those are the statistics for the US alone. Around the world, there are around 211 million known pregnancies each year, and upwards of 40 million babies are lost to miscarriage. No matter how well-established the country’s standard of maternal care, the rate of pregnancy loss seldom improves.

These are the figures I provide when we’re told there “isn’t a genre” for our title. These are the figures I provide we’re asked to show a “proven audience” during the submission process. If this sound shocking, I promise it’s not. Bereaved moms already know that their numbers far outpace the resources available to them, especially in comparison to pregnancies with favorable outcomes. We simply hope to lessen this glaring disparity.

Onto social studies.

Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Chrissy Teigen, Carrie Underwood, Gabrielle Union, Barbara Walters, Priscilla Chan, Hilaria Baldwin, Pink, Nicole Kidman, Céline Dion, Shawn Johnson, Brooke Shields, Giuliana Rancic, Lily Allen.

Each of these women have achieved great heights in their respective fields; they are esteemed examples of strength and capability. Some hail from other countries, but all can speak and understand English.

Nevertheless, pregnancy and infant loss has touched them all. Each woman listed has used her platform to share her story so that others may feel less alone, less ashamed, and less hesitant to seek help. In return, these women have been met with an outpouring of public support. The stigma of baby loss is swiftly being replaced by messages of solidarity and shared wisdom—thanks in no small part to the effort of these, and many other women (and men) across the globe.

So, what happens to the hundreds of millions of bereaved mothers worldwide? The living, breathing women behind the “Likes” and “Follows” that have spurred this movement—mothers who may not speak English, but for whom completing a baby memory book is still customary? Where do they turn to memorialize their babies gone too soon?

Mothers in the United Kingdom open copies of I Love You Still to see themselves listed as “mom” instead of “mum.” While the mothers in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland may wonder why they are not called “mam” in one of the most important books they’ll ever own. Without proper publishing power to have our book translated, we cannot adequately represent the Mum, Mãma, Mãe, Madre, Mere, and Moer who wishes to memorialize her baby.

Simply put: tens of millions of moms worldwide are still woefully underserved. Pregnancy and infant loss is neither limited to the United States, nor the English-speaking population of other countries. I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book is needed around the world—and in these mothers’ native languages.

We’d like to graduate.

In spite of its many successes (positive reviews, national distribution, availability through major retailers, news coverage, and #2 on the Amazon Best Seller list before selling out), I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book is still a self-published title.

Our book is already carefully crafted to be gender-neutral, non-secular, and fitting for babies of all gestational ages, including newborns. Now, I’m searching for the right organization to help me provide the best possible book for every baby—and in turn, every mother—through increased distribution, translation, and variations. If you recognize I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book’s unique ability to serve as a space for these moms to both memorialize and heal, please reach out.

This title may not fit your portfolio—and that’s okay. We’ve heard that a time or two before. Perhaps though, when paired with its unlikely successes, this only serves as indication of just how badly it’s needed.

Our book holds the precious memories of babies gone too soon; with all of the crisp, agonizingly emotional and beautiful details their mothers are so desperate to protect. Every copy of I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book holds the written legacy of a mother’s love within its pages.

If you’d like to include our book in your portfolio, please reach out here.