Fern Britton's new book The Postcard comes out on paperback today, so we caught up with her to talk about her inspiration behind the story and why Cornwall is so close to her heart.
Fern Britton by Jonathan Swannell
What can readers expect from your new book The Postcard?
Women- at some stage in their lives all get on with work; getting married and having children or whatever it is- then things start to fall apart.
This poor lady, Penny, who has appeared in a couple of other books is happily married, she runs her own television production company, she's just had a baby and she's in her mid-forties. She has everything going for her and she lives in a beautiful part of Cornwall. Then post-natal depression hits her; that affects her relationship with her husband and her programme is cancelled by the television network. She then gets a message out of the blue about her mother who she hasn't seen for a few years, who she's estranged from- has died.
Then she gets a message from her sister who she hasn't seen for a long time who says she is going to come and see her- 'we are going to sort things out'.
This poor women is really suffering and she's already got a lot to deal with emotionally. It's about how she handles it and I hope women do empathise with her, even if you haven't had post-natal depression or depression of any kind, you will know of someone who has and life isn't always smooth- is it?
You're Britain's best loved TV presenter so was writing always something you wanted to do while you were on the likes of This Morning and Ready, Steady, Cook or did you feel the pull to write afterwards?
That's a really good question! I did not know I had a book inside me. I wasn't one of those people how had a secret novel in the bottom drawer.
As I was leaving This Morning, I wrote my autobiography and that went very well. Harper Collins said to me 'would you like to write a novel?' But as a journalist, I have probably never written more than 1500 words. I thought 'I don't think I can- I don't think I've got 100,000 words in me'. They said- 'come on you can' and so I did it as an exercise and a challenge for myself really to see if I could do it. It went ok and they said go on- go off and just write.
I appreciate that I have been very fortunate to be given the opportunity when a lot of people are looking for a publisher and I was given a chance. It's been a gift to find that I quite enjoy telling a story- I really have enjoyed it. As I'm no longer having to worry about journalism and accuracy, I can write any lie I like!
This is your sixth novel so how challenging is it as a writer to keep coming up with new ideas for your books?
You get to that moment when you think- 'I don't know what's next'. I don't know if you have this when you're writing things- but sometimes, something takes over and it's not you writing it necessarily. Something else happens in the subconscious. I sit on my chair in my office and I think right- 'get an idea, let's see what happens' and then just empty my mind and just sit there and sort of think really. So far I have been very lucky- something has always come.
What is your writing process and what are your ideal writing conditions?
I do like absolute peace, quiet and serenity. I don't have the radio on; I don't have any special music on or anything like that. I like it silent, the door shut and probably the window closed. I have to look at blank wall; I can't look out at anything. I have to really put myself into the world of the book. Sometimes successfully and sometimes the next day I read what I've written and I think 'oh dear that's not very good'. Some days I read it back and think 'blimey that's pretty good!'
I am quite disciplined. I try to write 2,000 words a day, which is a chapter for me. I like to do short-ish chapters because I think of all those women sitting in bed at night. You know when you think 'I could just read a few pages' and get to the end of chapter quickly. I do that so you might read two chapters. You know when you are reading a book and you think 'I will just read one chapter' and you get part way though the chapter and there are another 40 pages to go and you think 'I can't do it!' That's what I try to do.
Who is your favourite author and what are you reading right now?
I have lots of favourite authors actually. I have just started reading Jessie Burton's The Muse, which is coming shortly. She wrote The Miniaturist- I really liked it- it was a world that took me into it. It does sound as if it's going to- I must admit. You are in 16th century Holland in a merchant's house with his new wife. She gets given a wedding present, which is this beautiful- almost like a dolls house- cabinet. Now and again little pieces of furniture appear in the house. They come to the house wrapped up at the front door. They are miniature pieces of future and people to put in her cabinet, which are identical but in miniature form of the things in her real house. It becomes a bit of a mystery- it's a really great book, so her new one The Muse I've just started.
Without giving too much away- the book delves into some very dark times for Penny so was that something you had to do a lot of research for?
I had post-natal depression myself. It's a long time ago now- my two boys are now 22. Unfortunately, I was really quite unwell after their birth with post-natal depression. It's been something that's been very close to my heart. One in four women are bound to get it- not just baby blues, something that is rather more long lasting and can be very serious. I thought this might speak to a lot of readers and they might understand- maybe they are feeling like that at the moment but they haven't been able to admit it or know what's happening to them.
You don't know what's happening to you- you just think you're in a filthy mood all the time- feeling hopeless, weepy, sad and exhausted. Then there is such a relief when you get a diagnosis and some help. That what she gets and things start to improve but then she has this horrible sister who turns up.
Why is Cornwall so special to you and why is it the perfect setting for storytelling?
I love it. I've loved it since I was a little child. We would go there when I was a baby and as soon as I knew that Cornwall was a different place- I suppose I was about 2/3- it was where I wanted to live.
I am very fortunate that Phil and I do have a home there now as well as just outside of London. We are very privileged. I love the people, I love the coastline, I love the villages. There is nothing I don't like about it. It's a beautiful place and has a personality of its own. It gives me energy and it makes me feel better.
You have had such a varied career in TV including Strictly and Timecrashers and The Big Allotment Challenge, to name a few so what's been your highlight from all of your experiences?
Lots of highlights- aren't I lucky? I've genuinely enjoyed everything I've done but I suppose the body of work I'm probably most proud of is This Morning. People always remember Phillip and I just giggling and being stupid but we did also do some really important interviews. Some good tough ones and some very informative ones.
After that I suppose the interview I did with Tony Blair when I asked him about the weapons of mass destruction- would he have still gone to war if had know they didn't exist and he said 'yes'. It caused stir at the time and I will be interested to see if that's reported in the Chilcot Report when it comes out.
You have completed several bike rides around the globe to raise money Genesis Research Trust, so how have these experiences influenced your writing?
I could never write a novel about the women I cycle with and the cycle rides because we are all too close to it. I couldn't betray them. I would never write it but when I'm out on the road constantly ideas pop into my head I can solve a plot problem, I can think about characters. It has helped me a great deal.
What is next for you?
At the moment on BBC1, there's a programme called For What It's Worth that I present. It's on at 2.15-3pm every day now for the next 5 weeks, which is great.
In the summer on Sunday mornings I am going to do a Radio 2 programme that Claire Balding does but she is going off to do the Olympics so I am standing in for her for a couple of months.
In November we are doing a big cycle in Burma.
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