Mums On Strike
Mums on Strike is about a working mum who is so sick of being the skivvy at home, she goes on housework strike in an attempt to get her husband to accept they should shares the chores equally. I wrote it because I think equality should begin at home - even though mums tend to have a job outside of the home and do the bulk of the childcare, they're still expected to scrub the loo for no other reason than having a pair of boobs! It's a weird contradiction when we're encouraged to 'have it all' yet still expected to be a 1950s domestic goddess. It's a love story too; the book examines how a couple responds when one person changes or has new aspirations - I wanted to write about the challenges we face once the kids start school and a new chapter of life starts. And it's about the power of female friendship and what we can achieve when we work together.
The book is said to be perfect for fans of Pedigree Mum and The Mummyfesto, so how does it feel to be compared to these books and authors?
Completely mind-blowing! Fiona Gibson and Linda Green are legends with squillions of books and an enormous fan-base between them - and they write how I aspire to, with warmth and wit. Two books in and I still struggle to see myself as an author because it doesn't seem real. I just hope I have the same longevity as them.
Please tell us about the character of Lisa.
Lisa is what I call a she-roine! She does what many of us dream and even threaten - saying enough is enough, I need help and I'm knackered! She represents that voice inside of us. But while we might not go through with it due to guilt or fear, she sees it through and has to cope with the consequences. She has two kids of primary school age and a husband who used to do his bit before they came along. Then they fell into traditional male-female roles but when she decides to go back to work and invest in herself he carries on living his life without understanding he needs to change. I came up with her name Lisa Stratton after talking to my mum about the idea of the book when I was doing some research and she told me to read Lysistrata, a comedy by Aristophanes from 411 BC. The female lead, Lysistrata, persuades the women of Greece to withhold sex from their men as a means of forcing them to negotiate peace.
How much has your background in journalism helped you to write this book?
In terms of writing, it helped because it's always been my job to bash away at a keyboard. But that's just one part. My upbringing was part of it - my mum and dad were very influential in the way they brought us up, encouraging my sister and I to believe in women as equals. Having a career then giving it up to be a stay at home mum also shaped Mums on Strike. And my husband played a part too - by being rubbish at housework!
You are a lover of Twitter, so how much does it mean to your to have feedback from your readers?
I love Twitter and I love hearing from readers - writing a book is a very personal thing, you're putting yourself out there and obviously you're going to get all sorts of feedback. So to think someone has not only taken the time and spent money to read your book and then come and tell me they enjoyed it, well, it makes my day! The same goes for chatting with readers on any social media platform, I'm on Pinterest, Instagram and I have my own Facebook page, Laura Kemp Books.
You have written for many different publications so which has been your most memorable?
Probably the latest piece I did for the Daily Mail on co-sleeping with my son, who's six, because it caused a right fuss! People were either very supportive or damning, I didn't realise how much of a talking point it would be. It's completely natural for us, my husband is away loads through his job so me and our son ended up sleeping together for company, safety, whatever, but I was accused of ruining two people's lives - my husband and our son's! I couldn't care less because every family has its foibles and this is ours. I also heard from lots of mums who do the same thing and I was overwhelmed too by those who didn't but reassured me everyone is entitled to do what they feel is right. Funnily enough, those who have heard my husband's snoring completely understand why he's in the spare room!
How do you juggle writing with being a mum?
It's a job and I do it the way every other mum or main carer does it - during school hours, when my son has friends over and if I'm lucky enough to have a few hours to myself at the weekend.
What is next for you?
I'm writing my third book and it's pure chick lit this time so I'm really excited to be trying something new. Writing is all about pushing yourself, new challenges and developing the way you tell a story and I'm getting stuck right in. I'm also doing a course very soon on scripting a TV drama because I would love to write for telly. But I think it will really help my novels too; exposing yourself to new things and experiences can only make for better books.