Kate Morris is a journalist, novelist and local mum. She has been a columnist with The Times as well as Easy Living and is also an acclaimed novelist with three published to date — Seven Days One Summer, The Seven Year Itch and The Single Girl’s Diary. She lives in Shepherds Bush with her husband, two children and two cats.
This September Kate will be teaching an eight-week creative writing course entitled “How to: Write Modern Novels for Modern Women”. The course starts on September 24th in Notting Hill and is a perfect option for aspiring writers who need to find their flow and make a commitment to the writing process.
WLM recently caught up with Kate…
Where are you right now?
At my desk.
Where is your favorite place to eat in West London?
Probably E and O in Notting hill and Steve’s Café on the Askew Road.
Career and Children – top tip on how do you do it?
I try to work hard (but get very distracted) while they’re at school and usually arrange a week or two of holiday camps in the long summer holidays, so that I don’t loose sight of where I am in a novel.
What do you do for ‘me-time’?
Pilates and swimming at the Park Club in Acton. Yoga on a Monday night with a handful of mothers from St Stephens Primary School, massage and facials when feeling flushed from mobile unit – Perfect 10.
If you had to make a quick escape where would you go?
Ideally to the Caribbean island where my mother and step-father have a house, but realistically probably to English seaside – either the George in Rye, or somewhere near Lepe Beach in Hampshire.
What is on your bedside table?
So many books, magazines and a kindle, plus a bottle of water. At the moment I am rereading, A Voyage In the Dark by Jean Rhys, as research for a creative writing course I am going to teach in September for the How to Academy.
Who would you most like to meet for a drink?
Barack Obama.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My children.
What is your favourite thing to do as a family?
The children’s favourite day would be to play tennis or football followed by lunch at Byron Burger and a movie or a fair in the afternoon. My favourite day entails walking down the river, a pub lunch in the Swan and then an exhibition somewhere, so we sometimes try and combine a bit of both.
What three things would you take with you to a desert island?
My children: Jude and Belle and my husband Luke, who is very practical and would know how to keep us alive.
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