Starting on the morning my son was born, I began writing a sentence each day about a moment I wanted to remember. Sometimes it was something simple — we went for a walk or sat in the grass. I kept this practice going for his first 100 days of life.
Talia Gutin – 27 May 2025
The Back Flap
The Mother Self is a collection of poetry that poignantly unveils the journey of a new mother navigating the complexities of early motherhood. Accessible and engaging, each poem captures a mother’s delicate dance as she embraces her new identity and grieves her past self, all while finding solace in the sacred bond with her son. Readers are invited to explore the beauty and challenges of this period of life with grace and authenticity and to linger in the quiet spaces of a mother’s heart, where love and loss intertwine and a meaningful journey of growth unfolds.
This collection weaves the universal themes of presence, nature, loss, and transformation. It guides readers on a path of healing and empowerment and offers a comforting hand through the transformative power of words. More than a collection of poems, it is a companion for new and seasoned mothers as they turn each page, nodding in recognition.
Above all, this book is a poetic testimony to every incomparable and holy step of motherhood.
About the book
What is the book about?
The Mother Self explores the multi-faceted journey of early motherhood — the beauty and pain, joy and challenge, growth and grief, connection and loneliness. It offers an intimate account of one mother’s experience as she navigates the complexities of her shifting identity while discovering the sacredness woven into the raw, tender moments of early motherhood.
When did you start writing the book?
Starting on the morning my son was born, I began writing a sentence each day about a moment I wanted to remember. Sometimes it was something simple — we went for a walk or sat in the grass. I kept this practice going for his first 100 days of life. Alongside these daily sentences, I began jotting down other beautiful, poignant, and ordinary moments in my notes app during those early postpartum weeks in late June 2021.
Flash forward ten months to May 2022: I was in graduate school at NYU, working on a final project for my creative writing class. I compiled ten poems from the sentences and scribbles I had gathered over the past year. I called that project The Reverence of a Mother — that’s when the book really began.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took about two years from the first poem to the completion of the book’s first draft. The project eventually became part of my graduate school thesis, making it feel like a deeply meaningful and tangible accomplishment — a culmination of both my academic journey and my journey through early motherhood — by the time I graduated.
Where did you get the idea from?
Shortly after my son was born, a friend gifted me brave new mama, a book of poetry on early motherhood by Vicki Rivard. Her words felt exquisite — capturing the holy, messy, and beautiful moments of my own postpartum journey. It became a source of comfort during that tender time. When I finished reading it, I remember thinking, I can do this. I can write a book about this time. So I did.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
One area of struggle came when my publishers asked me to change the book’s title. I felt attached to the original title (The Reverence of a Mother), but after sitting with it for a few days, I realized the book had evolved into something more than that title could capture. The new title felt more encompassing of what the book was truly about. Still, it was a difficult change and an emotional process to let go of the initial title.
What came easily?
It might sound cliché, but I call this book “a work of heart.” Writing it was one of the most natural things I’ve ever done. What writing required of me was “paying attention” to the ordinary yet beautiful moments with my baby and my inner life. From there, the words and creativity flowed. Of course, writing this book took significant effort and thousands of hours, but the effort didn’t feel hard—it felt organic from the very start.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The poems are, for the most part, written about my son and me.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Without question, Mary Oliver—her focus on the ordinary, the simple, nature, and the sacred—was a major influence on the poems. Rilke, as well, with his guidance on solitude, going within oneself, and seeing the source from which life flows.
Do you have a target reader?
The target readers are mothers 0-5 years postpartum, although this book is also for seasoned mothers, who will be reminded of the journey they went through in early motherhood—a journey forever embedded in who they are, I imagine.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I schedule hours in my week to write, and throughout the week, I’ll jot down ideas or moments I want to explore during that time. It’s not much more structured than that. Whatever happens in that hour is what happens—sometimes it flows, sometimes it’s slower, but I just let it unfold naturally without placing too much pressure on “getting somewhere.”
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
When writing poetry, I jot down the raw scribbles of the poem, getting everything on the page before going back to refine it. I guess that’s my way of outlining.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
For poetry, I typically finish the poem before going back to edit.
Did you hire a professional editor? (May skip if being published by a small press rather than self-publishing)
I did hire a professional editor, Cin Salach, who was fantastic.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I prefer the sound of silence over music. However, I occasionally listen to instrumental piano music—just no words. I find it too distracting to listen to words while writing them!
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I didn’t submit my work to agents, as I heard from several people that few agents work with poets. I’m still unsure if that’s true, but it deterred me from submitting to agents.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
From the start, working with an indie publisher felt like the right choice — especially for a book of poetry and as a first-time author.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The book cover was professionally done through my publisher, SheWrites Press.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I’m working with the publicist BookSparks, and I also have a marketing strategist I’m collaborating with. That said, there will definitely be a fair amount of winging it as well! There’s so much unknown when releasing a book, isn’t there?
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I think of Toni Morrison here—”If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the D.C. area in Rockville, Maryland.
Where do you live now?
I now live in Boulder, Colorado.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m a triathlete (I completed my first Iron(wo)man in 2019) and I love flowers. I thrive on being challenged in really significant ways, but my ideal day would be spent simply in the grass, under the trees, with a book and the sunlight — doing nothing, really, and savoring the beauty of the ordinary.
What are you working on now?
I’m not actively working on a book at the moment, but for my next project, I’m interested in writing about selfhood in the digital age — how we stay anchored inwardly, in the development of who we are, amidst a social media landscape that seems to prioritize self-presentation over self-reflection.
End of Interview:
For more from Talia Gutin visit her website and follow her on Instagram.
Get your copy of The Mother Self from Amazon US.