Interview: Gina Bartlett talks about Lulu La Ru: Step-Mum Shambles

Following a successful career spanning the legal, publishing and financial services industries, Gina embraced the opportunity to unleash her quirky sense of fun with these creative, perceptive and humorous stories on everyday family life. When not penning the latest adventures of her beloved character, Lulu La Ru, Gina loves nothing more than being active (hiking, biking and skiing), satisfying her addiction to yoghurt and dark chocolate (no, not together!) and obsessing over the spreadsheets and lists she endlessly creates in an attempt to keep her life and creative projects in perfect harmony (albeit with varying degrees of success). This is Gina’s second book in the Lulu la Ru series. Gina talks to NZ Booklovers.

Tell us a little about Lulu La Ru - Step-Mum Shambles, the second book in the series.

Volume 1, “Lulu La Ru – Steps Up As A Step-Mum”, introduced Lulu La Ru, a perfectly put-together businesswoman, who once thought the wildest challenge she’d face was having a spreadsheet that didn’t add up or a suitcase that simply did not meet the weight criteria.  All that changed however when “she met a great fella with two little girls – Rosa with straight hair and Coco with curls.”

The sequel, “Lulu La Ru - Step-Mum Shambles”, again follows the delightful Lulu as she continues to find herself in a world of chaos and glitter and works hard to find her feet as a Step-Mum to two energetic girls.

“Step-Mum Shambles” is a compilation of seven lively short chapters, again written in fun, light-hearted, rhyming style and written from Lulu’s perspective.  Each story explores themes of living outside your comfort zone and facing your fears and doing it anyway, which, when attempted in front of kids, means mastering the fine art of looking brave while internally screaming, “WHY IS IT MOVING?!”

The experiences of Lulu and her family seek to show that bravery isn’t about not being scared.  Rather, it’s about doing the scary thing while your brain is already halfway back to the car.  It’s about realising that everyone has fears and that the rewards come from working together as a team to face them head-on.  Growth, confidence and true family bonding can be found when you take a deep breath, pull on your big girl pants and dive headfirst into the chaos – because after all, the best kind of families are the ones built with love, laughter and just a hint of mayhem.

How did you involve your step-daughters in the book’s creation?

As with Volume 1, this book was a passion project for my family and has very much been driven and influenced by my own experiences in becoming a step-mum.  The characters and situations depicted in the book have been taken directly from my own life and the situations Lulu La Ru finds herself in did actually happen – although retold in the book with just a sprinkle of embellishment!  For instance, I am embarrassed to say that yes, I did indeed find myself stuck in a waterslide tube and yes, I do have an inherent fear of Ferris wheels. 

My step-daughters are so proud and excited about the book – they are my biggest cheerleaders.  The girls were fully involved in the conception and design of their characters and each illustration was passed by them with many discussions ensuing about how they were depicted.  Inspiration for the stories popped up almost every day, just from living life and dealing with whatever came our way.   The girls would often exclaim, “You should put this in the book!” and this became somewhat of a catchphrase for our family. 

What was your routine or process when writing this book?

So often, just going about my day, I'd catch myself thinking about how much my life has changed since becoming a step-mum. The difference between how things used to be and how they are now is honestly huge—and kind of amazing. Whenever one of those moments struck me, I’d quickly jot it down in my phone to save for later. Then, when I sat down to turn those little thoughts into a story, the rhyming part just flowed. Writing in rhyme feels really natural to me—like slipping into a rhythm I already know. For me, it’s all about making the words work together in a way that not only rhymes and is fun to read,  but also tells a clear story and paints a picture in the reader’s mind.

How did you work with the illustrator?  Do you have a favourite illustration?

I was lucky enough to find a talented illustrator based in Germany who was able to help me bring my characters to life.  As with Volume 1, I’d send him detailed briefs for each scene - what was happening, how each character should feel, move, and yes, what they were wearing. I’d pull reference photos from all over the place, including some staged snapshots of my own family striking poses or making faces. I also scoured the internet for outfit ideas, because apparently, I care deeply about fictional wardrobes!  Honestly, the clothes were the biggest challenge. Seems a German male doesn’t quite have the same fashion ideas as I do and it was sometimes necessary to compromise to find a happy medium.

I have two stand-out favourite illustrations from “Step-Mum Shambles.”  The first appears in the chapter “Fear-Is Wheel”, a story describing my experience attempting to conquer my deep-rooted fear of Ferris wheels.  The girls are on either side of me, providing comfort and encouragement, whilst my head is down and my eyes are closed – which is how they remained throughout the entire ride, much to the girls’ amusement!  This illustration is a favourite as it is an exact copy of a photo taken by my husband of that very situation, and it brings back some fun memories for me (not to mention the sense of a slightly queasy stomach!).   

My second favourite illustration appears near the end of the book and depicts Hugh driving off in the car with Rosa and Coco hanging out each side and Bob the Dog gazing out the back window.  I love this illustration for two reasons: first, because it captures the familiar scene I witness each morning as my family heads off to work and school; and second, because it signals the start of those precious few quiet hours—when the house is still, the chaos subsides and I can finally recharge before it all begins again!

What did you enjoy most about writing the second Lulu La Ru book?

Writing Volume 2 was like revisiting an old friend. Self-publishing is a huge learning curve.  Writing the book is the easy part.  It’s all the hours of hard work behind the scenes to actually produce the product and introduce it to the market that is the real challenge for me.  On top of that, there is a substantial amount of technical knowledge required - each distribution channel and part of the process seemingly requiring the book presented in a slightly different format. 

However, second time around, I knew the process and I had a better understanding of what was required of me, and when.   I had already done the groundwork—researching and establishing professional contacts—so I had an illustrator, designer, printing house, publicist, and IT support all in place. Each had worked with me on Volume 1, and I had immense respect, trust, and confidence in every one of them.

This made writing, and producing  “Lulu La Ru - Step-Mum Shambles” a far less daunting prospect and therefore a truly enjoyable experience.  And of course, working on the project together with my step-daughters was again a really fun, bonding experience.

What do you hope families take away from reading this book?

My intention in writing this book remains the same as it was with “Lulu La Ru – Steps Up As A Step-Mum”: to help reshape the narrative around step-mothers and blended families by portraying a joyful, vibrant, and functional version of this family dynamic. I wanted to offer my step-daughters a story they could relate to—one that reflects their kind of family—and, in doing so, spark open, positive conversations with their peers. More than anything, I wanted them to see their family as something to embrace, feel proud of, and celebrate, not something to hide or feel different about. Having a step-mum is simply one of the many beautiful variations of family in today’s world.

What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?

I wish I could say I celebrated finishing this book with something grand—perhaps a big party or a dramatic toast—but the truth is, as with the completion of Volume 1 (and most of my projects), I’m notoriously bad at celebrating my own achievements. I’ve never enjoyed being the centre of attention; I prefer quietly working behind the scenes, steadily moving toward my goals. I don’t seek public recognition or praise—by nature, I’m more reserved and introspective. What brings me the greatest pride is knowing that my family, especially my step-daughters, love both the process and the finished product. Their pride in Lulu La Ru—and in me—means everything. I’ve created something lasting, a little legacy of our life together that they can carry with them always. I tend to move quickly from one project to the next, and it’s usually only much later that I pause, reflect, and finally let the accomplishment sink in (often with a quiet high-five... and of course, champagne!).

What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?

My favourite book so far this year is “The Women”, by Kristin Hannah. 

The story follows Frances McGrath (“Frankie”) a young, idealistic woman who volunteers to serve as an Army nurse in Vietnam, despite societal expectations and the disapproval of her conservative, privileged, Southern Californian family.   She is completely outside her comfort zone.  Initially sheltered and eager to prove herself, Frankie undergoes profound transformation due to the brutal realities of war and is forced to confront the complexity of patriotism, morality and her own identity.

It’s this aspect of operating outside one’s comfort zone and the growth, confidence and transformation that occurs when one does so, that I find so enjoyable and compelling.  Together with themes of courage, friendship, values, family and sacrifice, this book held my attention to the very last page.

What’s next on the agenda for you?

In my dream world, I would be adapting these books into a screenplay and collaborating with Disney to create a film that portrays step-mums in a positive, uplifting light, finally challenging the long-standing fairy tale stereotype of the ‘evil stepmother.’ However, in reality, my next writing project is far more personal and modest. After writing life stories for Hospice and terminally ill loved ones, I’ve decided to begin crafting my own life story—a passion project for my own enjoyment, and one that I hope my family will one day treasure.