Synopsis

My book appropriately titled, Mother-in-Laws began as a thought I had when I married to my first husband.  Never having experienced rudeness from a mate's mother, I was suddenly thrust into a bizarre world where my very existence was unwelcome.

The worst moment for me was when I was three months pregnant with our first child.  I was working as a camera technician for a television station and had odd hours.  I had worked the late news and come home the night before well after eleven.  I headed back to work the next morning at five a.m. with about four hours of sleep.  I was sick several times while running the camera during the early morning news that day and I couldn't wait to go home and just relax and hopefully nap. If I was asleep I wasn't sick but if I was tired and not sleeping I was very ill.

I had just laid down on the couch when my mother--in-law showed up.  She took in the scene of my husband ironing his clothes in the living room and making dinner and me laying on the sofa.  She asked me if I ever did anything. Looking back I should have told her I made a lung that day but I was too sick to respond and my husband never defended me.

Every family gathering after that I would drift off to a place and dream about what other women must go through with their in-laws.  The thought has been rattling around in my head for 21 years and it needs to be freed.

I am happy that for me at least my story pales in comparison to some of the stories I have encountered with women and their mother-in-laws. I wish I had known back then that my mother-in-law was a saint compared to some of the people I am writing about.

I could have easily wrote about mothers, significant others, siblings, doctors...so many things, and perhaps someday soon I will.  But for now the dreaded mother-in-law stories take precedence.

Outline

My book, though just begun, has been in the development stages for years.  Being from Iowa I had planned to speak with women solely in Iowa but then I realized we're pretty nice in Iowa.  I have a friend who refers to her mother-in-law as mother-in-love. (Must be nice) I also believe a larger pool of women and a larger demographic is instrumental in attracting as many readers as possible.

My job now is to be funded enough that I am able to travel the US to find women to speak with.  Why am I the best person to write their stories?  I have a sort of relaxed charm that make it easy for strangers to approach me in stores to ask for directions or make small talk. I am an excellent listener and pick up on non verbal cues better than most.

My plan is to find women across America and help tell their stories. I consider it a sort of therapy or self-help book.  Either to prepare women, help women feel better about their actual relationship with their mother-in-law or just help women not feel so alone.

I tend to see the bright side of things and will put my own personal and humorous stamp on my book.  I am looking forward to getting my book written and can't wait to share it with others.

Audience

My audience is married women, committed women, soon to be married women, future mother-in-laws, current mother-in-laws, husbands, boyfriends, lesbians, gays, straights, conservatives and liberals.

Promotion

I am brand new to this but with my vast educational background and love of learning I will be very quick to learn all I can about marketing and promotion.  I am fairly sure I have a book or two in my library arsenal that can help me with the basics but I don't believe they cover ebooks and marketing.

I believe in and welcome speaking engagements of all kinds (unless someone is going to yell at me). I do not like confrontation or being verbally or physically assaulted.  I am rather like a marshmallow and want to be liked by everyone.

Competition

The Mother-in-Law Dance: Can Two Women Love the Same Man and Still Get Along? - A way for two different people to learn to see the others point of view.  More of a Christian approach to this complicated relationship.
My book differs because it consists of actual true stories of the shocking things mother-in-laws have done to their children's spouse and it isn't as loving or tolerant.