Back in the early 90’s Bette Cahill broke the story of the Butterbox Babies. Until that time it had been a 
well-kept secret. While people nearby knew of The Ideal Maternity Home, many of them had no idea of the atrocities that were taking place there.
It was while I was writing FLYING WITH A BROKEN WING, the story of a visually impaired girl who is determined to find her mother, that I realized she was, in fact, a survivor of the Ideal Maternity Home. While this fact is revealed in CAMMIE TAKES FLIGHT, we still do not discover who Cammie’s mother is or the circumstance surrounding her birth.
But all that will be revealed in April when my upcoming book hits the bookshelves. I hope readers will continue the journey with Cammie as we go back in time to when Cammie was born. While the book will answer many questions for readers, it’s important to know that THE FAMILY WAY is also what we call a stand alone novel, meaning that you don’t have to have read the first two novels in order for this one to make sense. It can be read on its own.
I want to give a shout-out to Sue Slade manager of the Dartmouth Book Exchange for sending along this photo. In case you are wondering, that is a butterbox in the background, similar to the ones that came from the LaHave Creamery and served as small coffins for the newborns that died at the home.
Thanks, Sue.
Darlene
/ January 17, 2021I am so looking forward to reading this one! I was horrified when I learned about this terrible part of Canada’s history. The photo of the book in front of the butterbox is excellent. This book will do well.
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Laura Best
/ January 17, 2021Thanks, Darlene! The photo Sue sent are great! I remember when the story first broke. So shocking. Of course, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be writing my own story about it.
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Diane Tibert
/ January 17, 2021I recall watching the movie (I assume made from the book) decades ago with my mother, who loved children. It was an incredible story made more so because it happened right here in Nova Scotia.
PS: Sue is amazing.
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Laura Best
/ January 17, 2021I agree, Sue is amazing! She does so much to promote local authors. While writing the book, I was able to borrow a copy of the movie on DVD from the library. I had also seen the movie years ago.
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Sue Slade
/ January 17, 2021Thanks for the compliment Diane.
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Sue Slade
/ January 17, 2021I am on chapter 7 and loving it. I really like how you’ve added ‘Other’ Canadian period content over and above the Butterbox Babies. My mother had a picture hanging on her wall of the Dionne quintuplets and the dolls. I can’t wait to see what other treasures are in this story. I read the original Butterbox Babies story at least 15 years ago, if not more. At the time my mother was still with us and she would not let me investigate where she and her cousin were adopted from. They were both adopted in 1947 and lived in Liverpool and Brooklyn- a short drive away from the Ideal Maternity Home. Now that they are no longer with us, I might just look into it.
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Laura Best
/ January 17, 2021I loved researching about the Dionne Quintuplets, although it is kind of a sad story. So glad you’re enjoying the book thus far.
It sounds as though this is something that will haunt you if you don’t look into it. It is certainly within the realm of possibility. I wish you luck if you do decide to take it further. If you do, please let me know what you discover.
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Judi
/ January 18, 2021I know that I not the smartest one in the world, I don’t get why they called it the”The Ideal Maternity” home. In my mind that just doesn’t fit what went on there. Am I missing something??? Or maybe I am just that dense.
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Laura Best
/ January 18, 2021It was the owners of the maternity home who gave it the name when they were in operation. For anyone who didn’t know better (which many people didn’t at that time) the name made it sound like an inviting place. Basically, it was a marketing tool. It worked, as many unwed mothers went there to have their babies. The Youngs were in it for the money.
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