One of the many lovely things that happened on that trip to Umbria was that I met Ninette, who was living in Italy at the time and who joined the group for one day. Sometimes having a blog is better than a diary. Make your own life.”īack in 2013 (aagh, can’t believe where the time has gone), I went to Italy, on a writing holiday – I have just re-read my posts from that time and it’s made me smile. Don’t wait for permission to do anything. Call everybody by their first name, from doctors to presidents. (Taking longer doesn’t usually make it better.) Get up early. Don’t worry about what other people are thinking. (Letters take too long and you won’t do it, a postcard takes two minutes.) Be punctual. There’s lots of good writerly advice on Maeve’s website by the way and on the anniversary of her death, 30th July, someone tweeted her ‘life advice’ which I have posted before but I think it’s great and worth another look: She announced her retirement in 2000 but the books kept coming. Maeve Binchy was one of those authors who never retired. I was reminded of the fabulous, late Maeve Binchy recently when replying to Sharon’s comment about Bill Bryson’s retirement.

Just conscious I haven’t mentioned the novel since 13th June but it has not been forgotten!) Perhaps the Duchess will show her commitment to the romance genre and join the Romantic Novelists’ Association? And I might rub shoulder-pads with her at one of the legendary RNA parties! (I’ve never been to one, by the way but perhaps one day…)

So why, I wonder, does her name not appear on the front cover? Seems a bit mean not to credit her on the front!Īpparently, the dynamic duo are all signed up to write a second novel for M&B. The Duchess was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s ‘ Front Row’ programme and when asked about the ‘writing process’ with her co-author, she admitted that, having left school at 16, she had a ‘vision’ for the book but is “very much a director rather than an actual scribe” – which leads me to believe that Ms Kaye probably wrote all most of it. In other news, the Olympics have started, of course – and almost finished – (and typically I’ve only got into them towards the end) and Sarah, Duchess of York, has launched her first adult novel, ‘Her Heart For a Compass’, published by Mills & Boon and written ‘in partnership’ with veteran Mills & Boon author, Marguerite Kaye.

Tom hanks maeve binchy