Almost Famous

So the book has been out a fair while now and I'm still having to work for a living...who knew? But I am happy to say that I am steadily working my way up the ladder of the popular press literari. First stop was The Sun, then it was The Daily Express and finally, two weeks ago, I actually made it to the dizzy heights of a mention in The Guardian - Woohoo!!

Thanks to the great Helen McCusker at my publisher Harriman House I've also managed to do one TV campaign (for the Baby Channel),various stints at LBC radio, Mother and Baby and I'm Pregnant Magazines (don't get jealous, now...) as well as having several internet recommendations on parenting websites and blogs.I have also been within spitting distance of Fiona Phillips on GMTV!!! (Well, she talked to me over an earpiece). So now that I'm almost famous I wanted to share with you the perils and pitfalls of becoming an (almost) household name. Like going to Tesco first thing in the morning with a fractious three year old without any make-up. And having complete strangers examine the contents of your shopping basket, (which, incase you're remotely interested, contained not only sanitary protection but my mother's monthly consignment of denture tablets). It's not a big deal. I can take it. What did surprise me, however, was that even in the remote outback of being slightly recogniseable (and we are talking off the map remote here), people still regard you as public property to a lesser or greater degree and will take the opportunity to tell you to your face (or very loudly behind your back) just what they think of you and what you have done.

It even happens amongst friends...witness my recent presence at a dinner in which the subject of book clubs came up. One of the guests was slightly embarrassed to reveal that she had recommended to her group a book of shall we say, slightly dubious literary quality (her words, not mine) and immediately apologised to me for it being "probably not highbrow enough" to which another guest thought it appropriate to laugh uproariously and declare "you're talking to the woman who wrote the ebay book".

It's certainly no recommendation for being a writer.

Courtesy of Robert Logan

Filming at the Baby Channel (One camera and no hospitality...)