Isabel Costello

LATEST ARTICLES ( 428 )

• Guest Author – Claire Fuller on Dogs in Books

  

  Today it’s a great pleasure to welcome one of my favourite British authors back to the Literary Sofa. This is Claire Fuller’s fourth visit (that’s what happens... Read more

  Posted on 24 March 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Spring Spotlight 2021

  

  I’m a bit rusty on the art of the chatty intro so here is my Spring Selection: 8 fantastic books, including several which give a voice to people and subjects... Read more

  Posted on 03 March 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Neema Shah on Uganda

  

  This week I’m delighted to be hosting the first Writers on Location post of the year, courtesy of talented debut author Neema Shah. Read more

  Posted on 17 February 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• February 2021 – Reading Round-up

  

  It wasn’t planned this way (who has plans any more?) but three of the four novels in my first fiction round-up of 2021 deal with difficult and potentially... Read more

  Posted on 03 February 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Books of 2020 – Non-fiction

  

  As we haul ourselves towards the end of the January that makes other Januarys look good, I’ve had to remind myself that while I don’t have people to see or... Read more

  Posted on 25 January 2021 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Books of 2020 – Fiction

  

  The less said about 2020 the better, except where books are concerned. For me it’s been a thoroughly atypical year for reading as with everything else. Read more

  Posted on 16 December 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Cath Barton on Morecambe, Lancashire

  

  Today I’m pleased to introduce my final guest of 2020 and the last of this year’s Writers on Location, Cath Barton. The UK has made only infrequent appearances... Read more

  Posted on 09 December 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• How I Came to Own Two Bookshops (kind Of)

  

  Firstly, thanks so much to everyone who contributed to the fantastic buzz about the cover and opening pages of my new novel Scent last week. Read more

  Posted on 02 December 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My New Novel SCENT – Cover Reveal and Opening Pages

  

  I said I had something exciting for this week and here it is: the cover of my new novel Scent, which will be published in the UK on 1 April 2021. Read more

  Posted on 25 November 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Tyler Keevil on Prague

  

  This is the first post of England’s Lockdown 2 (today is the halfway point, not that I’m counting), but not the last, as I have some exciting things lined up. Read more

  Posted on 18 November 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Reading Round-up – October 2020 #2

  

  Welcome to the my latest reading round-up. I soon realised that covering four books a week would be a stretch once I’d cleared my backlog (I read fast, but not... Read more

  Posted on 27 October 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Reading Round-up – October 2020 #1

  

  The first quick-fire round-up went down well last week, prompting lots of shares and interesting conversations, which was the whole idea. Thanks to you I also... Read more

  Posted on 07 October 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Reading Round-up – September 2020

  

  Last week’s Writers on Location post was a heart-warming start to autumn on the Sofa with Jude Cook reliving the childhood memories of Paris which inspired his... Read more

  Posted on 30 September 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Jude Cook on Paris

  

  Lots of readers seemed to connect with last week’s blog post which was much more personal than I would normally write. People have thanked me and I’d like to... Read more

  Posted on 23 September 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Nothing Like September

  

  If all you want is the book/blog stuff, head straight to the final paragraph.As I return to the Sofa after a long ‘break’, I’d love to be writing the usual... Read more

  Posted on 15 September 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Justin Myers on Generational Conflict

  

  It’s always an honour when the authors of books I’ve connected with agree to appear on the Literary Sofa, but today is unique because I’m hosting someone whose... Read more

  Posted on 22 July 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Guest Author – Amanda Huggins on the Importance of Location in Fiction

  

  Regular visitors to the Sofa will know that short fiction doesn’t often pop up here, so when it does, it’s something really special. Read more

  Posted on 15 July 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Jane Johnson on Cornwall

  

  So far I’ve hosted far fewer Writers on Location posts than usual this year but am making up for that now with two in a row on books from my Summer Reads... Read more

  Posted on 08 July 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writers on Location – Dugald Bruce-Lockhart on Paros, Greece

  

  My Summer Reads selection is always the high point of the year on the Sofa and I was delighted that it was greeted with so much enthusiasm two weeks ago – thank... Read more

  Posted on 30 June 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summer Reads 2020 – Part One

  

  Welcome to the Literary Sofa’s biggest event of the year. This isn’t the summer any of us were hoping for but the supply of new books is as good as ever. Read more

  Posted on 17 June 2020 BOOKS, CULTURE