Jessica Bull
Author Interview - Jessica Bull
Author of Miss Austen Investigates, The Hapless Milliner
Young Jane Austen is enjoying a flirtation with a handsome gentleman at a glittering ball. Unfortunately, their romance is cut short when a milliner is found bludgeoned to death. Jane wants to solve the crime as she knew and respected the milliner, but the case turns personal after her gentle brother, Georgy, is accused. Now Jane has only seven weeks to find the true culprit, or Georgy will be hanged for a crime she knows he could never commit.
Author Interview - Jessica Bull
Author I draw inspiration from:
Definitely, Jane Austen! I love the way she encourages us to laugh at ourselves and the world around us and I’m incredibly inspired by how she persevered when, for most of her life, it looked as though she’d never be published. She was certainly never appreciated for the genius she was during her own time.
I’m also a big fan of classic crime writers, like P.D. James (who wrote the Pride and Prejudice-inspired whodunnit, Death Comes to Pemberley). So, when I set out to tell Jane Austen’s life story and showcase how brilliant she was, I decided to try turning her into an amateur sleuth.
Northanger Abbey was the first Austen I ever read and holds a very special place in my heart. I was struck by used her voice to celebrate women writers who were dismissed by the establishment, especially her favourite Gothic novelists.
In the same way, The Hapless Milliner is my tribute to Austen. In this first instalment, Jane is very much inspired by Catherine Morland – determined and with a good heart, but a little naïve and reckless which can get her into trouble.
Author Interview - Jessica Bull | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
In bed with a cup of tea and a cuddle from my dog, very early in the morning before the rest of my family wake up.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Anne Elliot from Persuasion, because I’m claustrophobic and prone to anxiety – and she is very capable, patient and kind. I’d ask her all about how she first fell in love with Captain Wentworth and what persuaded her to let him go. Actually, perhaps I’d prefer Captain Wentworth…
Author Interview - Jessica Bull | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
When I was eight years old, I found a vintage typewriter at a jumble sale. It was the kind Agatha Christie might have used, portable in a brown leather zip-up case. I didn’t have enough pocket money but I haggled with the stallholder until she let me have it. I typed up all my childhood short stories and drew pictures to illustrate them, and, from that moment on, I considered myself a professional.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
All of the above! I’m a mood reader, and I usually have one of each on the go at once, so I can flit between them as I fancy.
It’s exciting to get a beautiful hardback the moment a new title is released and a lot of the non-fiction I rely on for research is only available in hardback, but paperbacks are so much cheaper and more convenient. I recently invested in a Kindle to enjoy the digital advance copies I receive from fellow authors. The ink display is so readable and it’s very handy to slip into my handbag. Audiobooks are pure joy and my favourite way to reread Austen is to listen to the narrations by Juliet Stevenson. I’ll be walking my dog or doing laundry, and suddenly burst out laughing at her wonderful performance.
The last book I read:
Sarah Marsh’s A Sign Of Her Own (Park Row, February 2024), which is an incredibly moving and fascinating story of a young deaf woman’s struggle to find acceptance. I felt so emotionally connected to the main character, Ellen.
It was especially interesting to me as it explores nineteenth-century attitudes to sign language. The Hapless Milliner is partly inspired by the fact Jane Austen knew sign language (she mentions it in one of her surviving letters), but we don’t really know why or how she learnt it.
Author Interview - Jessica Bull | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Definitely computer. I’m amazed at how Austen wrote her masterpieces in longhand, using a quill pen, on small squares of letter writing paper and resting on a tiny little side table. It takes a very confident writer to work this way, as any mistakes risk wasting precious materials which Austen couldn’t afford to do.
I’m a much messier writer and I do more of my thinking on the page. I like to get a rough draft down quickly, then take my time rearranging things and layering up detail. I’m very grateful for the luxury of being able to refine my work over many drafts, rather than having to aim for perfect straight away.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Mary Crawford from Mansfield Park. I like the way she can’t help saying exactly what she thinks and I believe she tries to be a good friend to Fanny Price, in her own misguided way. I really want to keep in touch after the novel ends and hear how her life turns out.
Author Interview - Jessica Bull | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I was a librarian for a long time, and absolutely loved spending my days talking to people about what they were reading.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
The Regency – it’s such an iconic period for fashion and very different from what came before and after. During my research, I made and wore my own Regency-inspired gowns as I wanted to understand what it was like to physically inhabit Austen’s world. It’s a surprisingly comfortable look, even the transitional stays (like a short corset) which women wore underneath!
Place I’d most like to travel:
Since my children were little, we’ve driven to France almost every summer. I love the food, visiting all the chateaux and learning about the history, especially of the French Revolution which was playing out and influencing ideas during Jane Austen’s lifetime.
My signature drink:
Twinings Assam tea. I drink bucket-loads of it while I’m writing.
Favorite artist:
I always make a playlist to help set the mood for each of my writing projects. The one for The Hapless Milliner is full of female artists like Rihanna, Beyonce, Pink etc
Number one on my bucket list:
I would like to hire a magnificent house that is connected to Jane Austen (either her life or one of the film adaptations of her work) and host an enormous party for all my friends and family, my publishing team and everyone who has supported the book, including reviewers and bloggers. I’d make you all dress up in Regency clothing!
Anything else you'd like to add:
Thank you so much for featuring me!
Find more from the author:
Twitter/X: @NovelistJessica (https://twitter.com/NovelistJessica)
Instagram: @jessicabullnovelist (https://www.instagram.com/jessicabullnovelist/)
TikTok: @jessicabullnovelist (https://www.tiktok.com/@jessicabullnovelist)
Author Bio:
Jessica Bull lives in London with her husband and two daughters. A former librarian and communications consultant, she studied English literature at Bristol University and information science at City, University of London. Miss Austen Investigates: The Hapless Milliner is her debut novel.
