[1991]
- Freya gave up a PhD scholarship to write her first novel,
Sally. For 4 years she turned
deaf ears to parents and pals who pleaded with her to "get a proper
job". She went on the dole and did a succession of freelance and
temping jobs to support "writing days" every now and then. During
this time, she was rejected by many publishers and agents whose
comments ranged from "you can't start a book like that" (referring
to Sally's rather raunchy opening
scene) to "I like your idea but can't stand your style". Undeterred,
she started Chloë as soon
as she finished Sally. In 1996
she approached one of the UK's top literary agents, Jonathan Lloyd
at Curtis Brown Ltd. Throwing caution to the wind, Freya sent him
3 chapters and a page of completely fabricated reviews, which she
wrote on behalf of the Sunday Times, Jilly Cooper and Germaine Greer.
Lloyd took her on and put her work up for auction.
[1996]
- 5 publishers enter a bidding war for Freya's books. A three-book
deal for a six figure sum is the result. Sally
is published to great acclaim and Freya is heralded a fresh voice
in fiction.
[1997]
- Chloë doubles Sally's
release figures and is a Sunday Times bestseller.
[1998]
- Polly spends
14 weeks in the original Fiction Top 10. The film rights are sold
and the paperback goes straight onto the Sunday Times Top 10 at
no.5.
[1999]
- Freya's 4th Novel Cat
is published in November. Set around the Tour de France, Freya's
research took her deep down to the secrets behind the Lycra.
Freya's
books
are translated into five languages. In Holland, she is called
the Literary Spice Girl and her books are hailed "better
than viagra"Her
fan base is wide, ranging from teenage girls to elderly gentlemen
worldwide.
[2000]
- Cat
is released in June in mass market paperback.
Fen is being written. Pip is being researched. Freya
is involved with the Daphne Du Maurier Festival and the Edinburgh
International Literary Festival as well as many other book festivals
from Bodmin to Bracknell.
[2001]
- Freya's
5th novel, Fen, is to be published
on Thursday October 4th. Her son, Felix, was born on Easter Sunday,
15th April 2001.
[2002]
- Freya spends the summer writing
Pip. Fen is published in paperback in late September
and goes straight into the charts, peaking at no.4. Freya is now
safely into her second pregnancy with the baby due in early February.
Pip is completed late November
and Freya and her family move house a couple of weeks later.
[2003]
-
Georgia Jeannette born on 4th February 2003 at 10.45 pm, weighing
7 lbs 14 0z. Pip is published on August 7th. Freya starts her
7th novel, featuring the adventures of two best friends.
[2004] - Pip
is published to great success in paperback. Freya completes Love
Rules – her 7th novel, which will be published by HarperCollins
in early February 2005. Freya is now hard at work on no8 –
which reunites Cat, Fen and Pip McCabe.
[2005] - Love Rules is published by Freya’s new publishers, Harper Collins and is a Top10 bestseller, breaking all Freya’s previous sales records. Freya is reunited with her editor, Lynne Drew, who published Freya’s first five novels. Home Truths, Freya’s 8th novel is written and the author’s thoughts turn to her 9th…
