| Writer friends |
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Philip Carr-Gomm
Writes about sacred sites and landscapes, druids, psychology, nakedness and magic. |
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Tracy Chevalier
Although perhaps best-known for Girl With a Pearl Earring, her three other novels, including her latest, Burning Bright, are no less brilliant. |
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Andrew Crofts
‘The king of British ghostwriters’, much quoted by Robert Harris in his latest novel, The Ghost. |
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Paul Dickson
Paul is the doyen of books on words, names, slang and a host of other subjects. His Sputnik: The Shock of the Century
was reissued in 2007, to coincide
with the 50th anniversary. |
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Katie Fforde
Bestselling author of romance and humour based firmly in reality – and one of my co-contestants on University Challenge: The Professionals. Her latest novel is Wedding Season. |
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Peter James
Film producer and bestselling crime writer, his Roy Grace series, set in Brighton, just gets better and better. The latest instalment, Dead Man’s Footsteps, is rightly in the bestseller list and the TV series based on it has just been commissioned. |
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Nicolette Jones
Journalist and award-winning author of the story of Victorian philanthropist Samuel Plimsoll, The Plimsoll Sensation: The Great Campaign to Save Lives at Sea. |
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John Malam
Children’s non-fiction author – who I believe is even more prolific than me! |
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Miriam Moss
An award winning picture book – and short story – writer. |
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William Nicholson
Oscar-nominated screenwriter (for Shadowlands and Gladiator), with Elizabeth: The Golden Age in 2007, and author of the award-winning children’s fantasy trilogies, Wind on Fire and Noble Warriors. |
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Justin Pollard
Historian and author on subjects from Alfred the Great to ancient Alexandria – who also writes the BBC quiz show QI in his spare time. |
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Christopher Priest
Highly acclaimed science-fiction author whose The Prestige was filmed in 2006. |
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Tim Rice
Multi-talented writer, triple Oscar-winning lyricist, humorous, tall, successful – darn, I’ve run out of adjectives… |
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Anne Rooney
My favourite polymath - from Wallace & Gromit and spies to computers and bird flu! |
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Robert Skidelsky
The distinguished economist and author of the definitive biography of John Maynard Keynes. |
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Lynne Truss
Author of Eats, Shoot & Leaves, but also many other fine non-fiction books, novels and radio scripts. |
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Christopher Wilson
A schoolfriend of mine who went on to be ‘William Hickey’ on the Daily Express and author of numerous entertaining royal and other biographies. |
