A first time teenage authoress is hoping her debut book of celebrity secrets will become a bestseller.  And it’s all for charity. 

Julie Tanner, 13, approached more than 400 celebrities from the world of politics, entertainment and sport to see what inspired them. 

And the result is a book containing contributions from the late Pope John Paul II, Prime Minister Tony Blair, tennis legend John McEnroe and actor Hugh Grant, to name a few. 

The book is tipped to become a top Christmas seller and is already being advertised by bookshop giant WH Smith. 

Julie, who lies at Dale Hill, Kirby-le-Soken, says she is ‘surprised.’ 

Her book, 101 Reasons to Get Up in the Morning, is in aid of CRY, the charity that works to prevent sudden heart failure in the young, which kills 3,500 people each year in the UK, many while playing sport. 

She learnt about the condition at the age of five following the death of a friend, Frinton teenager Andy Gard, who died suddenly just before his 18^th birthday. 

"The book would help so many people and especially CRY families who have to cope with something so hard they think they might not manage it.  Just like Andy’s family had to after he died," said Julie, who runs the ‘Kids for CRY’ pages in the charity’s magazine. 

Julie, who went to St Philomena’s School, Frinton, and now attends Colchester County High School for Girls, set about writing to the celebrities more than a year ago. 

She got the addresses from patrons of CRY which include Ian Botham, friends of friends, and Who’s Who. 

More than 100 replied by the deadline and contributions are still coming in from celebrities as diverse as the late Sir John Mills to Jonny Wilkinson. 

If it proves popular, Julie said she may put together a second volume. 

Publishers Canterbury Press said she was "the youngest author we have published – by a long way." 

The book comes out in November.