Clare Francis

Clare Mary Francis (born 17 April 1946) is a British novelist who in her first career as a yachtswoman has twice sailed across the Atlantic on her own. She was the first woman to skipper a successful boat on the Whitbread Around the World race.

Early life Francis was born in Thames Ditton in Surrey and spent summer holidays on the Isle of Wight, where she learned to sail. She was educated at the Royal Ballet School, then gained a degree in economics at University College London. departing from Falmouth in Cornwall and arriving, 37 days later, at Newport, Rhode Island. Following this, she received sponsorship to take part in the 1974 Round Britain Race with Eve Bonham, again in Gulliver G.

Personal life Francis married a yachtsman Jacques Redon in 1977. He became a crew member on her yacht. They divorced in 1986; they had one child. Francis has chronic fatigue syndrome and is President of the UK charity Action for ME.

Writing After writing three accounts of her sailing experiences, she turned to fiction and is the author of eight best-sellers.

Publications

Fiction Ciel de nuit, 1983 ((en) Night Sky (1983) Red Crystal (1985) Wolf Winter (1987) Requiem (1989) The Killing Winds (1992) Deceit (1993) Liaison fatale, 2022 ((en) Betrayal (1995) La maison de l'écluse, 2001 ((en) A Dark Devotion (1997) Keep Me Close (1999) A Death Divided (2001) Homeland (2003) Unforgotten (2008)

Short stories "The Holiday" (2005), published in The Detection Collection, edited by Simon Brett.

Non-fiction Woman Alone (1977) Victoire océane – Une femme, une transat, un record , 1992 ((en) Come Hell Or High Water / Come Wind Or Weather (1979) The Commanding Sea (1981)

As editor A Feast of Stories (1996 anthology; co-edited)