De Troep onder aan de Trap is the wonderful title for  my ‘roman over het huwelijk, werk en moederschap’ (I’m guessing that says ‘a novel about housework, work and motherhood’, but Dutch speakers can correct me*). As you can see by this picture, it’s got a great cover with judicious use of pink and lovely blocky feel. My Dutch is sadly limited but I’m sure Emilin Lap has done a sterling job on the translation because she certainly writes a good email as has the publisher Juliette Van Wersch and publicist Elaine Oey. Hartelijk dank to all at AW Bruna. … Read the full entry

Delivered, though not done and dusted by any means. I am very relieved that my wonderful publishers like it and have so many great suggestions on how to improve it. Now I am just lacking a title – maybe I should put that question out to tender in the same way that Blue Peter name their pets. I remember being desperate that their new cat should be called Kitty, so many this is not such a great idea…

USA Today has over 3 million readers and lots of other very big impressive statistics. It also reviewed my book in a chick-lit round-up. I’m always a bit ambivalent about that term, but if it’s a great review in a stonking paper, then who am I to complain? They say ‘Funny and full of familiar anecdotes about family life, including a cringe-worthy, but hilarious incident with a “poo crayon,” British author Christina Hopkinson’s tale is a worthy summer contender for mommy book clubs.’

I was very thrilled (as were my Amazon sales) by this mention of in last week’s Times of my book. She seems to have really got the book and what I was aiming at. I was particularly pleased as it turns out that she was bought it by her husband, who also read it and I love to hear of men enjoying it as much as women.

The Romantic Times blog, a very successful site in the US, has an author spotlight on me, review and excerpt in its latest edition. In it, I’m pondering the meaning of romance especially in relationships that are past the first flush of love. Here’s a link to it. You can also read a great review of the Pile there too.

Grand Central are publishing The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs on the 25 April, Easter Monday. I too will be in New York to celebrate. It has a different but very lovely cover (see left) and will be in all good bookshops, including  a front-of-store promotion at Barnes & Noble. This will be the first time I’ve been away without my family. Instead of feeling liberated and young again, I feel pathetically scared and unsure of how I can cope without my permanent accessories. Any good New York tips welcome since I haven’t been there for … Read the full entry

The Pile of Stuff was the subject of much debate during the first week of March thanks to an appearance on Radio 4′s Loose Ends and articles in Daily Mail, the Times and the Sunday Telegraph. Read the full entry