Ami McKay on the Birth House
Midwifery, Women's Rights and a Book Club Wonder
Ami McKay admits she was overtaken by Dora, the protagonist in The Birth House, a story of a young midwife's apprentice in early 20th century Nova Scotia, Canada. McKay says she never expected her book to break out like it did (knocking The DaVinci Code off The Globe and Mail bestseller's list, winning three CBA 2007 Libris Awards - Best Fiction Book, Author and Book Design Of The Year).
The character is already somewhere in my head, and it just grows and grows until I need to get it out on paper, especially when the character is historically based. Dora was already inside me before I wrote The Birth House.
I do research, start making notes and then it hits this critical mass. I had visited the adult daughter of the midwife who had actually lived in my house, and through our conversations, her voice stayed in my head for quite a while. It became Dora's voice.
The Birth House is a magical story. Parts of the landscape become personified. Even the fog becomes a being, but for the people who have lived here for generations, it's natural. Telling the story of The Birth House, was a way of asking how we could start to heal these wounds and bring childbirth traditions and science together.
Women's Rights and Pregnancy
After the publication of the book, groups of women in book clubs talked about the book, but also about how precious women's rights are. The conversation about women's choices is not over, and it's not just about abortion. It's about contraception, how women give birth, breastfeeding. I wanted people to pay attention because in the blink of an eye, these rights could be taken away. The unassisted childbirth movement is really interesting to me as well. I think it speaks to the power of women and women knowing their own bodies.
People got so attached to the story that they started telling everyone they knew to read this book. Booksellers have been really wonderful as well, putting it into the hands of individual readers saying, "This book's for you." That's been the greatest joy - the connections I've made with the readers. The readings I go to jend up being conversations. I've heard so many birth stories. I couldn't ask for anything more.
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Comments
I enjoyed reading Ami's story. I am in the midst of writing my first novel, so it is always a joy to read about the processes other writers go through to complete their works. Sometimes I think I'm crazy, but the book keeps flowing out of me. Like you said, once it gets started, you have to keep going. I always feel like I'm winging it all the time and just making things up as I go along, but the more I read about other writers' processes, I think it's just an innate feeling we all get inside of ourselves. We research. We take notes. We hear that person's voice inside of our heads telling a story. Then, only then when we decide to embrace that storyteller do we begin to write.
Congratulations on all your successes.
Michelle - have you read The Birth House yet?
A lovely book - I think I'm going to read it again this winter, curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and the fire roaring. Thanks Ami - I'm looking forward to your next one.
No, I haven't read it, yet. I plan on reading it soon. I like Robyn's thoughts. Curling up with the book this winter and a cup of hot tea sounds like heaven right now.
Hey Michelle - I bet you're pretty busy with your own novel...what's it about?
Hey Heather~
Yes, I am pretty busy with my own novel and 2 hockey columns. LOL. Now that I'm covering the NJ Devils in depth, life has gotten to be much busier than ever before.
My novel, in brief, is about the moment when God first created 'love.' That's about as far as I'll go into describing my novel. I plan on writing this as a series, rather than just a one-time story. It is a fictional story based on over 15 years of research.
Since Thanksgiving weekend, I've been finding it more difficult to find time to write my novel, b/c hockey tends to have a bit more control over my time. In the mornings, I'm writing about the Devils. In the afternoons, I'm running errands, trying to self-promote and network. By the time evening comes around, I have between 2-4 hockey games I have to watch and review (or I'm at the game). I'm up until 3AM researching and writing about hockey.
Believe me, I take solace in any hockey breaks I can have to write my novel. Like today, my NJD column is done for today, so I can write. That is, after I'm done with all my errands. But I have something special I've been working on for the holidays for Orato that I'll be posting today. I'm also working on a special NY Rangers holiday segment for the Sports section...but that'll come later in the month. : )
MK
Crikey Michelle! Good thing you have lots of energy to go 'round. Orato has come to rely on you for hockey news, since the community building editor and I are less than sporty...(although Robyn does seem to be into the football - mostly David Beckham).
I can't wait to see what goodies you have in store for us.
Heather
:)
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