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Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
'I wrote a book and published it online. When I woke up next morning it was number one in the charts'
Author and podcaster, Sophie Gravia. | John Devlin Sophie Gravia swapped nursing for writing and now the author of bestselling The Glasgow Kiss book series and The Dicktionary Club has a BBC podcast Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sophie Gravia, the author of bestselling The Glasgow Kiss book series and The Dicktionary Club is on the set of her brand new 18+ podcast, Situationships with Sophie and Christine, for BBC Sounds, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer. She can't wait for people to get in touch and tell them all about their dating dramas, life dilemmas, have a laugh and spill the tea. Raised just outside Glasgow, Gravia, 33, has swapped nursing to concentrate on writing and podcasting after becoming an overnight sensation in her twenties with her first book about the realities of modern dating, based on her popular blog Sex in the Glasgow City. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Written during COVID to entertain her friends, she self-published A Glasgow Kiss one night and woke up to find herself with a bestseller in the erotic fiction charts. Now five books and a quarter of a million book sales on, she is amazed to witness her first book being optioned for a BBC series as her new book, The Dicktionary Club looks poised to repeat the success of A Glasgow Kiss, What Happens in Dubai, Meet Me In Milan and Hot Girl Summer. 'It's a dream come true because I wrote A Glasgow Kiss for my friends. I never in a million years would have expected it to take off. It's insane,' she says. Gravia tells it like it is on the dating scene and her 'nothing's off limits and no judgement here' philosophy extends to the series of eight Situationships podcasts which explore 'the comedy, chaos and cringe of modern relationships', with author, model and Celebs Go Dating star, Christine McGuinness. 'Situationships is the phase when you're dating and not quite in a relationship, so it's that grey area where you don't really know what you're getting yourself into,' says Gravia, 'but the podcast is not just about dating and relationships, it's about friendship and work situationships as well, so we're free to talk about really everything. It's basically talking about our dilemmas, breaking them down and giving each other advice, having a group chat. It's anonymous as well, so we want viewers to come in and tell us all about it. I'm really excited.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Author and podcaster, Sophie Gravia is an NHS nurse who began writing about her dating experiences. With five novels published and a new book out now, Gravia has joined forces with Christine McGuinness talk relationships and love in their brand-new BBC podcast, Situationships with Sophie and Christine. | John Devlin With Gravia and McGuinness both active on their socials, they're looking for podcast viewers to contact them via Whatsapp and Instagram as well as email, with their dilemmas. The pair initially met at events through sharing the same management and bonded over their writing and are now taking their friendship into co-hosting the podcast. 'It's nice to work on something with a friend rather than someone random,' says Gravia and the first podcast saw them discussing everything from ghosting and dating after divorce to Jojo Siwa and Chris Hughes' relationship. There's one person Gravia hopes won't be listening to her podcast however, as her mother is banned from reading her books. 'She's not allowed. But at the same time she introduced us to Sex And The City when I was about eight, so I feel you're to blame, mother.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When it comes to the TV series, Gravia will relent. 'Yes, she will need to watch the TV series. Hmmm. I don't know what's worse, watching or reading,' she says and laughs. With anonymity guaranteed for podcast contributors, Gravia is relaxed about taking the limelight herself and happy to be open and honest, although she takes care to change details that might identify any of the men who appear in The Dicktionary Club and her other books. 'I feel when I write, nothing's off-limits, I'll chat about anything, the nitty-gritty, and the badder the better. I was asked to be the host on the podcast, so I'm happy with chatting about what I want. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'A guy did come forward and messaged me in my DMs, saying 'is this me?', even though I totally changed the story, what he looked like, where it was and everything about it. But he quite enjoyed getting a mention, and no-one would know it was him.' Sophie Gravia's blog about dating led to five adult romcom novels and a BBC podcast. | John Devlin It was while working as a renal high-dependency nurse in Glasgow that Gravia first began writing about her dating experiences, leading to her blog, 'Sex in the Glasgow City', becoming a hit. When lockdown began, working in the NHS, Gravia was at the frontline of the fight against Covid so when staff attended mandatory 'wellness' sessions, the idea of writing about her dating experiences took hold. 'We were sitting in a circle and each person had to say something they were doing for themselves during COVID, something they always wanted to do, and people were saying they're learning a language or playing instruments and it came to me and I said 'I'm actually just watching Netflix!'. I was totally ashamed and thought, I've always wanted to write a book so why don't I?' 'So I wrote all the worst dates that have happened to my friends or myself and thought how can I write a story around this, with the idea of giving it to my friends for their Christmas presents. I finished A Glasgow Kiss and watched a You Tube video on how to self-publish so I would have it in book form, published it, put it in a Facebook post saying ' I've written a book, mum please don't read it', went to bed then the next morning when I turned my phone on it was number one in the Amazon charts. I thought maybe everyone goes to number one when you upload it, but then I saw the sales figures and oh my god…' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Press and social media interest followed and soon Gravia had a four-book contract with Orion, moving to Bonnier for her latest book, which was released the same day as the podcast. Now that Gravia's life is 'a bit crazy' as she puts it - although no longer being single saves time she used to spend dating - she's taking a six-month career break from nursing but intends to continue in her NHS career. 'I very much want to stay in nursing. I feel it is really important to give back, and my mum and my dad are both nurses as well. I've been there for ten years, in the same ward and love all the patients and people that I work with. It's like another family.' 'I definitely will miss it, but I can't physically manage the time just now. Your shifts are so long, 13 hours, and I cut down the last year or two, but even that was becoming harder to manage.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even so, with two children Sophie has a full workload to get her writing done at home, just outside of Glasgow. 'I just cry most days about deadlines,' she jokes. 'I write at night and basically live off very little sleep. I wait until everyone's asleep in the house and then think 'you need to write so many thousand words tonight', so I make sure I do it. It's not the healthiest habit.' Sophie Gravia with her latest book, The Dicktionary Club. | John Devlin With her just published fifth book, The Dicktionary Club, did Gravia find that writing had become easier or faster? 'Yes, it's the first one where I didn't feel 'I don't know if I can do this again'. By the time you've got four number one bestsellers, you know you can do this. And also I absolutely loved the concept of The Dicktionary Club. It was what we chatted about in the tea room so I smashed through it and enjoyed it.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Without giving it away, can she give us a hint of what it's about? 'It's basically a group of three women who live in Glasgow - they all work at a PR firm - and are totally different. One is desperate for a boyfriend, one is not interested in men and another one is in a loveless relationship. They decided to make a website called the Dicktionary Club where you can go on and rate all the men you've been seeing. They date as many men as possible, write up a review so that women can subscribe to a website and check their name and get a full review on what to expect. But it all goes absolutely wrong and there are a few disastrous dates in there and one ends up falling in love with someone she shouldn't and it just gets a bit messy… it's good fun.' More reality than romance, Gravia's books have broken the rom-com mould and don't follow a traditional girl meets boy trajectory. 'I don't think the books are typical romcoms where she gets the guy in the end and they live happily ever after. That's not the real world,' she says. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'All the books are about dating, but it's dating in this current situation we're all facing in the land of apps and online websites. 'We've got all these websites now, so are we dating the same people? It's an absolute minefield out there. So I think The Dicktionary Club is really relevant. 'Although there are loads of dilemmas and sauciness in my books, there's always the background of a female friendship which I think is important to real life. They're saucy and they're empowering. 'That's similar to what we want the podcast to be. We want people to feel empowered after it, to come up and spill all their secrets but not be ashamed. It's totally non-judgemental.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the most common issues people are sharing on the podcast? How do people feel about dating apps now? 'The biggest thing people are saying about dating apps is there's so much access to other people so quickly. For example if you're chatting to a guy and have a really good connection, then are off your phone, by this point he has gone on and chatted to another ten people. 'There is so much access to other people that you can go on and chat and there are no barriers. You're sitting on your phone and you can say whatever you want. Sometimes if you suggest to meet up, it's weird for them to want to go for coffee because they think it's appropriate just to skip to the next stage of a relationship. I think there are no barriers anymore, it's just going straight in and within a few messages they want to start talking about sex and what you like in the bedroom and it's just like, woah, wait a minute, come and chat to me about what I do for a living. My mum and dad met when they were 15 at the dancing and it's completely changed now. It's absolutely crazy.' Does she think there's nostalgia for the days when people met at the dancing and got to know each other face to face? Or is it better these days, to do it online? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think it's a bit of a mix. It's good that you've got more access in terms of you might actually find someone more suited. You can chat to different people with different life experiences, more things that you're interested in. And there are loads of niche dating apps, so if you're vegan you can meet someone who is vegan, if you're into certain clubs you can do all that. There's loads of access, which is good. 'But I think, personally, dating apps will die down in the next couple of years. I think that there's got to be another alternative because everyone is so fed up with them, people that I speak to. 'It depends what you're looking for. If you're looking for a bit of fun, then absolutely go on the dating apps, but I think it's really hard to find someone and have a meaningful relationship on them now.' Is that what people are looking for, meaningful relationships? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sophie Gravia and Christine McGuinness talk relationships and love in their brand-new BBC podcast, Situationships with Sophie and Christine. | John Devlin 'I think people are looking for companionship, someone to share similar interests. And loyalty is a big one, especially in today's world of dating apps. I think it's even harder to trust someone, especially on social media. You've got so much access into people's lives and they're portraying a perfect lifestyle on instagram, editing pictures, they don't look the same. It's really easy to click and get carried along with this ideal version of someone. I think the internet has really broken relationships in a way.' Never mind, Situationships is here to fix things… 'I don't know if we're here to fix it,' she laughs. 'But we're here to vent and chat about it. A lot of people are embarrassed to talk about dating online or dating in general, and I think that stigma is dying down, and it's totally acceptable to go on dating apps. 'We're here to chat about it. No judgement, and to have a laugh with it as well.' The Dicktionary Club by Sophie Gravia is out now in paperback (£9.99, Zaffre) and available in eBook and Audio. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Situationships with Sophie and Christine, Episodes 1 and 2 now and new episodes every Thursday on BBC Sounds at 6am, BBC iPlayer at 6pm. Watch on iPlayer - Listen on Sounds -
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tens of thousands of fans devour my erotic fiction...but I don't want mum and dad reading it!
Many thousands of people have read her raunchy fiction as it took the literary world by storm. But two people who haven't read Sophie Gravia's best selling books are her parents – after she banned them from doing so. The author, whose titles include A Glasgow Kiss and Hot Girl Summer, said: 'I don't allow my mum and dad to read the books. 'They are so proud and they tell everyone about the books, but I am like: 'Please, do not read them.'' It was during the pandemic that the nurse, from Bellshill in Lanarkshire, self-published her debut novel online. 'Literally overnight it was number one on the Amazon charts. It just completely blew up,' she said. And this week she released her fifth book, The Dicktionary Club, based on the real-life phenomenon where women meet in groups on social media to discuss whether they are dating the same man. Ms Gravia, a renal nurse for ten years, is currently on a career break but plans to return to the profession. During the pandemic the mother-of-two had to attend mandatory wellness sessions designed to offer a release from the pressures of the health crisis. Ms Gravia, 33, told BBC Scotland: 'Everyone else had all these great things they were doing in their spare time, while I was using it to lie on the couch watching Netflix most nights. 'Then I said to myself 'look, let's get a grip here', and I started writing. 'I never thought I was good enough at it, but wanted to do something for myself.' It would lead to A Glasgow Kiss, about trainee nurse Zara Smith's dating escapades. She said: 'I just took the worst dating stories I had heard from my friends and the girls in the staffroom. There are a couple of my own in there too.' It is now being made into a TV series by BBC Studios. Ms Gravia's literary success comes amid a long-time love of writing. As a teenager she considered a career in journalism but ended up following her parents into nursing.
Daily Record
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'Please, do not read them' Scots author won't let her parents read her erotic novels
Sophie Gravia has built a career writing about the messy, complicated, and often hilarious reality of dating in the modern world. bestselling Scots author has told how she won't let her parents read her erotic novels despite all her success. Sophie Gravia has built a career writing about the messy, complicated, and often hilarious reality of dating in the modern world but despite her openness she draws the line in letting her family take a peak at her written work. The nurse from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, penned her first self-published book, A Glasgow Kiss, in 2020 during the pandemic and it has sold more than half a million copies. The novel, which follows Glasgow nurse Zara through a series of dating disasters, is set to be turned into a BBC TV series after its success. It has also prompted follow-up books, Hot Girl Summer and The Dicktionary Club. However, the mum-of-two remains shy when it comes to her family. "I don't allow my mum and dad to read the books," she joked. "They are so proud and they tell everyone about the books, but I am like: 'please, do not read them!' "The dating scene has changed so much since my parents' time. They met when they were 15 at the dancing. To think now people would be with someone they met when they were 15 just sounds crazy. "With today's dating apps people just jump straight in, and its sometimes even weird to meet someone for a coffee because they want to go straight to the bedroom." Sophie, 32, whose real surname is Grant, used the names of her children Olivia and Grace to create pen name Gravia. She began writing raunchy blogs between shifts, which she later self-published as a novel before securing a four-book deal with major publisher Orion Books. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Now the writer has landed a new gig with the BBC, co-hosting a podcast all about 'situationships' – the not-quite relationships that are defining love and confusion in the era of dating apps and unread DMs. "It's usually the phase where people are chatting before making a commitment," Sophie told the BBC. "You are not quite dating, not going out with them, but there is something happening, usually in the DMs (direct messages) on apps. "I feel in the dating game now there can be so many different situationships - sometimes with multiple people - which can be a big problem." The weekly podcast will see Sophie joined by fellow mum and TV personality Christine McGuinness, who she encouraged to audition for the role after the pair hit it off through their shared management agency. 'We just clicked,' Sophie said. 'Christine is absolutely crazy fun. We get on so well." While Sophie has spent years navigating the world of modern romance, Christine is still finding her feet after her 11-year marriage to TV host Paddy McGuinness ended in 2022. "I feel like the two of us really get it and have so much in common, but sometimes we have a different opinion on things," Sophie added. "I'm probably quite harsh when it comes to 'what do you think of this relationship?" I'm like 'naw, get rid', while Christine is 'oh, but wait a minute'. It's a nice dynamic. It's just like a normal girls' chat and it's nice to do it with my friend."
Glasgow Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Sophie Gravia to appear at book swap event in Glasgow
Fresh from launching a new BBC Sounds podcast with Christine McGuinness, she will appear at Saints of Ingram in Glasgow on Sunday, August 17. Hosted by Bookface, the event runs from 3pm until 6pm and will feature fizz, conversation, and an array of books. Tickets for the event featuring Gravia are available for £20 on Eventbrite. A key highlight of the day will be a 45-minute conversation with the author, where she will discuss her latest novel, The Dicktionary Club, and her venture into podcasting. Attendees will not only have the opportunity to engage with the author but also to purchase signed copies of her new book. Gravia, who is also an NHS nurse and a single mother-of-two, shot to fame during the lockdown with her debut novel, A Glasgow Kiss, which started as a blog with stories about online dating. It quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller. Following that success, Gravia has penned several other books, continuing her trademark blend of humour, honesty, and fearless female leads. Bookface events, which bring together bestselling authors and passionate readers, have included guests such as Alan Parks, John Niven, and Val McDermid. The new podcast Situationships with Sophie and Christine is available from June 19 on BBC Sounds.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sophie Gravia and Christine McGuinness talk relationships in new BBC podcast
Christine McGuinness has announced a brand-new "judgement-free" podcast talking all things love and relationships alongside award-winning writer Sophie Gravia, which has been commissioned for BBC Sounds. Christine said: 'I am so excited to be hosting this podcast with Sophie. It'll be real, raw and, most importantly, judgement-free. We'll be chatting all things love, relationships, and everything in between.' Award winning writer Sophie Gravia, known for her hilarious, sexy and brutally honest novels, and TV personality, model and fellow best-selling author, Christine McGuinness, are coming together to host a brand-new podcast, Situationships with Sophie and Christine, commissioned by BBC Scotland for BBC Sounds. Each week, audiences will be taken on a rollercoaster ride of funny, bizarre and downright weird stories of when relationships take an unexpected turn. The podcast will see the duo delve into listeners' dating dilemmas, relationship revelations and situationship struggles. As well as offering judgement-free advice, Sophie and Christine will give a glimpse into their own lives and situationships as they juggle the pressures of dating, parenting and their careers. The Bolton News previously reported that Christine McGuiness quit Celebs Go Dating after revealing that she is "not ready" to date in the public eye. The media personality, who was previously married to Bolton TV presenter Paddy McGuinness, announced that she originally "joined Celebs Go Dating with great intentions" but soon realised that dating on such a public platform is "too soon". Situationships with Sophie and Christine will be fully visualised and available on BBC Sounds, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer from 19 June. READ MORE: Heather Kane Darling, Commissioning Editor BBC Scotland, says: 'We are delighted to be bringing this brand-new podcast to audiences across the UK. Sophie and Christine are the perfect duo to take audiences through the highs and lows of relationships and dating. Everyone's welcome in Club Situationships!' Word-of-mouth sensation Sophie has never shied away from the messy, hilarious realities of modern relationships. Raised just outside Glasgow, Sophie began sharing her unfiltered dating adventures in her twenties while working as an NHS nurse. Her blog, Sex in the Glasgow City, quickly became a cult hit, striking a chord with readers across the UK. Riding the wave of her blog's success, Sophie's debut novel A Glasgow Kiss soared straight to number one in the erotic fiction charts. Now, five years on and over quarter of a million book sales later, she's gearing up to release her fifth novel, The Dicktionary Club. Juggling her writing career with life as a single mum, a full-time NHS nurse, and the occasional situationship of her own, Sophie has become the ultimate go-to confidante for fans and friends alike. Honest, relatable, and always hilarious, she continues to turn life's dating disasters into literary gold. Sophie says: 'Fronting this podcast alongside Christine is an absolute dream. Just like a girls' night in, no topic is off limits, and we will be diving headfirst into the comedy, chaos and sometimes downright cringe of dating. I cannot wait to chat through our own outrageous stories together and of course hear the dating dilemmas sent in by listeners.' Blackpool-born Christine McGuiness wears many hats as a TV personality, model and author. Recently fronting her own BBC One documentary Unmasking My Autism, Christine has been raw and honest about her own experiences, passionately advocating for positive representation of autistic women in the media. While navigating her busy career, parenting and dating life, Christine will give an exclusive insight into her own personal life and offer her own advice to listeners. Listen to Situationships with Sophie and Christine on BBC Sounds from Thursday 19 June
