In speculating upon the identity of the author of Living with Teenagers?

[glasjam]

I brought this up on chat and its fallen off the end now. I have a strong suspicion that Julie Myerson is the author of this anonymously written book (a collection of columns written in the Guardian about an ineffectual mother and 3 stroppy, brattish teenagers, Jack, Becca and Eddie)

I've googled the subject and so far have seen no-one mention her name in connection with it. I'm reading Home (the biography of her 3-storey home in Clapham). I can't believe that I am the only person to have suspected this connection.

Now I'm thinking that maybe people have thought it's her but have kept quiet because of the anonymity thing. Am I being unreasonable in thinking that if you are going to write about your teenage children in such detail (albeit her real children have different names) that you stand the very real risk of having their identity exposed - a risk you are obviously willing to take?

That's an intriguing thought, I miss that column, though I've no idea who it might have been by.

The author of the column has now stopped because the real "Jack" found out it was about him, and all his friends at school had guessed ages ago.

YABU - but we already had this conversation on your other thread! I'd say you're more interested in becoming famous for your detective work than thinking about another woman's children. Yes, she took a risk, but clearly has done a good job of protecting her children from the general public (apart from those who outed her to her kids in the first place). Even if she did something daft, it's not her kids' fault is it? And what if JM ISN'T the author in question???

I thought her identity was exposed (albeit within her local community) that's why she stopped writing. All her kids friends realised it was written about them (Jack, Becca and Eddie), told them and they confronted their Mum. Not heard that it was Julie Myerson though but not heard any other name in connection with it either.

local community is one thing, but if the paparazzi start hounding them, the kids will have a really hard time.

Why would the paparazzi hound them? Would tabloid readers be interested?

Yes, I know I've spoken about this on the other thread and I get where you are coming from LiloLilManchester - yes if I am right (and I don't know whether I am or not) then I'll admit to a whiff of "I knew it!". But I've got this suspicion from reading a book that was a best seller (for a non-fiction book anyway)and I simply CAN"T believe that no-one else has thought this. And to be honest, my overiding thought is that it SEEMS so obvious (of course I don't know) When I was reading the column I thought, "God, who IS this woman?" she can't be well known as she would be sniffed out pretty immediately - I would just be so shocked if it was JM - what a risk!

Her kids deserve protection but my thoughts are they needed protection from their immediate peers more than anything - and my feeling is her immediate peers are EXACTLY the sort of people who would have made that connection. I imagine the teachers and other parents at her school must have suspected. Maybe everyone kept their mouths shut just long enough for her to make a book's worth of columns!

But of course it might not be her - all I wanted was to hear another Mumsnetter go, "yes I thought it was her" or "No way is it her" or "I thought it was A N Other"

I shall say no more about it.