The Literary Sofa
Guest Authors
Guest Author – Annemarie Neary on Fictional Orphans
This wasn’t supposed to be the final blog post before the summer break but it is (see Postscript for my excuse), and I can’t think of a better way to round up the season’s coverage of new fiction than to welcome Annemarie Neary back to the Sofa. Annemarie first joined me last year with a … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Jenny Ashcroft on recreating a Vanished Egypt
Today’s guest Jenny Ashcroft is an author I’ve wanted to feature on the Literary Sofa for ages and it’s wonderful that the moment has now come… Jenny and I met online a few years ago, when we read each other’s manuscripts prior to publication and got to know each other in real life. All writers … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Vanessa Lafaye on Key West, Florida
There was a really enthusiastic response to last week’s showcase of new fiction by The Prime Writers so on behalf of us all, many thanks to everyone who has shared it and shown their appreciation. An extra title out later this month has since been added, so it’s worth taking another look… Today I am … Continue reading
Guest Author – Kate Brown on Writing about Adolescence
After being acquainted on Twitter for some time, today’s guest Kate Brown and I first met last summer at the launch of our mutual friend Claire King’s novel Everything Love Is. The three of us have a lot in common, including close links with France which have led us to set novels there. Hearing film … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Terry Stiastny on Provence
I always enjoy my guests’ Writers on Location pieces whether I know the place or not – my love of certain books has actually inspired trips. But today’s Writers on Location piece from Terry Stiastny on Provence is one I’m particularly excited to host. The region holds an almost legendary appeal as a holiday destination, … Continue reading
Guest Author – Juliet West on Social Class in Fiction
As I mentioned in the introduction to my Summer Reads 2017, unintended patterns often appear when I am putting the selection together, even if the individual titles are completely different. This time round, there was a strong showing for adolescent characters and the coming-of-age theme, which is one of my favourites. That perspective is skilfully … Continue reading
Guest Author – Stephen May on Manhood
It’s a pleasure to welcome today’s guest Stephen May back to the Literary Sofa. I’m a big fan of his writing – Stronger than Skin is the third of his (four) novels to be featured here and one of the dozen excellent titles included in my Summer Reads selection. I’ll always be keen to read … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Elizabeth Hay on the Lake of Many Bays, Ontario
After a burst of activity I have finalized the guest line-up for June and July and next week it’s the Summer 2017 Sofa Spotlight – a full dozen titles as in previous years (so much for my intention to scale back by doing it quarterly). I am honoured that so many incredible writers contribute to … Continue reading
Guest Author – Rachel Rhys on writing a community of strangers
It was back in 2011 that I first met today’s guest Rachel Rhys/Tammy Cohen, a fellow north London writer, just as she was about to branch out from journalism into fiction with her first novel The Mistress’s Revenge. Tammy got in ahead of the huge and unabating domestic noir and psychological thriller craze, setting the bar … Continue reading
Guest Author – Addison Jones on setting her novel in Post-war California
I guess most writers have a couple of soapbox issues which are just as relevant in their capacity as readers. One of mine is the trivialisation of writing about love, especially of books by women. Last summer I wrote this article rebutting those attitudes – it really wasn’t hard to do – and defending love … Continue reading
My new novel SCENT – out in paperback on 19 May 2022
The Literary Sofa 