Lisa Jewell is a popular British author of chick-lit fiction, rom-com, family dramas, and psychological thriller. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling writer of twenty novels, including The Family Upstairs and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Her novels have sold over 10 million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into twenty-nine languages.
"Most of my books are inspired by tiny fleeting glimpses of things, throwaway comments, or people who catch my eye on the street and make me want to write a story about them", says Jewell.
Jewell was born in London. She did an art foundation course at Barnet College followed by a diploma in fashion illustration at Epsom School of Art & Design.
She sold her debut novel Ralph's Party to Penguin Books when only the first three chapters were written in 1998. At the time, Lisa was working as a secretary and she wrote them after betting with her friend. Within a month, Lisa Jewell wrote three chapters and, "just out of interest", sent them out to ten agents. After nine rejections, the tenth agent responded positively.
"They were offering me a two-book deal for more money than I could ever possibly have dreamt of — as a secretary, I’d never earned more than £16,000 a year," tells the novelist.
Ralph's Party became the UK's bestselling debut novel in 1999.
Lisa Jewell has written 20 novels in 25 years. She started out writing romantic comedies, but she is now known for her thrillers and ambiguous characterizations.
In 2008 Lisa Jewell was awarded the Melissa Nathan Award For Comedy Romance for her novel 31 Dream Street.
She lives in Swiss Cottage, London, with her husband and two daughters.
