Isabel Costello

LATEST ARTICLES ( 352 )

• Books People Love 2019

  

  Normally I’m the one recommending books here but once a year we switch roles. The latest Literary Lunch competition attracted a record number of entries and... Read more

  Posted on 15 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Notebook, the Craft and the Long Hard Graft

  

  Firstly, thanks so much to everyone who entered the Literary Lunch competition and a big welcome to new subscribers. The number of entries topped all previous... Read more

  Posted on 09 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Literary Lunch Competition 2019

  

  WHAT’S THE BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ THIS YEAR?*COMPETITION CLOSES MONDAY 7 OCTOBER 6PM UK TIME – SEE END OF POST FOR HOW TO ENTER*Every autumn I run this... Read more

  Posted on 03 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – K M Elkes on Flash Fiction

  

  This is not only the first guest post of the autumn season, it’s also the first time flash fiction has appeared on the Literary Sofa. Read more

  Posted on 25 September 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• A Month of Canadian Fiction

  

  You’ve seen the mountains, now let’s talk about the books! After last week’s travel post on Canada, here’s the one I promised on my month of reading... Read more

  Posted on 18 September 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Two Weeks in the Canadian Rockies and NW Montana

  

  There’s nothing like mountains, or any vast natural landscape formed millions of years ago, to remind us humans how tiny and temporary we are. Read more

  Posted on 12 September 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Autumn 2019 on the Literary Sofa

  

  Hope you’ve had a great summer. This is a quick post to say that the Sofa is back in business after the break (although if you missed Charlie Fletcher’s... Read more

  Posted on 05 September 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Charlie Fletcher on the Outer Hebrides

  

  This is the first time a post has appeared on the blog when I’m not officially ‘here’ (on the Sofa or on Twitter). Normal service will resume next week but for... Read more

  Posted on 29 August 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summer Reads Extra 2019

  

  How’s your summer going? Mine’s been great and incredibly busy so far – definitely time to wind down with my last post before taking a nice long break*. Read more

  Posted on 17 July 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Peter Papathanasiou – Resilience on the Road to Publication

  

  Five years ago, a friend asked if I’d be willing to meet up with a Greek-Australian writer who was new to London and the UK publishing scene and share a few... Read more

  Posted on 10 July 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Alison Layland on Rural Shropshire

  

  This is the penultimate guest post about a title from my Summer Reads selection and I’m delighted to welcome back Alison Layland, who wrote about her work as a... Read more

  Posted on 03 July 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Louisa Treger – A Brutal Paradise

  

  As you are about to discover, this week’s guest post by Louisa Treger is many things. Like her new novel The Dragon Lady it’s a beautiful and vibrant piece of... Read more

  Posted on 26 June 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Ros Franey on Inventing Truth

  

  The summer programme is now in full swing and it’s wonderful to be receiving positive feedback both on the books people have discovered via my latest selection... Read more

  Posted on 19 June 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Judith Heneghan on Kiev

  

  The summer guest author programme got off to a fascinating start last week with Bev Thomas’s post on what it means to be a ‘good enough’ mother. Read more

  Posted on 12 June 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Bev Thomas – What Does It Mean to Be a ‘good Enough’ Mother?

  

  Once again my Summer Reads selection was greeted with huge enthusiasm and I’d like to say a big thank you for all the interest, appreciation of the blog and hel... Read more

  Posted on 04 June 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summer Reads 2019

  

  It’s that time again, and I’m excited to bring you this year’s Summer Reads selection. My search sprang many surprises, producing a dozen fantastic books... Read more

  Posted on 22 May 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Update from the Sofa

  

  I hope regular readers will excuse my unscheduled absence from the Sofa these last few weeks – it’s been more chained-to-desk than lounging around for me... Read more

  Posted on 09 May 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Lisa Blower on Stoke-on-Trent

  

  This is the final guest post from my first Sofa Spotlight of 2019 and (much later than usual) the first Writers on Location piece of the year, so I’m very... Read more

  Posted on 11 April 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• 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... Read more

  Posted on 27 March 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Eleanor Anstruther on Fictionalising a Family Story

  

  My First Sofa Spotlight of 2019 celebrated nine fantastic new releases and this is the penultimate post from the authors. This is one of the strongest... Read more

  Posted on 20 March 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE