Isabel Costello

LATEST ARTICLES ( 428 )

• 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

• Writers on Location – Anne Goodwin on the Long-stay Psychiatric Hospital

  

  Welcome to the final post of the Summer Reads guest programme – if you missed it (or have already read all the books on the original selection – some people do! Read more

  Posted on 21 July 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summer Reads Extras 2021

  

  There’s a heatwave on, I’ve got my reading mojo back and it’s time to share the follow-up to my main Summer Reads selection which met with a great response... Read more

  Posted on 19 July 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Rosie Wilby on Love (and Creativity) in London

  

  We’re on a roll with this year’s Summer Reads guest line-up. Last week’s post on Older Love by Catherine McNamara has been resonating loudly with readers for it... Read more

  Posted on 14 July 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Catherine McNamara on Older Love

  

  My Summer Reads guest season continues today with a repeat visit from Catherine McNamara who is the real deal: a writer whose work has wowed me since I first... Read more

  Posted on 07 July 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Louise Soraya Black on the English Countryside and Gardens

  

  There was a fantastic response to my Summer Reads selection last week with every single title attracting lots of entries in a competition I ran on Twitter. Read more

  Posted on 16 June 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summer Reads 2021

  

  Here we are, facing a second weird summer but I’m as excited as ever to share my 2021 Summer Reads selection with you. These 11 books explore a huge range of... Read more

  Posted on 08 June 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• A Personal Perspective on Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause (Channel...

  

  It’s noticeable that menopause, which eventually affects half of the population but has always been cloaked in silence and shame, is being talked about more... Read more

  Posted on 19 May 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• (Writing) Each Book is a Different Story

  

  I said you wouldn’t be hearing from me until Summer Reads at the start of June, but I’m hoping you’ll be interested in (Writing) Each Book is a Different... Read more

  Posted on 12 May 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Amanda Huggins on the North Yorkshire Coast

  

  There was a very enthusiastic response to Marika Cobbold’s recent Writers on Location about Hampstead Heath and in keeping with the times we’re staying put in... Read more

  Posted on 05 May 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Marika Cobbold on Hampstead Heath

  

  It’s wonderful to open this week’s post with the news that I’ve been shortlisted for Best Reviewer of Literature in the 2021 Saboteur Awards, a big surprise... Read more

  Posted on 21 April 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Sweet Scent of Gratitude

  

  It’s a week since the launch of Scent (and reissue of my debut Paris Mon Amour) and today I’d like to share some thoughts, links and above all, thanks to so man... Read more

  Posted on 07 April 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• On My Own Sofa – Catherine McNamara Interviews Me About Scent

  

  To celebrate publication of my second novel Scent and the reissue of my debut Paris Mon Amour by Muswell Press, something very different’s happening today: for... Read more

  Posted on 01 April 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE