Julia Roberts Author

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A Month of Birthdays, Anniversaries and House Guests!

What a month August has been! I feel as though I’ve been rushed off my feet celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, not to mention working on the proofread edit of my next book. I’m delighted to say that The Dilemma is all done and sent back to Bookouture, so just the final proofread now to check for rogue commas and missing words.

Although it is already available to pre-order only the ‘eyes’ of the team at Bookouture have seen it so far, but it will soon be available for early reviewers to request on Netgalley. It’s always an anxious wait to see if other people like your book as much as you do – I love this one, even though it has been tricky to write at times. I’m looking forward to your feedback… I think!

So, the birthdays kicked off with my mum who turned ninety-six on August 13th. I was unable to spend the day with her unfortunately, but my brother had organised a little get together with his family. I posted some pictures of Mum and me together on my social media and had some lovely responses to show her the following week when she and my mother-in-law, Audrey came to stay with us for a few days.

It’s weird to think that most photos were in black and white back in the day and of course had to be sent away to be processed and printed. I was around three in this picture, but I do remember my handbag was red with white handles… no idea about the coat though.

Even this second photo of us together, taken in 1985 when I was filming the second series of The Price is Right would have been sent off in the post for the film to be developed. It’s so different these days with top quality cameras on our phones and most of us with a printer at home. I don’t know about you, but I take a huge number of photos and most of them never make it past the delete icon.

Neither of them looks forward to the journey, Mum from Nottingham, and Audrey from Spalding, but they both really enjoy it when they are here – at least that’s what they tell us! I worry about them on the stairs for the first day or so as both of them live in bungalows but I’m pretty sure they go home with stronger thigh muscles which can’t be a bad thing.

And this photo definitely made it past the delete icon. Dan and his fiancée, Katie, and Sophie with her partner, Reece and his two teenagers, Amber and Taylor all came for a belated birthday lunch to celebrate with Mum. I made a walnut and broccoli quiche and there was also pizza with salad and herby potatoes. Followed by not one, but two birthday cakes! I did the classic chocolate heart and Katie made a lemon buttercream sponge… yummy!

Fortunately, I wasn’t working at all while the mums were down, not even proofread editing, so I was able to spend precious time with them both, chatting doing crosswords and playing games. It’s amazing how competitive they both still are at dominoes and cards!

I was back at QVC (celebrating the 27th anniversary of Butler & Wilson fashion jewellery on the channel) the day after they returned home so had very little time to get the beds stripped ready for our next influx of guests a couple of days later.

It’s three years since Chris and I got married on the beach in Mauritius, a ceremony that my best friend, Denise and her partner Steve were sadly unable to attend. They celebrated with us last year after missing the first anniversary due to Covid and were able to come again this year and also to stay over so they could both relax and enjoy themselves without worrying about being designated driver. Dan and Katie also stayed, along with Quin, their dog.

He’s such a cheeky little chap. It was a nice warm day, so we had the cushion out on my birthday rocking chair which Dan was enjoying. The minute his back was turned, Quin jumped up and took his place.

Dan was already considering whether he would like one as his birthday present later in the year, so I think Quin confirmed it was a good choice. He’s already received and constructed it which is quite funny as they’ve yet to enjoy his birthday gift from three years ago that was repeatedly cancelled due to Covid. I’ll get him something a bit smaller nearer the time – most likely some Molton Brown as he’s a big fan. If you are too, keep reading as this month’s competition is to win a Molton Brown body wash worth £25.

Our anniversary was on the Saturday and three days later we were celebrating again, this time Chris’s birthday. Because we’d had a bit of a houseful over the previous couple of weeks, including having a dinner party with my friend from QVC Ali Keenan and her husband, we decided to have a quiet night in with just the two of us and an Indian takeaway. I’d been working at QVC and Chris was helping Dan lay a new wood floor in their lounge, so we were both really looking forward to our dinner. What we hadn’t realised was that our usual restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. Rather than ditch the idea we decided to try a different restaurant – not the best decision we’ve ever made, nor was it the best Indian meal we’ve had by some distance.

Maybe we should have stuck to some kind of homemade veggie offering with home grown runner beans. These were the first of the crop, very late this year, but we’ve since had several servings and they do taste all the nicer for growing them yourself.

We’ve also had plenty of lettuce and some of the tomatoes are now ripening up nicely – the Evian bottle is just there for an indication of size!

Lots of family celebrations then, but I’ve also had a work anniversary too. Yesterday was twenty-nine years since I stepped into the then QVC studios in Battersea to meet with my fellow presenters for a photo session.

This was the pass I was issued with on my first day – this is why I laugh when folk say I haven’t aged… I beg to differ. Little did I know how lifechanging the job was going to be for me and my family.

I have a lot to thank QVC for, not least of which was the opportunity to travel and work with some icons of the entertainment industry. This photo with Joan Rivers was taken at The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in The Bahamas. We were there for a week all expenses paid – it still ranks among the highlights of my time at QVC. I did a couple of ‘reels’ of photographs over the years on my Instagram @juliagroberts which have been well received if you want to take a look.

There have been one or two questions about the photo with Donald Trump though! Yes, that really was him attending an Oscars party with his wife Melania where I was doing red carpet interviews with the likes of The Kardashians. Who would have thought he would go on to become president – maybe it was him suggesting it that caused the laughter… I genuinely have no idea. What I do remember is feeling slightly out of my depth at the glitz and glamour all around me, but I guess that’s what ‘Tinsel Town’ is all about.

So, it’s almost competition time, but first a couple of bookish things to mention.

What He Did, the second book in my DCI Rachel Hart crime thriller series has been selected for a Kindly Monthly Deal in Australia this September. If you have friends and family over there who you think might enjoy it, please point them in the right direction.

The other news is also about The Rachel Hart series, but this time it’s pertaining to book 3, Why She Died. It was my only Bookouture title which wasn’t available as an audiobook BUT it is now! Currently, it’s not on Audible (that may well change) but you can order it on audiobooks.com if you prefer to listen to your books. There will be an audiobook of The Dilemma too and I’m delighted with the choice of narrator.

If you’re an avid reader, you may well have read books by my friend and QVC colleague Jemma Forte. Jemma is our on air guest for Molton Brown and always a pleasure to work with which is why I’ve based my question around her.

To be in with a chance of winning this Rosa Absolute body wash, worth £25 can you tell me which morning television show does Jemma frequently guest on. Is it:

  1. This Morning
  2. BBC Breakfast
  3. Jeremy Vine

Leave your answer in a comment below before midnight on 30th September.

Congratulations to Janice Maye who won August’s prize of a choice of one of my books and the John Lewis voucher. She chose ‘Life’s a Beach and Then’ (signed for a friend as she’s already read all my books) and I hope she had fun spending the voucher.

Until next time

Much love

Julia

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Comments

  4. It sounds like August was a very busy month for you and your family. I loved looking at all your photos, both old and new, and it was great to see that Quin the dog enjoyed making himself comfortable on your rocking chair!

    I would love to enter your draw to win a bottle of Molton Brown Rosa Absolute body wash as I have never used Molton Brown products before and I feel like I need to give them a try! The answer to the competition question is: 3. Jeremy Vine.

    Reply

  23. 3. Jeremy Vine. What a busy month you had making lots of precious memories with both your mums, I’ve just given my granddaughter her Molton Brown and L’Occitane products as she sets of for university, like you Julia her favourite is Rhubarb & Rose, so she will have a smile on her face.

    Reply

  27. Lovely, chatty, informative blog as usual Julia. Most enjoyable 😀
    The answer to your question is Jeremy Vine x

    Reply

  29. Thank you Julia, I did enjoy spending my voucher I put it towards a nice leather handbag.
    My friend was absolutely delighted when I presented her with the signed copy of “life‘s a beach and then” so thank you for both !!
    I have my copy of the dilemma on pre-order and can’t wait to read it!
    Good luck everyone in this months competition.

    Reply

  34. Answer:
    3 Jeremy Vine
    By the way Julia, I recognise those wheels and tyres on the photo with the book, as I have an Audi TT! I also have shaved off the alloys!

    Reply

  49. Hi Julia,
    Enjoyed your blog as always. And belated Happy Anniversary to you & Chris, and also belated Happy Birthday to Chris.

    My answer to the competition is Jeremy Vine.

    Reply

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