To celebrate our charity collaboration with The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we're sitting down with Jean Menzies, author of Live Like A Goddess, to talk about the inspirations behind her latest book and what she reads for pleasure!

Anne Reading For Pleasure Slogan Sweatshirt

Hi Jean! Would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Of course, thanks so much for reaching out to include me. I’m Jean. I’m an author, ancient historian, and presenter born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. I spent 10+ years of my life studying Ancient History and Classics at university until I finally got my PhD in 2022 (I’m still not fully recovered, I don’t think). And, for almost exactly the same length of time, I’ve been making online content about literature and history.

My passion is very much for accessibility when it comes to history and mythology, so I’ve spent a lot of my career as an author so far writing nonfiction for all ages, which I love! I may have some more fiction projects coming up in the near future, though… I also really like mangos and frogs.

Where did your love of Ancient History come from?

I never learned any Ancient History or had Classics offered at school, so my interest very much started at home. All in all, it was probably a combination of pop culture and supportive parents, I would think. I loved Asterix comic books and Xena: Warrior Princess as a kid (and still do), but I might not have put that together with the possibilities of studying Ancient History as a subject at university if it weren’t for visits to the National Museum and local library with my dad.

Funnily enough, one series of books I used to pour over as a kid in particular were the DK Eyewitness books. I had one on pyramids, one on the Greeks, one on the Romans, and one on fossils, so it’s easy to see how those all fed into my love of antiquity and even my original plan to become an archaeologist. That’s also why I’m still so awed by the fact that I have actually written books on ancient myth for DK as an adult. It all came full circle.

Have you got any tips for aspiring writers looking to start their own book?

I think it’s important to focus on what you love. It might sound obvious, but if you’re going to dedicate the time and effort to writing a book, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, you won’t get very far if you don’t choose a subject you aren’t interested in yourself. When you’re passionate about something, I think that shines through in your work, and I also think it helps on those days where work is still work and you find yourself blocked or exhausted. I also believe that if you’re looking to start a career as an author, it’s important to remember that not everyone’s path is the same, and there’s no right way for yours to unfold.

I always wanted to be a writer, at least since I was seven years old, but I was also convinced I had to publish my debut novel by the time I was eighteen. Needless to say, that did not happen, and I’m honestly quite glad about that knowing how much I’ve grown since. I’m just really happy that now I get to do something I love and share it with other people. So, yeah, keep doing what makes you happy and see what happens - that’s my best advice.

Outside of your work, what do you get up to in your spare time?

I am a huge boardgame nerd. My partner and I could probably build a house using boardgames at this point - we have so many. But I love the artwork, the imagination that goes into them, learning the way each game works, and also the fact that it’s a hobby I can enjoy with other people (not that there aren’t great one player games, too). My favourites, though, are probably Everdell, Wingspan, Blockbuster, and the ever classic Trivial Pursuit.

That last one might also be a hint at my other favourite pass time: quizzes. I grew up watching University Challenge with my mum and dad, and that obsession has continued well into adulthood (I’m still holding out that I might be able to be a contestant one day ). Although I’ll never pass on a good nature walk either.

Do you have an all-time favourite book or one that particularly inspired you growing up?

Aside from the DK Eyewitness books and the Asterix comic books I’ve already mentioned? So many. I think my favourite author, though, was Michael Rosen - I used to read his nonsense poems out loud to every I knew, and they never ceased to make me laugh. I also think his work gave me a sense of how fun language and literature could be. He also edited a collection of fairy tales for Oxfam called South, North, East, and West that brought together children’s stories from around the world (including some that were preeeetty spooky), and I used to love reading that with my mum on dark and gloomy nights. 

Finally, which Joanie pieces are you loving the most at the moment?

I am HERE for the velvet season (my name for autumn and winter), so I’m positively obsessed with the Juno Dresses, Bellatrix Jumpsuits, and Annie Waistcoat. The fabric combined with the rich jewel-tone colours pretty much fulfil all my witchy fantasies. Although I am also a sucker for a good pattern, so I do have my eye on the Elin Lington Quilted Jacket, and I’m curious how many books I could fit in the Laura Ashley X Joanie Overnight Bags…