Pantera Press acquires ANZ rights for The Mother of All Shocks by Karen Pickering

Pantera Press is thrilled to announce the acquisition of ANZ rights for The Mother of All Shocks by Karen Pickering, acquired by Publisher Lex Hirst via Jacinta di Mase.

The Mother of All Shocks is an exploration of how modern society places pressure on women to become mothers and then abandons them – or worse, punishes them – and why it doesn’t have to be this way.

This compelling examination casts a forensic eye over the transition to motherhood and examines the costs to women: physical, psychological, professional, financial, social, sexual and romantic. Weaving together memoir, research and social commentary, The Mother of All Shocks will blow the lid off one of our most widely experienced social blind spots – and provide a rallying call for change.

Pickering asks why so many women come away from the early years of parenthood reeling, unable to process the totality of the change to their life. Pickering would like to say to them: ‘You’re right. It’s monumental. It affects so many different elements of your life and your experience of the world. It’s not your imagination or all in your head or something you can just push through without leaving lasting damage. I don’t think you brought this on yourself when you decided to have children. I want you to feel seen and heard, and then I want us to fight like hell to change it.’

Pickering says, ‘I feel like I’ve found the perfect fit with Pantera and Jacinta di Mase, for a book that’s burning inside me! I know that Pantera shares my vision for a work that is challenging and confronting, but with a beating heart of hope for a different future. I want to change the way we look at motherhood in our culture, by asking tough questions, sharing some of my experience and expertise, and importantly, pointing us in the direction of solutions. I’m thrilled to be undertaking this project with the whole team at Pantera, because they really understand that a better society is possible if we fight for it.’

Publisher Katherine Hassett says, ‘Pantera is delighted to welcome feminist writer, speaker, podcaster and organiser Karen Pickering to the list. The Mother of All Shocks is a thought-provoking, intelligent and powerful inquiry into the extensive costs of motherhood on all aspects of women’s lives. We are very excited to publish Karen’s book and look forward to it sparking conversation and debate around the country.’

The Mother of All Shocks will be published in early 2023.

 

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For further information please contact Léa Antigny: 02 8096 5192 or lea.antigny@panterapress.com