The Literary Sofa
Isabel Costello
The Time We Had: 20 years later, I remember my Dad
My Dad died 20 years ago this week, on 14 October 1991, of a rare kidney cancer which can’t be diagnosed until it’s too late. He was 58. I was already considering writing something about him because of his anniversary, but it was the death last week of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple at the … Continue reading
Book Review: What I Did by Christopher Wakling
Chris Wakling must be sick of comparisons. His fifth novel, What I Did, is constantly being compared to Room (Emma Donoghue), The Slap (Christos Tsiolkas) and The Curious Incident.. (you know the one, by Mark Haddon). On the other hand, these are all huge bestsellers, which bodes well for his new book. I’ve read all the above, … Continue reading
Shoe Blues and other reasons to lose it in public
Do not be fooled by the girly picture, the subject of this post is aggression, or to be more precise, losing one’s temper in public. And no, this isn’t about me. I don’t do that kind of thing. My fear of conflict borders on the pathological. In true British style, I like to keep it all … Continue reading
There’s no easy way to put food on the table….
Doing the weekly grocery shop online is a lifesaver for busy people. My local supermarket is a mere 10 minute drive from the house, but even so I never make it home in under two hours. Given that I write during the school day, let’s call that half a day wasted (including recovery time). Doing … Continue reading
Spontaneity is good
Welcome to my blog. A writer friend told me I should write one. OK, I said, but what about ? I deserved the look she gave me. That’s the beauty of blogging, the freedom to write about whatever you like when you like. There’s no need for a plan, a structure or a plot, and … Continue reading
My new novel SCENT – out in paperback on 19 May 2022
The Literary Sofa 