Live webchat with India Knight, Monday 13th December -1 - 2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We're very happy that India Knight is joining us again for a live webchat on Monday lunchtime between 1 and 2pm. India needs no introduction to mumsnetters, who enjoyed a live chat with her back in summer 2007, when she discussed everything from Special Needs to Crocs. If you haven't already seen it, we've got an extract from India's new novel, Comfort and Joy, about families and Christmas, which Jilly Cooper says is "hilarious, bawdy yet touching" - bit like MN, then. Put the date in your diary for next Monday at 1pm or send in a question in advance to this thread.

@HarkTheHeraldEverything

oooo, I think India is marvellous! I'd like to know what she thinks about the Times paywall, and how she thinks content on the internet will be funded in future. Or are we going to just have fee content and suffer potentially lower quality.

I'm massively in favour. I know it requires a leap of imagination to pay for content when so much content is available free, but I love newspapers and I believe in them, and I believe that people should be paid for their work. And I don't want newspapers to die. Whole Q is very interesting - I don't have any answers, but it seems to me that paid content is the only way forward - for every news organisation, not just Evil Uncle Rupert's. (not evil, of course - one of sublime ironies of all this is that Evil Uncle Rupert may well be the one to save the entire industry).

@Maiakins

Hi India - I love your blog and your books, The Shops and Thrift. Agree with utterlyslutterly and The Bolter that an updated version of The Shops would be fab!

I loved the section on perfume/beauty ... a few years have gone by now ... what are your most used items in your make-up bag now? What are your must-have beauty items?

My children also adore that episode of Something Special with you and your DD at the theme park.

I'm very pared down these days - mineral foundation, Bobbi Brown e/s and lipstick (because hard to go wrong even if you're really cack-handed and putting it on in the dark), a brand from QVC called Alpha-H (hideous packaging, ergo cheap, but v effective). And the BabyLiss Big Hair thing, which has literally changed my hair life.

We loved doing SS.

@traceybath

Thanks for your replies India

Whats on your christmas list this year?

I really want a glitter ball, like in a disco, but no one believes me - they all go hahaha, what a silly idea. I pine for one.

@Pinkevie

Hi India,

If you had an unexpected bonus would you a) buy an ipad, b) buy the grey anya hindmarch handbag you'd been lusting over for a year or c) save it?

Eve x

An iPad - but there's supposedly a new one coming in the spring, so if you mind about that sort of thing I'd wait. Other hand, existing model so marvellous that so what, really.

I THINK I've replied to everyone - hard to see with all the scrolling. If I've missed you out, sorry and now's your chance...

Which other journalists/columnists are you a fan of? And which ones do you wish would just shut up?

Would you take part in a reality show? If so which one?

India
About the paywall - do you think it was done badly?

I agree in principle that newspapers cannot be free - for good writers deserve to be paid, not to mention the other staff involved in bringing a newspaper to the shelves, or to the screen.

Still, the thought of paying £100 a year for the Times Online - when I would only regulary read your column, Caitlin Moran and browse the other parts of the paper - it does put me off.

Probably because it is available free elsewhere, and I realise that this may not be the case forever.

I would like a kind of iTunes for newspapers, so that I could pick and choose the articles that I would like to read and pay a small charge for them. And not be stuck to reading one paper, I could read whichever one I fancied reading.

@jonicomelately

Re the botox. I said a few days ago it's either your face or your arse. We were discussing Dr Gillian McKeith and Nigella Lawson at the time

It is totally your face or your arse. And McKeith/Nigella - bring on the chocolate mousse.

Obviously, your column is not available free elsewhere. News reports are though.

Thanks India, yes am v tempted by the iPad thing - what do you mainly use yours for?
Would you use to read books on the tube for example or is that asking to be mugged?!

@BigFranny

Which other journalists/columnists are you a fan of? And which ones do you wish would just shut up?

Oh God, tons. I can't name the ones I wish would pipe down - though actually there aren't many: you just roll your eyes and turn the page. My absolutely favourite thing at the moment is Mrs Cameron's Diary in the Guardian, which is written by Catherine Bennett and which makes me snort with laughter. And Craig Brown in the Mail. And my friend Deborah Orr in the Guardian. And loads more.

@CeliaChristmasFate

Would you take part in a reality show? If so which one?

Never.

Do you ever hang out with Caitlin Moran and smoke fags and crack jokes?

@MmeLindt

India
About the paywall - do you think it was done badly?

I agree in principle that newspapers cannot be free - for good writers deserve to be paid, not to mention the other staff involved in bringing a newspaper to the shelves, or to the screen.

Still, the thought of paying £100 a year for the Times Online - when I would only regulary read your column, Caitlin Moran and browse the other parts of the paper - it does put me off.

Probably because it is available free elsewhere, and I realise that this may not be the case forever.

I would like a kind of iTunes for newspapers, so that I could pick and choose the articles that I would like to read and pay a small charge for them. And not be stuck to reading one paper, I could read whichever one I fancied reading.

I think it was done in the spirit of experiment, so obv there were a few glitches. I totally agree re the iTunes thing - what I'd like is a kind of newspaper/magazine playlist that you made yourself, so you could read X from the New Yorker, Y from the Times, Z from Vogue, A from The Beano, etc. It would be so great.

That brings us to the end of the hour - big thanks to India for joining us this lunchtime and answering so many questions. Fingers crossed you get your glitterball. Many thanks all who joined in the chat.

@FioFio

I am incredibly late but just wanted to say hello India. We love Nell on something special too My daughter is 11yo now sld and she appears to have realised that she has special needs similar to some children on something special and keeps asking me if she can go on there:o !

Hello, and thank you! And she probably could go on there if she wanted to - they're always looking for kids and the production team couldn't be nicer.

@AbsofCroissant

Do you ever hang out with Caitlin Moran and smoke fags and crack jokes?

It has been known.

I'm off to get my tree - thanks so much to everyone. Happy Christmas!

Merry Christmas

(SuePurblybiltbyElves here, thanks for the answers)

Boo hoo. She didn't notice meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

What a nice webchat, wish I had been here for it.

I have just misread "I'm off to get my tree - thanks so much to everyone." as

"I'm off to get OFF my tree - thanks so much to everyone."