This is what Brenda Ockun, president and publisher of Stepmom Magazine, the only monthly magazine for women with stepchildren, has to say about in the May issue of the magazine:
The Corner Bookstore at 1313 Madison Avenue will host a reception to celebrate the publication of Stepmonster on Thursday, May 7 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Second Wive's Club and Library Journal recently reviewed Stepmonster. Second Wive's Club recommended, "If you are looking for answers, validation, understanding, and solid information that will keep you sane, read this book before you read any other book on stepmothering. This eye opening book will give you a very stable understanding of the "why's", instead of a lot of pollyanna "how to's. Do yourself a big favor and get your hands on this book."
Today I spoke to a woman with three stepchildren — she was thoughtful, articulate, and obviously very well-versed in stepfamily issues — who told me, in somewhat hushed tones, that she didn't like the term "stepmom," and didn't want her husband's kids to refer to her that way. "They already have a mom, and she's great, and I just don't want to share that name or create confusion. I don't want to be called that."
While I was researching my book, I was fascinated to discover that there is plenty of stepparenting in the animal world. Evolutionary biologist Stephen T. Emlen, for example, studied some Kenyan birds, the White Fronted Bee Eaters, and discovered uncanny similarities between their families and ours. Bee Eaters live in rather large communal apartments — okay, they're really giant bird houses in mud banks, but you get the idea. They help extended family members with provisioning and childcare (yes, juvenile bee eaters actually babysit their younger offsprings and cousins) and they also "divorce" (that's what ornithologists call it) after a nesting failure (i.e., no chicks in a breeding season). After which the Bee Eaters will "repartner." That's right, get married again.
If you don't know about www.stepchicks.ning.com, you will want to check it out. It's a web site for stepmothers — in the sassy and smart, we-know-you-have-a-life-apart-from-being-a-stepmom vein.
Brenda Ockun, president and publisher of StepMom Magazine, is blogging about Stepmonster, which she has called "nothing short of amazing." Brenda is running an interview with me about why I wrote the book and what I'm trying to accomplish. Short answer: to tell the woman with stepchildren's side of the story for once! And to go beyond lecturing, "shoulds," and over-simplified advice to explore what stepmothering really is, in depth. Check out Brenda's mention of Stepmonster at http://stepmommag.wordpress.com/ She is also going to feature Stepmonster in her upcoming May issue.
Thanks to those of you who responded to my previous post about wanting to interview women who had young stepkids and then a baby for an article I'm working on for a national parenting magazine. I appreciate your willingness to be interviewed and look forward to talking to you.
Brenda Ockum, the founder of StepMom magazine (www.StepMomMagazine.com) is going to appear on Good Morning America this Friday, April 3 at 8 a.m. EST. She'll be talking about the magazine, her own experiences, and presumably how to survive and thrive as a woman with stepkids. Check her out on your local ABC affiliate this Friday at 8 a.m.