Yahoo Lifestyle "My brilliant friend Barbara"
Having worked as Barbara Taylor Bradford’s personal PR for more than 15 years, I was privileged enough to spend a lot of time with her, both in the UK and in New York. I gained a rare glimpse into her extraordinary life, both professionally and, as our relationship grew, personally.
Barbara was simply remarkable: intelligent, compassionate, smart, driven, talented and extremely perceptive. Her mind was like a machine, her imagination was incredible and she was always quick off the mark. She would call me, and would either “cut to the chase” – one of her favourite phrases, though she rarely did – or spend more than an hour chatting. We’d have conversations about a character or current plot, something she’d read in the UK papers, the latest royal goings-on or book ideas – she had at least six fresh ideas for novels safely tucked away in a shoebox in her desk drawer at any one time.
An author who had a unique ability to turn the mundane into magic, Barbara could make a routine trip to the dentist as gripping as one of her plot lines. And she had some incredible stories: one of my favourites was from her time as a journalist on The London American in the 1960s when, determined to profile a jet pilot, she convinced the General at RAF Lakenheath to let her accompany a pilot in an F-100 Super Sabre Supersonic Jet. Dressed in full flight uniform, she soared into the sky and heard the sonic boom. She became one of the first civilian women to break the sound barrier – and had the picture to prove it.
Over the years, I accompanied Barbara to countless interviews and events. Book signings were always busy: readers would travel from afar, bringing old copies of her novels for her to sign while buying the latest release. On one occasion, an American lady asked her to sign her copy of A Woman of Substance – with a bullet hole in it. Barbara was alarmed and asked what had happened; the lady said her husband had shot the book as she was reading it so much! Other readers would talk about how her books had changed their lives (“It inspired me to set up a business”; “It helped me through some dark times”; “It gave me courage to change my career”).
Barbara was constantly getting stopped by fans during her travels. On flights, air stewardesses would ask Barbara about her writing, and when we were enjoying afternoon tea at the Dorchester (her favourite London hotel), guests would politely ask for a picture – a favour she would always grant. “If they’ve spent their money on one of my books, it’s the least I can do to say thank you,” she’d say.
I saw Barbara at her most vulnerable when Bob, her beloved husband of 55 years, died. She asked me to come to New York and stay with her, help manage the media, and simply be there. Despite her immense grief, Barbara continued to write best-sellers while managing Bob’s businesses, honouring his wish that she keep going without him.
Words were Barbara’s business, and she knew words had the power to change lives. That’s why she was passionate about her work for National Literacy Trust in the UK (for which part of her role involved encouraging the next generation of female fiction writers), Literacy Partners US, Women in Journalism and Reporters Without Borders, to name just a few of the charities and not-for-profit organisations with which she worked. She also gave generously, waiving royalties, donating fees and contributing work freely. During the pandemic, she gifted one of her books so it could be adapted for blind readers and wrote a 25,000-word short story for a national newspaper when asked for just 5,000. She was proud of her journalistic roots, passionate about press freedom and consistently gave engaging interviews to the magazines she had herself enjoyed reading (I used to bring her copies of the British edition of Harper’s Bazaar, which she always said she preferred to the US version, when I travelled to New York).
Despite her global success, Barbara remained grounded. She adored fish and chips with malt vinegar – a treat we enjoyed at the end of her annual book tours. “Look at us, two women from Yorkshire, living it up at the Dorchester,” I’d joke, and we’d share a laugh over a glass of her favourite Billecart-Salmon rosé champagne. Another time, we threw a little family party at my home to celebrate Barbara and Bob’s 50th wedding anniversary and I asked Barbara what she’d most like to eat. I’d been thinking of oysters and Dover sole; she requested roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, followed by apple crumble and custard.
The last time I saw Barbara was in August in New York and she was as lively as ever. We discussed Richard III, Middlemarch, Taylor Swift, M&S nighties and Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut bars (her treat of choice). I’m devastated that Barbara’s own story has now come to an end, but know that the words and legacy of the original ‘woman of substance’ will live on. Her novels remain as compelling and readable as ever, continuing to inspire and captivate readers around the world. When asked what she would want on her epitaph, Barbara’s reply was simple: “She made her dreams come true.” And she truly did.
‘A Woman of Substance’ by Barbara Taylor Bradford is available as an ebook on Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo.
Maria Boyle is the director of MB Communications.
You Might Also Like
