Quercus snaps up Brathwaite's 'inspirational' guide to black motherhood

Quercus has snapped up an “urgent and inspirational” guide to life as a black mother from Candice Brathwaite.

Katy Follain, non-fiction publisher, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to I Am Not Your Baby Mother from Francesca Zampi at Found. It will be published in May 2020.

Brathwaite is the founder of the Make Motherhood Diverse initiative to promote a broader representation of mothers in the media.

Her book’s synopsis explains: “An urgent and inspirational guide to life as a black mother, it explores the various stages in between pregnancy and waving your child off at the gates of primary school, while facing hurdles such as white privilege, racial micro-aggression and unconscious bias at every point. Candice does so with her trademark sense of humour and refreshing straight-talking, and the result is a call-to-arms that will allow mothers like her to take control, scrapping the parenting rulebook to mother their own way.”

She said: “I am so very excited to be working with Quercus on my debut. When I first had my daughter, I felt as though no British books regarding motherhood and parenting spoke to me and the many differences and difficulties black mothers are trying to navigate at this time. I Am Not Your Baby Mother is the book I wish I’d had by my side.”

Follain added: “Candice is a force of nature. Not only is she a remarkably talented writer, she’s also very funny and inspiring, and she is making incredibly important points about how, in the UK,  the deeply entrenched images and ideals about motherhood can be racially offensive and dangerous for one’s mental health. We are very proud to be the publishers of what is going to be a provocative and eye-opening book.”