Biography

Rachel Billington worked in television in London and New York before taking up full-time writing in 1968. Her first novel All Things Nice was set in sixties New York. Her latest novel for adults is  ‘Clouds of Love and War’,  (to be published by Unicorn Publishing July 2020), about a Spitfire pilot in the Second World War and the girl who falls in love with him.

RB has written twenty three novels, one  novella  six novels for children, six religious books  for children, and three non-fiction books.

RB has also written and continues to write journalism for newspapers both in the UK and the US, including a three year stint as a columnist for The Sunday Telegraph.

RB has written two plays for television, Don’t be Silly’ and ‘Life after Death’, both in the BBC Play for To-day series, and several radio plays, as well as contributing to  film scripts

RB was President of English PEN, the writers organisation from 1998-2001 and is now an Honorary Vice-president. During her time as President RB initiated PEN’s Readers & WritersProgramme which sends books and writers to meet readers in schools, prisons and other institutions who lack resources.

In 1991 RB became a member of the editorial team of Inside Time, the national newspaper for prisoners. She is now Associate Editor and writes a monthly page

RB is a Trustee of the Longford Trust which was set up in memory of her father, Lord Longford. The Trust organises a lecture each year on the subject of social or penal reform, gives a prize for those working in these areas and awards financial scholarships to ex-prisoners in university education.

RB is also a Trustee of the Catholic weekly, The Tablet, and The Siobhan Dowd Trust which was set up by the author before her death to encourage reading among disadvantaged children.

On January 1, 2012 RB was awarded the OBE. The commendation read ‘Author, Honorary Vice-President of English PEN, for services to Literature’.

In 1967 RB married the film and theatre director, Kevin Billington. They have four children and five grandchildren, and live in London and in the oldest continuously inhabited house in Dorset.