Actor, writer, and 2007 Funny Women Awards winner Andi Osho is following her debut novel Asking For A Friend about female friendship with a new book based on her experience of stand-up comedy, called Tough Crowd.
Due out next year, Tough Crowd tells the story of Abi, a new comedian whose toughest gig yet is winning over her new step-children. Osho told The Bookseller: “Having been in a relationship with a single dad, I can testify to what a profound, challenging and illuminating experience it can be” Osho also hopes the book will help dismantle stereotypes: “Tough Crowd is about all that and I hope it goes some way to dispelling the myth of the ‘evil stepmother’.”
HQ commissioning editor Katie Seaman said: “Andi is a natural storyteller. She writes relatable characters and relationships with such honesty, warmth and wit, for truly entertaining reads that women of all ages can enjoy. I can’t wait to publish Tough Crowd next year – it promises to be the laugh-out-loud hit of the summer.”
Now concentrating on her writing and acting careers, Osho added that the plot is a “fond farewell to my days on stage… readers get to enjoy the insane ups and downs of life as an open-mic comic, all from the safety of their own homes.”
Osho revealed to Richard Herring on his podcast why she was no longer performing comedy: “It is a hard life… It’s not just about being good at the job. There is so much more to it that is not just about being on stage.
“And I was, if I’m honest, feeling quite uninspired by the industry, in the sense of what was possible for me. And it’s not to say what people are doing isn’t interesting but when I saw that path… I was just like, that’s not enough for me.”
Andi Osho: Tough Crowd will be published by HQ on 22nd June 2022. You can order Asking For a Friend here.
