It ’ s an incredibly busy time for the comic novelist who has had ten consecutive books in the Sunday Times Top Ten .
Brothers took an option on it . But it never materialised . “ It was incredibly exciting . They used to renew the option annually . It was loads of money and it was great . We used to live in a village and I got the whole cottage roof replaced by Warner Brothers !” Wendy ’ s first book deal was for two novels . It was when she landed a second contract that she decided to become a full-time writer . She was living in a flat in King ’ s Cross and visiting Derbyshire at weekends . After her son Andrew , now 14 , was born , she and husband Jon , a political consultant , moved up here permanently . They also have a 12-year-old daughter , Isabella . “ Living in Derbyshire has been a great inspiration . I realised there was a lot to write about , there was a lot of material in swapping the city for the country , particularly as suddenly as I did . “ I actually found that living in the country was a lot more interesting because when you live in the city you go to work , you come back , you ’ re in your flat , you do the hamster-wheel thing , whereas here there ’ s so much going on all the time and there are lots of great characters . “ Honeymoon Suite is partly inspired by the country , by living here , and Laura Lake ’ s next adventure will take place in a village , so I get endless inspiration from living here .” Wendy writes every day , either working on her next novel or writing articles . She reviews popular fiction for the Daily Mail , giving her views on three new novels each month , and she has been a judge for the Costa Book Awards . But she doesn ’ t intend to return to journalism . “ It ’ s really interesting to review for the Mail because you see what kind of books are being published and what people are writing . I think it ’ s important as a writer of contemporary fiction
It ’ s an incredibly busy time for the comic novelist who has had ten consecutive books in the Sunday Times Top Ten .
to keep your eye on what ’ s coming out , to see if anyone else is doing the same thing - which thankfully they ’ re not . “ I don ’ t think I ’ d really want to go back to journalism but I keep writing features to keep my hand in because I see it as my trade . That was one of the things the late , great Adrian Gill ( food and travel writer A A Gill ) said to me as I was leaving the Sunday Times : he said don ’ t forget that journalism is your trade .” Many writers say they have a lonely existence because they are on their own when they write . Wendy agrees and shares her way of working . “ I ’ m lucky because I enjoy writing my books and they ’ re fun to write . Some people can write with radios on and people in the background . There are people who write in coffee shops . But I don ’ t do that . I ’ ve got to be on my own , sometimes even with earplugs in .” Wendy stresses that she likes to have lots of things going on and puts her “ massive ” work ethic down to her Yorkshire roots . “ I think if you ’ re a writer it ’ s such a fantastic privilege – I still can ’ t get over the fact that people pay me to write for a living . It ’ s just amazing - not something I ever thought would happen realistically . I think I ’ m really fortunate so I do as much as I can . I very rarely turn a commission down , whatever it is .” Wendy , described in some publications as one of the founders of the chick lit movement , sees
herself more as a satirist writing glamorous comedies . Her next book will be called Laura Lake and the Celebrity Meltdown . Wendy is hoping readers will take to Laura . “ That ’ s my ambition – to make her somebody that people want to read about who will cheer people up .” So who is Laura Lake ? “ She ’ s not a drip – she ’ s quite feisty , she ’ s not put off by adversity . She ’ s a woman of today but she ’ s a little bit different . “ She ’ s half-French and she ’ s got this granny who gives her lots of life advice , like always have a glass of champagne before you read the papers because the news is a lot better that way – useful advice that we could all do with .” Laura Lake may mean that Wendy Holden returns to the top of the Sunday Times best sellers – her book Fame Fatale was the number one in 2002 . Whatever happens , she is contracted to produce another six Laura Lakes and you can be sure that comedy will be a crucial element . “ I think , particularly now , people need something uplifting and fun to read . I hope that I ’ m going to be able to give them that because there ’ s not really much else out there . I want to give people a reason to smile in 2017 .”
By Steve Orme
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