Anna McArthur is the author of the new book Hope for Moms: It's Tough Out There, but So Are You. Also a blogger and columnist, she lives in Athens, Georgia.
Q: How was your book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: I initially called my book Chalkboard Triage, but realized that most people found that title confusing. I knew I wanted a title that encouraged moms, but also conveyed the unique challenges that many of us face in our families.
I listened to multiple webinars and podcasts about choosing a good title and just workshopped it until I landed on Hope For Moms: It’s Tough Out There, but So Are You.
My oldest daughter can be credited with the “It’s Tough Out There” phrase. She says it all the time and I’ve found it to be a surprisingly adaptive statement: it can refer to traffic, a pandemic, dating, or general angst. It’s also a reminder that it’s tough for everyone.
Q: Who do you see as the audience for the book?
A: When I was writing the book, I imagined sitting down for coffee with a younger mom who had just been thrown a curveball. Hope For Moms is for any caregiver who thinks, “I did not see this coming” or “I was not properly trained for this!” It’s for those of us who need some help accessing our resilience.
It’s also a book for moms who have been navigating motherhood for multiple decades and are now wondering what is next for them.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
A: Writing this book reminded me what a gift being a mom has been to me personally and also what a vital role moms play in society. It’s a hidden and underappreciated calling, but holy cow, it’s important.
I hope that readers will feel less alone when they finish Hope For Moms. I hope they’ll remember that we all make mistakes, but we keep trying. I hope they’ll have some tools for not only surviving motherhood, but thriving. I hope they will feel valued, encouraged, and strengthened.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: My youngest kids just turned 17 and my oldest are out working in big cities, so I’m entering a new era that I’m doing my best to embrace. The old archetype of women moving through the roles of maiden, mother, crone aren’t our only options anymore!
My therapist taught me to add “queen” after mother and I love that idea. What will my queendom be? As I navigate menopause, I’m finding a rich community that I can turn to for guidance and laughter, like I did when I had infants and toddlers.
My next project is about navigating this Queenly era with humor, hope and a smidge of “what fresh hell is this?” wonderings. My working title is A Lady’s Guide to Menopause!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I feel like I’m shouting this from the rooftops, but I believe it with my whole heart: being a mom is just plain hard and that’s not because moms are doing something wrong. We are given an impossible job and none of us can do this alone.
I want moms to feel empowered to figure out what will support them most during this journey of raising kids. At the end of each chapter, I have questions or quotes that help the reader apply my observations to their own lives.
I also want to emphasize that caring for ourselves as moms isn’t ONLY so we can care for others; we need to tend to ourselves because we are lovely humans who are worthy of love and attention.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. This Q&A was conducted in partnership with Expound Publicity. Enter this giveaway to win a paperback copy of Hope for Moms: It's Tough Out There, but So Are You by Anna McArthur.
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