Kathy Lette

"I told myself that it took forty-two facial muscles to frown and only four to stretch out my arm and bitch-slap the witch."

Kathy Lette divides her time between being a full time writer, demented mother (now there's a tautology) and trying to find a shopping trolley that doesn't have a clubbed wheel.

Kathy first achieved succés de scandale as a teenager with the novel Puberty Blues, which was made into a major film, directed by Bruce Beresford and an 8 hour mini series.

After several years as a singer with the Salami Sisters and a newspaper columnist in Sydney and New York (collected in the book Hit and Ms) and as a television sitcom writer for Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles, her novels, Puberty Blues, Girls Night Out, The Llama Parlour, Foetal Attraction, Mad Cows, Altar Ego, Nip'N'Tuck, Dead Sexy and How To Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints) (recently staged by The Victorian Opera, Australia) became international best-sellers.

Her novels have been published in 14 languages around the world. Kathy appears regularily as a guest on the BBC and Sky news. Kathy Lette's plays include ""Grommits"", ""Wet Dreams"", ""Perfect Mismatch"" and ""I'm So Happy For You I Really Am."" Her latest non-fiction book is""Men - A User's Guide.""

She lives in London with her husband and two children. Career highlights include a stint as writer in Residence at London's Savoy Hotel, receiving an honorary doctorate from Solent Southampton University in 2010 and teaching Stephen Fry a word. (Misogamist. Look it up.)

Kathy is also an ambassador for Women and Children First, Plan International and The White Ribbon Alliance.

""The best thing about being a writer,"" she says, "" is that you get to work in your jammies all day, drink heavily on the job and have affairs and call it research. (Although her husband says he should have the affair as it would give her a better book.)

What genres does Kathy Lette write in?

Kathy Lette writes comic and satirical fiction, non-fiction, plays and journalism. Her tone is often witty and outspoken, and her work spans novels, essays and stage pieces.

Which Kathy Lette book is a good place to start?

Puberty Blues is her breakout novel and a natural starting point. For her comic adult fiction try Mad Cows, How to Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints) or Dead Sexy. For non-fiction try Men - A User's Guide.

Are Kathy Lette's books part of a series or mostly standalone?

Her books are largely standalone novels and non-fiction works rather than linked series, so you can read most titles independently.

What themes and tone can I expect in her work?

Expect a sharp, comedic and often satirical tone that examines women's lives, relationships, social norms and contemporary culture, frequently with feminist overtones and irreverent humor.

Has Kathy Lette received notable recognition for her work?

Yes. She achieved international best-seller status with multiple novels translated into 14 languages, has had work adapted for stage and screen, served as writer in residence at the Savoy, and received an honorary doctorate from Solent Southampton University.