What my books are NOT about....

My books are not about myself. They are about the courageous men and women from across the planet who have fled war, torture, famine and genocide. They come here with hope. They dare to hope that they can once more live in peace. They dare to fall in love again, dare to make babies again and dream of providing a better life for their families.

They come from every country and background imaginable; from Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, Mongolia, Burma, Europe and South America. Against all odds they have landed here, bringing absolutely nothing with them... but hope.

My books are not about my life. They are about these amazing survivors starting over, from scratch. They invite me to witness some of their most intimate moments, like the birth of their

babies. My job is to help them navigate the impossibly complex world of the American medical system. With each one I try to create a safe environment for them, so that they can access their

own power and wisdom from within in order to birth this particular child.

My books are not about me. Yes, I get to be part of their lives and rejoice with them. I often get to visit their homes, eat their food and kiss their beautiful babies, but this is not about ME. Sometimes I also cry with them. The last time was when I accompanied a woman from Ghana into the operating room for a C-section. Her twin babies were showing signs of distress. They needed to be born NOW. 

Two plump beautiful brown baby girls who both carried a rare genetic syndrome; the incidence is only 1 in every 15,000 births—and they both have it. They will be disabled for the rest of their lives, but their brave parents love them dearly.

My books are not the story of my life. So why has Ma Doula: A Story Tour of Birth been allowed to be listed in the Barnes and Nobel catalogue as biography and memoir? They should be under transcultural medical care, intercultural communication, childbirth, doula, midwifery, health, and parenting. I have sent this letter to my publisher to get to the distributor to fix it. 

Stay tuned! Ma Doula will be ready to order on May 1st. You can order through Barnes and Nobel or Amazon, though they don't have the cover we decided on in the end, or North Star Press, St. Cloud, MN.