Meet the Author: Libby Page

Libby Page is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido, The 24-Hour Café, The Island Home and The Vintage Shop. Libby's latest book The Lifeline, a follow-up to The Lido, will be published in the UK in April 2024. You can find The Lifeline and all of Libby's books on our catalogue.

Did you have books around you as a child or use a library?

Both! I was lucky to have avid readers in my family so have always been surrounded by books, but I also loved trips to the local library and also my school library. I was a very keen member of my school library's book club and have very happy memories from there.

Your degree was in fashion journalism. When did you start getting interested in writing in a serious way?

I have always wanted to be an author but when it came to choose options for university I decided that journalism might be a good career path as it would combine writing with one of my other interests - fashion and fashion history. I kept writing a bit on the side but didn't really believe I could make it my career. A few years after graduating I made the switch from journalism to marketing and found it gave me more headspace for writing. That's when I came up with the idea for The Lido and started writing my first novel.

How do you identify a good subject to write about and what part does research play?

Often ideas come to me when I'm least expecting it, usually from some experience I've had in my own life. I find locations very inspiring and like to think up how unlikely characters might be brought together by a particular setting. For example in my second book The 24-Hour Café I loved thinking about who might end up in an all-night diner at, say 2.am, for example. I'm fascinated by people and their stories and that usually provides the starting point for my novels.

The amount of research I have to do depends on the subject, but it's definitely an aspect I enjoy and can provide new ideas. For example in my new book The Lifeline I was interested in the idea of people who care for others needing care themselves and decided to write about a character who is a mental health nurse. I have very little experience in this area though so sought out professionals in the field to speak to. It was a fascinating experience and not only helped me write the character with authenticity but gave me new ideas I hadn't considered.

I couldn't do this without mentioning The Lido which has probably been read by more book groups than any other book. How does it feel to know that your work is instantly recognised by so many people?

Thank you! It is certainly a wonderful, if slightly surreal feeling. The first time I spotted someone reading The Lido in public I felt very emotional. On the other hand I still have so many stories that I'd like to write that I can get quite focused on looking ahead, so it is nice to take a step back sometimes and reflect on what has come before. Which I suppose is partly where the idea for writing a follow up to The Lido came from.

Can you tell us a little about your new book The Lifeline and what it was like to write?

The Lifeline picks up the story of Kate (from The Lido) five years in the future when she has just moved to Somerset and had a baby. Her life might look perfect on paper but she is struggling to adjust to the changes in her life. A local river swimming group provides comfort and solace, and brings her together with the book's other main character Phoebe, a mental health nurse who has been so focused on looking after people that she has forgotten to look after herself.

It felt nerve-wracking at times to write a follow up to my first book but also lovely to revisit some of the characters and themes. I especially enjoyed writing about swimming again given it's such a passion of mine! Except this time I write about wild swimming in a beautiful stretch of river...

We meet Kate and Jay again in your new book and it feels like meeting old friends. How did it feel going back to the world of The Lido?

It was lovely to revisit old characters but also felt challenging as I wanted to make sure that this book struck the balance between containing the elements readers enjoyed from The Lido but also being a brand new story that moved things on for Kate especially. That's why I included Phoebe and a cast of new characters too. I want the book to feel fresh and to appeal to new readers too. You don't have to have read The Lido to enjoy The Lifeline. Getting that balance right felt difficult at times but I hope that readers both old and new will enjoy it!

What's next for you?

At the moment I'm focusing on launching The Lifeline and also on my other roles as a mum and a writing coach for The Novelry. I love collaborating with writers on their stories and hopefully helping them achieve their own dreams of getting published.

How did you get started with outdoor swimming?

I got into swimming in my first job as a journalist. I was struggling with the pressures and stresses of my job when a colleague suggested I come swimming with her before work. She swore by the relaxing and stress-reducing benefits of swimming. I decided to give it a go and although it was in an indoor pool I loved it. Once I'd built up my confidence I was keen to try swimming outdoors to connect with nature. I went on an outdoor swimming trip in the Lake District with my sister and took some open water swimming lessons to boost my confidence.

Now I love swimming outdoors much more than swimming in a pool - I love the feeling of freedom it brings and the way you see the seasons changing and feel so close to nature. Especially when you swim in a river you get a completely different perspective than you ever get from dry land.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

I have a bit of a habit for collecting hobbies, perhaps because writing used to be my favourite hobby but has now become my job too. Over the years I have tried kayaking, roller skating, calligraphy, dressmaking, knitting, cross stitch and ballet to name a few! I still love writing more than anything but it's nice to have a go at other creative hobbies where there's not pressure to do a good job. If you saw the scarf I'm currently knitting you'd understand!