July book of the month: Why Mummy Swears by Gill Sims - Read and join the discussion and author webchat on Weds 5 September, 9pm.

[RachelMumsnet]

Over Summer MN bookclub will be reading two strikingly different books about parenting. Both authors will be joining us in early September for webchats.

First up is Gill Sim’s Why Mummy Swears. Gill’s blog Peter and Jane has become a UK phenomenon, largely due to the publication of her first novel - the bestselling Why Mummy Drinks. Her latest joins Ellen, husband Simon and their precious 'moppets', Jane and Peter at the start of the summer holidays and follows them, in diary format, over the course of the year. With spot-on observations about motherhood and more than a few lol moments, this is the perfect fun summer read, whether you’re lying by a pool or in need of light relief as you struggle with your own moppets over the school holidays.

Gill Sims will be joining us for a webchat on Wednesday 5 September when she’ll be joining us for a chat and a laugh about surviving the summer holidays as well as answering your questions about the book. Find out more about the book, read - or listen to - an extract and find out what the Mumsnet bloggers have to say about Why Mummy Swears

@Morlef

My question would have to be- will the books be made into a film (I bloody well hope so, they would be amazing!) And if so, who would play the parts of Ellen and Simon...ooh and Sam too? X

Hi Morlef,
It would be amazing if they were made into a film, but there's no plans at the moment! As far as who would play Ellen and Simon and Sam...I don't know! It's such a subjective thing, I have a very clear picture of them in my head, but I can't think of any actors who match them, but then again, your picture of them might be completely different- I'm sure we've all had that thing where a book we love is turned into a film, and we go 'NO! They can't POSSIBLY be X, that is clearly wrong!' I still haven't seen the film of One Day, because Anne Hathaway CLEARLY wasn't Emma, however good people said she was in the role! I'd be really interested to hear who other people think should play Ellen and Simon and Sam though, and see what pictures of them you all have in your heads!

Obviously all us mums can relate to everything in your book but I wondered, do you know any men that have read the book? Or read your blog?

@FernieB

Love Judgy so much. He reminds me of a dachshund I know who is disapproving of everything.

You're very brave to write about being a mum. Everyone has an opinion on it and a lot will judge you harshly for everything you do. Is that something you considered before starting?

Hi FernieB, Dachshunds have wonderfully expressively faces too.
To answer your question in one word- no, I never considered how I would be judged. Partly because I tend not to be very good at thinking through the consequences of my actions and tend to act first, but mainly because I never thought it would matter because no one would read it anyway! My main aim was really just to make my friends laugh a bit. It still is, tbh!

@littlerose12345

Hi Gill! Thank you for writing such a brilliantly relatable book! Had me howling in places! My question is are any of the characters based on real people?!

Hi littlerose12345,
Nope, definitely not, absolutely no real people there whatsoever at all in the slightest...

Found it! It’s me! 😛

Also, agree on Anne Hathaway! I always pictured Jessica Hynes as Emma when reading One Day.

The front cover is really eye catching. It really jumps out on the shelves. Did you have any input into it? Also you've been in the top ten bestsellers list for a while now (congratulations!) - is that something you take notice of?

@RachelMumsnet

Gill - we realise there's a lot to get through but if you get a chance we'd love to hear your answers to the Mumsnet questions that we put to all of the authors who join us:

What was your favourite childhood book?

What was the last book you bought someone as a gift?

And the last book you received?

And finally - can you describe to us the room where you wrote Why Mummy Swears?

Hi Rachel,
Fab questions!
My favourite childhood book! I don't think I can choose one! I suppose it would be the ones I still come back to now- The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which I lost an afternoon too, while my mother looked for me, and I was so lost in Narnia I didn't hear her shouting for me. Ballet Shoes- I SO wanted to go to Madame Fidelia's and have a m'audition frock! Anything at all by E Nesbit. And a wonderful book called The Flame Trees Of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, which I was given for my 9th birthday- I grew up in East Africa too, so that one is very special to me!

The last book I bought someone as a gift- I think that was an old book about Arab horses that I got for my friend as a birthday present- she loves Arabs, it wasn't totally random!

The last book I received- as a present, was the Diary Of A Provincial Lady, which was BRILLIANT! I get sent lots of books from publishers now too, which is an excellent perk that I hadn't expected!

The room where I wrote Why Mummy Swears- My sitting room, on the sofa, which was terrible for my posture, but I couldn't write at a table, because Judgy Dog gets upset when he can't sit on my knee, and it is too uncomfortable for us both when he sits on my knee at a desk or table, so the sofa it was, because of course, his needs come before everything else (so he tells me)!

I’m sure several if your acquaintances must have had panicked moments at some point though haha. The last book I read in a similar style, I really did not enjoy; WMS was like a breath of fresh air albeit with the strength to blow the door shut in your face, if that makes sense! Off to buy Why Mummy Drinks now.

@SallySwann

Your style of writing is so easy to read. Were you, or are you, a big reader and, outside of blogging, do you have any favourite authors or do you have any authors that acted as inspirations?

Hi SallySwann,
I've always loved reading, it's probably my favourite thing to do in the world. My mind always goes blank when people say who is your favourite XYZ, but I do love Jilly Cooper, she is hilarious, and the queen of the terrible pun, and Kate Atkinson is brilliant too. I don't know if they acted as inspirations though- I had to actively avoid reading Jilly Cooper when writing in case I subconsciously stole any of her jokes and thought I was very clever and original!

@MamaCBear

Obviously all us mums can relate to everything in your book but I wondered, do you know any men that have read the book? Or read your blog?

hi MamaCBear,
There are a few men who have read the books- a lovely man came to one of the events and said 'I bought it because it was bright yellow, but I've really enjoyed it and given it to all my friends'. Similarly, there are a few men who read the blog, but I think it's mostly women.

I am ROFL at if you don't know Persephone's Mummy you are her.
Thank you for coming in!

@FernieB

The front cover is really eye catching. It really jumps out on the shelves. Did you have any input into it? Also you've been in the top ten bestsellers list for a while now (congratulations!) - is that something you take notice of?

Hi FernieB,
I LOVE the covers so much! I had zero input in them- I have no artistic skills whatsoever!

I'm afraid I do take notice of the top ten lists, yes. I know I should say I'm totally blasé about it all, and be all 'Oh gosh, am I? I hadn't realised!' but no, it's thrilling and exciting and amazing every single week and I may have cut and kept the list from the paper every week I've been in it!

@Celama

I’m sure several if your acquaintances must have had panicked moments at some point though haha. The last book I read in a similar style, I really did not enjoy; WMS was like a breath of fresh air albeit with the strength to blow the door shut in your face, if that makes sense! Off to buy Why Mummy Drinks now.

Thank you, hope you enjoy it too!

@ChampagneSupernovaAgain

I am ROFL at if you don't know Persephone's Mummy you are her. Thank you for coming in!

Thank you for stopping by too! Hope there's not too much paranoia in the playgrounds tomorrow with everyone wondering if they are Persephone's Mummy...

Hello lady who makes me belly laugh. Have you read Sweet Pea by C J Skuse?
Darker than you but swears about the same. X

@MamaCBear

Also, agree on Anne Hathaway! I always pictured Jessica Hynes as Emma when reading One Day.

I saw a younger Julia Sawalha. Jessica Hynes would've been good too!
Isn't it strange how fixed we get the images of characters in our heads though!

@Givemeone

Hello lady who makes me belly laugh. Have you read Sweet Pea by C J Skuse? Darker than you but swears about the same. X

Hi Givemeone,
I haven't read it, I'll look out for it!

That brings us to the end of the hour. That was such a great chat - thanks to everyone who joined us and a huge thanks to Gill for answering our questions this evening - it’s been a lot of fun. We hope Ellen, Simon and family continue to dominate the book charts - and we hope you'll join us again in the future to tell us about their further adventures.

A reminder to all book clubbers that we’re joined next Tuesday (11th September by Leila Slimani author of Lullaby and finally our September book of the month is Fierce by Gin Phillips. Do join us in reading.

Oh and Calpyso, our dachshund, sends love to Judgy

@starlight36

Hi Gill, I've really enjoyed both books and can relate to many things in them. My question is if you have ever been forced into a role on a PSA and if so were you brave enough to cancel something if others wouldn't help? Your descriptions of the whole experience: lack of volunteers, wonderful excuses and ridiculous expectations of others rang very true with my own experiences but I'm afraid I've ended up being a martyr giving up lots of my own time and then moaning about if afterwards!

Hi starlight36,
I was a PTA Chair for two years, and it nearly broke me! I did cancel an event due to lack of volunteers and there was outrage- lots of 'We would totally have volunteered if we had known' despite all the many begging, pleading, and finally threatening emails about the event being cancelled if no one stepped up- apparently no one, not one single person had got them...until they got the email saying I was binning it! I felt like the little red hen for most of my time on the PTA 'Fine then, I'll do it myself!'

Brilliant chat, thank you!

@RachelMumsnet

Oh and Calpyso, our dachshund sends love to Judgy

Oh what a gorgeous little face! Thank you so much for having me, Mumsnet, and thank you everyone for taking the time to come by, and for all your fabulous questions! I nearly signed off with another kiss there, but luckily stopped myself in time!

Apologies for all the typos and bad spellings too, just saw I used 'too' instead of 'to' on one post and there are probably many more, I was trying to type as fast as possible to get through as many questions as I could! Sorry! Please don't judge me (the dog will do that for you)

And congratulations to .... FernieB, Sallyswann, BretonStripe, thinkofablinkingnamewoman, starlight36, Morlef, Cassie71, littlerose12345, Dorlowe68, Celama, MamaCBear, Coolusername, Givemeone and ChampagneSupernovaAgain who have each won a copy of September book of the month Fierce by Gin Phillips. We’ll be in touch to organise getting the books out to you.