Newly-wed, Andy and Emma threw caution and condoms to the wind, ready to welcome their magic baby. You know, the one who rocks up the first time you have unprotected sex, carried by the optimism stork? They were excited and waited patiently.
Then impatiently.
Then somewhat forlornly.
They tried pillows and pee sticks, doctors and dowsing, before finally arriving in the Land of Adoption. After years as a couple, Andy and Emma found themselves with two toddlers practically overnight. And they had to pedal faster than Bradley Wiggins to catch up.
And Then There Were Four is an unforgettable, unputdownable roller coaster through the hilarious highs and pass-the-gin-now-the-tissues lows of infertility, adoption, and parenting.
And Then There Were Four has now been published in Kindle format, for online reading and download, priced at £8. Click here or on the book image below to purchase your copy. Printed paperbacks (print on demand) are available from Amazon at £12 or direct from the author if you would like a signed copy.
WARNING!
This book is unputdownable. It may keep you up at night, have you abandoning chores and might even make you late for school, work or church.
What Readers Are Saying
“One of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. Emma dumps you right into her emotional experience, yet writes with such lightness as to keep your spirits up. This book is like your favourite pastime; time flies by because you’re so engrossed in the story. Delightful. Heart-filled.” Pam Burrows
“The bittersweet ambiance of this book grabs you very, very quickly: it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment, in the flow, in the too-painful-to-bear beauty of it. It’s written from the heart, raw and chatty . . . and what a heart!” Simon Raybould
“This book will strike a chord with any parent. It’s utterly compelling, witty and beautiful, achingly sad, and packed full of love.” Sarah Fox
“That’s not how I remember it.” Andy Sutton (Husband)
Amazon Reviews
***** I read this in one sitting the day it came out – I absolutely loved it. It was like having a heartfelt conversation with my best friend and knowing they just ‘get’ your life and the experiences you’ve had…. Honest, funny and very moving.
***** Utterly truthful and brilliant! If you are even the slightest bit interested in adoption, THIS is the book for you to read. Emma writes from the heart, with a fantastic dose of humour and truthfulness. If you are a recent adopter – READ THIS. It will help you realise you are not alone in how you are feeling – that it’s completely normal and that there is a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel. Probably the best book about adoption I have ever read!
***** A book which will have you laughing out loud one minute and then shedding a tear the next. It is incredibly well-written and you will find it hard to put the book down. Highly recommended.
How It Began
And Then There Were Four began in July 2015, in a fevered rush of typing and tears, in the early weekend mornings, during story time or whenever someone else (nursery/ school, the TV, sleep or my husband, Andy) was looking after the kids. I wanted to write it down before the memories, before the raw intensity of it disappeared, like candy-floss clouds on a hot summer’s day.
An Empty Diary
None of it was written in real time (except the Epilogue) for I was too exhausted to spare a thought for anything more than sleep once introductions began – even my diary was blank. The only real-time record I had was the odd comment on social media – as I tried to express the highs and lows and fell woefully short of explaining the experience and lied about how wonderful it was – and a stack of photos of the kids with spaghetti in their hair.
I remember saying that it was another ‘blotchy faced day at the keyboard’ as I let all the feelings and emotional turmoil of those months and years pour out of me and onto the paper. Then six months later, the fever died and I stopped, spent, as if the therapy was over.
Third Birthday
In May 2016, our third anniversary of being a family drew close and I got the urge to share the opening chapter, when we bring the children home, online. I’m glad I did.
The response was tremendous and spurred me on to keep going, to keep searching my heart and memories for the words that explain what it was like. It took another year to finish it, delete a lot of chapters, edit it, read it again, then nudge it to a new level of prose with the help of my wonderful editor Rachel Small.