Milk Fever, published by Demeter Press, is a tale set in 1789 on the eve of the French Revolution when a wet nurse, known for the mystical qualities of her breast milk, goes missing from her mountain village.
Céleste, a cunning servant girl who the wet nurse, Armande, once saved from shame and starvation, sets out to find her. A snuffbox found in the snow, the unexpected arrival of a gentleman and the discovery of the wet nurse’s diary, deepen the mystery. Using Armande’s diary as a map to her secret past, Céleste fights to save her from those plotting to steal the wisdom of her milk.
Demeter Press publishes novel, Milk Fever
The story explores the fight for women’s rights and the rise in clandestine literature laying bare sexuality, the nature of love and the magic of books to transform lives.
Milk Fever is Lissa M. Cowan’s first novel. She is the author of works of non-fiction and is co-translator of Words that Walk in the Night by Pierre Morency, one of Québec’s most honoured writers.
For more information, contact Demeter Press’ distributor, Brunswick Books at 416-703-3598. Demeter Press is the publishing arm of the Motherhood Initiative for Research & Community Involvement, founded and directed by York Professor Andrea O’Reilly.