Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! (Now Available)

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]

Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! is now available on Amazon (CanadaUSAUK and more) in print and Kindle version.

Martinis and motherhood go hand in hand, but not in a drown-your-sorrows sort of way. We view the relationship, between mom and martini, sort of like that of child and ice cream sundae. It’s a treat! One that busy moms deserve to indulge in. Martini (or mocktini) sipping is a celebratory, and victorious, act best enjoyed in the company of fellow mom friends. Here, within the pages of Martinis & Motherhood you’ll find heart string yanking stories of wonder, coffee spewing tales of woe, and utterly ridiculous accounts of WTF?!; all written by moms who are a lot like you. Each story is paired with a simple-to-make martini that looks fab and tastes divine, as well as a shareable toast to celebrate some of motherhood’s many toast-worthy moments. After the bums are all wiped and the lunches are made; after the homework is done and the sheets have been changed; after we’ve chauffeured, escorted, worried to the max, our sanity’s been questioned, our legs- still un-waxed; after we’ve kissed it all better, and bid them goodnight; we moms deserve to have something that’s just right. * Insert beautiful martini. We hope that you’ll buy our book and that you’ll see yourself, and your own experiences, in the tales that we share. We believe that great things happen when we open-up to other moms, about our moments of wonder, woe, and WTF?! We are hopeful that our stories help you feel connected to other mothers, a bit more normal within the chaos of everyday life, and less alone on your journey through motherhood.

To read about the WONDER contributors, click here, the WOE contributors, click here, and the WTF!? contributors, click here.

And why not go check them out…

Tellers of Wonder
Lynn Morrison nomadmomdiary.com
Angila Peters detachedfromlogic.com
Magnolia Ripkin magnoliaripkin.com
Louise Gleeson latenightplays.com
Jocelyn Pihlaja omightycrisis.com
Alison Huff crumbsdown.com
Leigh-Mary Barone Hoffmann happilyeverlaughterblog.com
Shannon Drury theradicalhousewife.com
Patricia Mirchandani raising-humans.com
Lauren Stevens lo-wren.com
Cordelia Newlin de Rojas multilingualmama.com
Sarah Deveau doingallthethings.com

Tellers of Woe
Shannon Day martinisandmotherhood.com
Tara Wilson dontlickthedeck.com
Vicki Lesage vickilesage.com
Abby the Writer littlemissperfect.com
Brooke Takhar missteenussr.com
Kate Parlin shakespearesmom.com
Christina Antus christinaantus.net
Jennifer Baird-Dean thechiofjen.com
Sara Park crcrsmommyblog.com
Tamara Schroeder thattamiam.com
Kristen Hansen Brakeman kristenbrakeman.com
Lori Lu Green LeRoy theinadequateconception.com
Carolyn Mackenzie Global’s Carolyn Mackenzie on FB

Tellers of WTF?!
Susanne Kerns thedustyparachute.com
Sarah Halsall del Rio established1975.com
Lisa Webb canadianexpatmom.com
Jessica D’Andrea Kapp jesskapp.com
Kim McDonald twobugsandablog.com
Lisa Carmody Doiron momologues-soliloquies.com
Olga Mecking europeanmama.com
Holly Rust mothersguidetosanity.com
Kathryn Leehane foxywinepocket.com
Jill Hudkins Robbins rippedjeansandbifocals.com
Kristine Laco mumrevised.com
Andrea Mulder-Slater noreallyandrea.com

cropped-photo1.jpg

An Ode to Parenthood…

Shannon Day's Martinis & Motherhood

An Ode to Parenthood

Becoming a parent is…
the end and the beginning
We worry and we think a lot
And, yes, sometimes we’re winning

And other times we’re losing track
Of time and all our sanity
But parenthood is worth the shift
Overrated was our vanity

Kids simplify perspectives
Yet they also complicate things
They show us new paths, and doorways
Make us feel like queens & kings

Our kids, they are so funny
They make us lol
They mess and fight and act like fools
At times, they really smell

But our love for them’s colossal
The most abundant kind
A love so deep and endless
So pure and unrefined

Parenthood’s a paradox
Full of contradiction
Sometimes the flow is easy
Sometimes it’s filled with friction

Yet always there are moments
of greatness that prevail,
A kiss, a hug, a thumbs up
Then out the door, they sail

They’re ours for just…

View original post 123 more words

Moms’ Martini Getaway Prize Draw

Book before April 28th and you’ll be entered x 3 to win some fabulous prizes from these amazing brands! (Book after that date and you’ll still be entered into the draw x 1.)

Untitled design (6)

 

Moms’ Martini Getaway is coming up May 13th-15th at Bonnie View Inn! We have some amazing sponsors for the weekend prize draw including the recently added Donini Chocolate L.P.! Call to book:(1-705-457-2350) and you’ll be entered to win some of our great prizes! (Book BEFORE April 28th and you’ll be entered x 3). Thanks to Pearls For Girls North America, Mabel’s Labels, Indigo Burlington, Teabird Company, Beautycounter,  Younique , and Arbonne!

 

 

For the full Moms’ Martini Getaway agenda, click here!

 

 

Agenda ~Moms’ Martini Getaway, Haliburton Highlands

Have you booked yet? Here is a complete look at “What’s On?” for our April Moms’ Martini Getaway weekend in Haliburton,Ontario:

Shannon Day's Martinis & Motherhood

MOMS' MARTINIGETAWAY (1)PRICE of $420.47 per person includes the list below! with the exception of 3 items with a ** ($)

  • 10% service and 13% HST are IN the total price, NOT on top of it!
  • A copy of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!
  • A coupon for a martini or mocktini of your choice, used anytime
  • Hors d’oeuvres before dinner served both evenings
  • Two breakfast chosen from a full hot choice menu
  • One lunch chosen form a two choice menu served with soup & salad
  • Two dinners chosen from a three course “Chef’s Choice” menu; served with a choice of a glass of house wine, a pop or a juice.
  • Coffee, Tea, Water & Punch in the main building from 8AM – 12AM
  • Reading & Martini Sipping Session with Shannon Day (a book reading and mom-chat with the opportunity to order some of the **($)martinis from the…

View original post 708 more words

BOOK CLUB Questions for Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!

Book Club Banner 3

Shake-up some Aftermath martinis or a round of Pelvic Floors because “Moms’ Night In” just got even better! Here are some discussion questions to get the conversation started at your own Martinis & Motherhood Book Club.

Why not host a night of Wonder, another of Woe, followed by a final WTF?! night? Or you can cover the whole book, all at once, martinis (or mocktinis) in hand!

We’d also love to have you join us at Shannon Day’s Martinis & Motherhood FB each Tuesday night from 8:00 – 9:00 EST where we’ll feature a story/author each week! 

Tales of Wonder

Best Laid Un-Plans (p. 5) ~ Alison Huff

crumbsdown.com

  1. What was the first emotion you felt when you found out you were going to be a mother?
  2. What frightened you most about becoming a mother?

Purse Person, Plural (p. 10) ~ Jocelyn Pihlaja

omightycrisis.com    

  1. In your experience, do males and females have different attitudes about shopping, or does it depend on the individual more than the gender?
  2. Kids in middle school get a bad rap. When you think about yourself, or your kids, in middle school, what kinds of things were actually really, really good?

A Mother’s Wandering Mind of Wonder (p. 16) ~ Leigh- Mary Hoffmann

happilyeverlaughterblog.com

  1. As a parent, what are your biggest fears for your children?
  2. What makes your child “imperfectly perfect” in your eyes?

Stealing Time (p. 21) ~ Louise Gleeson

latenightplays.com

  1. Were you always clock watching in the early days of motherhood? Or waiting for your child to “get to the next stage”?
  2. Share a memory of when you noticed yourself losing track of time with your little one and feeling glad that you did.

The Donkey is Strong in This One (p. 25) ~ Magnolia Ripkin

magnoliaripkin.com

  1. What traits do you see in yourself or your children that harken back to your ancestors? (physical or personality)
  2. What funny habit do you see in your family that is replicated from previous genes?

A Mother’s Intuition (p. 31) ~ Angila Peters

detachedfromlogic.com

  1. Describe a moment of mother’s intuition that came true.
  2. What were some of your thoughts the moment that you met your first baby?

Life is Like a Bowl of Ramen Noodles (p. 36) ~ Lauren Stevens

lo-wren.com

  1. What are some of the things that you like to do with your kids on a cold or rainy day inside?
  2. What are some of your favorite memories from your own childhood?

Of Woman Grown (p. 41) ~ Shannon Drury

theradicalhousewife.com

  1. When you were pregnant, what food did you eat in massive amounts?
  2. When did you realize that yours was NOT, in fact, the ONLY pregnancy that mattered in the history of creation (if ever)?

The Saga of the Socks (p. 47) ~ Sarah Deveau

doingallthethings.com

  1. What strategies do you use to diffuse your emotions when your kids are tap dancing on your very last nerve?
  2. Think about the last time you were anxious about something – what helped you cope?

We Could Stay Here All Day (p. 52) ~ Tricia Mirchandani

raising-humans.com

  1. Describe a memory of a moment with your kid(s) that you captured despite all the things on your “To-do list.”
  2. What is your favorite way to spend the first morning moments of the day?

Abuelo in Our Hearts (p. 57) ~ Cordelia Newlin de Rojas

multilingualmama.com

  1. What is the family tradition/holiday/thing you are thrilled your kids experience thanks to living near family /or miss most if you live far from them?
  2. If you could live anywhere in the world with your kids, where would it be?

The Wonder Part of Wonderful (p. 63) ~ Lynn Morrison

nomadmomdiary.com

  1. Was there a moment when you realized your child was no longer a baby?
  2. What aspect of your child (children) growing-up do you look forward to?

Tales of Woe

When Family Fun Fails (p. 71) ~ Kate Parlin

shakespearesmom.com

  1. What’s your craziest (or most disappointing) story of failed family fun?
  2. If you could only eat one kind of fair/festival/carnival food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

And, Brace Yourself… (p. 76) ~ Shannon Day

martinisandmotherhood.com

  1. Have you mastered the 15-minute makeover? What is your go-to outfit/hairstyle?
  2. How often do you go out without the kids? And what do you like to do?

Seesh—A Love(y) Story (p. 81) ~ Jen Dean

thechiofjen.com

  1. How long did your kids hang-on to their lovey?
  2. What happened when his/her lovey went missing?

Double Trouble (p. 87) ~ Tara Wilson

dontlickthedeck.com

  1. What unique challenges do multiples present to a mom? If you could choose, would you prefer to have twins or kids one at a time?
  2. Share a time that your kids worked together to outsmart you (or when you and a sibling outsmarted your parents).

French Women Don’t Get Fat (p. 94) ~ Vicki Lesage

vickilesage.com

  1. What was your secret (or not-so-secret) food indulgence when you were pregnant?
  2. Do you think there’s too much pressure on new mamas to get back in shape right after the baby is born? Did you feel pressured?

When the Shit Hits the Fan Wall (p. 99) ~ Tamara Schroeder

thattamiam.com

  1. Did your child ever go through a nasty phase that threatened your sanity?
  2. What is the grossest part of parenthood, for you?

The Popsicle Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree (p. 103) ~ Brooke Takhar

missteenussr.com

  1. What would you change about your high school experience?
  2. What trait do you have that you PRAY your child does not inherit?

Who Needs a Facial? (p. 107) ~ Carolyn Mackenzie

Global News

  1. What is your worst kid-vomit story?
  2. When was the last time you pampered yourself?

When Rote Goes Right (p. 112) ~ Sara Park

crcrsmommyblog.com

  1. Has your child ever had a temper tantrum SO EPIC that it made you question every parenting decision you’ve ever made?
  2. Has your child ever repeated an inappropriate word or phrase in public?

Inadequate Conception (p. 118) ~ Lori LeRoy

theinadequateconception.com

  1. What was the hardest part about bringing a child into your life?
  2. What weird or gross thing do you secretly relish because it means you are fully embracing motherhood (and that you get to be a mom)?

A Turtle-y Awesome Valentine’s Day (p. 123) ~ Abby Bird

littlemissperfect.com

  1. Do you have a legendary “poop story” about your child or a child you know?
  2. Do you think parents today are too judgmental of each other? Why or why not?

When do I Get to Slumber? (p. 127) ~ Kristen Hansen Brakeman

kristenbrakeman.com

  1. Have you ever hosted a slumber party for any of your kids? How did it go?
  2. What were some of the things that went wrong/well at the slumber party?

New Parent’s Survival Guide (p. 132) ~ Christina Antus

christinaantus.net

  1. What was the craziest/hardest thing about the first few weeks with your new baby?
  2. What’s the one thing you never thought you’d be able to do as a mom?

Tales of WTF?!

The Vagina Games (p. 139) ~ Lisa Webb

canadianexpatmom.com

  1. Has there ever been a moment when you’ve thought: “Maybe I could benefit from some Vagina Games?”
  2. What was the most shocking/surprising aspect of your pre and postnatal care?

Bug House (p. 145) ~ Andrea Mulder-Slater

noreallyandrea.com

  1. What have you secretly hated but pretended to love for the sake of your children?
  2. What (horrible) beasts have your children brought into the house?

All Quiet on the Potty Front (p. 150) ~ Sarah del Rio

established1975.com

  1. Did your kids’ potty training experiences ever get out of hand?
  2. When you are engulfed in the trenches of parenthood, what helps keep you afloat?

 Sunday, Bloody Sunday (p. 156) ~ Dr. Jess Kapp

jesskapp.com

  1. Have you ever had a moment when you were truly concerned about the actions of your child?
  2. Have you ever overreacted to a situation and broken one of your rules (such as, no cursing in front of the kids)? What drove you to do it?

Bedtime Routine (p. 161) ~ Lisa Carmody Doiron

momologues-soliloquies.com

  1. Have you ever had an incident involving a baby monitor?
  2. What do you do once the kids have gone to bed?

The Scary, the Funny, and the Ridiculous (p. 166) ~ Olga Mecking

europeanmama.com

  1. Have you ever been in a situation that was at the same time scary, funny, and ridiculous?
  2. Do you think scary, funny, and ridiculous are synonymous with motherhood?

A Baby, Broken Boobies, and Beastly Breastfeeding Battles (p. 170) ~ Kathryn Leehane

foxywinepocket.com

  1. When your babies were little, did you ever face any beastly feeding challenges (breast, bottle, baby food)?
  2. Did your mother-in-law (or anyone else) make sly comments to you when you were a new mom? How did you handle it?

The Sweet Surprises of Childhood (p. 176) ~ Susanne Kerns

thedustyparachute.com

  1. What is your most tried and true method of getting your kids to take a nap?
  2. If your child took five hour naps, every day, what would you do to fill the time?

Just Another Day in Motherhood Paradise (p. 180) ~ Holly Rust

mothersguidetosanity.com

  1. What usually makes you late when getting your kids ready in the morning?
  2. How do/did you handle accidents while potty training?

The Talk, the Face, and the Mile High Club (p. 185) ~ Kristine Laco

mumrevised.com

  1. Who gave you ‘The Talk’? What would you have done differently?
  2. Who is responsible for talking about sex with the kids, in your house? Why?

Wreck the Halls—A Tale of Christmas WTF?! (p. 189) ~ Jill Robbins

rippedjeansandbifocals.com

  1. Do you find yourself having unrealistic expectations about holiday celebrations? Explain.
  2. What is the worst toddler mess you’ve ever had to clean up? And, did there ever come a time when you found it funny?

My Son: Evil Genius or Cat? (p. 196) ~ Kim McDonald

twobugsandablog.com

  1. Has your child ever sought revenge in a unique way?
  2. Which part of parenting small children do/will you miss? Which do/will you not miss?

If you’d like to order a Kindle or print copy of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!, head over to Amazon.

Also, honest reviews are very much appreciated and can be left on Amazon. Let us know what you think!

Huffington Post Book Review for Martinis & Motherhood (By Sarah Cottrell)

Shannon Day's Martinis & Motherhood

She likes us!  She really, really likes us (and our martinis). I am super excited to announce that Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! has been reviewed by The Huffington Post’s Sarah Cottrell!  This is how the review begins!  Be sure to head over to Huff Post to read the rest…

Martinis & Motherhood Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! published by Tipsy Squirrel Press and edited by Shannon Day and Tara Wilson is the newest addition to the world of parenting anthologies. This book is filled with 37 stories that are heartwarming and heartbreaking, humorous and jaw dropping, and encourages the reader to lift up a drink in a toast to the solidarity of motherhood. At the end of each story is a delicious martini recipe complete with a moving or funny toast inspired by the author’s tale…

To read the rest of Sarah Cottrell’s fab review, click here

View original post 28 more words

Press Release for Martinis & Motherhood Book Launch

cropped-photo1.jpgMotherhood Stories and Martini Mixes Pair Up in the Latest Release from Tipsy Squirrel Press

Burlington, 16 June 201 5 – Mom’s Night Out is set to have a new theme starting this June when Burlington-based publishing house Tipsy Squirrel Press releases its first anthology called Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! The book pairs up short and relatable stories of motherhood with customized martini recipes inspired by the tales themselves.

Shannon Day of Tipsy Squirrel Press explains, “When it comes to motherhood, so often it’s our fellow mom-friends that support us on our journey. We laugh together and cry together, and when we need to be reminded that we are in fact normal, we can count on them. The book is filled with the kinds of tales that we like to share on a Mom’s Night Out (or in). They will make you laugh, cry, and realize that you’re in good company. The martinis are a fun way to celebrate the many toast-worthy moments of motherhood.”

This story collection consists of thirty-seven tales of motherhood, each accompanied by an easy-to-make martini. Co-publisher Tara Wilson says, “We wanted the stories to be as varied as the moms who will read them. Regardless of whether you are in a Wonder, Woe or WTF?! stage of motherhood, you’ll find a tale in there that is perfect for you.”

The custom martini recipes in the book are clearly aimed at women living in the thick of motherhood including such mixes as “The Pelvic Floor,” “The Trench,” and “Motherhood Paradise.” Day suggests, “The best way to enjoy the book is to get a group of friends together, mix up a few of the martinis and enjoy them while reading aloud some of your favourite stories from the book.”

In addition to contributions by Wilson and Day, the book features women writers in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The Greater Toronto area is well represented by Kristine Laco and Global TV’s Carolyn Mackenzie, both of Toronto; Louise Gleeson of Oakville; and Clever Carter author Sara Park of Burlington .

The motherhood-themed book launches on Amazon.com on Tuesday, June 16th, and is available to purchase in both print and Kindle versions.

## End Release

For more information contact:

Shannon Day or Tara Wilson at tipsysquirrelpress@gmail.com.

About Tipsy Squirrel Press

Tipsy Squirrel Press is a new Burlington-based publishing house. Founded by Shannon Day of MartinisAndMotherhood.com and Tara Wilson of DontLickTheDeck.com. They plan to release a number of titles aimed at a female audience.

.

Introducing the WTF?! Contributors…

Promo banner wtf

 

WTF Sarah Del Rio Pic

Sarah del Rio is a comedy writer whose award-winning humor blog est. 1975 brings snark, levity, and perspective to the ladies of Generation X.

Despite being a corporate refugee with absolutely no formal training in English, journalism, or writing of any kind, Sarah manages to earn her daily bread as a freelance writer and editor. She has also contributed to several anthologies, including I STILL Just Want to Pee Alone, the latest installment in the national-bestselling I Just Want to Pee Alone series.

Sarah’s blog est. 1975 has won several awards, including Funniest Blog in The Indie Chicks 2014 Badass Blog Awards. She contributes regularly to BLUNTMoms and has made frequent appearances on The Huffington Post Best Parenting Tweets of the Week List. She has also been featured on Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, In the Powder Room, and the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. You can also follow Sarah on her blog est. 1975 on Facebook and Twitter.

WTF Holly Rust picHolly Rust is a native Texan but is currently living (and freezing) in the great city of Chicago with her husband, two sons and a Chihuahua. Aside from chasing around two lunatic toddlers all day, she is a professional writer and business consultant.  She is the Co-Founder of the popular humor blog, Mother’s Guide To Sanity, which has been featured on The TODAY Show blog. She is also a regular contributing writer for the Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Dot Complicated and The TODAY Parenting Team. You can find her essays published in several anthologies, too! Follow her random thoughts on Facebook and Twitter – but no judging.

WTF Kathryn LeehaneKathryn Leehane is a writer, humorist, and storyteller. She’s penned essays ranging from ridiculously silly to heartbreakingly serious that have been featured on sites such as BLUNTMoms, Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, The Huffington Post, and Scary Mommy. She is also the voice behind the humor blog, Foxy Wine Pocket, where she shares twisted (and only sometimes exaggerated and inappropriate) stories about life as a mother, wife, friend, and wine-drinker. She is a contributing author to several anthologies and is at work on her first manuscript—a memoir about loss and survival. In her down time, she inhales books, bacon, and Oregon Pinot Noir, and her interests include over-sharing, Jason Bateman, and crashing high school reunions. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

WTF JillJill Robbins is a wannabe wine snob, and sometimes runner, from San Antonio, Texas.  She has a degree in social psychology which has so far been unhelpful in understanding the behavior of her husband and three children.   She writes about adoption, motherhood and midlife on her blog, Ripped Jeans and Bifocals.  Jill is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Blunt Moms, Babble, and Mamalode.  She’s also been published in The Washington Post’s On Parenting and is a proud member of the 2015 cast of Listen to Your Mother, Austin.  Her work has also been featured on Scary Mommy, Mamapedia Voices, In the Powder Room, SheKnows Parenting, Midlife Boulevard, Beyond Your Blog and other places around the internet. Her print publications include the December 2014 issue of Mamalode and three upcoming anthologies about motherhood.  She someday hopes to write the books that are living in her head.  You can follow Jill on Facebook and Twitter.

WTF Kristine Laco picKristine Laco writes a blog called Mum Revised and has been successfully keeping two children and a dog alive in Toronto for quite some time. Kristine shares the stories we all have with a splash of sarcasm, a pinch of bitch and a ton of wine. She takes selfies at the gynecologist’s office, makes Taco Tuesday her gospel and knows that reality TV is real folks. Her middle finger is her favourite and she lives by the motto that if you are not yelling at your kids, you are not spending enough time with them. You can also find Kristine at BLUNTmoms, in an upcoming anthology How To Survive Tantrums and Babysitters or on the couch hogging the remote. You can find Kristine on Facebook and Twitter.

WTF jessica Kapp picJess Kapp is a writer and geologist, living in Tucson, Arizona with her mountain man husband and two precocious sons. She is the associate department head of the department of geosciences at the University of Arizona, where she is also a senior lecturer, teaching introductory geology to hundreds of less than impressed non-science majors. She writes a blog about everything from women in science to motherhood to the manifestation of her midlife crisis on her website jesskapp.com.  She has written a soon-to-be published memoir, The Making of a Mountain Woman, about her transformation from sheltered suburban girl to bona fide adventurer while roughing it in the middle of nowhere, Tibet.  Her writing passion is short stories that explore all the wonder, woe, and weirdness of midlife, one of which won the Society of Southwestern Authors writing contest in 2014. She also blogs for the Huffington Post. You can follow Jess Kapp on Facebook and Twitter (@jess_kapp).

WTF Andrea PicAndrea Mulder-Slater is a writer and artist living in Canada’s East Coast with her artist husband, imaginative daughter, and folk artist mother. In a former life, Andrea was a public art gallery educator by day and a rock ‘n roll journalist by night. These days, she splits her time between writing the No, Really humour blog: No, Really, running an art studio, sharing art lessons on KinderArt.com, and blogging about creativity for YummyMummyClub.ca. Her stories have also been featured on Today’s Parent online. In her spare time, Andrea builds small suspension bridges and leaps tall buildings in a single bound. She sleeps far less than she should and has way too much useless information in her head – if only she could access it. You can follow Andrea on Facebook and Twitter.

WTF Olga Mecking PicOlga Mecking is a writer and translator. Originally from Poland, Olga lives in the Netherlands with her German husband and three trilingual children. Her blog, The European Mama is all about living abroad, parenting and travelling. Olga also enjoys sharing her recipes there. She is the editor of “Dutched Up”, an anthology of essays about living in the Netherlands as an expat women. She regularly contributes to BLUNTmoms, World Moms Blog and Multicultural Kid Blogs. Her writings have been published on Scary Mommy, The Huffington Post and Mamalode. When not blogging or thinking about blogging, Olga can be found reading, drinking tea… and reading some more.

WTF LisaLisa is the author behind the blog Canadian Expat Mom.  Five years ago she and her husband swapped their home in Canada for an apartment in Paris.  Now living in the South of France with their two French-born daughters, life has become beautiful chaos.  When her family isn’t in the land of wine and cheese, they can be found exploring the globe with far too much luggage. Lisa is currently working on her first book about her adventures in France.  You can also find her telling stories about life at Canadian Expat Mom, on The Huffington Post and BLUNTmoms.

WTF Susanne PicOnce upon a time, Susanne Kerns was a Senior Account Director at an advertising agency working for two of the top brands in the world. Nine years ago she traded in her corporate life for a life as a stay at home mom, raising two of the best kids in the world. She started her blog, The Dusty Parachute as a way to dust off her online advertising skills and begin her job search. Instead, she now uses it as a way to spend lots of time on the computer so her kids think that mommy has a job. Susanne’s essays have been featured in Scary Mommy, BonBon Break and Redbook and she is also a contributor in the upcoming book, It’s Really 10 Months, Special Delivery. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

WTF Kim PicKim McDonald is on a mission to share the good, the bad, and the ugly side of parenting. She is a wine loving, sarcasm throwing Canadian mom who writes at Two Bugs and a Blog, works at a job she loves but hours she hates and sometimes even spends time with her kids. Even if it means having a dinner of crackers and cheese with ham on the side. Kim has been known to release her inner beast when discussion topics, she never knew mattered until becoming a parent, are shoved in her face. You can often find her at the playground parenting from afar while keeping up to date on all the latest celebrity family gossip and still keeping track of her loving, handsome but somewhat dim-witted husband and still catching her daredevils while they superman off the slide. You can also find her cheering on her Flames while keeping her Habs-crazed husband from brainwashing their kids. She has written for Blunt Moms, Parentdish, and Urban Infant. Her greatest goal, when becoming an incredibly part time blogger, was to one day be published. Mission accomplished! Next, she’s off to figure out how to get her kids to actually take her seriously when she tells them that the sleep monster will come and eat them if they don’t go to sleep and let Mommy watch Netflix in peace. Some things are harder than others. Follow Kim on Facebook.

WTF Lisa Carmody PicLisa lives in PEI, Canada with her husband and two boys. She blogs regularly at Momologues-Soliloquies on poop, barf and postpartum depression. Her stories have been featured on Blunt Moms, Mom Babble, What the Flicka?, Mommikin and Mamalode. She’s also a regular contributor to G! Magazine. When Lisa’s not blogging and mothering, she teaches music at a local public school. She is also part of a group of women lobbying government for better resources for women with postpartum depression in her province. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter: @elsiekarmadi.

To learn more about Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF!?  Click here.

To meet the WONDER contributors, click here.

To meet the WOE contributors, click here.

cropped-photo1.jpg

Introducing the Woe Contributors…

Promo banner Woe

Woe Shannon DayWhen she’s not spooning her kids on the couch, complaining about the crunchiness of the kitchen floor, or perfecting her towel folding skills, former teacher, Shannon Day can be found cocktail shaking and story making over at her site: Martinis & Motherhood. There she ponders the meaning of life, while poking fun at her hot hubby. Shannon is co-founder of Tipsy Squirrel Press and co-editor of Martinis & Motherhood – Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! She is a regular contributor for BLUNTmoms and her writing can be found in various online publications, including: Mamapedia, Scary Mommy, The Huffington Post, Mamalode, In the Powder Room, Pregnant Chicken, and Sweatpants & Coffee. You can also find some of her stories in print as she’s a contributing author for Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee and Motherhood May Cause Drowsiness. Connect with Shannon Day on Facebook and Twitter.

Woe Tara Tara Wilson is an always-distracted Canadian mom of three tween girls, living in the same suburban town outside Toronto in which she grew up. She writes about raising kids with Autism and ADHD on her blog Don’t Lick the Deck, with a perspective of humour and imperfect mothering. She regularly tries to host giveaways to rid herself of the raccoons that take up residence under her deck, but has been unsuccessful in changing the lottery and gaming laws. Also it seems that readers prefer iPads over dumpster-diving wildlife. Tara and her husband recently found out that they both also have ADHD – or maybe they already knew, but lost the paperwork – which finally explains all the times they took the wrong twin to the doctor. It also sheds light on why she was a terrible accountant, and was likely responsible for causing at least one client to go to prison. Tara is co-founder of Tipsy Squirrel Press and co-editor of Martinis & Motherhood – Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!

She is also a regular contributor to BLUNTmoms, Parentdish Canada, and momstown.ca. You can find her procrastinating on Facebook, being too wordy on Twitter, and over-sharing on Instagram.

Woe Pic Kate ParlinKate Parlin is a writer and mom of three girls, two of whom are twins.  She is a former high school English teacher who now uses her love of words to chronicle her parenting adventures – the funny, the frustrating, and the infuriating – at her blog, Shakespeare’s Mom.  Her writing has been featured in numerous places online, including The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, In the Powder Room, MomBabble, and Redbook.  Her essay, “Making Space” was featured in the December 2014 issue of Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, she was honored to be a cast member of the 2015 production of Listen to Your Mother in Bangor, Maine, and she is thrilled to have her work included in several parenting humor anthologies.  When she’s not cleaning up pee or negotiating the putting on of shoes, she can usually be found hunched over her laptop with an enormous cup of coffee.  Or a martini.  It depends on the time of day.  She lives in Maine with her husband, their gaggle of girls, and two ridiculous dogs.  You can follow along with her shenanigans as Shakespeare’s Mom on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Woe Christina Antus pic 2 Christina lives in Colorado with her husband, three kids, and two cats who still haven’t caught the red dot. She’s won a couple writing awards, contributed to a few anthologies, and has been featured multiple times on In the Powder Room, Mom Babble, The Mid, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Scary Mommy and What the Flicka?. She has also been featured on the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and MSN Living. When she’s not neglecting laundry, or avoiding the grocery store, she’s writing and making mediocre meals for her family. You can find her hiding in the closet, eating candy at her blog or on Facebook or Twitter.

Woe BrookeBrooke Takhar is a Vancouver-based story-teller and Mama of one goon. She runs so she can eat ice cream and blogs so she can make fun of her parenting mistakes. If you need a pen pal, gluten free recipe or a meaningless celebrity gossip partner, she’s your gal. You can find all her exaggerations at missteenussr.com, her personal website for the past 65 years. Brooke’s stories have also been featured on Blunt Moms, Scary Mommy, In the Powder Room, Project Underblog and Review 2 a Kill. When she’s not writing, sleeping or dumping black coffee into her corneas, she co-hosts a podcast with her brother, I’m Right & You’re Wrong. Spoiler Alert – She’s always right.

Woe Vicki Lesage pic Best-selling author Vicki Lesage proves daily that raising two French kids isn’t as easy as the hype lets on. In her three minutes of spare time per week, she writes, sips bubbly, and prepares for the impending zombie apocalypse. She lives in Paris with her French husband, rambunctious son, and charming daughter, all of whom mercifully don’t laugh when she says “au revoir.” She penned three books in between diaper changes and wine refills: Confessions of a Paris Party Girl, Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer, and Petite Confessions. She also appears in three anthologies: That’s Paris, Legacy, and I Still Just Want To Pee Alone. She writes about the ups and downs of life in the City of Light at VickiLesage.com.  

Woe ABBY BirdAbby Byrd mothers, frets, writes, teaches, and corrects other people’s grammar in an undisclosed location on the East coast of the United States of America. Her work has appeared on Scary Mommy, BLUNTMoms, and Mamalode and in Scary Mommy’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays. She is working on a memoir about her decade-long search for a partner and why correct use of the semicolon may not be the most important quality in a mate.

Follow her on Twitter @AbbyBWriter, Facebook and at her blog, Little Miss Perfect.

Woe Jen DeanJen Dean is a freelance copywriter and stay at home mom to three young boys. She writes a human-interest guest column for a local newspaper and is currently at work on a diet and fitness self-help book (strictly for her own personal use), a novel and a memoir – not necessarily in that order. She has recently made the mind-blowing discovery that her Ch’i (Chinese for “life force”) derives from all things ‘ch’ – including her children, chocolate, champagne, cheesy poofs and Channing Tatum – again, not necessarily in that order. She believes “The Princess Bride” is the best story ever written, “The Wire” is the best television show ever produced and Dave Grohl is the bomb. She lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her boys and her husband, John, who prefers to be addressed as “Hey, Deaner” in an “Ali Landry from “Varsity Blues” southern drawl (we were made for each other). You can catch up with her on “The Ch’i of Jen” launching Summer 2015.

Woe Kristen Hansen Brakeman PicKristen Hansen Brakeman writes comic essays about parenting and daughter-ing, or whatever happens to annoy her most at the moment. She’s been published in the Huffington PostNew York Times Motherlode, The Washington Post, Working Mother Magazine, Scary Mommy, and LA Parent, among others. She was also voted Most Sportsmanlike by her fifth grade kickball team. Kristen lives in Los Angeles with her wonderful husband and three amazing daughters and works behind-the-scenes on live variety shows. She blogs at Kristenbrakeman.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.  Or don’t. Really, do as you please.

Woe SaraSara Park is a children’s book author and illustrator. She is the mother of three kids. Her son is on the Autism spectrum, followed by two typically developing daughters. Originally from BC, Sara moved with her husband and infant son to ON in 2007. Her children’s book “Clever Carter: A story about Autism,” was written to educate typically developing children, about their friends with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Naturally, she is passionate about Autism advocacy and inclusion. Unless inclusion involves sharing her own personal colouring book with her children. She prefers a clean house, but prefers not to clean. She loves Halloween and burns way too much time and money on family costumes. She once enjoyed preparing meals for her family, until preparing meals became making condiments from scratch. When her toddler naps, Sara blogs about life with her son and his overbearing yet compassionate little sisters.  You can follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @CRCRsMommy.

Woe LoriLori Green LeRoy is a communications professional who lives in Indianapolis with her husband and two young (awesome) boys.  She is the author of The Inadequate Conception – From Barry White to Blastocytes: What your mom didn’t tell you about getting pregnant and the blog: The Inadequate Conception. LeRoy loves traveling, running, horseback riding, spending time with family and talking about her kids.  She is also an advocate of international adoption and orphan care reform.  

WTF TamaraTamara Schroeder is a wife, mom, word nerd, runner and lover of bad primetime television. She is still reeling over the fact the hospital let her leave with a baby she would be responsible for roughly 18 years – twice. She compensates for the shock by drinking obscene amounts of coffee and wine. On her humour blog That Tam I Am, she writes about her family life, pop culture and her journey with anxiety and depression (it’s a winning combination). She is also a freelance writer and editor, whose work has appeared on The Huffington Post and Family Fun Canada. She and her family live in Calgary, Alberta. Tamara is not suitable for children under 12 years of age. Don`t tell her kids.

Carolyn picCarolyn wears many hats. Half her day is spent being wife and mom and the other half, a TV news anchor. She is an award-winning journalist and for several years she anchored the 11 p.m. news on Global in Toronto, Canada. She very recently made the switch to morning television and can now be found on The Morning Show, on Global.

She began her journalism career in 1999 as a Videographer in Nova Scotia and eventually made her way back to Ontario, where she joined the Global news team in 2005. Her husband is a firefighter in Toronto and together they have two children.

Carolyn REALLY embraces sleep but like most moms she gets far too little shut-eye. She loves coffee, smelling her kids’ skin, a good loud laugh, that moment of quiet, Mom & Dad getaways, lazy Sundays, wood-burning fireplaces, clean sheets, and the words, “I love you.” Connect with Carolyn on Facebook and Twitter.

To learn more about Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF!?  Click here.

To meet the WONDER contributors, click here.

To meet the WTF!? contributors, click here.

cropped-photo1.jpg

Introducing the Wonder Contributors…

Promotional banner WONDER

Wonder LynnLynn Morrison is the mouthy woman behind the blog The Nomad Mom Diary. She’s not afraid to admit that she wears sweatpants too often, fails at sucking it in and has, on occasion, hidden delivery pizza boxes from her skinny husband. From thought-provoking to outrageously funny to almost unbearably sad, Lynn’s emotions come through loud and clear in everything she writes. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Angila Peters is a Gemini who dislikes long walks throughout her home, stepping on Lego. She is also a freelance writer living in southern Ontario. She spends her days slapping peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together for her kids’ lunches, and then remembers peanuts are banned.

She has been a writer since her pen made real words in her coveted Scholastic journal. And by words, she drew hearts with boys names in the middle. Considering her expertise on young men you’d think she became a romance novelist. But no, she went the route of a boundary-less blog called Detached from Logic. Here, she shares her struggles with mental health issues, parenting and dealing with the obvious illogic.

Her big break came when a friend suggested she submit some writing to Blunt Moms. So she did and the rest is herstory. From Blunt Moms came Huffington Post, and being published in three anthologies. You can find her in Surviving Mental Illness Through Humor, Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee, and of course this epic book: Martinis & Motherhood – Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!

Angila believes in acting silly and not being afraid of what people think. Which is why at any given moment you will find her children scolding her to settle down and stop being so embarrassing.

 

Wonder Magnolia Pic

Magnolia Ripkin is sort of like your mouthy Aunt who drinks too much and tells you how to run your life. Except Funny…. well mostly funny.

She writes an advice blog at Magnolia Ripkin Advice Blog answering pressing questions about business, personal development, parenting, heck even the bedroom isn’t safe. She is the Editor in Chief and den mother at BluntMoms. Other places to find her: Huffington Post and The Mighty. Also check her out in the amazing compendium of hot bloggers published in I Just Want to Be Alone (I Just Want to Pee Alone).

Wonder Louise picLouise is a freelance writer and mother of four living on the west side of Toronto —because saying it like that sounds much more sophisticated than plain ol’ suburbs. Though make no mistake, she fully embraces the perks of suburban life and has no intention of trading her minivan in anytime soon. When she isn’t taking the kids to their various activities and compulsively filling bento lunch boxes, she is a contributor to Today’s Parent magazine, YummyMummyClub, SavvyMoms and various other parenting and lifestyle publications. She also writes an optimistic and heartfelt blog at www.latenightplays.com (so named for the only time of day she is able to write there) and is well-known for making her readers feel like they have something in their eye. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Wonder Jocelyn Pihlaja pic 3Jocelyn has been teaching writing and literature at the college level since 1991. She has a husband who cooks dinner every night, kids who hold up hands requesting “silence” when their reading is interrupted, and a blog, O Mighty Crisis. Her writing has appeared on Mamalode, BLUNTmoms, The Indie Chicks, The Good Men Project, Mamapedia, In the Powder Room, BonBon Break, The Mid, the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop, and elephant journal. She also is a regular contributor to a local public radio program, Women’s Words, where she delights in wearing huge headphones–and not just because they remind her she actually wore earrings that day. When she’s not writing or teaching, Jocelyn can be found running on trails, exploring the green spaces around her city. Strangely, she calls this fun, even though she’s usually lost, faintly concussed from a tree branch clunking her noggin, and wearing only one shoe after the other was sucked off her foot by an aggressive mud puddle.

Wonder Alison Huff pic

The mother of Doom and Destruction, Alison Huff is a writer and artist who lives a country bumpkin life with her husband, two kids, and two dogs in bipolar northeastern Ohio. She is not a morning person and arrives late to every event, much to the chagrin of the rest of the world. A lover of lapsang souchong tea, unnaturally-colored hair, and Oxford commas, her stories are written with a signature blend of humor and brutal honesty. You can read more of her essays on BLUNTmoms.com, and on her WordPress blog, “Please Stop Putting Crackers Down My Shirt.” Alison is on Facebook every day and she tweets on the Twitter @crumbsdown whenever she has something to say that is fewer than 140 characters in length, which isn’t very often because she is terribly wordy.

Wonder shannon drury picWriter, at-home parent and feminist activist Shannon Drury has been blogging as the Radical Housewife for so long her first platform was MySpace. These days she’s traded up to her own sites, The Radical Housewife and Shannondrury.com.
She writes a regular column for the Minnesota Women’s Press that tackles feminist parenting, sisterhood both literal and figurative, culture wars, and other fun stuff.

She has contributed to several anthologies, and her work has also appeared in HipMama and Bitch magazines.
Her first book, The Radical Housewife: Redefining Family Values for the 21st Century, was published in 2014 by Medusa’s Muse Press. Shannon is married to a swell feminist guy, and they share a house in Minneapolis, Minnesota with two kids, two cats, four computers, hundreds of vinyl records, thousands of books, millions of Lego pieces and billions of dustbunnies.

 

Wonder Leigh Mary THIS 1 picLeigh-Mary Hoffmann is a “my lifestyle” blogger from Long Island, NY, juggling a family, a job, and a busy, crazy life.  She tells it like it is – the good, the bad and the ugly – and tries to keep a smile on her face and laughter in her life.  She and her husband Ernie have a blended family with five children and a dog named Rosie – and with that many kids, there is always something to laugh – or scream –about.  Visit her blog Happily Ever Laughter or stop by on Facebook  and share in the laughter.

Wonder Tricia picTricia Mirchandani is a freelance copywriter and essayist and the blogger behind Raising-Humans.com. But most of the time she answers to ‘Mommy’ for her five year old daughter and two year old son. Her words have appeared on The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, Scary Mommy, Brain,Child, SheKnows and in Pregnancy and Newborn magazine. Tricia is currently writing her first book about how focusing on growth has changed her perspective on motherhood. She tells stories about motherhood, personal growth, and the life of a writer mama because sharing words can make the world a better place. You can find more of her writing on: TriciaMirchandani.com

Wonder LaurenLauren B. Stevens is a freelance writer whose work can be found on The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Care.com. When she’s not chasing after her rambunctious toddler, Lauren writes hilarious and heartwarming stories about parenthood and women’s issues on her blog, lo-wren.com. A contributing author for numerous anthologies, Lauren is in the beginning stages of drafting a memoir about her experiences as an Air Force Brat, growing up in Europe during the Cold War.

 

Wonder Cordelia picWhen she isn’t writing, Cordelia is busy raising multilingual citizens of the world. Former hobnobber with the intellectual elite, she is the voice behind Multilingual Mama. There she chronicles her parenting adventures while she, her husband, and their two daughters, make their way across South East Asia.

She currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she spends her time homeschooling her children and hacking her way through the urban jungle.

Cordelia’s eclectic, and oftentimes regrettable, past includes eco-innovation, sailing instruction, and restaurant cashiering. She contributes to In Parent Culture,  BLUNTmoms and Mamalode and is featured in the upcoming anthology Motherhood, May Cause Drowsiness: funny stories by sleepy moms.  She has also been published on Fast Company.

Cordelia aims to finish writing her first book before her boobs reach her knees. Failing that, she hopes to appear on the cover of National Geographic.

For a taste of her Asian adventures, read her award winning post: Twenty ways you know you are embracing your inner Thai.  Find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Wonder Sarah DeveauSarah Deveau is the author of two financial guides: Sink or Swim: Get Your Degree Without Drowning in Debt and Money Smart Mom: Financially Fit Parenting.

She’s a prolific freelance writer, and her work has been published in Today’s Parent, up! Magazine, Parents Canada, Style at Home, as well as most major Canadian daily newspapers, including the National Post. She has contributed to dozens of parenting websites and blogs across Canada.

After having the first of her three daughters, she opened and ran her own award-winning children’s consignment boutique, Cater Tot Consignment, for four years. Today, she works in corporate communications and spends her spare time travel writing and trick hula hooping.

 

 

To learn more about Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF!?, click here.

To meet the WOE contributors, click here.

To meet the WTF!? contributors, click here.

cropped-photo1.jpg