Although motherhood writings are rich and emerging, the available literature on midlife motherhood and mothering is incomplete and often presented from a narrow perspective. Middle Grounds: Essays on Midlife Mothering fills this gap, widening the lens on a sociological phenomenon that is expanding in the twenty first century. It brings together scholarly and creative essays from diverse disciplines and cultural perspectives to reflect a more contemporary viewpoint — that motherhood and mothering is not limited by the stages of life or chronological age. It echoes distinct voices speaking about experiences that represent a global reality for midlife mothering practices. In essence, this collection demonstrates that everything can transpire in the middle period of a woman’s life. Thus, in midlife, we encounter a broad range of mothering experiences and practices, and ways of representing and expressing them.

Kathy Mantas is an associate professor of Education at Nipissing University. Kathy’s research interests include: ongoing teacher development, knowledge and identity; arts education; creativity in teaching-learning contexts and in women educators; artful and creative inquiry; holistic and wellness education; and motherhood and mothering studies. She is the editor of Mothering Multiples: Complexities and Possibilities (Demeter Press).

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Lorinda Peterson is an author, poet, and artist living in Kingston, Ontario. She recently graduated with a Ph.D. from Queen’s University where she currently works as an academic assistant for online writing courses. Her graphic novel My Kind of Crazy comprises part of the research-creation for her dissertation together with a poetry collection, Catastrophic Imaginaries. Lorinda has four children, eight grandchildren, two dogs, and a horse that occupy her spare time.

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