The Literary Sofa
Isabel Costello
Back on the Sofa
This is just a quick hello and update as you haven’t heard from me in a while and it’s lovely that the blog is still getting readers and new followers despite my absence. I hope you are coping OK in these times of fear, frustration and rage, and for many, terrible hardship and sadness. It’s … Continue reading
Guest Author – Anna Vaught on How a chance sighting of a photograph led to a life-changing adventure
One way and another it’s taking longer than expected to complete the Spring Spotlight guest season but as you’re about to see, it’s worth the wait. My contribution is going to be no-frills as I spent all of last week in bed with suspected Covid-19 and am under orders to ‘take it very easy’. (Despite … Continue reading
Guest Author – Nicola White on Writing the 1980s
Hello! I hope you are staying safe and finding ways to cope with the exceptionally challenging situation we are all living through. I’m going to keep my promise not to dwell on it here as I can vouch for the psychological benefits of at least trying to think about something else. To my great relief, … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Felicia Nay on Hong Kong
It’s really heartening to see the Spring Spotlight guest author series get a good reception, especially at a time when those with new books coming out need all the support we can give. Thanks to all of you for reading, to Eleni Kyriacou for her post on 1950s Soho and Hannah Persaud for last week’s … Continue reading
Guest Author – Hannah Persaud on Writing about an unconventional marriage
The Spring Sofa Spotlight guest programme got off to a great start last week with Eleni Kyriacou’s atmospheric Writers on Location on 1950s Soho – thanks to everyone continuing to read and appreciate what we are working together to bring you, despite everything going on ‘out there’. We’re all currently facing unbelievably stressful times but … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Eleni Kyriacou on 1950s West End, London
When I released the Spring Sofa Spotlight last week, commenting that books can bring comfort and refuge in troubled times, I had no idea how much worse things were about to get. But the principle stands, with many turning to the arts to help us through this scary and unprecedented (in our lifetime) crisis – … Continue reading
Spring 2020 Sofa Spotlight
Books can provide comfort and refuge in uncertain and anxious times, (even if the themes aren’t particularly escapist), which makes this a good moment to be bringing you my spring Sofa Spotlight. It features 8 brilliant new and forthcoming releases and will be followed by an exciting guest author line-up in which I get to … Continue reading
Too much information: blurbs, reviews and spoilers
As I mentioned at the start of the year, I’m taking a relaxed approach to the blog in the run-up to my Spring Spotlight on 11 March. At the moment top priority goes to a pitch for a project I can’t talk about and preparing material for a retreat I’m leading in a few weeks’ … Continue reading
Two books about three women
One of the scariest things about writing is realising that you have no say over how anyone interprets or receives your work – the reader encounters any narrative through the prism of their own knowledge, beliefs and life experience. Nothing has brought this home to me more than readers seeing all kinds of interesting things … Continue reading
My Books of 2019 – Non-fiction
I’m a bit behind in posting the second part of my Books of 2019 (Non-fiction) but I’m sure you’ll let me off – it was a considerably happier than usual first week back in January with the announcement of my new novel Scent. Again, many thanks to all who sent good wishes – the response … Continue reading
My Novel – Now out in paperback
