Isabel Costello

Writer represented by Diana Beaumont of the Rupert Heath Literary Agency in London. Visit my Literary Sofa blog at www.isabelcostelloliterarysofa.com for listings and in-depth reviews of the best new titles in literary and upmarket commercial fiction and features on both reading and writing.
MY BLOGS
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Isabel Costello: On the Literary Sofa
http://isabelcostelloliterarysofa.com/
Listings and in-depth reviews of the best new titles in literary and commercial fiction and features on choosing books, reading groups and lots more.
LATEST ARTICLES ( 420 )
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Scent Paperback Publication Day
You’re joining me on a very happy day as the paperback edition of my second novel Scent is released. It’s had a gorgeous summery makeover by designer Jamie... Read more
Posted on 19 May 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Writers on Location – Melissa Fu on Western China
It’s suddenly gone a bit ‘London buses’ here – less than a week after Ethan Joella’s beautiful piece on how personal grief inspired his debut novel A Little... Read more
Posted on 27 April 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
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... Read more
Posted on 23 April 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Scent – Paperback Cover Reveal
As promised a few weeks ago, today I’m very excited to share the cover for the paperback of my second novel Scent, which will be published on 19 May. Read more
Posted on 30 March 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
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... Read more
Posted on 16 March 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
February 2022 Round-up
Due to my lack of activity on the blog lately – you know there’s too much going on when you’re posting your February content in March – I decided to throw... Read more
Posted on 01 March 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
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... Read more
Posted on 02 February 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Books of 2021 – Non-fiction
Following December’s post on my top novels of 2021 and a (mostly) nice long break, it’s great to start 2022 on the blog with my 8 personal favourite... Read more
Posted on 12 January 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
A New Year on the Sofa
Happy new year! This one has to be easier, right? I know it doesn’t work like that but I’m feeling optimistic. Last year showed me that positive things do happe... Read more
Posted on 05 January 2022 BOOKS, CULTURE -
My Books of 2021 – Fiction
It’s strange looking back on something nobody wanted: a full year of pandemic. Doesn’t 2021 feel like it’s been dragging on forever? Despite everything, it’s... Read more
Posted on 07 December 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Sunburnt Saints – An Anthology of Climate Fiction
Q A with Andy Leach and Hannah Persaud, Founders of Seventy2OneNovember has flashed by since my Reading Round-up early on. Read more
Posted on 30 November 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Queer Life, Queer Love: an Anthology
This week’s unashamedly subjective post is all about a fantastic queer book which includes my first published poem as one tiny part (there’s a sentence I never... Read more
Posted on 17 November 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
November 2021 Reading Round-Up
As I’m now hard at work on my new novel as well as my other work, I’ll be posting less often than usual for a while but hopefully the quality of the books I’m... Read more
Posted on 08 November 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Writers on Location – Peter Papathanasiou on the Australian Outback
The last couple of months seem to have raced by. As usual I’m juggling several projects including a new mentoring role on the Retreat West novel course, which... Read more
Posted on 27 October 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Book Pitch Spotlight 2021
Following last week’s Ten of my favourite novels of the last ten years, it’s exciting to be doing something new today: hosting my first spotlight on pitches... Read more
Posted on 06 October 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Ten of My Favourite Novels of the Last Ten Years
There was a lovely response to last week’s post looking back on ten years of the Literary Sofa and since book selections have always been a big part of what I d... Read more
Posted on 29 September 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
10 Years of the Literary Sofa
This week is the 10th anniversary of the Literary Sofa and this is my third attempt to write something coherent about running the blog. It’s brought on an attac... Read more
Posted on 22 September 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
French Fiction Special Edition
In a normal year about a quarter of my reading is in French but due to the toxic combination of Covid and Brexit, I didn’t read a single French novel in 2020 an... Read more
Posted on 14 September 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Book Pitch Spotlight – Call for Entries
As part of the Literary Sofa’s fast approaching 10th anniversary celebrations, in early October I’m hoping to dedicate a post to 50-word book pitches* from... Read more
Posted on 11 September 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE -
Autumn 2021 on the Sofa
It’s great to be back in circulation after a long break from blogging and social media and even better to have got my usual September fired-up feeling back afte... Read more
Posted on 02 September 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE