Jenny Oliver wrote her first book on holiday when she was ten years old. Illustrated with cut-out supermodels from her sister’s Vogue, it was an epic, sweeping love story not so loosely based Dynasty.
Since then Jenny has gone on to get an English degree and a job in publishing that’s taught her what it takes to write a novel (without the help of the supermodels). She wrote her first book The Parisian Christmas Bake Off on the beach in a notebook that would end up covered in sand each afternoon and damp from the sea. This time the inspiration was her addiction to macaroons, the belief she can cook them and an all-consuming love of Christmas. When the decorations go up in October, that’s fine with her!
Jenny’s books also feature her love of all things vintage, Sunday morning car boot sales (on the hunt for the thrill of a bargain) and an unwavering belief in happy ever after! (Whatever she’s loving on TV might crop up as well!)
Jenny is a top 5 Amazon bestseller, her books have all enjoyed chart positions in the major supermarkets and other fabulous book shops and have been widely translated, and she has been twice nominated for the RNA Best Contemporary Novel award. Her books have been called a ‘must-read!’ by the Sunday Express S Magazine and ‘a perfect holiday read’ by The Sun!
Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks Instagram JenOliverBooks Facebook JennyOliverBooks
Author interview
What’s your latest book about?
ONE LUCKY SUMMER is about a group of childhood friends returning to the country estate where they used to live because one of them – Ruben de Lacy – has discovered the first clue in a treasure hunt that never took place. To understand the different clues they must all look to the past in order to find treasure in the future.
And if you LOVE a gorgeous, heart-wrenching, scandalous YA then look no further than FOREVER SUMMER. The second book in my Chelsea High series set in the rich, bitchy, exciting corridors of London’s most elite high school. This book can be enjoyed on its own or as a follow up to CHELSEA HIGH.
What is your greatest achievement
Seeing my book on the shelf in the supermarkets. Having my son – Woody. Swimming in the Cornish sea on New Year’s Day.
Coffee or tea?
A cappuccino first thing and then tea – no sugar, not masses of milk.
What would your superpower be?
To be able to fly. There’s nothing more disappointing than waking from a dream when flying’s been second nature.
What’s your favourite karaoke song?
As long as no one minded the terrible out-of-tune-ness, Downtown by Petula Clark.
Favourite time of day?
Breakfast – we all eat together (cereal or toast with apricot jam) and the radio’s on and the sun’s coming in through the window. I especially like it at the weekend when we go out for chocolate croissants and coffee. Or just after my son’s gone to bed and I have a really calm glass of wine.
Favourite meal?
Tapas! Spicy chorizo, tiny padron peppers, tomato salad, sizzling prawns, artichoke hearts and wafer thin serrano ham. I also really love a barbecue – spatchcocked chicken and chipolatas with lots of salads and grilled vegetable kebabs. We always have bananas afterwards, barbecued in their skins and when they’re done we split them and add pieces of chocolate that melt almost immediately. I love it but have just found out that my brother-in-law of twelve years thinks it’s a bonkers tradition. I thought everyone did it!
If you could live in any building which would it be?
The Natural History Museum.
Favourite things to do…
Hunt for bargains at car boot sales, go bodyboarding in the sea, have lunch with all my extended family, spend a sneaky hour in TKMaxx, walk by the river, flick through magazines, cook with the radio on, read to Woody.
TV viewing in your house is…
At the moment it’s lots of things on Netflix – Call My Agent is a current fave. Films on iTunes. I can’t resist programmes like The Great British Bake-Off and Interior Design Challenge, I’m obsessed with one called Blown Away on Netflix about glass blowing. Love a bit of vintage Rick Stein and Nigella. I also indulge in some guilty lunchtime viewing of A Place in the Sun!
In another life, you’d be…
A frog. They get everything – they look cool, they live in the water and they can swim really fast. Or a crab. Or a Stag Beetle. I like things with claws.
JENNY OLIVER 
Are thee any plans to publish the Cherry Pie Island books in paperback?
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Hi Sarah, Sorry for the delayed reply! No plans at the moment for the CP books to go into paperback but The Little Christmas Kitchen will be available in the autumn x
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Are there any more cherry pie island books planned? Or any more books before Christmas 2015?
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Hi Claire, Four Wedding and a White Christmas is out now and the 5th Cherry Pie Island book.
I’m currently planning a book for Spring 16 which won’t be Cherry Pie but I have a feeling that I’ll be going back there at some point in the future!
Jenny x
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I loved The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Café and am looking forward to reading more of your books. I would just like mention a mistake that I found in the book.
Andrew from the Lighthouse called into the café for a cup of tea. He then took a sip of his coffee and then finished of his cappuccino. Surely he did not have three drinks? Just thought I would mention it although it will not put me off reading more of your books.
Kind regards,
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Hi Lynn,
So pleased you enjoyed The Dandelion Cafe! And thanks for pointing out the mistake – much appreciated! I’ll see what I can do to get it fixed.
Jenny x
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Any chance ‘The Vintage Ice Cream Van Road Trip’ will be published as a hard copy?……here’s hoping 🙂
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Hi Debbie,
I don’t think so at the moment, because it’s a novella. Maybe one day the whole Cherry Pie Island series will be one big, bumper book… Fingers crossed! Have you seen that The Sunshine and Biscotti Club has just come out in paperback?
Jenny x
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I would love the Chery Pie island books to be available in paperback – I’m just reading the sunshine and biscotti club and was really looking forward to reading the rest of the books but hate reading via Kindle etc 😦 x
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Hi Rosie,
Thanks for reading Sunshine and Biscotti! At the moment there are no plans for a Cherry Pie paperback but there are three other books – The Vintage Summer Wedding, The Little Christmas Kitchen and The Parisian Christmas Bake Off – all available in print if any of those take your fancy!
If the Cherry Pies ever go into a print anthology I’ll make sure the news goes on the blog.
Happy reading! 😉
Jenny x
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Good Afternoon from New Hampshire,
Love your books! Found you this summer and have read every single one. I love your style of weaving stories and how everything falls perfectly into place. Fantastic characters. Beautiful writing.
Thanks!
Ellen Tanguay
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Thank you, Ellen, that’s incredibly nice of you to say. I really appreciate it, and am so pleased you’ve enjoyed all the books! Jenny x
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I just listened to the Summerhouse by the Sea on Audible. I loved the book and the narrator was excellent. Any plans on having any of your other books on audible? Looking forward to listening to more.
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That’s great to hear, Elaine. So pleased you enjoyed it! I think going forward all the new books will be on Audible but I’m not sure of plans to record the backlist. Will try and find out!
Jenny x
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I love your books! I hope you make more audiobooks.
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Thanks Amber! I think the next one will be audio as well so keep a look out next summer! x
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please can we have a sequel to summer house by the sea I love ava Rory max and Tom we need more !! great book
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So glad you liked it, Caroline! Am working on next summer’s book at the moment and I think you’ll like these characters even more 😉
Jenny x
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I look forward to it 🙂
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