Dead Babies and Seaside Towns

Dead Babies and Seaside Towns is a memoir written by Alice Jolly, published in 2015 by the crowdfunding platform Unbound. The work emerged from the author's deeply personal struggle with infant loss and the subsequent journey of navigating the healthcare system and grief, framed against the backdrop of her experiences in various English coastal towns. It was brought to fruition through the publisher's unique model, which relies on public support to greenlight manuscripts that might otherwise struggle to find a traditional commercial outlet.

The book is noted for its raw, unflinching exploration of motherhood and medical trauma, distinguishing itself from typical memoir fare through its lyrical prose and structural honesty. Jolly’s writing was praised by critics for its resilience and ability to translate profound private suffering into a broader social commentary on the treatment of grieving parents. Its publication through Unbound highlighted a growing movement in independent literature, where the relationship between author and reader is solidified during the funding process before the final volume is even printed.