The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-10
Joan Hewett, British Authoress
OfSeven Novels, VisitingHere
Twice Mistaken For Brazilian Opera Star,
Authoress Wonders How It Happened

Authoress Wonder
British authoress Joan Hewett
was not at all chagrined yester-
day when a reporter inquired if
she were a Brazilian opera
singer.
Neither buxom nor blousy
and with no sign of a Portu-
guese accent-she Uses an ex-
hiliarating English accent -
poised and cosmopolitan Mrs.
Hewett laughed heartily and
wondered where in the world
the reporter got the Hewett
case history.
Oddly enough, Mrs. Hewett
says that when landing in New
York in late September, report
ers met her at the dock, but
were a little disappointed to dis
cover that she was not the an
ticipated Brazilian opera star.
Mrs. Hewett still hasn't found
out who the operate star is, or
why she should continue to be
mistaken for her.
Since Sunday Joan Hewett
has been visiting Mr. and Mrs.
J. Abel and daughter, Anna, at
their home 1921 Chestnut street.
Although she originally intend
ed leaving Wilmington on Satur-
day, Wilmingtonians have
shown so much Southern hospi-
tally that she is compelled to
stay over until Wednesday to
fulfill her social engagements.
Authoress of seven books-six
of which were written under her
own name and one under a pen
name - Mrs. Hewett says that
her books have not been read
too much in the United States.
Like the British, Americans
prefer novels involving the IA
miliar scenes of their own coun-
try. Although the authoress did
not mention it, she might have
referred to the average Ameri-
cans taste for heaving bosoms
and hoop = skirted heroines,
which has subordinated the i'm
%portation Of better English fic-
ton.
Latest in her published fiction
IS "Nymph With a Broomstick."
Other novels include: Frost In
September, Dare to Tres
pass, "The Late Mr. Early"
her favorite; weekend Rap
sody", and ga Divorce Has
Been Arranged" "Calico Pie"
written under the name Jan
Hathaway has also won popu-
larity, for Mrs. Hewetts books
Home In New Zealand
Born in Buckinghamshire
England, authoress Hewett
moved to New Zealand with her
family at an early age. When
entering college, she returned
to England, where she has
spent much of her time, gen
orally using England as the
scene of her novels.
Asked why she did not write
a novel about New Zealand, she
said, "My publishers won't let
me-"
Mentioning that approximate
ly half of Elizabeth Gouge's
best selling "Green Dolphin
Street" was about New Zealand,
Mrs. Hewett said, eyes. Z.
miss Gouge) made a good job
of it, although she had never
been to New Zealand"
When curiously questioned on
how and why she ever got to
Wilmington, vivacious Mrs.
Hewett explained that it was
really all because of her son.
Philips love of Esquire maya
zine.
eyes" we said, with about so
interrogative infections follow
ing.
Anna Meets Joan
Then she told of the story of
how her son, unable to get Es-
quire during the war had writ
ten the magazine begging them
to send him copies in some wav.
Esquire had obliged by asking
Miss Anna Abel of Wilmington
to forward her finished a g
zines. Result, Philip thanked
Miss Abel and so did his au-
thoress-mother, and after a long
correspondence, Joan Hewett
came to America and accepted
an invitation to the Southland
to visit Mr.. and Mrs. Abel.
Mrs. Hewett likes the area
around Wilmington and compli-
mented it by saying, 81 think
it would be quite an interesting
section of the country to write
about"
On leaving Wilmington, au-
thoress Hewett expects to take
the Southwestern route via Mi
ami, New Orleans. Texas and