The Literary Sofa
Books
Book Review – Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
Literary tigermania shows no sign of abating. White Tiger, The Tiger’s Wife, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother… Like all of these, the latest addition to the string of Tiger-titled books, Tigers in Red Weather, has caused great excitement in the world of publishing, with hotly contested auctions on both sides of the Atlantic netting … Continue reading
My Poolside TBR List 2012
I’ve been amazed at the interest in my Top 10 Summer Reads 2012 – 3,000 hits and counting! The thing is, I’ve already read them, so for my long-anticipated two weeks in the south of France, I needed to cast the net wider. Some of the titles below will be familiar, some new, and you … Continue reading
Book Review – The Lighthouse by Alison Moore
Less than 24 hours ago, an advance copy of The Lighthouse by Alison Moore dropped onto my doormat. I have read it. Writing a review wasn’t on my list of things to do today, but I’m going to do it anyway. I’m itching to discuss this book with someone and unfortunately that will have to … Continue reading
Book Review – Canada by Richard Ford
In my Book Review: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides I talked about the fear and apprehension that sometimes come with reading something new by a ‘Literary Giant’. I could very easily have included Richard Ford in my list – his status as a giant of American literature is beyond question – but it simply didn’t … Continue reading
Guest Author Interview – Harry Bingham on Writing Crime
Harry Bingham is the founder of Writers’ Workshop and the York Festival of Writing. He’s also the author of multiple works of fiction and non-fiction, including How To Write and Getting Published, so overall he has a unique overview of the world of books. His crime debut Talking To The Dead is the first in a trilogy featuring detective DC Fiona … Continue reading
Guest Author – Suzanne Joinson on the Challenges facing New Writers
I’m very pleased that Suzanne Joinson is visiting me On The Literary Sofa as part of her blog tour to mark the release of A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar. This is another of those titles which attracted a huge pre-publication buzz, but as Suzy explains, getting a book deal is just the beginning. Here’s the inside story… Publishing often … Continue reading
Online Book Reviews – The Good, the Bad and the Downright Nasty
I’m writing this piece from a slightly uncomfortable position on the fence that separates readers and writers. I am most definitely a reader, of 32 novels in the first half of this year to be precise, so if I keep it up I’ll easily smash last year’s record. I also think of myself as a … Continue reading
Book Review – The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
I’ve never posted a review on the day a novel is published before, but I’ve been excited about The Age of Miracles since I first heard about it last year and it’s one of my Fiction Hot Picks for 2012. 21 June is midsummer day, the longest day of the year and a fitting date for … Continue reading
Guest Author – Wendy Wallace on Being a Debut Novelist
Many thanks to Wendy Wallace, author of one of my Top 10 Summer Reads 2012 The Painted Bridge, for writing the first in a new series of Guest Author posts for my blog On the Literary Sofa. Wendy’s article gives a fascinating insight into what so many of us dream of – becoming a published debut … Continue reading
Taking No Prisoners – My View of Fifty Shades of Grey
Warning: This article makes reference to sexually explicit material. By the time I finished the first chapter of E L James’s Fifty Shades of Grey, two things were clear: everything I’d heard about the writing was true, and it wasn’t going to be a long read. One of these was regrettable, the other a blessed relief. I’m not … Continue reading
My new novel SCENT – out in paperback on 19 May 2022
The Literary Sofa 