Caitlin Moran: live webchat, Thursday 13 September, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Much excitement at Mumsnet HQ this week as Caitlin Moran is joining us on Thursday lunchtime (1-2pm) for a live webchat and to talk us through her latest book, Moranthology.

How to be a Woman was one of the most talked about books on the boards last year, so we're all delighted to hear Moranthology brings more chat on a brilliant range of topics: Twitter, Obama, binge drinking, Amy Winehouse, 'The Big Society', Party Bags and Boris Johnson - Albino Shag-hound. These are just a few of the subjects touched on and make us think she is our ideal guest.

Post your questions to Caitlin in advance or join her on Thursday at 1pm.

IShall I've come across the 'real novels are written by men, women are just fiddling round the edges' attitude too - ugh! Have they not heard of Margaret Atwood, Donna Tartt, Zadie Smith, etc etc...?

Sorry for hijacking CatMo thread. As you were.

Well, you see, I kind of don't even want to bother with all of that - that listing off of names of brilliant female writers. Why should I or anybody have to do that? Why engage with or validate that kind of stupidity? If somebody isn't intelligent enough to consider that art/entertainment exists that is created by the other 50% of the human race, well...Maybe they're not such a Great Writer after all. Maybe I just end up pitying them for all of the things they will never know -never even begin to guess - about life and what it means to be human.

But, oh, some days my blood pressure, my blood pressure...

Hi Caitlin. LOVED your book. Caused me to laugh out loud in way too many public places though :-)

I have had so many of my friends tell me that they would love to be your best friend. So here's my question - does the relatively new found fame and recognition you've had since the book delight you, or does it begin to drag after a while? Obvs you're not Lady GaGa but I imagine it's changed your life in some ways and whilst you're not going to come on here and complain about all these people who now profess to love you, is there a part of you thinking "leave me alone, I'm not that great"?

Just to say EEEEEEeeeeeep it is T - 65 mins to Caitlin time!!!

IShall - yes, see what you mean about not reeling off lists of authors...but was thinking of those names partly in relation to scenarios where female authors are never even considered alongside men, e.g. the ongoing debate about the next Great American Novel - 'will it be by Jeffrey Eugenides or Jonathan Franzen?' Errr...why is Donna Tartt not on that list? Why is it always assumed the GAN will be by a man? She's a better novelist than either of them I think.

Or the similar discussions that go on about MA and the sci-fi genre 'can women write sci fi? yada yada yawn' - although I admit she doesn't like being pigeonholed as sci fi herself....but the assumption seems to be, the genre is for men & women are somewhere around the edges.

Hi Caitlin,

I have a question. Apart from the fact that you seem a great deal of fun, it is completely irrelevant to who you are and all you have done, but I thought I'd take a punt as I need to ask someone new and clever because no-one so far has come up with a satifactory answer-

My lovely group of friends is busily saving to go to Glastonbury festival next year (and stay in a bit of comfort), we don't have the chance get together much (or escape the children and drink with abandon) so my selfish question is-

Where do you recommend 5 girls go for £500 each if we don't get tickets?

Lol at all the girl crushes

I'm far too cool for that kind of thing.

I am absolutely of the opinion that HTBAW should be required reading for gels (and boys actually) of 12+ however would you consider something specifically aimed at teenagers/pre-teens?

When I was that age, we had Melanie in Just Seventeen, Cathy and Clare (although they were a bit sad), Paula Yeats (yes, really), our mothers' Cosmo...

Honest, open talk about sex and about standing up for yourself was there for us. I'm just not so sure that it is anymore. You would be fabulous at it.

ps I am coming to see you in Bath next month. Please will you wave at me

I can't think of any suitably intellectual questions so I am just coming on here to gush :)

Hi Caitlin, loved the book. I now have Quite The Crush on your sister, as well as your husband. Are you doing a biog thing soon? (or is that what the new one is?)

also. how's your vagina?

Also, could you use your clout whilst at MNHQ to get them to ask Jilly Cooper in for a webchat too, please?

excellent point, buppy. it's just a shame georgette heyer's died.

Yes, marshmallow, I follow those debates too and they make me so weary, like an awful lot of lip service is paid (e.g. to the likes of Jennifer Egan in the GAN debate; it just feels like poster names are trotted out - 'we're not dinosaurs, see we approve of this one noval written by Lady XXX') and then everyone gives a sigh of relief 'Glad that's all sorted then!' and turns back to their Hemingway.

In terms of sci-fi/fantasy: It fascinates me that some male writers dedicate their lives to alternate universes and futures yet don't have the leap of imagination to consider what the average woman's life might look like from the inside. You kind of want to force them to spend two hours on Mumsnet every day in the hope that they'd get a clue.

I don't know. BLAH!

'noval'? How embarrassing

Just want to muscle in on the action, still thinking of a question...

Don't worry, Curtsey. I put kisses at the end of my question. Now that's embarrassing.

Dear Caitlin,

You're about the same age as me, so do you remember back in the nineties, pre-Britpop, when it was ok (?normal?) for girls to wear shapeless, long, pretty defiantly unsexy clothes ( sadly, I remember grandad shirts and those awful stripy drawstring trousers). Nowadays women's clothes are all fitted and short, and girls at Glastonbury (me included) wear a full face of makeup.

Is this a good or a bad thing, do you think? Do you feel liberated? As a 30-something mum I just don't know if I am enjoying having to look alluring and on-trend on the fucking school run. (Don't want to go back to grandad shirts tho)

Big fan.

My question is- how do you get on with your mother ? Were/are you a bit annoyed that you had so many brothers and sisters when your house size and family finances were very strained.

Also interested inprevious poster's question about your views on childcare. It's been my mental and financial barrier for not returning to work straight away.

Mucho lovo.x

So Caitlin is in the building and rifling through our biscuit tins as we speak. She'll be with you in a jiffy...

Hurrah!