Interview: Dame Jacqueline Wilson, author

Published on Wednesday 5 January 2011 13:37

Who would attend your fantasy dinner party and what would you eat? Alan Bennett, David Hockney, Mary Portas and Vanessa Feltz, though the ladies might dominate the conversation.

Whom did you last text? My daughter, Emma.

It's not cool but... I love a Saturday evening in with my supper on a tray, watching Strictly … and The X Factor.

What's the best advice you've been given?

There's no point worrying - though I do!

What's the worst job you ever had? Selling Christmas cards pre-decimalisation - people wanted 12 cards at 2d and 14 cards at 3d, then they'd give me a 5 note and expect the right change.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Jane Eyre. Or Kezia in several Katherine Mansfield short stories.

What are you afraid of?

Something going wrong in the house - when the boiler makes ominous clanking sounds.

Did you have a nickname growing up? Jacky Daydream.

What situations make you lose your temper? When my computer goes wrong.

If you could choose a profession to try, what would that be? I'd love to run a second-hand bookshop.

What food or drink is always in your fridge?

Cheese, fruit and white wine.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go? The Victorian age. It would be an ideal way of doing research for my next book.

Saturday night or Sunday morning? I've already said I love Saturday nights in, but I also love having a lie-in on Sunday mornings and a lazy long read of the newspapers.

Who or what is the love of your life? My family - and my cat, Jacob.

Dame Jacqueline Wilson will take part in the Scottish Book Trust's Meet our Authors Programme at 11am on Thursday. Register to watch the event online at www.scottishbooktrust.com/childrens-authors-live

Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson is out next month (Doubleday, 12.99).

This article was first published in The Scotsman, 22 January, 2011