Winnipeg author pens heartfelt book to welcome new daughter
A local author’s desire to explain the heartfelt connection between herself and her infant daughter has flowered into a book, titled “You Came From My Heart.”
Though it was her partner who gave birth to their daughter Lark, author Brenlee Coates told CTV Morning Live the idea for the book came naturally, as she wanted to set a foundation of honesty with her daughter.
“I knew she’d have questions about where she came from one day and I came up with the line, ‘You didn’t come from my body, you came from my heart,’. Just very honest plain language and it just kind of took off from there,” Coates said.
Coates said a friend of theirs offered to be their donor when they decided it was time to form a family.
“We had really close friends offer. Obviously, it took a lot of discussion just to make sure we were on the same page in how they would approach it,” said Coates.
So far, positive reaction to the story has come from around the globe. Coates said she reached out to a list of independent booksellers and as a result, her book is on shelves in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Coates says the story has something of a universal appeal.
“So I know when myself and my partner were growing up, we really didn’t see books like this at all. We did not have a lot of role models or examples. So it helps parents in similar situations to lead those conversations with their kids.”
Juno-award winning illustrator Roberta Landreth provided illustrations for the book. Coates said Landreth’s contribution came about as the result of a chance meeting on a Winnipeg Transit bus.
“She was pregnant at one point during her rides and then, of course, we became pregnant and just sort of bonded over the whole motherhood scenario and I knew this was the perfect person to illustrate the book and I couldn’t have been more right,” said Coates.
“I just hope people feel really represented. People who really just want to have a diverse library to expose their kids to a lot of different stories. I think that’s the kind of outcome I’m hoping for.”
-With files from CTV’s Nicole Dubé
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.