Monoray to publish Lucy Beaumont's 'mumoir'

Octopus imprint Monoray is to publish Drinking Custard: The Diary of a Confused Mum, a "hilarious" memoir on the trials and tribulations of motherhood from comedian Lucy Beaumont.

Featuring Beaumont's "sharp, witty and surreal view on everyday life", the "mumoir" will share the comedian's stories of motherhood, from being hospitalised with indigestion in her third trimester, to coming close to slapping her hypno-birthing instructor, to finding herself drinking a whole pint of custard in one sitting—and preferring it to a glass of wine.

The book will also feature "interruptions" from her husband, fellow comedian Jon Richardson, and will capture the pair's marriage as they navigated "raging pregnancy hormones and balked at pram prices together", says the publisher.

Publisher Jake Lingwood acquired world rights from Avalon, with publication slated for 30th September 2021.

Lingwood commented: "No one sees the world in the way that Lucy does, she is such an original and funny writer. I’m confident this will be one of the very best comedy books of the year—and the funniest book about parenting by a country mile."

Beaumont writes and stars in BBC Radio 4's "To Hull and Back", writes Channel 4’s "Hullraisers" and is a co-writer of Dave's "Meet the Richardsons". She said of the deal: "Finally a book about mothering! I'm not bragging but my best friend read this book and she laughed so much her neighbour Harold knocked on the wall to check if she was alright."