EMO TIONAL TIES

Writer Lisa Hilton on her racy new novel, silver minidresses and staying friends with her ex

I bought this Saint Laurent dress for the launch of my latest novel Maestra at Sotheby’s – like the book, it’s a bit racy, but I’ve always had a thing for silver minidresses. And, in honour of it being my first book to be optioned for film rights, it’s a little bit Hollywood, too.

My daughter took this photograph of me and her father about six years

ago on a freezing walk along the Dorset coast – although we are no

longer together, we have a good relationship and I’m proud of that.

When I was little my dad would tell me bedtime stories about a girl pirate and he’d draw ships to illustrate them. I asked him to make me this for my 16th birthday.

I do boxing every day with my trainer Dan Corbett at Gymbox in Holborn. It clears my head like nothing else and it’s a great way to alleviate the frustrations of sitting at my desk writing all day.

I love mid-century design. I bought this 1950s teacup from a dealer in Camden Passage. It reminds me of my great aunt Ethel, who lived in Bury. As a child, I spent Sundays looking at her cabinet full of china and was only allowed to touch it if I was very careful.

My ten-year-old daughter makes me these bookmarks all the time – this one features a creature she calls the Puzzle Womp. It tucks over the edges of the corner of a book so I don’t lose where

I’m up to.

I have wanted to be Vanessa Paradis ever since she released Joe Le Taxi in 1988 – and still do. She was the coolest thing I’d ever seen, so insouciant, such style. I didn’t want to be in the Northwest of England, I wanted to be Vanessa in Paris, wearing cool Levi’s 501s and smoking a cigarette.

I’ve been friends with Lady Antonia Fraser since she reviewed my first book Athénais: The Real Queen of France in 2002. She’s been a real inspiration for writing about women in history and has great advice: ‘Only men have time for writer’s block – women have too much to do.’