Shania Twain is back

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country singer Shania Twain is feeling like a woman again, returning to the spotlight with a new man by her side after her marriage broke up last year.

Twain, 44, separated from her husband of 14 years, record producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, just over a year ago after he had an affair, ending a highly lucrative partnership in which Lange produced the Canadian star's three blockbuster albums.

But after largely disappearing from the public eye for a year, Twain is back, set to appear as a guest judge on television singing contest "American Idol" during auditions this week.

In a letter addressed to fans on her website, which is accompanied by a video, Twain said she spent the past year traveling, reading, sharing time with her son 8-year-old Eja, and "concentrating on moving on and forward."

"I hit a very big bump in the road," said Twain, whose marriage broke down after her husband was reported to be having an affair with longtime secretary and manager of the couple's Swiss chateau, Marie-Anne Thiebaud.

Twain said she has now made a point of surrounding herself with loving people whom she could trust, referring particularly to a man called "Fred" described as a constant companion who understood her pain as his own family had split up under "the same extreme circumstances."

Her companion is Frederic Thiebaud, the husband of Marie-Anne Thiebaud.

"We leaned on one another through the ups and downs, taking turns holding each other up. We've become stronger and closer through it all, as have our children Eja and Johanna (Fred's 8-year-old daughter)," said Twain.

"When I reflect on it all, it's clear how remarkably active my life has been since last December -- a time in the life of someone working hard to "move on" and succeeding."

Twain made no mention of when she would be out with some new music.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)