Ann Pearson and author Margaret Scofield share with Michelle the story behind the much-needed book I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book which was inspired by the loss of Ann's daughter, Riley, due to miscarriage. I Love You Still is a first-of-its-kind baby memory book made for moms experiencing a miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn loss- no matter how long ago that loss took place. It is a treasured keepsake to create a tangible way to document and honor the baby's life, no matter how brief.
Margaret explains the obstacles that were holding her book—and other books on perinatal bereavement—back from mainstream publication. Shockingly, there is not a literary categorization code (both medical and popular) on the topic of perinatal loss. These codes are the system through which all print and digital materials are categorized. The BISAC codes list is the preeminent literary categorization tool that is used to organize everything from online search results to bookstore layouts.
About Margaret & Ann:
Author Margaret Scofield created I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book—a first-of-its-kind baby memory book made for moms experiencing pregnancy and infant loss—after her friend Ann Pearson lost her daughter, Riley, due to miscarriage. In 2019, a local news story about the book quickly spread across mainstream outlets such as NBC, CBS, FOX, TODAY, MSN, People Magazine, and HuffPost. Yet, Margaret struggled to find a publisher because her book didn’t “fit an existing genre.” After selling out in 3 days at the #2 spot on the Amazon Best Seller List, landing on the shelves of all major US retailers, and shipping to over 30 countries, Margaret decided to find out exactly what was holding her book—and other books on perinatal bereavement—back from mainstream publication. Now, Margaret is on a mission to change the literary landscape for loss moms by 2023—but she needs our help.
Margaret is joined today by her friend and inspiration for the book, Ann Pearson. Ann discusses the events and emotions connected to her pregnancy with Riley, and the role Margaret's book has played in her grief journey. The two friends now come together to raise awareness for the missing literary categorization for all books (both medical and popular) on the topic of perinatal loss. The system through which all print and digital materials are categorized is called the BISAC codes list: as the preeminent literary categorization tool, this list is used to organize everything from online search results to bookstore layouts. However, in 2022, there is still no categorization for books about miscarriage or perinatal bereavement. That means there is no central spot wherein these resources are compiled—it also means that those looking to provide them are turned away at a much higher rate. Margaret now asks for our help to change that by reaching out directly to BISG, the organization responsible for voting on changes to the BISAC literary codes list each year.
Help Add a BISAC code for Perinatal Bereavement
The link to the BISG's full Subject Headings list (with a link to the Contact Form) can be found here: https://bisg.org/page/BISACEdition
The direct link to the Contact Form can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K9CH9MD
Connect with Margaret:
Instagram: @iloveyoustillbook
Website: https://www.iloveyoustillbook.com/
Email: [email protected]
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com /loss-support
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheaselossssupport
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Thank you for listening! Remember, you are not alone in your grief.
