The Literary Sofa
Isabel Costello
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
Publication News – SCENT, spring 2021
For those who haven’t heard, I’m thrilled to return to the Sofa with the news that my second novel Scent will be released by independent publisher Muswell Press in spring 2021 – and for those who do know, here’s a bit more about it. Yesterday was such an exciting and emotional day when the acquisition … Continue reading
My Books of 2019 – Fiction
Picking my books of the year is an exercise I love but it’s also a slightly weird one when I spend all year recommending titles I’ve really rated and enjoyed here on the Sofa. They’re all excellent in their own way but those below are the ones which really wowed and touched me on a … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Dominic Brownlow on The Fens
This week I am very excited to be hosting Dominic Brownlow and his outstanding literary debut The Naseby Horses, set in his native Fenland in eastern England. Whist his novel centres on the extremely well-travelled premise of a missing person (the teenage protagonist’s twin sister), the result is truly something else. It has various thematic … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Helen Young on Bogotá, Colombia
In the first half of this year I hosted fewer Writers on Location posts than usual but we’re making up for that now with Linda Mannheim’s American “Happy Valley” last week and today’s guided tour of Colombia’s capital city in the company of Helen Young (and another next week, see postscript). Helen’s second novel Breakfast … Continue reading
My Novel – Now out in paperback
