Rebecca Mary Smith

Rebecca Smith is a British author best known for her contemporary fiction and non-fiction. Her diverse background, including Indian, Scottish, and English roots, has inspired her to create engaging and thought-provoking works.

Rebecca Smith was born in London and spent her formative years in the idyllic surroundings of rural Surrey, specifically Brockham and Reigate. Her mother is Shena Mackay, a Booker-shortlisted novelist, and her sister, Cecily Brown, is a renowned artist. Aside from her literary and artistic heritage, Rebecca is one of Jane Austen's five great-nieces, descended from Admiral of the Fleet Sir Francis Austen.

Rebecca Smith went on to read History at the University of Southampton. Later, she became a Principal Teaching Fellow in English and Creative Writing.

From 2009 to 2010, she was a Writer in Residence at Jane Austen's House in Chawton, Hampshire. The residency led to the publication of several works inspired by Jane Austen and the historical context.

Her non-fiction books include The Jane Austen Writers' Club: Inspiration and Advice from the World's Best-Loved Novelist (2016), which offers practical writing advice and insights from her workshops at Jane Austen's House. Another notable work is Jane Austen's Guide to Modern Life's Dilemmas (2012), an agony aunt book offering modern solutions inspired by Austen's wisdom. She is also the author of the picture book Where's Jane? (2018), beautifully illustrated by Katy Dockrill.

Rebecca's first three novels, The Bluebird Café (2001), Happy Birthday and All That (2003) and A Bit of Earth (2006), were published by Bloomsbury to critical acclaim. Her middle-grade novel, Shadow Cat Summer (2021), explores themes of parental absence and mental illness, with illustrations by Dawn Treacher.

Legend Press published her work, The Ash Museum (2021), which spans five generations and touches on migration, colonialism and the power of objects in storytelling. The novel was partly inspired by Rebecca's family history and her time in Jane Austen's house.

Rebecca's latest novel, Conversations With An Octopus (2024), is set in a fictional Devon town during a hot summer. The story revolves around a beautician, Diana Parks, and the mysterious death of a landlord, Raj Sumal. The novel explores themes of female anger, friendship and the strange happenings at Ottersea Oceanworld, where an octopus called Jane becomes an unexpected confidante.

Rebecca notes, "The idea of an octopus understanding human secrets intrigued me, and I wanted to explore how these sea creatures could be part of a larger narrative about human emotions".

Rebecca is married with three grown-up children. Her son, Gabriel Smith, is also making a name for himself in the literary world with his debut novel, Brat, due to be published worldwide in 2024.

Rebecca Smith lives in Hampshire, UK.

Photo credit: X @RMSmithAuthor