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Original poster

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2

988 replies

Boiledbeetle · 29/05/2023 23:25

Thread 1:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4776556-a-mumsnet-thread-about-a-book-about-a-mumsnet-thread-under-the-duvet-of-darkness-written-by-the-women-of-mumsnet?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

You do not need to have read thread 1 – this is not that sort of thread.

But to recap… Over Christmas and New Year after the passing of the GRR (Scotland) Bill a thread was started with a poem about Nicola Sturgeon. Eventually on that thread (and a couple of other threads) over 80 poems were written.

“Under the Duvet of Darkness: Poems written by angry women for angry women because WOMEN WON’T WHEESHT” was published as a paperback on 31st March 2023.

Available on Amazon only: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C129WKDD

In a rather bizarre turn of events at one point it reached No 2 in poetry best sellers and No 5 in Feminist Criticism best sellers. No one will be surprised to discover that a book that is in the main about people, especially men, claiming to be something they are not was kept off the No1 spot in poetry best sellers by a crime novel, identifying as poetry, written by a man ;-)

E-BOOK:

Some people wanted an e-book rather than a paperback, but for that we needed someone who could actually make an e-book and some extra poems.

FairyKindleMother came to the rescue with regards the e-book and posters wrote enough poems that we could add 20 more poems into the e-book.

I pressed publish on the e-book a few hours ago. It can take usually up to 3 days to appear and populate all the info etc on the various sites, and there is always the chance they knock it back for some reason. But I've done all I can do at this point. We just have to wait and see who spots it on sale first! It will appear on the Amazon link above hopefully soon, (or I'll get an email asking me to change something).

MONEY FROM SALES OF ALL FORMATS:

In honour of Magdalen Berns, who co-founded the Scottish campaign group For Women Scotland, 100% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to For Women Scotland.

“It’s not hate to defend your rights, and it’s not hate to speak the truth.”
Magdalen Berns (1983 – 2019)

As I started work on the e-book posters continued to write poems. So we had a choice: leave them there, languishing on the thread, unloved, forgotten, never to have their words uttered again OR we could just do volume 2.

Posters voted for Volume 2 but we still need more poems!

And that’s the gist of thread 1.

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
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Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 04/06/2023 18:26

MANY MANY POCKETS

I want many many pockets in my clothes.
Think of men’s cargo pants… Yes! Just like those.

I want small ones and big ones and ones with a zip.
I want buttons and Velcro and ones that don’t rip.

I want soft ones and thin ones. I want all this and more.
But I have still yet to find what I want in a store.

I want them in sweatpants, and leggings, and in my kecks.
I want them in gloves, and in coats and ooh… turtle-necks.

I want lots in my dresses, and deep ones in skirts.
I want them in sweaters and hoodies, and even T-shirts.

I want them hidden in socks and side ones in blouses.
Hell, even my shoes, and many more in my trousers.

I want my phone in my pocket, and not in my cleavage.
(I’m scared I might lose it, through annoyed bosom heavage).

I want things in my pockets, and not in my hand.
I want both my hands free. This is my demand.

To those working in fashion please hear my plea,
I want many more pockets; I want to be free.

(‘clothing designers’ and ‘vaginas’ rhymes but I couldn’t get it to sit right in mine.)

OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 04/06/2023 17:40

@TheBiologyStupid That's rather fitting isn't it.

"Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices".

He would be agasht to see what we have become in the 21st century.

I wonder how many other quotes by women have been misattributed to men? And inventions and discoveries!

We are having a little book sales surge and it's doing quite well on the sales front this month. We have just gone past last months total.

I've also found my pocket poem! Now I've just got to tidy it up.

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
TheBiologyStupid · 04/06/2023 17:24

Just checked Wikiquote to make sure it was properly attributed (it was). But in doing so I came across this passage from Voltaire which seems apposite given the new gender identity religion and its mantra that TWAW:

Once your faith, sir, persuades you to believe what your intelligence declares to be absurd, beware lest you likewise sacrifice your reason in the conduct of your life. In days gone by, there were people who said to us: "You believe in incomprehensible, contradictory and impossible things because we have commanded you to; now then, commit unjust acts because we likewise order you to do so." Nothing could be more convincing. Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices. If you do not use the intelligence with which God endowed your mind to resist believing impossibilities, you will not be able to use the sense of injustice which God planted in your heart to resist a command to do evil. Once a single faculty of your soul has been tyrannized, all the other faculties will submit to the same fate. This has been the cause of all the religious crimes that have flooded the earth.
(Translation from Norman Lewis Torrey: Les Philosophes. The Philosophers of the Enlightenment and Modern Democracy. Capricorn Books, 1961, pp. 277-8)
Questions sur les miracles (1765)

TheBiologyStupid · 04/06/2023 17:14

* Evelyn Beatrice Hall (28 September 1868 –13 April 1956) who wrote under the pseudonym S[tephen] G. Tallentyre, was an English writer best known for her biography of Voltaire entitled The Life of Voltaire, first published in 1903. She also wrote the Friends of Voltaire which she completed in 1906.

In The Friends of Voltaire, Hall wrote: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs.

Thanks for that - it's always good to have these popular misconceptions corrected.

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 04/06/2023 13:24

Seriously Amazon, 3 days you say. I know its an estimate but this is taking forever! Yes you've guessed, its STIIIIIILL in review status.

I feel like Christopher Robin today:

“Halfway down the stairs, is a stair, where I sit.
There isn't any, other stair, quite like, it.
I'm not at the bottom, I'm not at the top;
So this is the stair, where, I always, stop.
Halfway up the stairs, isn't up, and isn't down.
It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town.
And all sorts of funny thoughts, run round my head:
It isn't really anywhere! It's somewhere else instead!”
A. A. Milne

But whilst we wait I see FairyKindleMother has more than one string to her bow! Excellent computer skills and poetry writing skills! 😀

I'm halfway through writing a pockets poem. Its on a piece of paper somewhere but I don't know where I put it (if only I had a handy pocket in my pajamas).

I'm off to retrace my footsteps.

OP posts:
FairyKindleMother · 04/06/2023 11:22

I was thinking about that quote everyone says is by Voltaire (which was actually written by a woman* in her biography about Voltaire)

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

SILENCE

Why is there such a need in men
To silence women's choices?

Who was it made the scolds bridle
To stifle women's voices?

We are not shrews to tame
We will not just 'be kind'

We have our right to know ourselves
To decide our own minds.

No man will ever stop my words
With violence or the threat of death

I will defend our right to speak
Until my dying breath.

If you are not born of my sex
You can never speak for me

You have the right to your own voice
I support your right to be,

But you may not shout down my right
To firmly disagree.

*Evelyn Beatrice Hall (28 September 1868 –13 April 1956) who wrote under the pseudonym S[tephen] G. Tallentyre, was an English writer best known for her biography of Voltaire entitled The Life of Voltaire, first published in 1903. She also wrote the Friends of Voltaire which she completed in 1906.

In The Friends of Voltaire, Hall wrote: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs.

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 03/06/2023 08:59

STILL IN REVIEW. 😬 this is driving me nuts! I have been informed Amazon have been doing loads of behind the scenes updating stuff and everything is getting processed slower than usual lately. But it's still driving me nuts waiting!

On the plus side FWS included links to the book in their newsletter yesterday.

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 01/06/2023 19:40

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 30/05/2023 22:48

Ed Loadsabollock Balls interviewed Kathleen Stock on TV and kept interrupting her- it was car crash for him. What a twat.

Having finally seen the interview...oh my god! I understand why it led you to poetry now 😁

https://twitter.com/RachaelWongAus/status/1664237642232532999?s=19

https://twitter.com/RachaelWongAus/status/1664237642232532999?s=19

OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 01/06/2023 18:33

Well that was a shit screenshot. Let's try again

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 01/06/2023 18:31

OK should I be flattered or worried?

See attached. the QR code on their profile is the QR from my profile so at least it takes people to the book!

And I did make the payment first thing even if I forgot to put the screenshot on until now!

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 01/06/2023 00:21

For completeness the overall sales figures are:

£847.84 and 339 📚📚📚📚📚!

So, It's in at least 10 houses!

Moves huge stack of UTDOD from middle of stairs to side so I can get past

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 01/06/2023 00:12

Considering that this was the month that FWS were fundraising for the legal case so they didn't push the book at all and I haven't really tweeted about it unless it was because someone had tweeted first, I'm actually pleasantly surprised that we sold more than a couple this month.

It would be nice if every month was like March but I think that was a one off!

So we sold 22 copies and raised £55.

Hopefully next month will see some e-book sales - if it ever gets off 'review' status. 😬😟😳😱

And the profit on each e-book sale is actually a lot higher. So it will be interesting to see how the e-book sales compare to the paperback.
On

PLUS we still haven't gone back on the naughty step so we may pick up some random buys from people who are looking for dark coloured duvet covers, or under bed storage!

I'll put the payment through to FWS when I get up.

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 31/05/2023 22:43

Ooh...we've just had a new review!

Why thank you! 😘

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Larpingasapoet · 31/05/2023 20:31

@SinnerBoy 😊

Bows. Blows kisses to audience. Bow's again. Applauds the audience.

Or is that a bit much?

SinnerBoy · 31/05/2023 18:06

Larpingasapoet · Today 13:20

#SSSAOR

Oh brava!

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 31/05/2023 16:26

New poems I'd do smilies but i'm on the laptop and they just appear as squares. so imagine happy huggy smilies! I'd wager some username changing has gone on though!

I don't blame them!

So, as we aren't so focused so much on fair Nicola (sorry @RealFeminist but at least now you get to write what you really think!)

we need some ideas/themes/random accidental spellings that result in not only a chapter but a book title etc for the chapters.

so far:

  • Current affairs
  • cats
  • pockets @FairyKindleMother on an email earlier said, "womens clothing for REAL women is so lacking in them, it's an oppression all of it's own!"

possible other options:

  • free speech?
  • women and work
  • being a mother (or not)
  • TRAs
  • police
  • how your views have changed over the past few years
  • Single sex spaces
  • erm....

and the Kindle book is STILL in review!!!!!!!

But my author bit now has a wonderful profile picture on Amazon!!

Goes off to try and write a poem about pockets

OP posts:
UrinaryLeash · 31/05/2023 15:30

Taking the piss

Women are not support humans
for menfolk and their feelings.
Our rights should not be given away
whilst excluding us from the dealings

with those in power who set the rules.
Browbeaten by the TRAs.
Why don’t us women get a voice
in who uses our spaces these days?

Why do men get so many options?

Whilst we are left with none.
If a man uses a woman’s space,
some women will be gone.

Those women will stay near home
and can no longer pee in peace.
It’s as if we have gone back in time,
limited, again, by the urinary leash.

Hmm might need some faffing about with.

Larpingasapoet · 31/05/2023 13:20

#SSSAOR

Surely it’s not much,
In the general scheme of things?
Not wanting men
Gleefully rejoicing over
Laws being circumvented.
Equality be damned.

So that they can
Enter anywhere.
XX, now with plus Y.

Sod that us women
Prefer to have
A space free from
Cocks and cock owners.
Everyone deserves dignity.
SINGLE SEX SPACES

ARE OUR RIGHT.
Remember when
Everyone knew that

Our species is binary.
Until men with
Rather inflated

Righteousness decided to
Invade women’s and
Girl’s spaces
However they wanted.
They can FUCK OFF.

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 31/05/2023 07:56

@Ritasueandbobtoo9 Ah. I must go find that later.

This is torture waiting for the e-book to get out of the review stage!

We actual sold 4 copies yesterday, another one shipped out late last night!

And having done a very quick count up last night we are going to require a LOT more poems before volume 2 appears, we have a couple of thin chapters worth so far.

So anything woman, FWR related welcome! (And cats!).

It even would be interesting to see dissenting arguments ...they could have their own chapter!

Right breakfast then doctors appointment.

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 30/05/2023 22:48

Ed Loadsabollock Balls interviewed Kathleen Stock on TV and kept interrupting her- it was car crash for him. What a twat.

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 30/05/2023 22:37

Bugger what did I miss? I've been busy doing something completely different so haven't been paying attention. What has Ed Balls done?

Just watching gender wars now with Kathleen Stock.

And we've had 3 sales today. It's ticking along.

OP posts:
Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 30/05/2023 21:56

Ed Balls:

Ed Balls had some balls,
to take on Kathleen stock,
he thought he could.
He thought he could mock,
and interrupt and he would
say what a bigot she is.
But she is seasoned,
At being reasoned,
which of course she is.

Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 30/05/2023 18:31

Kindle is still in review. However...

We appear to have been given a reprieve from sitting on the naughty step. It now appears as an option when you search under the book title our Boiledbeetle on a general search.

Plus if you type in something you think might bring it up eg Grr bill this happens👇

A Mumsnet thread about a book about a Mumsnet thread “Under the Duvet of Darkness” written by the women of Mumsnet THREAD 2
OP posts:
Original poster
Boiledbeetle · 30/05/2023 12:32

@Waitwhat23 Incredulous is definitely how I find myself feeling even now when I constantly think nothing could raise my eyebrows much further up my head something else comes along!

I've just had a thought about the cat chapter. As anyone who has ever been a servant to our fluffy overlords will know trying to stick them all in one place never works out well. You cannot try to corral cats, unless you wish to have your arms shredded.

No, cats are happiest when left to roam free, plonking themselves down in the most inconvenient of places. Right over that 1000 piece jigsaw you've nearly finished, sat expectantly near the worktop you were just abut to put the roast chicken on. Draped over the laptop keys whilst you try to write a poem about finding your new date is not the 5 foot 2 female wood nymph the dating profile picture promised you rather a 6 foot 4 bridge troll.

But i digress. What I'm saying is I think the cat poems may end up wandering freely throughout the pages. Settling down wherever they feel most comfortable.

OP posts:
Waitwhat23 · 30/05/2023 11:49

That's fab, Boiled! I particularly like your use of incredulous as that's how I feel about this whole thing a lot of the time

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