T. Jessop shares the Top 10 Things that her readers should know about her, following the publication of her hilarious debut fiction, Mid-Life Crisis, which follows the year in the life of a mum and housewife approaching forty:
Mid-Life Crisis
A simple creature at heart, I'm my happiest sharing the same air as the ones most closest to me. I've truly been blessed to have the funniest people in the world in my own gene pool. I love the fact that we never stop learning and the greatest teachers are children.
I have read many books over the years but my favourite is The Mummy by Ann Rice. This year she finally releases the sequel and I so hope that it doesn't disappoint. I still have the very first book I could read on my own and it always surprises and stuns me when someone says "me, no I don't read" – they have no clue what they're missing.
I love to crochet but can't follow a pattern as I'm cack-handed. I have a large collection of wonky scarves and misshapen squares.
Liars and Lies, I cannot stand either. Whether I like what I hear or not I will take honesty any day. The trick is to listen to the eyes and not what comes out of someone's mouth.
At 35 years-old I broke my wrist and had it in plaster for nine weeks after my hubby said that I couldn't do better than him on a pogo stick. I'd like to state for the record that this was the only time that he has ever been RIGHT about anything.
My right arm is completely tattooed, the smell of peanut butter makes me gag, I'm frightened of Daleks and have severe arachnophobia which has got worse with age – I truly believe that a spider will end my life...from shock.
Watching my mum take her last breath like she had seen me take my first was an honour.
Family is everything to me, which is how I got addicted to doing the family tree – knowing where we came from and what traits were passed down is interesting. I always warn others that stories passed down the generations turn out to be fabricated and a lot less glamorous, so if you're expecting squeaky clean leave it alone. I don't care what I find; the truth is the truth and a lot less boring.
If anyone had told me that I would publish a book I would have laughed. It just goes to show that you should never-say-never. Granddad always said: "there's no such word as can’t", and it seems he was right.
My living room was once decorated like an Egyptian tomb, including sandstone walls and a full size replica of Tutankhamen's mask.
The only regret I have is not learning to drive. Everything else, good or bad makes us who we are and I wouldn't change a thing, well, maybe the pogo thing!
Mid-Life Crisis is available on Amazon and from www.bookguild.co.uk