Menopause in Manhattan by Anne Kleinberg

As I was contemplating turning my mad ramblings into a novel, I wondered if there was actually a market for fiction where the central character is a menopausal woman. When I started my search I found that there weren't many books that fit the bill, but I did come across this one, read it and loved it! It was just another sign that I had to write my book. Certainly, there were other women out there, like me, who wanted to read this stuff! So, I do recommend Menopause in Manhattan and wanted to share the synopsis with you...

Menopause in Manhattan
Anne Kleinberg

Welcome to New York City, and the world of publishing, interior design, fashion and food. 

As Elie Sands turns 50, she seems to have a charmed life. Executive editor of a top design magazine, she’s married to a furniture tycoon and the mother of two accomplished young women. She’s an avid cook, lives on Central Park West and owns a house in the Hamptons. 

Syd Sorenstein is Elie’s mentor and upstairs neighbor. A chic, opinionated financial advisor, widowhood has not extinguished her lust for living. A workout fanatic and world traveler, Syd does exactly as she sees fit, with little interest in what others think.

Michael Delmonico, partner of Daniel, is entertaining and flamboyant. He is also self-centered and hopelessly disorganized, but has an eager list of clients waiting for his interior design services. Michael is Elie’s dearest friend, and Syd’s worst nightmare. 

Life is good. Or is it? Elie makes a distressing discovery, Syd’s reputation is threatened and Michael gets shocking news from his past. Instead of easing comfortably into middle-age, each is forced to deal with unforeseen challenges, unresolved issues and reassessing what lies ahead.


So, if you've read a book (fiction or non-fiction) and would like to share a review here, please email me. If you're an author who has written a book that features 'the change' as a main theme or sub-theme, and you would like to do a guest post, please let me know!

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Mental Author Feature #2 - Jan Emslie

The Monster The Mentalpause and Me

by Jan Emslie

Book Blurb:

The Monster, The Mentalpause and Me is a satirical look at the life of 52-year-old Molly McIntosh, a third stage Mentalpausal, with a bitter and twisted womb. She has to contend with spontaneous facial hair growth, forgetfulness, and the Wicked Witch of the East-rogen occupying her guest bedroom…her mother-in-law, AKA ‘The Monster’.

Molly’s patience is tested on a daily basis as she pits her wits against her scheming nemesis, Annabel Lextor.

Molly’s newly retired Mr. Husband seems oblivious to his mother’s malevolent ways, as Molly struggles on, dealing with obnoxious neighbours, crazy work colleagues, and deranged octogenarians.

The book spans a hilarious year in Molly’s life. Ending with the realisation that one of Monster’s husbands might not in fact be dead.

I’m a former accident and emergency nurse who went back to a university as a mature student to study Psychology. I also ran kitten adoption in Dublin for ten years and was actively involved in animal welfare in Ireland. Remember "It's cuter to neuter." 

Currently, I live in the Granada area of Spain with my own long-suffering Mr. Husband of 30 ODD! years. Eight rescue dogs and eight cats. Including the 28-year-old GRUMPY cat Alice.

"How did the Monster The Mentalpause and Me come about Jan?" People are asking me ....Well, I accidentally wrote the book! Then I also accidentally bought a cow at a market some years back, so that shouldn't come as a surprise to those who know me.

"What's it all about?"

It's in the genre of the "Sweaty, puffy, hormonal stuffy AKA The Menopause and also known by its more descriptive moniker: 'The Mentalpause.' That's where you leave your brain at....Well, leave it where ever you wish because you are going to forget where you put it anyway, along with keys, a chicken, and a very nice Spanish exchange student called Raul!

The accidental book came from my Facebook page uncannily called The Mentalpause where it evolved, when I started to write about the daily trials and tribulations of a pastry dependent, 50 something-year-old 'GAL' and her Mother-in-Law ..The Monster. Egged on by my fantastic Mentalpauser's. Uncannily similar to my own life, I avoided a lawsuit for libel by changing my name to Molly in the book.(Joke). Mr. Husband is Mr. Husband. 

I'm fond of animals but not that fond of people, which was a drawback as a clinical psychologist. I spent most of my time plotting revengeful ways to dispatch my patients, so I had more time to eat cake and put bows on kittens. Luckily my patients were very naughty people who were locked securely up for the good of society.

Then I decreed there was not enough laughter in the world, so joined up all the short stories "What I wrote." And the end product, once it had a cover, resembled a book. People said it made them laugh and pee~pee their pants a little, and that was good enough for me. 

Oh! I also have the ability not to take life too seriously and have a good laugh, mainly at myself. THE END....Or is it? I am currently working on the second book in the series. Molly's gone Mentalpausal.