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52

January 25 • 2007

Former Detroiter's published works
include her personal poetry and a
book about nannies.

1208470

usan Davis did not realize
she wanted to be a profes-
sional writer until she left
Detroit and went to college, but it took
some 20 years before her projects were
ready for publication.
The turning-point was 2006,
when her name went on two books:
Searching for Mary Poppins:
Women Write About the Intense
Relationship Between Mothers
and Nannies (Hudson Street Press;
$24.95) and Gathering Sound
(Bedbug Press; $13.95).
Searching for Mary Poppins, co-
edited with Gina Hyams, reveals 25
highly personal childcare experiences
as expressed by professional writers.
It was started long after Gathering
Sound, which introduces 37 prize-
winning poems written by Davis over
many years.
"If I get any personal writing done, I
consider that a victory:' says Davis, 41,
a busy wife, mother of two and radio
producer currently forging ahead with
a novel. "I didn't want to self publish.
I wanted a publisher to say that [my
work] was worth money."
Those reading the nanny anthol-
ogy will learn about finding nannies,
adjusting to nannies and separating
from nannies. The compilation reaches

from a nanny gradually revealing her
own secrets to a nanny helping a fam-
ily through a father's fatal illness.
Those enjoying the poetry book
learn about Davis' self-discovery.
"The idea for the nanny book came
during a year I took off from radio and
taught creative writing;' says Davis,
who successfully employed a nanny
but found the nature of the arrange-
ment inherently stressful.
"I shared an office with a wonder-
ful woman who talked constantly and
obsessively about her nanny. I knew
more about her nanny than I knew
about her husband, children and her.
"I wondered if I was like that, and
I questioned what would happen if
a whole bunch of moms in similar
situations could talk to one another. I
started asking people about writing on
this subject."
Davis and Hyams, close friends,
made a list of contemporary women
writers they liked and found out if
they had nannies and compelling sto-
ries to tell about them. Some contribu-
tors suggested additional writers with
nannies.
Although there are no lengthy
tales related to Judaism, there are
essays involving families with Jewish
heritage. Lauren Slater, Ann Hood
and Andrea Nakayama bring their
religious backgrounds into their com-
mentaries.