Author:

An interview with Ronnie Scott

The author of The Adversary talks about his new book and where the idea came from, his settings, on rewriting, his nameless narrator, on making realistic characters, his influences, and lots more.

A review of Born Slippy by Tom Lutz

The action moves at a pulse quickening pace, our hero’s journey peppered with witty asides and lively character driven observations. Frank has a special talent for describing rooms from a connoisseur contractor’s POV. It helps that Lutz did some carpentry in his younger days.

A review of On Reflection by David Musgrave

On Reflection is a novelty. It is beautiful, delicate and memorable. The collection sweeps along philosophising possibilities, inventing life with breath-taking consciousness. In its own right, it reminds us to remain centred—in a word: read Musgrave.

New giveaway!

We have a copy of The Gringa by Andrew Altschul to give away!

To win, sign up for our Free Newsletter on the right hand side of the site and enter via the newsletter. Winner will be chosen by the first of July from subscribers who enter via the newsletter.

Good luck!

A review of A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

Pablo Neruda once wrote: “If nothing saves us from death, at least love should save us from life.”  In A Long Petal of the Sea, Isabel Allende’s characters are saved from despair by love, friendship and the satisfaction of helping others.  Is she suggesting that history repeats itself and that a democracy with social justice and economic equality is an impossible dream? I think not.

A review of Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs

Having travelled the distance that Giggs takes us in Fathoms, it seems obvious that there is no choice: “Each of us now sharpens the focus dial on the future of the ocean, of the weather, of the whales and their kin.” Fathoms is a glorious, beautiful and deeply important book.

An interview with Carmen Radtke

The author of Walking in the Shadow talks about her most recent (and oldest!) book, her writing routine (or lack thereof), advice for new writers, her research, the hardest scene she’s had to write, her work in progress, and lots more.

A review of Walking in the Shadow by Carmen Radtke

It is the clever detailing of life on the Island, and of leprosy, that makes this book so very engaging. Three men alone, with only occasional visits, making their own entertainment, caring for one another, knowing that two of them will never escape the Island unless it’s to go to another leper colony… Yet Carmen makes these men and their lives fascinating. There is real love here; gentle, unselfish, sometimes hard-tried love.

A review of A Constellation of Kisses edited by Diane Lockward

You don’t have to be a card carrying poetry lover to fall in love with the poems in this book. I’m planning to put the anthology on my coffee table and look forward to the conversations it sparks with guests. (That is when we are allowed to have guests again. I am writing to you from the heart of social distancing.) Some of these poems turned me on. Some of them made me long to be the person being kissed for the attention and tenderness of it. Some of them made me cry.