Dame Jacqueline Wilson is presently touring to promote her latest literary offering, 'Picture Imperfect,' which serves as a follow-up to her 1999 work 'The Illustrated Mum'.

During her Manchester appearance, she engaged in discussion with Dani Harmer, widely recognised for portraying Tracy Beaker in the television series bearing the same title, where she explored how she becomes "possessed" by her characters while crafting their stories, alongside the extensive research she undertakes before developing characters and fresh narratives.

Wilson's most recent publication unfolds through Dolphin's viewpoint, mirroring 'The Illustrated Mum', though this time Dol has reached 33 years of age.

Her elder sister Star has established herself as a medical professional, while Dol has carved out a career as a tattoo artist, serving almost as a tribute to her mother Marigold.

Marigold has now entered her 50s, with Dol sensing she's been unable to concentrate properly on her personal journey due to her mother's struggles, and this latest work delves into these family dynamics and the sacrifices we make for our loved ones.

During her appearance at Manchester's HOME Theatre (August 26), Jacqueline Wilson addressed Marigold's tattoos and discussed her enduring friendship with Nick Sharratt.

Naturally, devoted followers of Jacqueline Wilson will have noticed that Nick Sharratt no longer provides illustrations for Jacqueline's publications, with her two adult novels having completely abandoned character-focused artwork.

She revealed that during the pandemic, everyone had to "please themselves" and look after their own well-being and livelihoods, which led to a shift in Nick's priorities.

Also she expressed her devastation but acknowledged his need to concentrate on his personal projects, including his aspiration to illustrate his own children's books, despite their 30-year collaboration.

Jacqueline Wilson's books are now illustrated by Rachael Dean, who Jacqueline praised as "equally talented".

However, she conceived an idea "on the spot" at the event, hinting at a potential reunion between our childhood favourites.

In 'Picture Imperfect,' Jacqueline Wilson meticulously describes some of the tattoos Dol has designed for people - including dragon tattoos for those readers deeply immersed in their romantasy eras.

For those with sharp memories, 'The Illustrated Mum' actually featured an illustration of Marigold and all her tattoos towards the end of the book, drawn by Nick Sharratt.

This inspired Jacqueline Wilson to have the brilliant idea of commissioning Nick Sharratt to design some of the new tattoos she described through Dolphin in her latest novel.

We would be thrilled to see that, and can only envision how much justice Nick would do to the tattoos.