the right agent for the right book

If the original book was a success in French and perinatal loss  knows no boundaries, the english version should be an easy pick for a publisher.

In 2019, I wrote a book in French about perinatal loss, called Dans ces moments-là (roughly translated as In those moments).

The book was very well received by its francophone readers (here are some readers' feedback if you happen to read French). ​​​It helped a lot of parents and their allies get through the grief of perinatal loss. ​People still contact me often to let me know that the book had a transformative effect on their individual grief process or their journey as a bereaved couple, or allowed them to support someone they love through this specific sorrow.

My dream for this book always included an English edition. Because I live in the U.S., yes. But more important, because I wanted to share what helped so many French-speaking readers with a greater population. And today, the English-language version is ready.

​So I am now looking for an agent, as I’ve come to understand that the top publishers in the U.S. don’t read unsolicited manuscripts. If you're a nonfiction agent working with English-language publishers and may be a good fit for representing this book, I'd love to meet with you. You can reach me at [email protected].

​If you're curious to know more about the book's content and thrust, please continue reading below. 

building bridges

to avoid adding silence or isolation to the pain of mourning

It's no surprise that, in the face of perinatal loss and the bereaved parents' pain, loved ones often feel helpless and don't know what to say or do. The gap widens as people go silent or their words (even their offers to help) miss the mark. Thus, when parents in grief need support the most, they often receive the least.
​

​The particular thrust of my book (otherwise missing in the field of perinatal-loss literature) is to support all concerned to get out of this dynamic and find easy, kind ways to bridge the gap. Thus, the text directly addresses two populations:
​

• FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COLLEAGUES​​

​​​Loved ones will find 15 keys to better understanding bereaved parents, along with tools to overcome the fear of not knowing what to say. I walk them through specific language to use and to avoid and also coach them in simplifying communication—including how to say less (and listen more!), replicate the parents' words, and make offers super specific. Allies will feel empowered to show up with open hearts and simply give the best of themselves in manageable, even enjoyable ways.​​
​

• PARENTS OF THE DECEASED BABY​

Grieving parents will find tools for identifying their (sometimes swiftly changing) needs and learn how to more easily ask for help. They'll benefit from countless bolstering, inspiring stories from other parents who found how to get the right support—the kind they actually needed and wanted. From boundaries work to communication strategies, the tactics I offer here provide tremendous relief for parents. They can sift through complications and find much easier ways to summon the responses wanted from various quarters and people in their world. 

The book has sold more than 4,000 copies in France to date, despite being self-published with limited marketing support. This easily corresponds to 20,000 copies in the American market alone.

Beyond the book, I've also created an online course for professional caregivers. To date, more than 200 French-speaking OBGYN's, midwives, doulas, psychologists, and hospital staff have taken the course. Their reviews confirm that my approach speaks to them and affords them more effective and compassionate ways to offer their services to bereaved parents.

140 concrete ideas

a practical handbook
for parents and allies
​after the loss of a baby

At the heart of the book, I offer more than 140 concrete ideas to guide bereaved parents and allies to think in super-specific terms as they ask for and offer support. Not only can people replicate or tweak those suggestions that match what they need or have to give, they can also use them to spark new ideas particular to them and their circumstances. My intention, in the end, is for all concerned to know that there are more ways for parents and their supporters to meet in grief than they may have ever thought possible, and those ways can be easy to locate, request, and deliver.  ​

Contrary to popular belief, there's actually a lot that can be said or done at times like these. Even small sincere offerings can make a world of difference. That's why the working title for the English-language version is currently Relief in Grief. 

a FEW WORDS ABOUT me

My name is Hélène Gerin. As a former doula and kinesiologist, I naturally encountered people in the throes and aftermath of perinatal loss. Witnessing their sorrow, I kept asking myself: couldn’t we avoid the extra and unnecessary pain of the isolation and disconnection that seem so prevalent in this experience?
​
In order to imagine a different way for people to come together in the face of this particular grief, I met with many bereaved parents, their loved ones, and perinatal loss caregivers. This book and the many stories it contains came out of those inspiring encounters.

​My focus in life tends to be on practical and actionable ways we can meet what life brings, both individually and together. This informs my recent work on responding to global warming (The Week, a docu-series conceived and created with my husband Frederic Laloux to spark courageous conversations about climate), my home life (which has included years of living in an ecovillage), and this book.

​I also love options and feel empowered when I see multiple ways to proceed through anything, so this book emphasizes abundant possibilities for giving and receiving kind, gentle support when expectant parents end up with empty arms.

​I often receive messages from parents, their families, and professionals telling me the book has become a real reference for them personally and in the field of perinatal loss. ​More support for more people is my ardent wish for the English-language version.

I'd be more than happy to keep you posted when the book comes out in English 
​and to send you an invitation to the book launch.