Jacqueline Wilson has spoken publicly for the first time about her sexuality, revealing she has been living with her partner Trish for 18 years.
The bestselling author, who is known for writing the Tracy Beaker series of novels, toldThe Guardian that her mother was “appalled” at her relationship, but added: “That wasn’t too devastating for me because my mum cordially hated my ex-husband; she didn’t really approve of any of my friends.”
Wilson has been living “very happily” with Trish, who she met at a party after her marriage broke down in her early 50s, for nearly two decades.
Wilson’s new book Love Frankie follows a tomboy who falls for the prettiest girl in her class.
She said she had put her “heart and soul” into the novel, which is her 111th, and said she knew “perfectly well that it would shine a little light on my own private life”.
The children’s novelist added that she doesn’t see herself as a mentor for teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality. “I don’t think that girls would ever want a grey-haired, wrinkly writer as a role model if they were wanting to feel good about maybe being gay,” she said. “I’m sure they could find much more glamorous examples.”
Love Frankie will be published in August.
