What better way to spend a chilly autumnal evening than listening to the wonderful Jilly Cooper in conversation with Sunday Times columnist India Knight? Like millions of readers, I’ve adored Jilly Cooper’s novels for decades. As a teenager I remember reading a serial of hers called Circles in 19, my favourite magazine at the time (now sadly defunct). She later rewrote it and it metamorphosed into Emily, the first of her six short romantic novels. ...keep reading
A grand, redbrick hotel on a cliff overlooking the sea. Yes, the scene was like something out of a novel – which was rather appropriate considering we were all there to hear author Jill Mansell talk about her new book, You and Me, Always. The event was part of the Purbeck Literary Festival and Jill had driven through the wilds of the Somerset and Dorset countryside to meet scores of her ...keep reading
The best news of the day is that Jilly Cooper’s new book is going to be published by Transworld on September 8 this year. “Exciting book news,” declared Penguin UK on Twitter. “We’re delighted to announce Mount!, a brand new book from Jilly Cooper featuring the one and only Rupert Campbell-Black.” Twitter and Facebook were instantly abuzz with the announcement. Actually, Jilly had given legions of fans a hint that her new ...keep reading
Horses, dogs, David Cameron, Boris Johnson and that notorious Riders cover – all this and more featured in Jilly Cooper’s hilarious, hour-long conversation with Rachel Johnson at the Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than listening to wonderful Jilly. She is 78 now, a slim figure in a white trouser suit, a glass of white wine in her hand and ...keep reading
Like her older brother Boris, Rachel Johnson is one of those incorrigible characters you can’t help liking. The same goes for her novels. Fresh Hell is the third of her Notting Hell trilogy and even though the storyline is thin and involves an interminably dull planning row the wit and the gossip are so addictive that it’s impossible to stop reading. The plot centres on ex-journalist and mother-of-four Mimi Fleming, ...keep reading
The best thing about moving is saying “to hell with unpacking boxes” and setting off to explore your new area instead. That’s why we pitched up in the pretty village of Moreton at the weekend – to see the idyllic Dorset countryside where the legendary Lawrence of Arabia lived until his death in 1935. We couldn’t visit Clouds Hill – TE Lawrence’s tiny cottage, now owned by the National Trust, ...keep reading
Downthorpe Hall is a posh boarding school in the wilds of the Oxfordshire countryside. Fresh from working in an inner-city comprehensive, Will Hughes has just been appointed as the new head. He knows there will be a host of challenges ahead. Tricky parents, rebellious teenagers and teachers who will fight his attempts to reform the school. He doesn’t expect a battle for his heart. But when he meets two women ...keep reading
My children still haven’t got over the embarrassment of walking into my office last week and seeing my desk covered with erotic novels. From Jane Eyre Laid Bare to Eighty Days Yellow, they were piled up all over the place. I was reading them for a newspaper review (really) but even so, my son and daughter shut the door hurriedly and scuttled off to laugh about it with their friends. ...keep reading
Even though it was my number one ambition in life, I didn’t start writing my first novel till my thirties. But that’s late these days. I’m gripped by the story of 20 year old Samantha Shannon, whose sci-fi series has just been snapped up by Bloomsbury for a six-figure sum. But now I come to think of it, my daughter and her pals self-published their own book at the tender ...keep reading
I’ve loved Jilly Cooper’s books since I was a teenager. Emily, her very first novel, started life as a serial called Circles that she wrote for 19 magazine. She later completely rewrote it, and like every other reader I was hooked from the memorable first line – “If Nina hadn’t bugged me, I’d never have gone to Annie Richmond’s party.” And if that hadn’t happened, as you’ll no doubt remember, ...keep reading