Out to Lunch

    I heard a week or so ago that The Lady Literary Lunch on September 9th was already fully subscribed. It was an encouraging piece of news  – even if I must clearly share any credit with my two co-speakers, Lesley Pearse and Kate Williams  –  because this will be my only public appearance this year. Literary event organisers, where the heck are you?…

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A Dress With Three Sleeves

Sometimes novel writing is like dressmaking. You assemble the pieces but then when you start stitching them together it doesn’t feel right. You try letting a bit out here or nipping a bit in there but you know in your heart it’s just not going to work. The only thing to do is take it all apart and…

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Not So Super Thursday

     Mid-August, when publishers begin to wipe the Ambre Solaire off their iPads and think about their autumn list.  The Grand Duchess of Nowhere is scheduled for publication on October 2nd. Is that good or bad? I have no idea. There’s probably some algorithm for working out your best chance of a major review in The Times…

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