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A brief catch-up between promotional shenanigans.

(The Jojo Moyes/Penguin Michael Joseph back-of-the-car tour bag. There were some healthy treats in there at one point.)

Hello all! I just wanted to apologise for the absence of a newsletter this week. I’ve been on tour around the UK, mostly doing two big events a day and then travelling between them, so my time to write has been non-existent. In fact my time to do most things not We All Live Here-related has been non-existent. I’m home for a few days before heading to the US to continue touring there, but after that I will be back to talking about the business of writing, rather than kvetching about life on the road and missing my dogs.

I’m at that weird point where I have no idea how well the book has done (I won’t know until Tuesday when the Bookscan figures come out). But the events have been gratifyingly full and I did want to thank everyone who has come to them so far, especially when the weather was foul. There is not one person who has come up to the signing table who hasn’t had a big ol’ lovely smile on their face, which has been so uplifting, especially at a point when I was basically held together with dry shampoo and willpower. It has been so lovely being reminded that there are actual people on the other end of what I do, especially those who have told me that the books have helped them in some way. Meeting readers is genuinely the best bit about touring.

(thank you to lovely Clare Mackintosh for this pic)

It’s also been lovely finally getting feedback in my own country for the book. I had thought that the talking points would mostly be the two old men (my take on the Odd Couple) but actually it’s been middle aged women, mostly part of the sandwich generation, feeling grateful to be ‘seen’. A clip of the interview I did on Women’s Hour ended up on Instagram - that usually would net around 25 comments? Maybe a few hundred views? That clip about the sandwich generation had, the last time I looked, generated 1.1m views, and has something like 350 women detailing their own experiences in the comments. Some of them are sobering. It’s made me think a lot about how much the prevailing culture actually speaks to the issues that this demographic is facing (ie not very much).

The other thing that was notable to me was how much we all need a bit of escapism, or a bit of joy just now. Yes there is obviously a place for dystopian drama and bleak thrillers, and they can be cathartic, but faced with the current news cycle so many people I met just desperately wanted to feel a bit better about life. I have said in interviews and I’ll say again, I don’t think there is anything frivolous or shallow about wanting to consume ‘lighter’ fare just now. Our brains need a break from the endless loop of terrible news. It’s how we cope better. As the brilliant Ryan Tubridy put it on his show, sometimes you need to go Barbie over Oppenheimer and that’s okay.

Anyhoo, I’m now doing my laundry and bracing myself for the next part of the promotional whirligig, but I thought, following on from my Substack piece a couple of months ago about how I would rather not use my personal life when promoting my book, you might enjoy a collection of the questions I have been asked since, often by interviewers who had read that piece. (I should add: there has also been a wealth of really good, interesting questions, especially from audiences, but these below make me laugh wryly as they are mostly such a good illustration of my point…).

'“So – you got divorced after 22 years. How come you didn’t know he was wrong for you after ten?”

“Lila is a very angry character at the start of the book. Did her anger come from your anger when you got divorced?”

“But you must have been angry. Everyone is angry when they get divorced. So was that why you wrote the book?”

“I read on your substack that you don’t like being asked personal questions to promote your books. So … can you tell me why you got divorced?”

“Okay, then: Lila and her friend have some interesting dating experiences. What were your dating experiences like after you got divorced?”

“You didn’t do any dating? Then can you tell me about the night you got together with your current partner?”

“Hello? … Are you still there?”

“You must have processed a lot of the trauma of your divorce through your characters.”

“Were Eleanor’s sexual adventures something you experienced in your own life?”

“Was Lila’s experience of the school gates like your experience of the school gates?”

“Do you base your characters on people you know?”

“But this character is a writer and she is divorced. You must be aware that readers will think you are writing about you.”

(Please note, dear reader: I will never write another book about a divorced writer. I have learned my lesson. Or maybe I just won’t do any interviews.)

In other - less grumbly - news, some things I have enjoyed recently:

Hacks Season Three: If you’ve missed this comedy series, about a veteran comedienne in the vein of Joan Rivers who hires a Gen Z bisexual female writer, you are in for a treat. Seasons 1 and 2 were great, but 3 suddenly lays bare some of the character motivations and dynamics in a way that just deepens your understanding of the cast. It’s brilliantly performed and just lovely to see a female two hander in which a really complicated partnership is pulled apart. It also frequently makes me belly-laugh and anything that can do that wins my undying loyalty.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell: a properly grippy thriller with a terrifying protagonist in Nick. She gets darker and twistier with every book. I’m afraid it’s not out till July but put it on your list.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: I shouldn’t really post this as I’m not quite finished but I’m listening to the audiobook read by no less than Meryl Streep and it’s the most comforting, quite gentle but beautifully observed story.

Easy Air Fryer by Jamie Oliver. Yes, a cook book! I’m a very late convert to the air fryer, but If you are often cooking for smaller numbers, this book is a gift. Sweet potato tacos are a particular favourite.

Tiget’s Eye nails. I am not really a nails person (people with horses tend not to be) but I had my second ever gel manicure last week and had these nails done after I had seen them on the technician and fell in love. They are created using a tiny magnet and I find myself staring at them endlessly, so perfect for when you’re spending lots of time travelling and need something to look at. I don’t know if this still picture will do them justice, but they are amazing to look at, like glass. Also: Lord, my fingers look wrinkly.

See you soon and thank you again for your support.

Jojo x