Penelope Mortimer

Penelope Mortimer (1918–1999) was a British writer and screenwriter. Born in Rhyl, Wales, she studied in London and initially worked as an advice columnist for the Daily Mail. Her short stories appeared in publications including The New Yorker and the Sunday Times. Her debut novel, Johanna, was published in 1947; other notable works include Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting (1958) and The Pumpkin Eater (1962), which was adapted into a successful film in 1964. She also wrote screenplays and a biography of the Queen Mother. In 1979, she received the Whitbread Prize for her autobiography, About Time. Mortimer died in London in 1999.