Jane Bidder trained on the Thomson Graduate Training Scheme in Cardiff (along with some very well-known BBC names) and went on to write for Drapers Record and Parents and Woman’s Own before turning freelance. While bringing up her children, she wrote regularly for numerous national newspapers and magazines including, 'The Daily Telegraph Weekend' section, 'The Mail on Sunday' and 'Woman' where she wrote a weekly page for ten years.
In 2005, her first novel was published by Hodder & Stoughton (under the name Sophie King). Her eighth novel was published in March 2013 by Random House under the name Janey Fraser. All her novels have been in the Bookseller’s Heatseekers’ chart and one The Wedding Party was shortlisted for an award (see below).
Jane has also had several short stories published in Woman’s Weekly, My Weekly and Take a Break. She has contributed to short story anthologies published by Accent Press and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
In 2006, after her first marriage broke up, Jane was selected out of several applicants to be the writer in residence of a high security prison for men (Grendon Underwood). Her initial contract was for two years but she stayed on for a third, at the request of the governor. Her role was to help men write: partly for therapy and partly for self-esteem which can reduce the risk of re-offending. Through her journalist contacts, Jane invited several outside speakers to talk at the prison, including Colin Dexter. Her experience gave her the inspiration for ‘GUILTY’.
When Jane left her post (which was partly funded by the Arts Council), she was invited to be an annual judge for the life story section of the Koestler Awards: given to prisoners and those in mental institutions. Two years ago, The Times ran a large feature on her work.
Jane runs regular writing workshops and also speaks at literary festivals all over the world, including The Women’s Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy; Winchester and Guildford. She has also been on breakfast television and Woman’s Hour. Until her recent move to Devon, she was a tutor in creative writing at Oxford University Jane now lives near Exeter with her second husband and two sons.
AWARDS
20004 Runner up for the Harry Bowling Award
20005 Winner of the Elizabeth Goudge Award
2010 The Wedding Party was shortlisted for Love Story of The Year by the Romantic Novelists Association.
