The New Mum’s Notebook to Hutchinson

Hutchinson is publishing The New Mum’s Notebook, an originally self-published book, by writer and mum-blogger, Amy Ransom.

Sarah Rigby, senior editor at Hutchinson, acquired world rights to two books from Ransom from Laura West at David Higham Associates, for an undisclosed sum.

Ransom self-published The New Mum’s Notebook in September 2016, selling copies through her popular website and blog, "Surviving Motherhood". Hutchinson will publish The New Mum’s Notebook as a full colour £16.99 hardback in September, with a second "mum’s notebook" to follow.

The New Mum’s Notebook is described as a mixture of "sanity-saving journal; a guide for the sleepless and a new mum’s best friend". It is divided into the first 12 months of motherhood, with each including pieces from Ransom, space for readers to add memories and to scribble down thoughts, and positive affirmations and tips for keeping mind and body healthy.

Rigby said: "As a new-ish mum myself, this is the book I wish I’d been given 20 or so months ago – a vital part of any new mum’s toolkit, alongside coffee, cake and Netflix. The warmth of Amy’s writing, the beauty of the book’s design and her ability to pinpoint exactly what a new mum needs to hear all shine through. I’m so delighted to be working with her to get The New Mum’s Notebook into the hands of even more women across the land."

Ransom said: "I am so excited to be working with Sarah and Hutchinson; their enthusiasm completely won me over. My only desire when I created The New Mum's Notebook was to help as many new mums as possible, in what is mostly a very uncertain time, lacking in support. So the fact that there will now be an actual team behind it, not just me in my spare room, is more than I could have hoped for. I am also so happy to be developing the series. I was beginning to wonder where I was going to store the next notebook."

Ransom launched her blog "Surviving Motherhood" in 2013 and it now averages around 45k page views per month, according to Hutchsinon. The book it inspired is one of a raft of books from blogger mums, the best known including The Unmumsy Mum by Sarah Turner (Transworld), written as a response to unrealistic "glossy parenting literature" she had read online, and Hurrah for Gin by Katie Kirby (Coronet), the latter also inspired by a blog of the same name. Each is accompanied by follow-ups.