FORMER Smiths frontman Morrissey is "mid-way" through writing a novel after the success of his memoirs, which topped the best-seller charts last year.

The singer took part in a question-and-answer session on a fan website called True To You and also revealed that he came close to recording a duet with David Bowie.

Morrissey's memoir, called Autobiography and published by Penguin ­Classics, outsold the latest Bridget Jones novel to top the charts in its first week.

The book saw the famously private chart star disclose details of how his first relationship with a man came in his 30s and grumble about the injustices of a court case concerning the royalties from his former band.

He told fans that one reason he had turned to fiction was because "radio stations will not play my music" and "the majority of people have lost faith in the music industry".

Talking about his potential duet with Bowie, he said: "When I made the record Ringleader Of The Tormentors, the producer (Tony Visconti), who is a very close friend of David Bowie, tried to get both Bowie and I together to do our version of You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', with David doing the deep Bill Medley parts, and me doing the Bobby Hatfield shrieks. I loved this idea, but David wouldn't budge."