Jane Feaver

Hey there! I'm Jane Feaver, and I write the kind of books that make people shift uncomfortably in their seats – not because they're scandalous (well, maybe a little), but because they hit a bit too close to home. You know that feeling when someone puts into words exactly what you've been thinking but never dared say out loud? That's what I'm after.

I started my journey in the literary world on the other side of the desk, actually. For years, I worked in publishing at Faber and Faber (yes, that Faber and Faber – I still get a little thrill saying it). I spent my days helping other writers tell their stories while quietly harboring my own. It's a bit like being a chef who spends all day making amazing meals for others but comes home to eat microwave dinners. Eventually, I realized I needed to practice what I preached to all those aspiring writers who crossed my path.

My debut novel 'Crazy' (2021) poured out of me like a confession I didn't know I needed to make. It's a story that explores the messy, complicated relationship between art and life, between creativity and madness (and trust me, there's plenty of both in my world). The book follows a woman looking back at her younger self's obsession with a poet – and before you ask, yes, some of it might be inspired by real events. (Writers who claim their work isn't at least partially autobiographical are probably fibbing, just saying.)

I write about the kind of love that makes you question your sanity. The kind that has you googling your ex at 3 AM while telling yourself you're "just doing research." The sort that makes you wonder if you're actually crazy or if everyone else is just better at hiding it. Blake Morrison called it "obsessive, intimate and very funny" – which, coincidentally, is how my friends would probably describe me after a couple of glasses of wine.

When I'm not writing, I'm teaching creative writing at the University of Exeter. (Yes, I'm one of those people who talks about books ALL day long. Dream job? Pretty much.) I live in Devon, where I spend far too much time staring out windows and calling it "plotting." My cat judges me for this, but what does she know? She spends her days sleeping and demanding treats, so she's hardly one to talk about productivity.

My writing style? Well, it's like having a very intense conversation with your best friend at 2 AM – you know, when all the real truths come out. I don't do neat and tidy endings because life rarely gives us those. Instead, I'm interested in the messy bits, the complicated emotions, the things we think but don't say. The Daily Mail called my work "transgressive," which made my mother slightly nervous but made me feel like I was doing something right.

What can you expect from my books? Raw honesty (sometimes uncomfortably so), dark humor (because how else do we survive?), and characters who are as flawed and complex as the people we see in our mirrors. I write about obsession, art, love, and all the ways these things can save us or destroy us – sometimes both at the same time.

To my readers: thank you for being brave enough to face these uncomfortable truths with me. For letting me explore the darker corners of love and creativity. For understanding that sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that make us squirm a little. And if you ever see me at a literary event, come say hello – I promise I'm much less intense in person (unless you get me started talking about poetry, then all bets are off).

Currently, I'm working on my next novel (my cat would want me to tell you she's "helping"), and it's going to dig even deeper into the beautiful mess that is human nature. Stay tuned – things are about to get even crazier.

P.S. If you've read 'Crazy' and found yourself relating a bit too much to the protagonist's obsessive tendencies, don't worry – we're all a little crazy here. Welcome to the club.