How do you write in another language? How can you make your words flow in a language that's not your mother tongue? I write in English even though it's my third language after Finnish and Swedish. Why I do this, is one of the most common questions readers and other writers put to me. A few … [Read more...]
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub – Book Review
I bought Modern Lovers by Emma Straub because I'd read and thoroughly enjoyed The Vacationers by the same author. Moden Lovers is set in Brooklyn, NY and tells the story of two families. Elizabeth is a local realtor, married to a boy she met at college, Andrew. They now have a 17-year-old son, kind … [Read more...]
Novel London Reading
Join me for an Evening of International Fiction! Travelling and books are a marriage made in heaven, right? That's why the next Novel London First Chapter Reading will take place in Travelling Through Bookshop and Cafe, a culture hub with a special focus on world culture, art and travel. And I'm … [Read more...]
Do you like literary festivals?
I'm delighted to be able to tell you that there is a literary festival happening here in London next month. If you like discovering new authors and listening to book talk, you should come to the Triskele Lit Fest in London on 17th September. As luck would have it, I will also be there, displaying … [Read more...]
Why should you write a book review?
Readers often ask me why they should write a book review, and why reviews are so invaluable for writers. So I thought I'd explain why, if you love a book, you should write a review. Find a New Author Firstly, and most importantly, a good number of book reviews encourage readers to find a new … [Read more...]
An anniversary!
Today is exactly 4 years since my first novel, The Englishman, was published. I remember that day pretty well - I'd pressed the 'publish now' button the night before and in the morning as I woke, I saw from Amazon that the book was available to buy. What a feeling that was! To celebrate, the … [Read more...]
The Future of Books at the Fitzrovia Festival
A few weeks ago I took part in a panel discussion on the future of books at the Fitzrovia Festival in London. The event was hosted by Author in Residence at Virtual Futures, Stephen Oram, and included talks from writers of various disciplines. It was a very interesting evening and my thanks go to … [Read more...]
Why reinvent yourself for a sequel novel?
One of the most common questions I get from the readers of The Faithful Heart, my sequel to The English Heart, is how much of the story is true. Of course, this is a perfectly sensible and appropriate question, being that The English Heart is the story of how I came to be in England. Although … [Read more...]
My Summer Reads
As you know if you read my (bit of a cheat) mid-holiday post from Provence, I have been on a self-imposed internet detox for the past two weeks. Contrary to my fears, the world hasn't forgotten about me (hurrah), and my books sales didn't completely collapse during the break either. So, what did I … [Read more...]
Provence and social media detox
We've been here a week and I haven't once looked at my Facebook page, Twitter feed or posted a single picture on my Instagram feed. I have also not written anything more than short shopping lists (by hand with actual pen on actual paper) for our nearly daily visits to various markets in this area of … [Read more...]