'Female' romance author Jessica Blair unmasked as 89-year-old grandfather

Wednesday 22nd May

'Female' romance author Jessica Blair unmasked as 89-year-old grandfather

Posted at 8:19AM Thursday 07 Feb 2013

In the past, female writers such as Charlotte Bronte had to adopt male pen names in order to get their books published. But the tables were turned for former war hero Bill Spence after he wrote a series of romance novels.

The grandfather from Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, was told his books would need to be printed under a feminine moniker if he wanted them to sell - and so his pseudonym Jessica Blair was born.

Bill, 89, has so far written 22 romance novels under the female pen name since his first was published in 1993, with his latest, Silence of the Snow, due out this week.

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