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• Interview

• Biography
• More titles by Adele Parks

Synopsis

Bella secretly married her childhood sweetheart, Stevie, over a decade ago; they were at university, two big kids playing at being grownups. When it all unravelled and reality hit, Bella simply got up and left. And the secret remained a secret.

Years later, Bella meets Philip and, despite her vow never to marry again, she can’t resist him. He is a catch. Funny, charming, interesting and kind. Only hitch is, she’s still (technically, anyway) married to Stevie. Bella, typically, just ignores the problem. And the moment to tell Philip never quite seems to arrive.

So Bella plans never to reveal her secret – after all, it’s just a silly piece of paper, lodged at a registrar’s office in Aberdeen, isn’t it? She hasn’t seen Stevie for years – probably never will again. Except that Bella’s best friend Laura has fallen in love, and when she introduces her new man to the gang it is none other than Stevie. Could things get any more complicated? Only if Bella and Stevie fall in love with each other again… 

Reviews

Interview

Adele Parks, author of Husbands, talks about regrets, socks and Nicole Kidman’s legs.

Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
My son and my husband.

What are you reading at the moment?
Zoe Heller, Notes on a Scandal. I’m probably the last person in Britain to read this and it is a scandal that I’ve left it on my bookshelf for so long (I bought it many months ago) and it’s fabulous. I’ll probably finish it tonight.

Which author do you most admire?
Couldn’t pinpoint one. There are so many fabulous ones.

What’s your earliest memory?
I was about fourteen months. My father was lowering me into the bath and I still was wearing socks (he was fairly stressed out by the whole bath time experience and hadn’t noticed). I remember screaming at full pitch as I didn’t have the language to explain the situation to him. It’s considered unusual to have memories this early but I genuinely remember the steam, my panic, my dad’s rising horror.

What is your greatest fear?
Being locked up in a foreign jail for something I haven’t done. Other fears are unspeakable.

How would you like to be remembered?
Fondly, as someone who tried her best to be decent.

Have you ever done something you’ve really regretted?
Maybe I should have told more people I loved them along the way but generally, I’m not big on regrets. I have made mistakes and had to make amends and apologies as I go along.

How do you spoil yourself?
Reading a novel.

What’s your favourite word?
Oblivious is a word that makes everyone in our family laugh.

Who do you turn to in a crisis?
My husband, Jim, my parents, my sister and Tracy, Nic and Jo who are amazing friends.

What makes you angry?
Lies.

Have you ever had any other jobs apart from writing?
Lots. I started out as a teacher of English as a foreign language in Italy. I’ve worked as an account handler in a couple of bigwig advertising agencies (TBWA and BBH) and I’ve worked for Accenture, a large marketing consulting firm, I co-ordinated the advertising campaigns in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India.

Are you in love?
Unequivocally.

What’s your worst vice?
I worry too much, over just about everything.

What are you proudest of?
My son.

Where do you write?
At home, in a small windowless office. Not ideal.

Where’s your favourite city?
Paris.

When was the last time you cried?
Can’t remember exactly, within the last week, maybe. I cry a lot. Often with happiness or at movies, books, plays, the news.

One wish; what would it be?
Perfect health for my family.

Did you enjoy school?
I wasn’t too keen on primary school but I very much enjoyed my secondary school.

What's your worst habit?
Imagining I’ve offended people.

Have you ever broken the law?
Speeding and parking offences, I’m afraid. I don’t make a habit of it.

What quality would you most like to have?
Wisdom and I hanker after a singing voice as a talent.

If you could swap a physical attribute with someone else, what would it be and who would you swap it with? 
Nicole Kidman’s legs would be very fine. In fact I’d be happy with any part of her.

Have you got a party trick?
No. Do I sound boring?

Do you have any nicknames? 
Parky, Delly, Parksie. Nothing amazing just variations on a theme.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?
I’d like to teach and take photographs on a professional basis at some point. I’d like my husband to work from home. I’d like to be able to swim better than I can.

What's in your handbag/bag at the moment?
Purse, notebook, pen, lip gloss, keys, two photos. I travel light.

What makes you mad!
On a micro level, the misuse of 'those' and 'them', people dropping litter, people who push in front of queues. On a macro level, the mindless consumption of our earth's resources.

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