Shelly Horton - Why I Wrote I’m Your Peri Godmother And Why You Need It On Your Shelf

Murdoch Books
Aug 26
4 min read

Author of I'm Your Peri Godmother, Shelly Horton introduces her hilarious, no-holds-barred guide to help you survive perimenopause.

I'm Your Peri Godmother by Shelly Horton

Hi, I’m Shelly Horton - TV presenter, journalist, women’s health advocate and now, proudly, your Peri Godmother.

If you’d told me five years ago that I’d be writing a book about perimenopause, I probably would’ve laughed so hard a bit of wee came out. Back then, I hadn’t even heard the word perimenopause. I thought menopause was for old ladies in their 60s and they had hot flushes and their periods stopped. Umm I was very wrong. At 46, I found myself spiralling - physically, emotionally and mentally - thanks to a hormone rollercoaster I never saw coming. I’d seen menopause books but I didn’t think they applied to me. I’m Your Peri Godmother would have been a lifeline.

This book is part memoir, part evidence-based guide and part unapologetic rant. I wrote it because the system failed me - and it’s still failing so many women.

You might recognise me from the telly, I’ve worked at ABC, Channel Seven and Channel Nine. I’ve been a journalist for over 30 years, covering everything from crime to celebrity gossip, to serious health stories (often with equal amounts of bloodshed).

But behind all the glossy hair and TV makeup, I’m a gal who got sucker-punched by perimenopause - and I refused to take it lying down.

I wrote I’m Your Peri Godmother because I didn’t know what was happening to me - and that’s not okay. One minute I was running my company ShellShocked Media, living my best life, and the next I was sobbing uncontrollably in my car, unable to sleep, gaining weight, losing my confidence and wondering if I was losing my mind.

When I started talking about perimenopause publicly - on TV, on social media, and at parliamentary roundtables - the response was overwhelming. Women from all walks of life flooded my inbox and sent me DMs with stories that mirrored mine: confused, dismissed by doctors, feeling alone, and desperate for answers.

So, I decided to do something about it. I put on my journalist hat and did a deep dive into the research. I joined the International Menopause Society, interviewed top medical experts, and read the clinical guidelines front to back. I also shared my personal story including the raw, messy, confronting bits. It felt vulnerable revealing it all, but I know we learn through stories more than facts and stats. It’s not pretty but it’s powerful.

I’m Your Peri Godmother is your hormone survival guide - with a lot more laughs and a lot less jargon than medical books. It gives you:

Clarity - on what perimenopause actually is (spoiler: it’s not “just the lead-up to menopause” it’s a full-blown hormonal dumpster fire for some of us).
Validation - that you’re not going crazy - your body is shifting gears, and those changes are very real.
Practical advice - on everything from hot flushes, brain fog and bleeding, to weight gain, libido loss, workplace issues, mental health and menopausal rage.
Expert insights - from top Aussie and international menopause doctors, urologists, psychiatrists and researchers - all in plain English.
Real life case studies - real people, real talk about real symptoms and real solutions.
Laugh-out-loud moments - because if you can’t laugh when brain fog means you forget your husband’s name on live TV when can you?
Tools to advocate for yourself - with your GP, at work, and even in your relationship.
Support for partners and teens - because when you’re going through peri your partner is along for the ride and if you have a teenager who is also hormonally unhinged, it’s a recipe for chaos.

Perhaps most importantly, you’ll feel less alone. Because the silence around peri? It’s deafening - and it’s time we got loud.

This book is for women in their 40s and 50s who are confused, fed up, or feeling ignored. It’s for daughters trying to understand their mums, and for partners who want to be more supportive (and survive peri rage unscathed).

If you’ve ever felt like you were losing yourself - your energy, your passion, your spark - this book is for you. It’s a reminder that perimenopause isn’t the end of your story. It’s just a new chapter - and you get to write it however you damn well please.

I’m Your Peri Godmother isn’t just a book - it’s a movement. It’s about reclaiming our health, our voices and our sanity. I’m done with “secret women’s business”, that just holds women back.

If reading this book makes even one woman feel prepared, informed, or just a little less scared - then every page of it was worth it.

Now go ahead, grab your copy from Dymocks, pour yourself a cuppa (or a wine, no judgement), and let’s kick perimenopause in the ovaries together.

Love,

Your Peri Godmother Shelly x