A TYPICAL book club might usually meet in a community hall or living room, with members recommending titles to one another or friends or family. But the influence of one book club, and its creator, has the power to shape bestseller lists, and make or break authors.

Amanda Ross, who is originally from Pitsea, is the brains behind the Richard and Judy Book Club, which airs on Wednesday afternoons on Channel 4.

The 44-year-old, who set up programme makers Cactus Television in 1994, has even been named in a recent Observer poll as the most powerful person in publishing.

The Book Club, which recommends 18 titles each year, has helped to create 12 million selling authors. Two celebrities first discuss the books on the show with Richard and Judy, and then a book club, somewhere in the country, talks about it in a short film.

Amanda said: "It's empowering for people, and not just celebrities, to give their opinions on the books too." Viewers vote for their favourite book over a period of ten weeks and then an overall winner is decided. She said: "The Book Club has become an instant hit since it started five years ago. The result is that the winner becomes an instant best seller. The worst selling book we ever had on the show sold 175,000 copies." The Star of the Sea, by Joseph O'Connor, was the second book to feature on the Book Club, and the following week its sales shot up, catapulting it from number 337 to number one in the UK bestseller chart. About 800 books are submitted by publishers, which are whittled down to the final ten by a team of five researchers and Mrs Ross. She said: "The books are a snapshot of publishing. They are all completely different and not for everyone, but ones we think people should have a look at. "We also try to look for new authors." Amanda grew up in Pitsea, and attended Chaveldon School, before moving to Canvey. She then attended Seevic College, in Thundersley, before going to University in Birmingingham. She admits her love for books didn't stem from her childhood.

She said: "We didn't really have any books in the house. I think an encyclopaedia and a medial dictionary was about it really."

Amanda, together with her husband, Simon, 48, run Cactus Television, based in London. The company produce programmes such as Saturday Kitchen, with James Martin, which attracts about two million viewers to BBC 1 on Saturday mornings. Mrs Ross added: "The book club is a sideline for me, but we are looking to continue it into the future. "I think the publishing industry would be upset if we didn't. It seems we have filled a gap in the market." And her view about being named the most powerful woman in publishing?

She said: "I think it's hysterical because it's not even my industry."