Writing The Longest Nine Months took a LOT of motivation, patience and brawling with discouragement tossed in with some existential questioning regarding my story.

I knew that I wanted to explore the theme of abortion but that was it.

Then the notion of conflict between Campbell, my main character, and her husband Chand began to flutter in my mind. And so the couple conflict took shape but it still wasn’t all that I wanted to write about.

romance was my vehicle to get to where I wanted to go even though I hadn’t a clue where that was.

Slowly, as I continued to write, the abortion subject turned into one of disabilities and Down syndrome.

I began to read on it and listened to interviews and one thing linked to another, as things have a habit of doing, which led me to Riva Lehrer, the marvellously amazing Chicago based artist.

A lot of what I do in my work is – almost of all of what I do – is deal with what it means to be looked at. What it means to be in a stigmatized body.

For an inspiring glimpse of Riva Lehrer listen to Mary Hynes interview Ms. Lehrer.

Instead of seeing impairments, Lehrer sees bodies that are – in her words – unexpected, charming, exciting.

What would you do if you knew that you were carrying a child with a disability?

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