Vanessa Branson

Hello everyone,

One Hundred Summers is my debut memoir -a tale of family, building businesses, adventure and love. From opening my laptop on the very first day of writing I knew that to keep up my interest as well as my readers I had to be searingly honest. Maybe the result of my rather particular upbringing, I have ventured into many a situation that would probably have been safer to walk away from but I have no regrets for as my great friend Sallie once told me "Ness, we're not going to sit on a bench looking back on our lives as two old ladies celebrating how well we'd behaved!'

In addition to writing, I own and run Eilean Shona, a tidal island on the west coast of Scotland, or as it is known to all who visit 'heaven on earth'. I also co-own El Fenn, a landmark hotel in Marrakech, which has the coolest rooftop view and cocktails in the red city. The arts remain an ever constant in my life and have taken me on many adventures, from my gallery championing young emerging artists in Portobello Road to founding and running the Marrakech Biennale, helping to change the landscape of the arts in North Africa.

I share my time between my home in London and Chichester in the UK and am working hard on my next book.

Please keep in touch, I'd love to hear from you. My instagram is @vanessabranson and website www.vanessabranson.co.uk