Triplet Daddy Changing Diapers, Genre Stereotype
Higher-order multiples, defined as three or more offspring in one birth, evoke the same curious reaction from everyone. Just ask Kate Gosselin, whose head-turning brood has brought her fortune and fame. Though still extremely rare, advances in fertility have rendered these little womb-mates more common than ever. The most recent data available documents the delivery of 6,530 sets of them in the U.S. in 2006 alone (1).
John Cave Osborne never concerned himself with such statistics—that is until he morphed from a carefree bachelor into the father of four in just thirteen months. Most people slowly mature into domesticity, but after marrying a single mom then quickly conceiving triplets, Osborne was hastily grandfathered in out of necessity. His new book, Tales from the Trips—How Three Babies Turned Our World Upside-Down, chronicles his experience in a unique, unexpected voice. Parenting memoirs are typically penned by mothers, not fathers, especially ones who are scant months removed from full-blown bachelorhood. “On the day we got the big news, I knew more about Dr. Dre than Dr. Spock,” admits the author. His relative inexperience, combined with the mayhem that comes along with triplets, produces chaos, panic, and hilarity.
To promote the book, Osborne began blogging, quickly raising the brow of Hollywood A-listers. “I posted a YouTube video (“Where’s Mommy?”), which made the rounds on Twitter and eventually got tweeted by Ashton Kutcher and Alyssa Milano.” The comical video amused many, drawing nearly 8,000 hits overnight. But Osborne can do more than just make people laugh. Tales from the Trips contains several thought-provoking metaphors that speak as much to the vicissitudes of life as they do the triplet experience. “You don’t have to have triplets to enjoy my book,” insists the small-business principal. “All you need is a heart.” Osborne clearly has one of those. He’s donating 30 percent of his total proceeds to Childhelp USA, a leading nonprofit for child abuse and neglect.
Tales from the Trips will be released in April 2010 in soft-cover format. Copies can be purchased for $14.95. For more information, visit http://talesfromthetrips.com.
(1) National Vital Statistic Reports, Volume 57, Number 7, January 7, 2009
To request additional review copies and/or an interview with the author, please contact us at cfiser@laughterthoughtmedia.com.
