Everything is Fine

By Gillian Harvey

Author and Freelance Writer

I’ve always wanted to write.

Back when I was five years old, I was already penning poems – one of my proudest moments was when, aged 7, my poem about the Arctic was shared with the whole school:

It’s big and cold

With snow and ice.

I wouldn’t think

It’s very nice.

Not much sun,

Too much snow,

I’m glad I’m not

An Eskimo

In my late teens, I started and abandoned several novels, and then finally aged 24, I was able to write ‘the end’ on my first finished manuscript.

It hasn’t been plain sailing since. In fact, it took until I was 40 to finally sign with an agent, by which time I’d written a further 6 full-length works – mysteries, thrillers, rom-coms and even a real tear-jerker about a mother and daughter relationship.

None of these books were wasted. In that time, I developed my voice. I discovered that, no matter what genre I was writing in, humor would burst through my writing.

Although it’s been a long-wait, I believe the experiences I’ve gone through en route to publication have helped me develop more layers to my writing – humor can make a serious point as well as be trivial. I’ve had five children, PND, changed careers, moved to France and started a new life. I’ve got plenty of experience to draw on!

‘Everything is Fine’ was inspired during a conversation with my sister. I live in rural France, and it’s idyllic and blissful and… sometimes a bit too quiet.

I chatted to my sister about this, complaining (a little) about how much fun she seemed to be having. It was tongue-in-cheek, but on some level I did feel a bit envious of her nights out and parties. Then she stopped me in my tracks. “It’s just Facebook,” she said. “Everyone knows that’s not real.”

I mean, we all know that, right? Facebook is made up of snapshots, not real-time events. We share what we want to share, and keep other things private.

Her words made me think though: if it isn’t real, then why do we do it? What makes me share one photo over the other? What response am I trying to provoke in my online ‘friends’? Why am I presenting this version of myself?

In Everything is Fine, Jessica Bradley has fallen into the trap of presenting her life as perfect. She started a diet blog to keep her motivated when losing a few pounds, but has somehow netted thousands of followers. Now, because having followers has helped her PR business to thrive, she’s stuck in a world where she has to provide fitness inspiration to keep people’s interest.

This gets a lot harder when her ‘real life’ begins to spiral out of control. Jessica tries to keep up appearances, with hilarious results.

‘Everything is Fine’ was released by Orion Books in the UK in May 2020 in e-book, audio and paperback.

It is available in e-book and audiobook worldwide, and US paperback release is scheduled for 26 January 2021

Buying links: https://linktr.ee/gillianharveyauthor

Jessica Bradley has it all: the perfect boyfriend; influential healthy-eating blog; successful PR company and wonderful daughter, Anna. Or at least that is what her thousands of followers believe.

The truth is, her boyfriend just broke up with her in four words on a post-it; her zest for healthy-eating has all but disappeared; her PR success is all reliant on her now not-so-honest online-life and she just got caught eating her daughter’s Coco-Pops.

So as they say: fake it ’til you make it. A few little white lies and phoney smiling selfies and Jess can keep up appearances. But when her real-life starts to spiral out of control how can Jess tell the truth from the lies? And will she be able to seize real happiness when it is right in front of her?

Hilarious, heart-warming and oh-so relatable, Everything Is Fine is perfect for fans of Louise Pentland, Anna Bell and Lindsey Kelk.

‘Funny and uplifting’ BELLA

‘Hilarious, heartwarming and relatable’ NEW! Magazine

‘Made me laugh out loud so many times!’ Lucy Vine

‘Feel-good, funny, and very relatable’ Anna Bell

‘Funny and honest’ Elizabeth Buchan