Today we’d like to introduce you to Myriam Steinberg

Hi Myriam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

When I was 39, I came to the big “oopsy” realizations that I’d been so involved with the festival I was organizing, that I forgot to do what I needed to do to have children – something I knew I really wanted in life. When the relationship I was in at the time didn’t work out because he didn’t want children, I decided to go ahead and try on my own.

What I thought would be an easy enough journey, turned out to be anything but. 5 years, 12 attempts (via IUI, IVF, and finally double donor embryo transfers), and 4 pregnancy losses later, I was finally pregnant with my twins. The journey was a hard one, and at the time, resources were few. I realized I had to share my story so that others going through similar experiences wouldn’t feel so alone and at a loss.

That’s where Catalogue Baby: A Memoir of (In)fertility was born. It is a graphic novel memoir of my experiences.

But it didn’t stop there. My twin pregnancy was anything but easy. My son’s water broke at 18 weeks and I had to fight tooth and nail to keep him alive. The twins came early and we spent two months in the NICU. Once again, resources were few, and so I started writing Stick, Stay, Grow.

Stick, Stay. Grow is also a graphic memoir and the continuation of my story conceiving and caring for my twins through very precarious moments as a single mom by choice.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Nothing about the five years of trying to conceive and birth a live child was easy. There were moments of love and beauty in the community that surrounded me, but the journey itself was nothing but bumpy. And then, when Catalogue Baby was finally published, the pandemic hit. This meant that any live book launches, not to mention book tours, were cancelled. Despite winning multiple awards and receiving rave reviews, getting Catalogue Baby out into the world was a struggle.

Stick, Stay, Grow, the second graphic novel, is still in the process of being created. It’s very exciting that that we’ve reached the inking and colouring stage of the book, but it’s actual publication date is still a mystery. Timelines in the publication world are long. Finding a publisher is, more often than not, the quest for the Holy Grail. The submission process is arduous and one definitely needs a thick skin, an endless amount of patience, and a whole ton of luck. For someone like me who loves getting things done, and getting them done NOW, it’s an exercise in self-restraint and “serenity now.”

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I’ve always been a visual artist. That’s why, when I realized I had to share my (in)fertility story with the world, it could be nothing but in graphic novel form. Although I’m not an illustrator, I’m a good writer and I see my life and stories in picture form. I was able to storyboard everything for the illustrator I partnered with – both for Catalogue Baby, and for Stick, Stay, Grow.

My imagination almost has a life of its own. Whether it’s through photography, collage, textile art, or illustration, I create things without always realizing the layers of meaning that each piece might have. I often surprise myself at the end of a project.

In this writing phase of my life, I’m so proud that Catalogue Baby has not only won multiple awards, but has become a meaningful and important piece of literature for those who’ve read it. I often get emails from people saying how much they needed the connection that the book afforded them, the learning they got from it, and, if they themselves are going through a difficult journey to building a family, the sense that they are not alone in the world.

In my art and writing, I try to bring to the fore things that are often unspoken or taboo. I don’t hide from raw emotions and intense moments. I also know that in hard moments in life, there is not just grief and trauma. There is also laughter, love, and compassion. The mixture of both sides of the emotional coin sometimes happen in the most surprising moments and I firmly believe it is important to give a 3-dimensional aspect to each moment.

What do you like and dislike about the city?

Vancouver is full of green and colour. Even on the many drab and rainy days, flowers bloom until the end of October. I love this omnipresent nature.

On the flip side, as much as the nature is vibrant, the people are not always so. Vancouver is a socially difficult city to build a real and lasting community of close-knit friends. The arts and culture scene also needs a good jumpstart.

Pricing:

• Catalogue Baby: A Memoir of (In)fertility: $29.99 CA/$24.99 US

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cataloguebabynovel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catalogue_baby

Image Credits

All Catalogue Baby illustrations (pink shades of colour) by Christache
All Stick, Stay, Grow illustrations (full colour) by Marlee Spicer
Myriam headshot by Diane Smithers