The Literary Sofa
Debut Novels
Guest Author – Julie Owen Moylan on Women and Shame
A big thank you for the enthusiastic response to the first part of my Summer Reads selection last week. I’ve been doing this for over ten years and it’s fantastic to see people adding books I’ve raved about to their TBRs, especially ones they’d never heard of. That’s unlikely to be the case with the … Continue reading
Guest Author – Ethan Joella: How personal grief inspired a debut novel
Now it feels like spring is here to stay and I hope you’ve enjoyed some sunshine and time off over the holidays. Today I’m joined by fellow Muswell Press author Ethan Joella whose debut novel A Little Hope is about to be published in the UK following its success in the States. I hope we’ll … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Sophie Haydock on Vienna
It’s such a joy to be hosting Sophie Haydock on the day her stunning debut novel The Flames is published. The buzz surrounding this book about the four muses of renowned artist Egon Schiele has been building for months but I can honestly claim to have spent years in anticipation, ever since Sophie told me … Continue reading
Guest Author – Jon Ransom on Three Unspoken Words
Today I’m hosting the first guest post of 2022 and it’s a huge pleasure to welcome fellow Muswell Press author Jon Ransom whose debut novel The Whale Tattoo joins their superb LGBTQ list this week. I discovered Jon’s writing last autumn when we both had work included in the Queer Life, Queer Love anthology. His … Continue reading
Spring 2019 Reading Catch-up
It’s been bothering me for a long time that so many of the books I read never get a mention on the Sofa, always including some I’ve really loved (although those do at least make my Books of the Year.) This is the first of what (I hope) will be a regular catch-up to rectify … Continue reading
Summer Reads 2018
I’m delighted to be bringing you my Summer Reads 2018. I’ve been hard to impress recently but the outcome is a selection of compelling and powerful titles which I really loved and for each one I tell you why! As always, there is a wide variety of settings – Italy [1], Australia [4], Chicago/Paris [8], … Continue reading
Paris Mon Amour competition – win signed advance copies
On Monday I returned from a week staying in the 5th arrondissement in Paris, a very enjoyable mix of long walks (totalling 99km, no less), art exhibitions, inspiration for my next novel, seeing friends and spending Easter weekend with my family – most of it in glorious spring weather. I’ve written many pieces about Paris and … Continue reading
Writers on Location – Fiona Melrose on Suffolk
Thanks to everyone for the enthusiastic response to my first quarterly Sofa Spotlight last week. It’s always gratifying to hear my selections described as ‘intriguing’ and ‘unpredictable’ – that’s the aim – and that readers have discovered books they’d never heard of. As mentioned, I’ll be hosting at least four of my Spotlight authors on … Continue reading
Guest Author – Helen MacKinven on Setting her Novel in a Small Town
Once again I am very happy to be hosting a writer who has been following and supporting the Literary Sofa from the beginning and who has now achieved her goal of becoming a published novelist. Helen MacKinven and I have still never met in person but we’ve enjoyed exchanging manuscripts and supporting each other on … Continue reading
My new novel SCENT – out in paperback on 19 May 2022
The Literary Sofa 