KATHY Lette has never been to Swindon before – but she reckons she will meet plenty of earthy, funny, frank and fabulous women when she visits on Friday, for her Girls Night Out.

“I landed slap-bang in the centre of literati in London when I arrived from Australia,” she recalls. “I looked up so many noses! But then I got out of London.”

The Australian-born author, screenwriter and journalist said that, thankfully, she did find some more appealing folk on her travels to Manchester, London, Cardiff – and soon Swindon. She realised Britain had plenty of witty women and wonderful people – just like Australia.

This is her debut live show, and a chance for Kathy to share intimate details of her varied and multi-coloured personal, social and professional lives.

The author of a host of successful novels, such as How to Kill Your Husband and Other Handy Household Hints, Foetal Attraction and Nip’n’Tuck, Kathy has written a show described as a psychological strip tease taking us from Puberty Blues to Menopause Blues, with tales of love, lust, men, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, mastitis, sexist bosses, teenage-daughter-wrangling, ageing, toy boys and more.

She will also be talking poignantly about the trials and tribulations, as well as the hilarity, of raising a child on the autistic spectrum – from the times her son Jules came home from school with a sign sticky-taped to his back saying 'Kick me I’m a retard' to his success playing Jason on BBC’s Holby City.

Kathy talks up just how much women support each other and says she has multi-generational audiences with daughters, mothers and grandmothers all coming along to her show.

“Laughter is really good for you," she says.

"Biologists say it’s good for our health and boosts the immune system.

"Apparently women laugh more than men, especially when in all female groups. A girls’ night out is a good way of bonding and letting off steam. I have male friends who are very funny; they tend to tell set jokes, and women together are confessional and candid.”

Her new book, Best Laid Plans, draws on her own experiences to tell the story of a mother who wants to help launch her son in life and romance. She says it will ring bells for anyone navigating that dicey time of parenting when their children start to have a sex life.

“I write books I wished I’d had when I was going through a particular stage of my life – so they are like handbooks for other women coming up behind me,” she explains.

Despite her candour, Kathy avoided talking about her experience of raising a child with autism until her son was 21 and able to give his approval.

“With his permission, I started talking about it,” she said.

Kathy’s show starts off with the funny stuff, then moves into this more personal realm, then ends up with humour again – just like so many girls’ nights out.

“The good thing about meeting my readers and fans is that they’re so witty and warm and welcoming: they bring me amusing anecdotes they’ve been saving up like little conversational doggy bags. We hug and often end up in the bar,” she says.

And before she says goodbye, Kathy asks for some tips on interesting places to visit in Swindon – and she promises to report back on her first impressions.

The show kicks off at 7.30pm on Friday (15) at the Arts Centre in Devizes Road. Tickets are £18.50 with concessions for Friends. To book, call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk