Books

Nell Hudson (Matt Crossick / Alamy Stock Photo), Just For Today
1 June 2022

Exclusive: Outlander actor Nell Hudson discusses her new book Just For Today
The sparkling debut from Outlander and Victoria actor Nell Hudson, Just For Today is released on the 9th June 2022- so we caught up with her to find out what ...

Sally Emerson, Perfect: Stories of the Impossible
1 June 2022

Sally Emerson, author of Perfect shares seven things she'd like her readers to know about her
1. I like safety and security but I hate it too. But maybe we all feel that. We do our deep breathing, practise yoga, create cosy domestic spaces, then blow it ...

The Queen: 70 Glorious Years
31 May 2022

Ten of the bestselling books on the Queen to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee
Ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Amazon UK has pulled sales data to show which books about the Queen have been the most popular over the past five years (May ...

Chloe Timms. The Seawomen
30 May 2022

The importance of disability representation by Chloe Timms, author of The Seawomen
Can you think of a famous disabled author? A novel that features a prominent disabled character? Chances are you might struggle, and if you can think of an example it’s ...

Valérie Perrin, Three
30 May 2022

The things I would tell my younger author self by Valérie Perrin, author of Three
Translated by Isabel Williams I was never a young author. My first novel was published when I was 48 years old. At 48, we aren’t old, but nor are we ...

Georgie Hall, Woman of a Certain Rage
30 May 2022

An open letter to Sue Townsend by Georgie Hall, author of Woman of a Certain Rage
-  Dear Sue Townsend, In 1982, you changed my life. ...

EyeEm / Alamy Stock Photo
30 May 2022

Sporting Novels: Female First's favourite fictional books about swimming
As the World Aquatics Championships are well underway, we have rounded up the best fiction about swimming for those of us who like to appreciate the sport from the comfort ...

The Tarot Life Planner by Lady Lorelei / Image credit: Octopus Publishing Group
27 May 2022

The Tarot Life Planner review: Lady Lorelei teaches us how to form a relationship a tarot
The esoteric book market is saturated with tarot guides at the moment which can make it hard to pick out the real gems. When I received The Tarot Life Planner: ...

Cari Thomas
27 May 2022

Cari Thomas interview: Threadneedle author on why the historic witch hunts never ended [EXCLUSIVE]
The witch trials of the 17th century may seem like a long time ago, but its effect on the female gender has never entirely waned. In fact, though the Witchcraft ...

Salena Godden, Mrs Death Misses Death
26 May 2022

Salena Godden, author of Mrs Death Misses Death shares her favourite indie book shops
I have always dreamed of having my book in a book shop window. When I first moved to London in the 1990's and started my writing journey this was something ...

Mark Ellis, Dead in the Water
26 May 2022

Mark Ellis, author of Dead in the Water shares seven things he'd like his readers to know about him
-  Dead In The Water by Mark Ellis is out now in paperback by Headline Accent, £9.99. ...

Eve Ainsworth, Duckling
26 May 2022

Eve Ainsworth, author of Duckling shares seven things she'd like her readers to know about her
This is actually harder to write than I expected! I always think that there’s not that many interesting things about me - that’s why I love developing alternative characters and ...

Elisabeth Kehoe, Queen of the Savoy
26 May 2022

Seven things you should know about Helen D’Oyly Carte by Elisaebth Kehoe
-  ...

Louise Sharland, My Husband's Secrets
26 May 2022

How I feel about secrets by Louise Sharland, author of My Husband's Secrets
I suppose how I feel about secrets can be summed up in two simple words: survival and shame. I realise of course there are times when keeping a secret is ...

Lindsey Harrad, Living Plantfully
26 May 2022

Engage and play – simple ways to connect more meaningfully with nature
We hear a lot about how we’re supposed to be connecting more deeply with nature to improve our wellbeing. But for many of us, as we rush around dealing with ...

Helen Fitzgerald, Keep Her Sweet
26 May 2022

Helen Fitzgerald, author of Keep Her Sweet shares five tips for writing crime fiction
1. Before you start counting words, ask yourself this: Could someone else write this book? If the answer is yes, don’t write it, save yourself a thousand hours, let someone else do ...

Lucy Knott, Love Lessons in Starcross Valley
26 May 2022

Author Lucy Knott shares seven things she'd like her readers to know about her
1. I guess the first thing I should tell you about me is that I love to talk. I love a good conversation. I love getting to know what other ...

Wanda Whiteley, The Goldhanger Dog
26 May 2022

Wanda Whiteley, author of The Goldhanger Dog shares things she'd like her readers to know about her
1. At a Georgian museum in Bath, UK, I spotted a model of a turnspit dog in a wheel cage mounted to the kitchen wall. I discovered that this kitchen slave, ...

Liz Webb, The Daughter
24 May 2022

Seven jobs that helped me become a writer by Liz Webb, author of The Daughter
I trained as a CLASSICAL BALLET DANCER and a teacher once said to me ‘if it doesn’t hurt, it isn’t right’! Pushing yourself over the brink into real pain, is ...

Jack Leavers, Don't Play Dead With Vultures
24 May 2022

Merging real life and fiction by Jack Leavers, author of Don't Play Dead with Vultures
Born out of frustration at an overseas deal locked in dispute, I sat down in 2017 and began to write a novel. Appetite for Risk tells the story of John ...

100 Piers
23 May 2022

Check out these beautiful images from Paul Tracey's new book 100 Piers
-  In 1941 the US government commissioned the Hughes Aircraft Company to build an aircraft capable of carrying 700 men over long distances and be able to land on water. ...

Susanna Abse, Tell Me The Truth About Love
23 May 2022

Parenting after parting by Susanna Abse, author of Tell Me The Truth About Love
Ending any long relationship is never easy but ending a relationship where children are involved presents extra challenges. How do you balance and attend to your own feelings and needs ...

Kerry Fisher, The Woman in My Home
20 May 2022

Seven things I'd like my readers to know about me by Kerry Fisher, author of The Woman in My Home
I write contemporary fiction for women who've live long enough not to expect the fairytale. I love writing about ordinary people because in the end, most families are extraordinary in ...

Denise Matthews, Your CV: Would you put a stamp on it?
19 May 2022

Seven tips for a killer CV that will help get you interviews
Whilst your CV alone won’t ‘get you the job’ it opens the possibility for a conversation which will lead you to being short-listed for your dream role. This is why ...