Saved by bestsellers
A major problem with the demon drink and early mid-life crisis were the catalysts that launched Marian Keyes, the queen of 'chick-lit' into the world of novels.
Marian, an Irish beauty, began her career by writing a couple of short stories because she hated her job and desperately needed to move on. Seven years later she has sold more than three million books world wide, been published in 35 countries and translated into several languages including Hebrew and Japanese.
Marian was in Australia recently to promote her latest book Sushi for Beginners.
Marian began to write by entering a competition. In her entry she told the judges that she had actually started work on a novel.
"They wrote back and said send us the novel. I nearly died. Can you imagine? I hadn't written a word," she recalls.
In a couple of weeks, Marian wrote her first novel Watermelon. It was a hit and Marian Keyes was launched. She is now Ireland's third bestselling author after Maeve Binchy and Roddy Doyle.
Marian's new career was to be her salvation, not only was she a major success signing two-book deals after two-book deals, but she confesses it also saved her life.
Watermelon was published in 1995 followed by best seller Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Rachel's Holiday, Last Chance Saloon and Sushi for Beginners.
Describing herself as a comedy writer, Marian's novels deals in topics that on the surface are far from funny. Rachel's Holiday dealt with addiction and denial and despite being set in the world of 'glamorous' magazines, Sushi for Beginners tackles depression and homelessness.
Marian joined the staff of a small magazine in Dublin where she now lives, to research Sushi for Beginners.
Four years ago Marian and her husband moved back to her home Dublin and it's here that she writes her novels, working from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm five days a week.
A disciplined writer, Marian has already started on her next novel.
"This is about one of the sisters from the family in Watermelon and Rachel's Holiday, this time it's the good sister Maggie's turn - but she transpires not to be that good," she says.
"When I started to write short stories I had no idea if I could do it or not," Marian says. "I was living in London working in a job that I had no love for, I turned 30 and felt my life was going nowhere and indeed it was."
"It seemed to me that everyone around me was getting married and promoted those sort of things and they had all the trapping of adulthood which I certainly didn't have," she says.
"Looking back now I think if I'd thought about what I was doing I wouldn't have even approached it because I can't bear rejection it frightens me."
"I was wretchedly unhappy. I feel I was born with alcoholism and there are people who agree with that. I stopped drinking when I was 30 and for months after that I really missed it."
"I thought my life was over. I always thought alcohol gave me my personality, made me what I was. After a while I realised that I wasn't missing it, that I had resources I could call on and what was most wonderful, I could stand on my own two feet."
"All five of my books have dealt in some way with people who are in The Bad Place, but I always like a happy ending, so there is some form of redemption."
"In my opinion the best comedy is rooted in darkness, I've been in The Bad Place myself many a time, which wasn't very pleasant while it was happening, but has since come in very hand for writing about it," she says.
"I loved it, they were very irreverent people, so blasé about it all. People work incredibly hard and get a lot less of the free goodies than I thought."
"They wouldn't let me actually write anything, but I read proofs and thought up some headlines."
"I went to a couple of press launches one was for a new pair of tights - it was pretty horrendous really!" Marian laughs.
"The best thing about being successful was that I could give up my job that I hated and write full time. I've also learnt some interesting things about money. I used to think it would make so much difference."
"Sure it's great to have the bills paid and money in the back but one of the best things was that I was able to send my mum and dad on a cruise on the QEII. I would never have been able to afford that."
"But I have learnt that old cliché that it doesn't buy happiness. I'm still as close to my family as I ever was, my brothers and sisters, that's great, and being with good friends and my husband that's what its all about."
"This book is about Hollywood and how hard it is to struggle on the fringe of such a town. I hired a house and had my sister from New York come and stay, then the other sisters arrived with boyfriends."
"We went to the Four Seasons and had a very expensive drink and marvelled at the plastic surgery - it's the plastic surgery capital of the world. There was great material everywhere I went."