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The writer Emma Smith has just celebrated her 90th birthday and this month she’s also publishing her second volume of memoirs – ‘As Green As Grass.’    It tells the story of her teenaged years in Devon during the 1930’s, her parents’ disastrous marriage and her life on the canals during the Second World War.  She went on to enjoy considerable literary success when she wrote two successful novels, Maidens’ Trip and The Far Cry.  Emma also remembers being photographed in Paris, sitting on the banks of the Seine with her typewriter on her knees, for an iconic picture by one of France’s most celebrated photographers.   Emma tells Jane about all of this…. and why she really was ‘as green as grass.’

‘As Green As Grass’ by Emma Smith has just been published by Bloomsbury.

They can send your spirits soaring one moment and crush you with a word or gesture the next.   What makes a strong female friendship?  What part do competition and rivalry play?  Jane speaks to Colette McBeth, former ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Reporter,  whose first novel is a psychological thriller and revolves around a close friendship that begins in teenage years and becomes an obsession.  It is inspired by her real life friendship with Helene Graham who's with her in the studio.  What impact has writing the novel had on their friendship?

Precious Thing, a first novel and thriller by Colette McBeth, published by Headline books.  ISBN 978-1-4722-0593-3

Hope Powell, manager of the England’s Women’s football team, was sacked on Tuesday after 15 years in the role. We hear from Sally Nugent, sport presenter on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Breakfast, about the significance of the head coach’s dismissal for domestic and international women’s football.  And author Tim Tate, reveals the actions of the Football Association back in 1921 that led to the demise of women’s football.  Had they not banned their affiliated men’s teams from loaning their pitches to women, would women’s football be in a different position than it is today?

An Olympic Boxer, an acid attack survivor and the CEO of Save The Children – just a few of the women fronting M&S’ new high profile Autumn womenswear campaign. The tag line is ‘Britain’s Leading Ladies’. But when asked whether this was a feminist campaign, M&S’ marketing chief replied that it was a ‘womanist campaign’ – so why shy away from the word feminist? And how important is the word if the right sentiment is there?  Jane discusses with Hannah Pool, from the organisation UK Feminista, and Jane Cunningham, a marketing expert from the company Pretty Little Head.