Bella Mackie
fICTION Author of the Month
Author of Jog On and How To Kill Your Family.
Bella is a former journalist who previously worked for The Guardian and Vice News. She now write sa twice monthly Vogue Column. Her first book, Jog On, was a memoir about mental health and running. It was a number two best seller (just underneath Michelle Obama, which is a hallowed spot). Since then she has written an accompanying journal to encourage others to try exercise more for their minds than their bodies.
Her first foray into fiction was How To Kill Your Family, which came out in July 2021 and also ended up in the number two bestseller spot. She lives in London and spends a lot of time wrangling her large dog.
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Bella Mackie Q&A
What was the first book you ever fell in love with?
The first book I ever really loved was probably The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier which my mother read to me as a child. I was captivated.
What book is currently on your bedside table?
The books on my bedside table areI Seek a Kind Personby Julian Borger, which is a personal family history looking at how Borger’s father escaped Vienna in 1938; andNestingby Roisin O’Donnell, a novel about a woman trying to escape her abusive husband.
Where do you go for inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere - from other people’s family stories to news items. I’m very interested in small stakes human gossip.
What's your top tip for helping the planet?
Top tip of helping the planet? Buy second hand, eschew long haul flights and try to repair and mend instead of buying new.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Advice for my younger self? The bad things you worry about may well happen, but the way you’ll deal with them is what’s important.
