SOURCE: “Dear Diary … That Would Be Comic Novel Bridget Jones's Diary,” in Kansas City Star, June 10, 1999, p. E1.

In the following interview, Fielding discusses various aspects of her career.

5:15 p.m. Even though resolved NOT to imitate Bridget Jones diary entry (like every other journalist), cannot resist. Blimey! Am horribly uncreative. Is Helen Fielding ringing me up at 5:30 my time or 5:30 her time? Never can figure out bloody time differences. Plan to inquire about love life—but will ask at END of interview (v.v. smart, I think). Hope stupid tape recorder works. Aargh.

She's a single career woman living in the city who obsessively tracks her weight, exchanges flirty e-mails with a guy in the office, and has to put up with a meddling mother and “Smug Married” pals who are constantly trying to fix her up.

Recognize this woman?

It's Bridget Jones, actually, the unlucky-at-a-lot-of-things “Singleton...