A HARD-working Exmouth author is in high spirits after having her first book published.

Anne Jordan is hoping for a good response from literary enthusiasts after the release of her book, called Love Well the Hour: The Life of Lady Colin Campbell (1857-1911).

The biography is of a Victorian woman who became the centre of media attention in 1886 when her husband accused her of adultery with a Duke, a general, a doctor and a fire-chief.

The subsequent divorce trial was one of the longest in English legal history.

“I’ve always enjoyed reading historical biographies, so after seeing the beautiful Boldini portrait of Lady Colin Campbell in 1994, I tried to find her biography,” said Anne.

“There was only one book, but that concentrated on her divorce trial and left many questions unanswered so I started digging around at weekends, as a hobby.

“The more I learned, the more I saw parallels with my own life, as I was trying to establish my own career in London at the time.”

Anne added: “I also became convinced that this fascinating woman had a story to tell.”

After her divorce scandal, Lady Colin Campbell refused to go away and hide quietly.

She became a successful journalist and pioneering sportswoman, yet little has been known of her life until now, one hundred years after her death.

The book is available as a paperback, directly from the publisher, Troubador Publishing (with a launch discount) or from your usual bookshop or online retailer.

The publishers have also made the book available in electronic format from Amazon and for ePub readers from Waterstones or WH Smith.