Lotte Jeffs – författare

There are billions of families, a million ways to be. But in my magic family it's Mama, Mum and me!Let's tell our family stories, adding magic to what's true, and we'll find out who's who to me, and who is who to you . . .In this celebratory, reassuring rhyming story a little girl with two mummies shares the magic of her family and discovers how magic all her friends' families are, too. This is a warm, funny read-aloud that's perfect for opening up conversations about different families in a playful, creative way.

There are billions of families, a million ways to be. But in my magic family it's Mama, Mum and me!Let's tell our family stories, adding magic to what's true, and we'll find out who's who to me, and who is who to you . . .In this celebratory, reassuring rhyming story a little girl with two mummies shares the magic of her family and discovers how magic all her friends' families are, too. This is a warm, funny read-aloud that's perfect for opening up conversations about different families in a playful, creative way.

'One Day for a new generation' Grazia'We're calling it . . . This Love is the new One Day' Sunday Times Style'A beautifully written, generous-hearted, clever, tender, fresh and unputdownable novel about queerness, family and forgiveness. I loved This Love.' Elizabeth DayNamed a BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH by The Sunday Times Style, Apple Books, Prima, Cosmopolitan, i NEWS, Stylist When Mae and Ari meet their final year at the University of Leeds, their connection is magnetic. Mae, stubborn and no stranger to breaking hearts, needs Ari's bright light to guide her out of her self-centred ways; Ari, vibrant, charming and reeling in the aftermath of a scandal in New York, clings to Mae as his grounding anchor.As the years sweep by, the two traverse the tumult of life: toxic partners and hidden secrets, the heavy weight of grief, and a complicated, unignorable desire to start a family . . . If they can hold onto one another in the face of the relentless past and the inevitable future, they might discover how to build something beautiful out of their expansive, boundary-breaking love.Spanning ten years of extraordinary friendship, This Love is a vivid and epic tale of finding your soulmates, building an unconventional family, and the limitless, ever-changing forms love can take.'Astute, tender and utterly joy-filled. This is the love story we've been waiting for' Elle

'One Day for a new generation' Grazia'A beautifully written, generous-hearted, clever, tender, fresh and unputdownable novel about queerness, family and forgiveness. I loved This Love.' Elizabeth DayFind yourself in this sweeping tale of queer friendship and chosen families that will keep you laughing, crying and endlessly turning the page.When Mae and Ari meet their final year at the University of Leeds, their connection is magnetic. Mae, whilst stubborn and no stranger to breaking hearts, needs Ari's bright light to guide her out of her self-centred ways; Ari, vibrant, charming and reeling in the aftermath of a scandal in New York, clings to Mae as his grounding anchor.As the years sweep by, the two traverse the tumult of life: toxic partners and hidden secrets, the heavy weight of grief, and a complicated, unignorable desire to start a family . . . If they can hold onto one another in the face of the relentless past and the inevitable future, they might discover how to build something beautiful out of their expansive, boundary-breaking love.Spanning ten years of extraordinary friendship, This Love is a vivid and epic tale of finding your soulmates, building an unconventional family, and the limitless, ever-changing forms love can take.'Astute, tender and utterly joy-filled. This is the love story we've been waiting for' Elle"Everything you want from a novel . . . funny, sexy, and moving" Claire Lynch, author of small: on motherhoods

Named a BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH by the Sunday Times Style, Apple Books, Prima, Cosmopolitan, i NEWS and Stylist'I loved This Love' Elizabeth Day'Astute, tender and utterly joy-filled. This is the love story we've been waiting for' Elle'This is a book I will return to again and again . . . It's beautiful' Jennie GodfreyWhen Mae and Ari meet their final year at the University of Leeds, their connection is magnetic. Mae, whilst stubborn and no stranger to breaking hearts, needs Ari's bright light to guide her out of her self-centred ways; Ari, vibrant, charming and reeling in the aftermath of a scandal in New York, clings to Mae as his grounding anchor.As the years sweep by, the two traverse the tumult of life: toxic partners and hidden secrets, the heavy weight of grief, and a complicated, unignorable desire to start a family . . . If they can hold onto one another in the face of the relentless past and the inevitable future, they might discover how to build something beautiful out of their expansive, boundary-breaking love.Spanning ten years of extraordinary friendship, This Love is a vivid and epic tale of finding your soulmates, building an unconventional family and the limitless, ever-changing forms love can take - perfect for fans of Talking at Night, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and One Day.'Touching, surprising and gloriously enjoyable' Harper's Bazaar'I was bereft when I turned the last page . . . [This Love] will stay with me for a long time" Nina Pottell, 'Books of the Month', Prima

'I am so glad this book is here, and only sorry it didn't arrive sooner.' – Sandi ToksvigThis informative, funny and empowering book from the hosts of the award-winning podcast Some Families is the must-have parenting toolkit for the LGTBQ+ community, their friends, family and allies.‘Answers every question you could have about LGBTQ+ families. A must read.’ – Will YoungLGBTQ+ people have more options than ever before when it comes to starting a family, but a lack of both focused information and mainstream representation can leave parents, prospective parents, friends and relatives in the dark.Authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley spoke to dozens of experts and queer families, and this hugely-needed book is the product of those conversations and their own experiences of becoming parents through IUI and adoption respectively.90% of queer parenting is just . . . parenting, but being LGBTQ+ when you’re a parent does bring with it a host of conundrums that mainstream guides – which tend to assume heterosexuality – do not address.From adoption, surrogacy, fertility treatment and other routes to parenthood, to donors, trans parenting, how to deal with family-focused homophobia, coming out at the school gates and much more, The Queer Parent is a groundbreaking toolkit for LGBTQ+ parents, parents-to-be, and anyone looking to support their journey. It is a book that redefines the family for the modern age.

'I am so glad this book is here, and only sorry it didn't arrive sooner.' – Sandi ToksvigThis informative, funny and empowering book from the hosts of the award-winning podcast Some Families is the must-have parenting toolkit for the LGTBQ+ community, their friends, family and allies, now with an introduction by Sandi Toksvig.‘Answers every question you could have about LGBTQ+ families. A must read.’ – Will YoungLGBTQ+ people have more options than ever before when it comes to starting a family, but a lack of both focused information and mainstream representation can leave parents, prospective parents, friends and relatives in the dark.Authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley spoke to dozens of experts and queer families, and this hugely-needed book is the product of those conversations and their own experiences of becoming parents through IUI and adoption respectively.90% of queer parenting is just . . . parenting, but being LGBTQ+ when you’re a parent does bring with it a host of conundrums that mainstream guides – which tend to assume heterosexuality – do not address.From adoption, surrogacy, fertility treatment and other routes to parenthood, to donors, trans parenting, how to deal with family-focused homophobia, coming out at the school gates and much more, The Queer Parent is a groundbreaking toolkit for LGBTQ+ parents, parents-to-be, and anyone looking to support their journey. It is a book that redefines the family for the modern age.

'I am so glad this book is here, and only sorry it didn't arrive sooner.' – Sandi ToksvigThis informative, funny and empowering book from the hosts of the award-winning podcast Some Families is the must-have parenting toolkit for the LGTBQ+ community, their friends, family and allies, now with an introduction by Sandi Toksvig.‘Answers every question you could have about LGBTQ+ families. A must read.’ – Will YoungLGBTQ+ people have more options than ever before when it comes to starting a family, but a lack of both focused information and mainstream representation can leave parents, prospective parents, friends and relatives in the dark.Authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley spoke to dozens of experts and queer families, and this hugely-needed book is the product of those conversations and their own experiences of becoming parents through IUI and adoption respectively.90% of queer parenting is just . . . parenting, but being LGBTQ+ when you’re a parent does bring with it a host of conundrums that mainstream guides – which tend to assume heterosexuality – do not address.From adoption, surrogacy, fertility treatment and other routes to parenthood, to donors, trans parenting, how to deal with family-focused homophobia, coming out at the school gates and much more, The Queer Parent is a groundbreaking toolkit for LGBTQ+ parents, parents-to-be, and anyone looking to support their journey. It is a book that redefines the family for the modern age.

'Bursting with empathy, understanding and humour. A crucial book for our community and allies.' Suzi Ruffell What is a black cat lesbian? Is ‘aromantic’ a sexuality or a preference? How are bisexual and pansexual different? What’s it like to be queer and religious? Does Gen Z do darkrooms? How do you navigate life as a OAQ (Old Age Queer)? What does trans euphoria feel like? Why is nightlife so central to the community? What is camp today?As queer people themselves, authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley knew they didn’t have all the answers, because their individual experience represents a single pixel of the rainbow. Do Ask, Do Tell is an unapologetically curious journey through the dazzling spectrum of queer life that will give people – queer, straight, cis and everything in-between – the confidence to say 'I don’t know'.With humor, warmth, and radically open minds, Stu and Lotte tackle the questions you may have avoided asking for fear of getting it wrong. Covering everything from ageing to open relationships, darkrooms to Drag Kings, camp to carabinas, as well as the intricacies of gender and sexuality.This insightful and provocative exploration challenges assumptions, shatters taboos, and opens up the conversation. Whether you’re seeking clarity for your cis straight self or deeper insight as a member of the community, this book is your guide to better understanding and celebrating the richness of queer life.

A glorious rollercoaster ride through LGBTQ+ life, answering all the questions you've ever had about queer culture.What is a black cat lesbian? Is ‘aromantic’ a sexuality or a preference? How are bisexual and pansexual different? What’s it like to be queer and religious? Does Gen Z do darkrooms? How do you navigate life as a OAQ (Old Age Queer)? What does trans euphoria feel like? Why is nightlife so central to the community? What is camp today?As queer people themselves, authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley knew they didn’t have all the answers, because their individual experience represents a single pixel of the rainbow. Do Ask, Do Tell is an unapologetically curious journey through the dazzling spectrum of queer life that will give people – queer, straight, cis and everything in-between – the confidence to say 'I don’t know'.With humor, warmth, and radically open minds, Stu and Lotte tackle the questions you may have avoided asking for fear of getting it wrong. Covering everything from ageing to open relationships, darkrooms to Drag Kings, camp to carabinas, as well as the intricacies of gender and sexuality.This insightful and provocative exploration challenges assumptions, shatters taboos, and opens up the conversation. Whether you’re seeking clarity for your cis straight self or deeper insight as a member of the community, this book is your guide to better understanding and celebrating the richness of queer life.'Bursting with empathy, understanding and humour' – Suzi Ruffell, bestselling author of Am I Having Fun Now?

*'This is brilliant and timely' Elizabeth Day'Part memoir, part manual - this is the type of book every modern woman can take something from' GraziaLearn to navigate the harshness of life with soft power. In her debut book, Lotte Jeffs weaves powerful life experience with practical advice and a psychological deep-dive into what truly constitutes an emotionally rich and meaningful existence. She speaks to everyone from agony aunts and archaeologists, to pop stars and novelists, to explore a diverse picture of what it is to truly live life well.How to be a Gentlewoman will teach you how to slow down, lean out, recognize good relationships and let go of the bad, create a space you love, find your people and construct a happy and 'joined up' sense of yourself.The gentle antidote to a brutal world.For fans of Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love and Elizabeth Day's How to Fail.