Jeanette Winterson – UK Author

The award-winning English writer, Jeanette Winterson became a hit after just her first book, “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,” which is a semi-autobiographical book. The novel follows a sensitive girl in her teenage years, who is rebelling against the conventional norms and values in her life.

Winterson, 57, has written many novels, focusing on everything from sexual identity to gender polarities. Furthermore, she is a professor of creative writing and a broadcaster in her free time.

Born in Manchester, but raised in Accrington, Lancashire and also in the Elim Pentecostal Church. At first, she intended to be a missionary with the church and began writing sermons and evangelizing at the young age of six years old. However, when she discovered that she was a lesbian, she left home and went to the Accrington and Rossendale College.

In her career, Winterson has taken home the Lambda Literary Award twice, which focuses on rewarding people dealing with LGBT issues. She was also named one of the 100 most inspiring and influential women by BBC in 2016. She stated that it is great to see girls living life in their own unique way without having to “marry the prince”.

The feminine name Jeanette is a variant of Jeannette, which is a diminutive of Jeanne. The given name Jeanne is the modern French version of Jehanne, which is the Old French female version of Iohannes (or John). Iohannes is the Latin form of the Greek name Ioannes that is taken from the Hebrew name Yochanan that means “Yahweh is gracious”.