Nesta Wyn Ellis is an established British author and a celebrity, the subject of tens of TV shows about her books and ideas and of several documentaries about her life; the subject of news stories, features, profiles and lifestyle articles and chat show appearances. Her book ‘ Britain’s Top 100 Eligible Bachelors’ following her international best seller ‘John Major’ brought her frequently to the small screen on studio shows and documentaries. During the 1990’s in London she added to her front of camera and stage experience performing many of her own songs at cocktail and dinner concerts, which she produced and directed.
Known mainly as a sometimes controversial author and journalist, and parliamentary candidate for Westminster and Europe, she turned to song writing and singing after an accident, launching her musical career at London’s Pizza on the Park, sponsored by Camelot, where a notable contralto voice and a program of her own ballads drew audiences to further appearances at prime venues.
In 1999, sponsored by Virgin Trains Scotland she produced, directed, wrote/composed songs, and performed them with French standards in an eight night all French show, ‘Saison’s d’Amour’ at the Edinburgh Festival for which she also designed the set and created the costumes. She produced and performed an album of her own compositions in English, ‘Experience of Love’ sponsored by Camelot and later of French songs including some of her own compositions including the title song of her film “Trois Jours En Septembre”.
In 2000 she moved to Paris and performed the one and a half hour show there. While living in Paris from 2000 to 2013 she sang French chansons at cafe concerts, several of which were recorded for British and Welsh language TV documentaries about her life in the French capital. In Paris she played small roles in a number of French films, notably ‘Venus Noire’ directed by Palm d’Or winning Abdellatif Kechiche and Oscar nominated ‘Coco Before Chanel’ written and directed by Anne Fontaine.
In 2005, also in Paris, she starred and sang one of her songs (Tes Yeux) in an award short film, by Beatriz Ciliberto, a Venezuelan director, Bolsas de Huesos y Recuerdos. (see Imdb credit for composer and a link below for a video performance of the song in the film).
She will direct the film ‘Three Days in September’ which she has written and will co-produce. The film, the story of a singer who follows her lover to Paris, includes some of her ballads and jazz compositions.
In 2007 capitalizing on three decades of experience in front of the camera working with British TV companies, and her experience in live music production and of several years performing or working in film in Paris, Nesta launched Paris Production Services, a service to production companies from outside France.
See www.parisproductionservices.com
She is author of seven books:
1. “THE BANKER’S DAUGHTER,” a best selling novel set in London and Miami against a background of politics, banking and crime. This fast paced psychological thriller/love story was described as having “the glitz of the novels of Dominic Dunne combined with the story telling skills of Jeffrey Archer.”
2. Her famous and much quoted biography, “JOHN MAJOR,” the best selling “life” of the then British Prime Minister. Much praised for its psychological bulls eyes.
3. “BRITAIN’S 100 ELIGIBLE BACHELORS,” described as “the ultimate gold digger’s guide” to marriageable men. Nesta’s sharp biographical sketches of well known men excited media attention: her ‘who’s what’ in sex power and money terms became the source for a tidal wave of TV shows
4. “DEAR ELECTOR, THE TRUTH ABOUT MP’s” her first book, and an entertaining and human story of the trials and temptations of politics, much praised for its accurate portrayal of Parliamentary life, was founded on her own experience as a Parliamentary candidate.
5. “THE MARQUESS OF BATH, LORD OF LOVE. Reviewers praised this, her most recent biography of a psychologically complex celebrity as “a brilliant book.”
6. “A LOVE IS LIKE A DAY” a short novel in stream of consciousness style set on a beach where past and present images mingle and carry the story into the exploration of an ideal “alchemical” love.
7 “THE MISTRESS,” a risky detective story that unveils behind the scenes power manipulations is a light hearted thriller that spreads its net across the globe from Bali to Washington DC, from New York to South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia and Azerbaijan, linking the worlds of media, modelling, commodity market fixing, insider politics and sexual favours.
8. “THREE DAYS IN SEPTEMBER” The novel of the story that started out as an original screenplay. The present day story of Annette, a young singer who follows her love, Christian to Paris where she encounters another love, Jerome who provokes memories of another time when the three were dramatically and tragically involved. The past story must be resolved in the present and pivotal events are understood through a series of flashbacks and deep memories in coma, of her life as Anna, a young German ballerina and diplomat’s bride. The marriage is tragically ruined on her wedding day in 1939 and is followed by her accidental death in Paris as World War II begins.
Nesta’s books are now available as Kindle editions as well as in hard cover and paperback. See https://www.amazon.com/author/nestawynellis
Nesta’s Backstory Summary
Nesta began writing as a journalist writing from Africa about political and human rights issues in THE GUARDIAN to which she contributed for several years. Her activities in politics including several contests for Westminster and European Parliamentary seats fuelled her journalism. She was for five years the political correspondent for HARPERS AND QUEEN, a contributor of humorous reportage to PUNCH, and political commentary for THE TIMES, and THE DAILY TELEGRAPH. Her psychologically revealing profiles of the internationally famous appeared in the colour magazines of THE SUNDAY TIMES, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE SUNDAY MIRROR, THE PEOPLE, THE MAIL ON SUNDAY, WOMAN’S JOURNAL. Her work is syndicated world-wide.
She has turned to screen writing with an adaptation of THE BANKER’S DAUGHTER and a new story, THREE DAYS IN SEPTEMBER, set in mainly Paris where she lived for thirteen years.
In Paris she developed her powerful talent as a singer, lyricist and composer, performing in solo concert under the name YZABEL, La Sirène de Paris, often referred to by Parisians simply as “La Sirène”. She starred in an award winning short film by a young Venezuelan director about a tragic singer, Bolsa des Huesos y Recuerdos and composed a song which she performed in her role.
Her English and French albums include “Experience of Love” and “Les Rivages de Paradis.” Albums of her latest English and French songs will be marketed with Three Days In September with both anglophone and francophone distribution.
Before Paris, Nesta has also lived in Africa where she began her career in national and international journalism writing on human rights and interviewing prominent individuals, and the US where she was married to a prominent Washingtonian.