Jennifer Lindridge is a children’s book author and animal lover with a background in advertising.
Q: What can we expect from you in 2024?
A: Well, we’re almost half-in ... Some more writing, some readings, some daydreaming ... Whatever it is will be a surprise for me too!
Q: What books are on your bedside table at the moment?
A: Stephen King’s Holly, and Peter Kingsley’s A Book Of Life. I haven’t started either, so cannot yet offer any opinions. However, Mayim Bialik rates them highly, and I admire her, so I’m trusting they’ll be good!
Q: What is the most cherished item you own and what it is worth?
A: Oh, that’s easy, my dogs, and they’re priceless! But I don’t really ‘own’ them. I’m their guardian.
So if we’re talking actual objects, it’s music boxes that were given to me as a child. One was my maternal grandfather’s and the other my grandma’s. And the last is a little cottage that plays In an English Country Garden.
My very English dad bought it for me as a little girl. It has a roof that hinges open and I kept all my worldly treasure in it — a pair of ‘diamond’ Barbie earrings, a necklace with my name purchased on Sugarloaf Mountain, a silver dollar, and other odds and ends that hold value to a child. I’ve no doubt these music boxes hold zero monetary value, but they are absolutely irreplaceable.
Q: What’s your favourite childhood memory?
A: Probably memories of travelling before I was 10. Visiting the Bahamas where a crab crawled under my bed in the bungalow in which we were staying. I can still hear the scratching as it tried to climb the wicker headboard.
The enormous chocolate “matryoshka doll”-type fish my dad bought us in Switzerland. Each layer was cracked open to reveal an even smaller fish inside. Annual visits to Kenton-On-Sea. Moving to SA and starting school at Collegiate. Summer swimming; jumping into the cool water and warming up on the steaming slasto. These are some of my happiest memories.
Q: If you had to eat only one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My husband, Rob’s, delicious tomato pasta! Bellissima!
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from a coach/mentor?
A: Things will always take three times longer to complete than you think, so allocate enough time.
This sage advice was given by my second-year graphic design lecturer, the late, great John Herbert who had been the editor of Harper’s Bazaar. I was exceptionally lucky to train under him.
Q: If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would they be and why?
A real-life individual: The Notorious RBG, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Fictional: Scarlett O’Hara. Both for the same reasons.
They were strong, intelligent, resourceful, defiant women who relentlessly pursued their goals. Seriously cool women.
If I could break bread with another, I’d like to be with my maternal grandmother, Marie Galbraith. I never knew her, but I understand she was an incredibly bright woman. One who was frustrated by the era in which she lived, where it was frowned upon for a woman to be independent. She found herself trapped by the social expectations of the time, and had no outlet for her intelligence and creativity. I’d like to thank her for being fiercely determined to thrive and survive.
Q: Who or what inspires you and why?
A: Everything! My browsing history is diverse. My algorithms are messed up! I don’t say this flippantly.
Everything inspires me. Beautiful, clever, witty, wonderful things inspire happiness. And awful things remind me what I don’t want to be. I have files of clever headlines, beautiful art, creative crafting, music, technology, science... and then there are things like sunsets, flowers, my dogs’ gentle breathing. All of it.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure?
A: Online shopping. I’m too good at it.
Q: Tea or coffee?
A: Coffee before midday; tea thereafter.
Q: Do you have a favourite TV programme/film?
A: I enjoy The Big Bang Theory for feel-good viewing. And any worthwhile docuseries. Most recently I re-watched How To Change Your Mind.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A: Reading, pottering in the garden, gymming, walking the dogs, process art, thinking ...
Q: What do you typically get up to in the first two hours of waking up every day?
A: I am a creature of habit. I wake at about 6am and feed the dogs and the birds. Drink two cups of good coffee while checking emails. After that I exercise.
Q: What three causes are you most passionate about?
A: For those who know me, it’ll come as no surprise to hear I’m passionate about animal rights. I’m also really invested in championing those charities that fight environmental causes and the climate crisis. And education, especially literacy. I’m adding a fourth, mental health.
Q: If you could instantly solve one world problem, what would it be and why?
A: I’m not sure if I’d choose to put an end to greed or to solve mental health issues. If people weren’t as greedy and power hungry, I feel the whole world would be better off. But perhaps this is actually a mental health/happiness issue? I don’t know. I wish I did.
Q: If you were to wake up as the opposite gender for 24-hours, how would you spend the time?
A: I’ve thought long and hard about this question. Unless I could specify which man, someone in a position that would enable me in those 24-hours to affect drastic, long-lasting, far-reaching change for the planet and her people, I’m not sure I’d want to swap at all.
I’m so grateful to be a woman in 2024, living in a free country that values a woman’s rights. I’m so grateful to be able to vote, to open a bank account without a man’s permission, to drive, and to choose what I want to do with my body.
I think of those brave women who came before me and fought so hard for me to have these freedoms. Honestly, if I could be anything, I’d way rather be a bird for a day. Imagine being able to fly.
Q: Can you share a funny or memorable moment from your work?
A: Oh heavens! Ok, this goes waaaaaay back, before email. Practically to the dark ages.
I was producing an 80-plus page catalogue for an out-of-town client that shall remain nameless. I must preface this by saying I adored this client, and we had a super relationship.
The job had been lingering and many changes were made, and in a particularly irritated moment, I renamed the document to “Client Name + Expletive +Changed Again!!!!!” I printed out the million pages with the document name displayed on every page.
It was only as the very last page was faxed through, that I realised what I’d done. My stomach sank. I wanted to vomit. I was cold and sweaty all at the same time. And I had the irrational idea of boarding a plane and breaking into the building to retrieve said fax.
Fortunately, my client was amazing. They called the next morning and laughed. We remained friends and worked together for many years until they retired. I still get palpitations recalling this!
Q: Do you believe in any superstitions or rituals?
A: Yes. But it’s silly things heralding back to childhood, like I won’t walk under a ladder. But maybe this is just good sense!
Q: What would you list as your greatest achievement?
A: I feel like just living is an amazing achievement. Life is hard. Happiness can be elusive. Not enough credit is given for staying sane.
And rescuing animals. We’ve rescued 17 dogs and fostered countless others. These things count.
Q: Do you have a secret talent no-one knows about?
A: Well, that would be telling!
Weekender
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