Blimey, this About Me section will be all about me! Golly, what to say? The first thing is I don’t think I’ve ever used the word ‘golly’ – where did that come from? Must be the result of the narcissistic task of writing an About Me section. Golly! Still, it’s quite a pretty word so I think I’ll keep it.

Now, back to me! I am thirty-four years old, which if you’re in your teens or twenties probably sounds ancient, but I must tell you that it doesn’t feel ancient. Banish all thoughts that when you enter your thirties you’ll become sorted, solvent, slim and somehow really in to brown rice and local politics. Because in much the same way as I did when I was nineteen, my favourite topics of conversation are still star signs, sales rails and snogging. *Hangs head in shame and vows yet again to get really in to high interest banking and running*

I grew up in a place called Chalfont St Peter, which is about twenty miles in the north-west direction from London. I have a lovely mum and dad; honestly, I don’t mean to diss your mum and dad, but my mum and dad are the best. I have a beautiful older sister who I dedicated Unlike a Virgin to; she’s amazing. When I left a particularly turbulent relationship in the early hours one morning, it was her house I drove to. When I fell asleep on the last train to her house and ended up somewhere near Stratford-upon-Avon she drove for miles to pick me up in the middle of the night, and did all my washing the next day. She’s gorgeous and funny and I love her to pieces. She lives with her magnificent husband and has four small-bottomed and beautiful daughters. I also have a lovely brother who’s a farmer and is married to a terrific woman with a great name (Lucy), and he has a gorgeous son who I love to bits even though he wears his trousers far t0o low! (Pull them up, favourite nephew; I don’t want to see your pants!)

I did a degree in English Literature, which started in Cardiff, ended in London, and I went to Miami in the middle. I was a little restless! And, to this day, I still feel sorry for the poor person who transferred with me and trudged to East London to study during the winter, while I rollerbladed to lessons through the palm trees in Florida.

After that I went to drama school and I then spent most of my twenties performing in plays. I love acting. As I write this I’m performing in a production of Antony and Cleopatra. I get to pretend that I’m hanging out in Ancient Greece with Cleopatra? Brilliant!

Just before I turned thirty, I did this weird thing, probably as a result of white wine. I started a blog. The blog was called ‘A Spinster’s Quest’ and charted my diabolical love life. I had been single for a while and thought I’d get out there and try to meet men rather than talk about the lack of them to my girlfriends. The blog struck a chord and I got a literary agent who said, ‘I think you should write a novel.’ Never one to shy away from a challenge I said, ‘Oh, OK then,’ and had a go. I didn’t really know what I was doing and my brain exploded daily for about six months. But the result was 50 Ways to Find a Lover, which, amazingly, was published. That was followed by The (Im)perfect Girlfriend and now Unlike a Virgin. I feel very lucky. So far it’s been a glorious adventure!

Things I love!

• The sea
• My floral cagoule! (If you saw it, you would too!)
• Talking to my dad about book ideas
• California
• My mum’s roast dinner
• Margaritas
• Going to the theatre
• Rome
• Jamie Oliver (please don’t knock him – or it’s ‘you and me outside!’)
• Robert Downey Jr (like, I really, really luuurve him!)
• Fish and chips
• American serialised dramas
• The song ‘California Dreamin” by The Mamas & The Papas
• Ketchup
• Dancing badly to house music with lyrics
• Vintage clothes and charity shops
• Cheese
• Sunny days
• Drinking rosé on sunny days
• Bacon sandwiches
• Jerry Maguire
• One Day by David Nicholls
• Jilly Cooper
• The internet!
• My MacBook
• Arctic Monkeys
• The Vicar of Dibley
• Peanut butter on toast
• Caitlin Moran
• My first cup of tea of the day
• A good hug
• Leo and Eva
• High heels
• Outfits that make me look thinner than I am
• Getting the upstairs front-window seat on the bus
• Going over bridges
• Travelling to new places
• Weddings
• Writing a list and doing everything on it
• Drinking fizzy wine in my dressing gown
• The X Factor
• Come Dine with Me
• Chips with cheese and beans on top (so not proud!)
• Old houses
• Open fires
• A good costume drama
• Smiley people