The Mother Load

MIshaps at work. Misery at the school gate. Mayhem at home.

It'll get easier when he starts school...

That's what Lucy was told, and she believed it. But now that her autistic son Stanley has joined Reception, his obsession with Africa and daily screaming fits at the school gates haven't exactly won him or Lucy any popularity contests.

So for Stanley's fifth birthday Lucy plans an extravagant party to help him connect with his classmates.

But her autistic husband Ed knows how his son's mind works better than anyone, so instead of a big bash, they travel to Wales to eat a Libya-shaped birthday cake with Lucy's family. And suddenly Lucy is faced with the truth about what her loved ones really need, and how they can finally find their tribe...

Katy Cox is a classically trained cellist who has performed with some of the music industry's biggest names including Michael Bublé, Elton John, Bryan Ferry and Take That. After having her first child, her touring life was put on hold and she started blogging as an alternative creative outlet. Her illustrated comedy blog Carry on Katy was shortlisted for the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging award for two consecutive years. Katy is a mother of two incredible autistic sons and lives in Wales with her family.