Losing It by Helen Lederer

by Lucy Moore | 12 February 2015

I’m very excited about Losing It– it is a laugh outlook comedy novel (I hope) I want people to laugh when they read it on the tube –it’s about a woman of certain years who is in debt and divorced who is dysfunctional –who then find out who she is and what she can do , and it all ends .. well you will have to read it

Please tell us about the character of Millie.

She is slightly like me. Millie is very transparent but somehow people can relate to her and therefore I hope care what happens to her. She is proud and likes her food –but eventually tries to tackle both of these areas –to vary degrees of success

You have been called the 'funniest women in England' by Dawn French so how does that make you feel?

I am so thrilled Dawn has named me thus! She knows a lot of very funny people – so I’m firmly taking that as a compliment

This is your debut novel, so how have you found the process?

I loved writing it. I’d write for ten hours at a time. No one can be mean to you while you are writing –it’s the next stage that is more nerve wracking

Why is weight loss such a popular topic for women's reading?

Show me a woman who is happy with all her body parts and I will show you that I am a size ten (not).

You have also written the short story Finger Food for Quick Reads, so please can you tell us a bit about this?

I was invited to write a short story that would be suitable for adults who were hard of reading. I love to encourage any reading –but was required to choose words with less than three syllables -this is quite hard and made the recess quite challenging in very interesting way.

Please tell us about your inspiration for the story of Millie.

I have invented a new genre of literature that I have called ‘Mid lit’ –it is post ‘chic lit’ and before ‘grey lit’. I made the last one up as well -but there is army of women out there of a certain age who are empowered and keen to laugh .. and it’s for anyone else as well.

What is next for you?

I am touring a show of ‘an audience with’ which tells the tale of being am 80s stand-up comedian to present day - I am about to go back into Hollyoaks to reprise my role as a rather incompetent mid wife –I am very apprehensive and excited at the same time.