New book! The Wine O'Clock Myth.

My new book came out two weeks ago! What a crazy couple of weeks it has been doing lots of media and a wee book launch event. The book is called 'The Wine O'Clock Myth: The truth you need to know about women and alcohol' and it is a thorough exploration about the situation we're in with regards to our alcohol soaked societies, the normalisation and glorification of booze that goes on left, right and centre, the manipulation that goes on through marketing, the targeting of women (especially on social media), and the many ways that all of this is impacting on women's lives.

Happy to say the whole 'launching a new book into the world' process went very well. Aside from a few emotional bumps along the way everything has been great. I expected a bit of push-back from some quarters from people who might think me a 'wowser' or like I was being preachy or judgemental, but I seem to have escaped that criticism (so far).. which is good because I work very hard to not come across as any of those things!

It's such a strange process putting out a book. You feel very vulnerable and nervous, but also proud and excited. I was swamped with lovely messages via social media and through my email and text messages etc.. lots and lots of contacts and friends and family reaching out to say 'well done'. Everything is noisy and stimulating, busy and heady. And now... quiet.

Two weeks on from the launch and the book is now just another book on the shelf and out there in people's homes being read and absorbed and having a life of it's own. Meanwhile my life is getting back to normal. I've been through this a few times before so I know to stop Googling my name to see if anyone has written anything and not to look at Goodreads or Amazon for what reviews might be posted (it takes just one 2-star review to ruin a day).

Instead I am returning to my usual routines of working on Living Sober, doing workshops, dog walking, puzzling (have become very keen on doing jigsaw puzzles!), podcast listening, housework, cooking, parenting (which mostly involves being a taxi driver and money machine nowadays), drinking many cups of tea, watching tele in my comfy pants blah blah blah you get the gist. Being a sober housewife and mum in the suburbs ticking away at life.

Embracing all that comes along with a clear head and honest intention. Not seeking to numb and avoid my emotions (other than the odd sugar binge), not seeking to avoid anything real that is going on.. just facing up every day to life... warts and all. 

Bloody hell it's good. It is so good being out of the boozy trap that I was once in, where all I did was guzzle wine daily to deal with life and my emotions. What an incredible ride I have been on in the past 8 1/2 years to get to this point today. Forget writing books and the shift in my career.. simply on a deep internal level my life has changed so hugely and for that I am extremely grateful.

But back to the book. The Wine O'Clock Myth is something I am really, really proud of. It takes all that I have learned and witnessed and heard about over the past 8 years and put it in one place. It also takes in 20 incredible in-depth stories from women sharing the truth about their relationships with alcohol. Not the lies and distorted view that we are so often fed through the media.. the truth. These stories are incredibly heart-warming and inspiring and also, at times, heartbreaking in their brutal honesty. The book is worth reading for these tales alone (sales pitch!) but also for the research and journalism I put into the chapters that I wrote.

Hard copies are available here via Mighty Ape (NZ & Australia only for now) or Kindle here. Hard copies are available over in the US and UK etc in October.. otherwise it's eBooks only for those far-flung countries for now. It'll also be available via audio book later in the year.

No more book writing for now! Until the next idea hits that is. Ha ha. In the meantime it must be time for a cup of tea. 

Love, Mrs D xxx