Jo Leevers

Author of The Last Time I Saw You & Tell Me How This Ends, a Radio 2 Book Club Pick. Agent @hayley_steed @JanklowUK Also writes for interiors magazines

Articles

Elegantly curated finds are amongst the many interior delights of a Victorian London property

3 weeks ago | theenglishhome.co.uk | Jo Leevers

When Sam Godsal was wondering what colour to paint her kitchen, she asked her good friend Lulu Lytle, founder of Soane Britain, for advice. ‘We were walking in Kensington Gardens and she immediately replied, ”Ben Pentreath’s Parsonage Pink",’ she says. Trusting Lulu implicitly, Sam ordered several pots of the paint over the phone and the two women continued their walk. ‘Five minutes later we bumped into none other than Ben Pentreath. This pink was meant to be,’ she adds.
Inside printmaker Molly Mahon's Sussex cottage at Christmas

Nov 16, 2024 | ca.style.yahoo.com | Jo Leevers

How Molly Mahon decorates her cottage at ChristmasALUN CALLENDERPrintmaker Molly Mahon invites us into her Victorian cottage at Christmas, where simple traditions and handmade decorations create a warm, festive atmosphere. Molly and her family have lived in this home on the edge of the forest for 14 years. Decorating it coincided with the blossoming of her business, which involves designing distinctive block-printed-style fabrics, wallpapers and homeware.
Tour this coastal Rye home with a cosy cabin feel

Nov 10, 2024 | ca.style.yahoo.com | Jo Leevers

A coastal home with a cosy cabin feelRachel WhitingAs the designer behind the interiors of several grand and atmospheric country houses in Kent, interior designer Francesca Rowan Plowden is known for layering rich colours and patterns. But when it came to her own house on the edge of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve in East Sussex, she took a rather different approach. 'It was important to me to create a sense of calm,' she explains.
Help, I need a makeover!

Oct 13, 2024 | joleevers.substack.com | Jo Leevers

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Inside the vibrant coastal bungalow of textile designer Margo Selby

Oct 10, 2024 | ca.style.yahoo.com | Jo Leevers

Inside textile designer Margo Selby's coastal homeBrent Darby / House BeautifulFor textile designer Margo Selby, her family home is a place where ideas come to life – not least because the cushion, fabric and rug designs that she creates in her garden studio get their first trial run inside the house. ‘I find it a really useful way to understand what certain colours are like to live with,’ she explains. ‘As soon as I bring pieces into my home, I understand why some might work better than others.
A dog’s last days

Oct 6, 2024 | joleevers.substack.com | Jo Leevers

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Early access to my book

Jun 6, 2024 | joleevers.substack.com | Jo Leevers

As soon as you know it, the date is seared into your brain. Mine is 1 July 2024. Except then my book was selected for Amazon First Reads. It means that readers who are signed up to Amazon First Reads (AFR) get to read it ONE MONTH early. And even if you aren’t signed up to that, you can get it for a cheery £1, or $1.99 is the US. I’m hoping so.
Book group questions – The Last Time I Saw You — Jo Leevers

Jun 6, 2024 | joleevers.com | Jo Leevers

At the start of the book, Georgie and Dan know very little about their mother or her life. Do you think Nancy was right to hide certain things from her children? When Nancy leaves, she talks about her sense of shame. But does society judge a mother differently for leaving her children than a father? The first time Georgie meets Finn he says, ‘Rescue me’. Why do you think this chimed with Georgie – and could she ever have succeeded?
Suggested questions for your book group discussion — Jo Leevers

Feb 2, 2024 | joleevers.com | Jo Leevers

How accurately do you think the book represents attitudes to women and people of Irish descent in London the 1970s? What role does humour play in the book? Henrietta knows she is different from other people, especially when she puts on her ‘mask of indifference’. What do you think lies behind her quirky ways – nature or nurture? If Annie had never heard about the Life Stories Project from Mia, how might her final months have played out? What do you think Henrietta learned from Annie?
A playlist for Tell Me How This Ends — Jo Leevers

Feb 2, 2024 | joleevers.com | Jo Leevers

Music is a big part of Tell Me How This Ends, from the songs that Annie and Kath listen to on the pub jukebox to the records they hear at Leon’s… and then songs that we later discover that Kath loved. With this in mind, I made a playlist for Tell Me How This Ends - and I hope you enjoy it. Here’s the link for Spotify - or the list is below, if you just want to peruse the tracks. I know I have my own personal favourites, which remind me of growing up in the 1970s… Which ones do you love?