AUTHOR PROFILE : Lucy Clarke

Lucy Clarke epitomises the young and exciting bred of new authors whose novels are now flying off the bookshelves. Born and raised in the New Forest, she and her brother benefited from a close family upbringing. This helped her sail through school gaining 3 ‘A’ levels all at ‘A’ grade.*

Lucy elected to study English Literature at Cardiff University, and also showed her thirst for business by working as a Student Brand Manager for Red Bull during her degree. Ironically it was over a drink one night that she and her housemate, Jenny Hawkins, joked about writing a guide to student life. And so they did. The Student Survival Guide was published by How To Books to great acclaim, selling over 5,000 copies in the first fortnight alone. Not bad while still in your second year at University.

Lucy graduated from Cardiff University in 2002 with a first class BA Honours degree in English Literature, and immediately went to work as an Advertising Executive at Lawton Communications in Southampton. Eighteen months later she elected to go travelling to pursue her writing career. It was during a trip across Canada that she began Surf Wax and Vodka Jelly, her first highly anticipated novel.

Not content with a writing career alone, Lucy also tested the market with a new business venture called Student People, with the aim of distributing free freshers’ packs to first year students. This year she has started touring secondary schools with her successful Writing Workshop programme, the aim of which is to inspire and motivate children to write creatively.

Lucy now lives near Bournemouth with her long-term boyfriend, professional windsurfer James Cox. She spends her free time at the beach, windsurfing, sun-worshipping and, of course, writing.