Laura London, 41, lives in north London and is a professional magician. I saw magic for the first time when I was eight and was instantly obsessed. After that, I spent all my pocket money on tricks. I

As a teenager my life was pretty tumultuous. At 16, I had fallen madly in love with a boy my parents deeply disapproved of, and it was a real tussle for freedom and control. I’d started being naughty

It’s a funny old world

Rebecca Lucy Taylor talks choirs, cricket, Sparks, Freddie Mercury and indie sleaze

I’ve just returned from three magical days in the Lake District. Craggy mountains, mist over the fells, and the gentle hum of a Herdwick sheep or two. I stayed near Hill Top, once home to Beatrix Pott

For time-strapped bibliophiles, dedicated reading retreats provide a new form of self-care