Please, Let Me Sleep: A book to laugh yourself to sleep

Melissa Mead’s debut novel Please, Let Me Sleep is an interesting and humorous take on a topic that will surely resonate with readers. She has assumed a nom de plume — published her book under her late mother’s name. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

Amidst the hustle and bustle of our stressful lives, local author Melissa Mead’s debut novel Please, Let Me Sleep provides a refreshing reminder of the importance of bodily function in a fun and relatable way.

Mrs Mead addresses the topic of sleep by candidly expressing the personal experiences she gained over the course of many years.

In a world where stress seems to be the norm, her book proves to be therapeutic and prepares you to be ready for a peaceful night’s sleep.

“We live during a time when people are stressed to the maximum,” says Mrs Mead.

“So, this is about trying to get people to relax and laugh themselves to sleep. For instance, in one of my chapters, I discuss the unfortunate experiences I had with mosquitoes while I was staying with my father and my brother in a bach in a bush location — a place in Auckland where my father milled at the time.”

Describing their tiny bite attacks as those launched by a “bomber squadron”, she vividly explains how her face swelled up like a balloon and she was completely unrecognisable.

“Even my aunt was flabbergasted and couldn’t recognise me for a moment. Apparently, she had seen me sitting in the back of our car and asked my father who was in the car.

“Of course, we had those chemical sprays that kept the bugs away, but I always believed in being environmentally friendly. I was that person who used a pillow and swung it left and right to kill the bugs and go back to bed. It was infuriating.”

In another instance, she writes about an over-imaginative woman, who while holidaying with her husband constantly worries  about whether she turned off the iron before leaving.

One of the author’s personal favourites includes writing about their neighbours who once held a late-night party that crossed all boundaries especially when it came to social etiquette and basic understanding.

Speaking to the Gisborne Herald, the author confessed to having written this book about 25 years ago and she even had an interested publisher.

“In the end, I decided not to publish it and before I could ponder on my decision further, my husband passed away and I didn’t bother trying to pursue any more publishers.”

After she watched a documentary on Shine about two Indian families and how the men and the children had to work at the quarry, she became inspired to publish.

“I sat there in tears as what could free them up was only six hundred American dollars. It was just terrible to see that they could not afford proper education or have a good night’s rest. So that inspired me to start up my writing.

“We now live in a very chaotic and violent world with the result that the majority of people with whom I have had contact are fearful and full of anxiety, which is the reason for this book.”

Mrs Mead said her biggest inspiration for writing came from her late mother Irene Russell, who was an excellent wordsmith.

“That’s why I took up a nom de plume under her name. To her credit, she was the first woman in New Zealand to win the classical piano competition plus a bursary to study in Europe.

“She was intent on becoming a world concert pianist. She was 16 years old then and did not have the confidence to pursue that opportunity.”

Mrs Mead said she dedicated this book to her late mother, from whom she got the love of words, and to her friend Sharon McGrory, who gave her time and thoughts willingly.

Please, Let Me Sleep is now available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released on June 23.