For Lucinda Price – known to her fans simply as Froomes – comedy is more than just a quick punchline; it’s a shared understanding, a way of seeing the world through a playful, knowing lens. As a writer, radio host, and internet favourite, Froomes brings a blend of sharp wit and infectious charisma to everything she does, weaving humour and honesty into a voice that resonates with many. It’s this unique blend of vulnerability and levity that has made her a beloved figure on Australia’s cultural scene, from her candid radio segments to her viral social media moments.

Her debut memoir, All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot, dives deep into her raw, personal journey – confronting the realities of living with an eating disorder and the often-toxic chase for beauty in the digital age. It’s more than just a series of stories; it’s an open dialogue on the pressures of self-worth, body image, and our collective fixation on appearance. Following its success as a number one bestseller, we speak with Price to uncover the moments of inspiration behind her writing. We also ask if there’s a second book on the horizon, and in getting to know her better, find out who her favourite living author is. Although she’s an avid reader now, Price admits that her childhood favourite wasn’t a book at all, but the TV remote – tuned to Channel 10, ready to watch her beloved The Simpsons.

Below, we speak with Lucinda Price aka Froomes, about the inspirations behind her book, the surprising challenges of writing, and what “being hot” means to her now.

The moment or experience that inspired me to write All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot was…

When I wrote the original newsletter sharing my experience of an eating disorder. I had only ever really told my family and closest friends what I was experiencing. I never thought it would be something that I would share more widely because I was still in the midst of it. Something overcame me one day though, and I thought, I really want to share this. I think this is something that I’ll get a lot out of airing, and maybe someone reading it will feel the same. It was a very liberating experience, if I could go so far as to say!

My biggest surprise or challenge I encountered while working on this project…

Was getting out of my own way. I really enjoyed the physical work of writing. When I could sit down at my desk, uninterrupted, and craft the stories that made the book, I was in heaven. The difficulty was self-doubt – worrying that I was being self-indulgent or boring. I often had to forcibly put that to the side and just crack on. Reminding myself that the only person seeing the first draft was an editor I trusted helped curtail that concern.

If I were to write a second book it would be about…

I don’t know, but I do know that I will definitely want to write another. It was a deeply rewarding experience. I say that I’d like to do a fiction book because of the unbound creativity a project like that can provide, but then I look at non-fiction writers like David Sedaris and realise that reality can sometimes be stranger than fiction.

Today to me, “being hot” means …

Going out in an outfit I really like, talking to people and enjoying myself. I think there’s a misconception that recovering from an eating disorder means you have to fully accept your body the way it is. For me it’s more about accepting my mind rather than my body.

A piece of advice from the book that I would give my 20-year-old self today is…

That everything can be spun positively. My Mum always says to me, after I’ve been so worried about something, that “everything works out in the end”. It’s a really nice way of looking at things, even if a little delusional. I find it helpful to reframe everything as ultimately good because it takes the sting out of rejections and makes good experiences feel even more cosmic.

I choose this book title because…

I wanted to be honest. It is an honest admission, ultimately. I was concerned initially because I thought it made me seem so vain and morally bankrupt. Everyone I told the prospective title to though loved it. It’s more relatable than I realised at the time. You only really need to log onto instagram to get the vibe that everyone else is concerned with being hot, too. I guess my posturing as a young woman was more on the extreme end of things.

When it comes to unpacking insecurities, if I was to describe the role of humour in self-healing…

Humour and laughing is just shared understanding. Humour was important in the book because I wrote it the way I speak and the way I look at the world, which is almost always from a place of finding things funny.

The last book I read …

I’m currently reading my first ever Sally Rooney novel! But then at the same time I started listening to Otherworld, a podcast about supernatural stories, so that’s taken over my attention for the time being.What I’ve read so far of ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’ is really enjoyable. I like her dedication to the minutia of a certain kind of life.

On my bedside table: I am currently reading …

I’ve got a massive stack on my bedside table, mostly for show. But on that pile you’ll see Hannah Ferguson’s latest book, Taboo. Sunbathing, a novel by Isobel Beech. Helen Garner’s Everywhere I Look. Emily Ratajkowski’s My Body (she has such a strong storytelling voice it really shone through). And finally Your Own Kind Of Girl, a non-fiction book by Australian musician and multi-hyphenate, Claire Bowditch. It’s an old favourite of mine – her voice is lyrical but real.

My favourite book of all time …

God, I wish I had one. I wasn’t a book worm as a kid so I don’t have that one pivotal novel or book that changed everything for me. I will say that David Sedaris’ books are the kind I could keep coming back to. Namely, Calypso.

The literary character I most identify with is …

If I enjoy a novel, it’s because I identify with the protagonist in some way. That’s the beauty of well-done fiction – it’s a portal for a reader to see a part of themselves in someone else.

The book that changed my life is …

Hunger, a memoir by Roxane Gay. I read it back in 2017 and it was gut-wrenching in a lot of ways but gave me that aforementioned gift of seeing something so vivid through someone else’s eyes. She is another one of my favourite ever writers.

The best book I ever received is…

Can I tell you the worst? My old housemates, as a gag, gave me a book called A Girl’s Guide To Personal Hygiene for Christmas back in 2019. It’s a comedy book but I was so up in my own head at the time that it convinced me I had a serious hygiene issue. Cue spiral!

The book I would give as a gift is …

Always a coffee table book. I think giving a novel or a non-fiction book is really personal, so I’d only really do that if I knew someone loved a particular author who had a new book out. I love coffee table books, they’re a treat to have and they’re also a treat to buy and wrap.

Growing up, the best book on my bookshelf was …

Not a book but rather a remote to click Channel 10 on, to watch The Simpsons.

My biggest role model is….

All the people in my life who are generous. I wouldn’t say I’m a naturally generous person so I learn a lot from people who are generous, financially, emotionally and with their time and attention. I think attention is something so valuable – again, my Mum has said to me, “all kids really want is attention.” I think the same is true of adults.

My favourite living author is …

David Sedaris! God I’m a broken record, I’m sorry. I would (and am) paying to see him talk live at the Opera House next year. He’s my rockstar.

A book everyone should read at least once is…

Something someone else in their life loves, or loved. I love reading something through someone else’s eyes… It makes me feel closer to them. It’s also a really sweet way to show someone that you value the way they think, and the things they like.