Don't ask famed best-selling author Barbara Taylor Bradford to discuss money or her sex life. Those subjects were taboo in a free-ranging interview with the author conducted by Joanne King Herring at the Four Seasons Hotel in a tea and conversation event benefiting the Women's Home.
Among her numerous revelations, Bradford shared that she keeps track of the myriad characters in her 30 novels by storing them on note cards in a Manolo Blahnik shoe box. She also talked about her penchant for using flowers as murder weapons and vessels for poison.
A special friend of the author, Barbara Bush, was in the audience of 150. Her presence led Bradford to recall the first time that she met the former first lady. She fell down the stairs only to be caught by the Secret Service. Bush was said to remark, "Well, that's usually me that falls." Adding spice to the afternoon, Houston Public Media's Ernie Manouse fielded questions for Bradford from the audience.
Bradford was in Houston in conjunction with publication of her latest book, The Cavendon Women. Autographed copies were presented to sponsors and special guests.
Among fans of the prolific author on hand were Beth Madison, Maria and Neil Bush, Margaret Alkek Williams, Karina Barbieri, Mica Mosbacher, Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Fran Fawcett Peterson, Betty Hrncir, Michael Pearce, Divya Brown and Penny Loyd.
Joanne King Herring, left, and Barbara Taylor Bradford.
