(Vu: Louise Wener was guest for Friday 9th August Liquid News. I'm not sure if they have the broadcast shown here, as I have a slow connection. Let me know if she does show up on the broadcast file.)

Louise Wener

Louise Wener's career path is one that flares up the green-eyed monster in most of us.

Ultra-hip rock chick to respected novelist - not bad really.

Anyway, back to the beginning. Since she was knee-high to a jukebox Louise has been music-obsessed. She spent four years waitressing and signing-on while trying to get a record deal for her band Sleeper.

They were eventually signed by Indolent and went on to record three top ten albums and eight top forty hits. Sleeper's second album The It Girl turned platinum in the summer of 1996.

Well, not content with life as a pop pixie, Louise turned to good old pen and paper after Sleeper split in 1999. Her first novel Goodnight Steve McQueen tells the story about a London band struggling to make it big. Familiar territory? Well maybe, but Louise decided to write in a male voice just in case she didn't have enough of a challenge.

It's certainly paid off. Ms Wener's now working on her second novel. While she sometimes misses the thrill of performance, she says she doesn't miss sleeping on a tour bus for months on end and waking up to the smell of roadie farts. Well quite...