The Antenatal Group
What can you tell us about your new book The Antenatal Group?
The book was inspired by my own experience of becoming a mum. Suddenly I found myself in this bewildering world of pregnancy and birth, then when the baby arrived; breastfeeding, sleepless nights and anxiety. Once my partner returned to work I felt pretty isolated and it was the women I met at baby group who really understood why I was walking around in such a daze! So The Antenatal Group follows the lives of five very different women who meet at antenatal group. It opens with Mel, seven months pregnant, being dumped by her partner just before her first antenatal class and sees her meet mums-to-be including Lexi, who is having a baby by donor sperm and Katy, who appears to have it all planned out, to Erin, who seems to be an expert on babies, but is quietly hiding a tragic secret from the past...Hopefully it will give readers a few laughs, a few tears and ultimately be uplifting.
How can non-mums-to-be enjoy your book?
I'd say that the story is ultimately about friendship between women, so if babies aren't part of the reader's life plan, then that's no problem. I hope that anyone who's ever had any contact with babies will enjoy it really. The book isn't a practical baby manual of any description; it's a story that hopefully taps into all kinds of issues affecting women. Saying that, it's obviously going to help if the reader has at least a vague in babies and motherhood!
You are a mother of two children, who found comfort in friends in the early days of being a mum so how auto-biographical is this book?
I'm sure there are bits of me in all the characters I write about and the book includes some anecdotes from friends too. Becoming a mum has been the most challenging experience of my life and I really enjoyed writing about it, cloaked in the various characters - it was pretty therapeutic!
You are a freelance journalist writing for many publications, so how much has this profession aided your fictional writing?
I think writing for publications helps because you're more used to deadlines and physically sitting down at the computer to write. Also - and I'm not absolutely convinced this is a good thing - I'm not too precious about letting it go because I'm used to turning copy around quite quickly. If I had loads of time, I'd probably become completely obsessed about each word.
You have also written The Girls' Guide to Homemaking and The Saturday Supper Club, so what can you tell us about these novels for fans of this book?
The Girls Guide to Homemaking is about Juliet, who's on a mission to have the perfect home but on the first night with her boyfriend in their new flat, discovers he's been sleeping with their flat-mate. Juliet retreats into the comforting world of her grandmother's 1950s homemaking manuals full of old fashioned tips, which are good for a laugh, but aren't going to help. Determined to get a home with a heart, who will win hers?
The second book The Saturday Supper Club is about Eve, who had her world torn apart three years ago when her ex disappeared without trace. Now happy with a new man, her life implodes when she agrees to take part in a supper club competition for a local newspaper. Eve is cooking the first dinner and who turns up on the doorstep expecting fine food? That long lost ex...
Mel is facing the prospect of being a mother on her own, so do you think that single parent families can work given the right circumstances?
Yes, I think single parent families can absolutely work. My own mum was a single parent for quite a long time until she re-married and she was an amazing parent to me. Surely, as long as the parent can love, care and provide for their child in whatever way they can, that's what's important? One loving parent is way better than two disinterested parents.
What is your favourite novel?
I have so many, but one that I keep returning to is Sacred Country by Rose Tremain. I'm always amazed by how brilliantly Rose Tremain writes. She's truly original and utterly inspiring. I also love Elinor Lipman; her books make me laugh out loud.
Which authors do you feel have had an impact on this book?
I guess every author that's ever had any resonance with me has an impact on my writing in some way - and there are too many to mention because I'm a prolific reader - though I strive to have my own unique voice. Specifically for this book I re-read The Rough Guide To Pregnancy by Kaz Cooke; her writing style is so accessible and her book was a real friend to me when I was pregnant.
What is your writing process?
I'm totally unglamorous and write mostly in bed, usually after I've got the children to sleep. Otherwise, I steal twenty minutes here and there, when nobody's looking. When I'm writing I usually have a coffee on the go and some form of dark chocolate snack to keep my brain ticking over.
What is next for you?
I would love to write another book in this genre but right now I'm crossing my fingers and toes that people like this book!