Hot Cross Mum

The first week of last September was a landmark one for me for a number of reasons.

My daughter started school and I reluctantly went to my first parents coffee morning.

I had been dreading it.  I felt low and inadequate.

There I was, in the restaurant, gripping my son as though I was afraid someone would steal him, his sister had run off to primary school just two days earlier after all and I was delicate.

I eyed the table and the introductions started.  As I scrambled to remember names I was sure I would be tested on later, a voice said “and I’m sure you know Hazel Gaynor, she’s Hot Cross Mum”.

Well, relief flooded through me as I turned to the lady whose blog I had been following for months and whose commentary on her own life had made me realise I am not alone in my job as a stay at home parent.

I was delighted to meet her, but what the hell was she doing at a coffee morning with a blog to write? Surely it takes every spare ounce of energy she has to pull it together week after week.  Making me feel better about the things that convince me I'm a few sandwiches short of a picnic on a daily basis.  Like bursting into tears because someone said something mean to one of my children, or speaking in a welsh accent after an overdose of Fireman Sam.

After meeting another writer at the table, Jane Travers, I decided what the heck and I told these women how I had wanted to go back to writing for years but wasn’t quite sure how.

Jane took me in hand, told me I must join Twitter, talk to other writers, expand my horizons and when it came to actually writing, just bloody do it.  She’s not one to mince her words that Jane.

My old brain began to churn and think about stuff other than nappies, laundry, dinner and the sexual tension on Balamory and on Sept 16^th last, I launched my own blog.

Now, two years into her own journey as a blogger, Hazel has launched her first book.  Based on her blog with lots of extra bits, it's fittingly called "Hot Cross Mum, Bitesize Slices of Motherhood".

In a nutshell, it’s a gem of a book.

Hazel just gets it.  She’s a parent who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is without ever once doing a disservice to the two most important people for whom she does it all – her boys.

Using humour to soften the blows of the reality of day to day life as a stay at home Mum, Hazel has created a must read for all parents, everywhere.  Whether you're at home all the time or on the train to work every morning.

I guarantee you will laugh, you may also shed a tear, but you won't be sorry you read it.  She's also a big advocate of a Dirty G&T, but you can’t blame the woman, she’s up to her eyes.  If you don’t know what that is, you’ll have to read her book to find out.

Buy Hazel Gaynor’s Hot Cross Mum for Kindle on Amazon by following this link: Hot Cross Mum: Bitesize Slices of Motherhood