Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing, and Pregnancy after Loss, 2nd edition

by Alexis Marie Chute

“An amazingly moving and emotional story that any woman―or any parent―can easily relate to.” ―Jennifer Hamilton, Editor, Canadian Family magazine Expecting Sunshine is a multi-award-winning memoir and a Kirkus Review BEST INDIE BOOK of 2017 Anyone who has experienced—or knows someone who has experienced—miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or other forms of pregnancy and baby loss should read Expecting Sunshine, including those considering or already pregnant again. After her son, Zachary, dies in her arms at birth, visual artist and author Alexis Marie Chute disappears into her “Year of Distraction.” She cannot paint or write or tap into the heart of who she used to be, mourning not only for Zachary, but also for the future they might have had together. It is only when Chute learns she is pregnant again that she sets out to find healing and rediscover her identity—just in time, she hopes, to welcome her next child. In the forty weeks of her pregnancy, Chute grapples with her strained marriage, shaken faith, and medical diagnosis, with profound results. Glowing with riveting and gorgeous prose, Expecting Sunshine chronicles the anticipation and anxiety of expecting a baby while still grieving for the child that came before—enveloping readers with insightful observations on grief and healing, life and death, and the incredible power of a mother’s love. Letter from a I just finished your beautiful book Expecting Sunshine and felt compelled to reach out and say thank you. A few days after I found out I miscarried, a few days before my D&C, I went to Barnes & Noble in hopes of finding a guidebook or self-help book of how to heal and cope with miscarriage or loss of a child. I searched every feasible self-help, psychology, family planning, childcare. With tears in my eyes I was too embarrassed to ask anyone at the counter for help. There I was already utterly heartbroken and feeling more alone than ever. Not a single book for me to turn to. I pulled out my phone, googled “books about miscarriage” and found your book and ordered it on the spot. It must not have been easy for you and your family to share your story, but I hope you know what an impact you’ve had on me and likely so many other women. You’ve given me so much hope for my year ahead. —Katie Rhodes, Oakland, California Second Edition Bonus chapter written from the author’s husband’s perspective. Plus, resource section, group discussion questions, and Q&A with author Alexis Marie Chute www.ExpectingSunshine.com

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2019

About the author

Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning artist, author, photographer, art curator, and filmmaker. She has received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary work.

Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes, Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books.

Her bestselling memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017, and was accompanied by the feature documentary of the same name which has screened internationally.

Alexis Marie Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, USA.

Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings info@alexismariechute.com

When not in her art/photo studio or at her computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her husband and their three living children.

Connect with Alexis Marie Chute:
Website: www.AlexisMarieChute.com
Twitter: @_Alexis_Marie
Facebook: Alexis Marie Chute, Art, Photograph and Creative Writing
Instagram: @alexismariechute
Pinterest: AlexisMarieArt
YouTube: AlexisMarieChute
LinkedIn: Alexis Marie Chute