We welcome Francesca Simon to the #Alembikawomen family, here are her answers to our 5 questions…

What do (did) you do for work?
I write children’s books, and opera libretti.

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?
I almost always know what to do (unless I am driving and get lost, in which case I become a nervous wreck as I have no sense of direction.)

What would you do if you had the whole day for yourself?
I am freelance, and work from home, so I have a lot of autonomy. A whole day to myself is one I spend reading and playing the banjo.

What do you love most about being a woman?
I love dresses and enjoy fashion, and I think men don’t get enough chance to really have fun with clothes the way women do. The other best thing is being a mother, and having a connection to a child shared with billions of others, animals and humans.

What is the one piece of clothing you cannot live without?
I cannot live without leggings, which I wear with almost everything.