Find out how my novel-writing is going. Or not…
Exciting news! I’m on the long list. If you enjoyed One Scheme of Happiness please vote for me! http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/aug/03/not-the-booker-prize-longlist-vote-now-to-decide-the-2020-shortlist
thank you so much, Joanna for this fab review! by Joanna Clark Ali Thurm’s debut novel, One Scheme of Happiness, is an extraordinary and extraordinarily skilled piece of story-telling. The narrator and main protagonist, Helen Farrish, at first seems almost deliberately dull and self-effacing; very matter-of-fact. In new-found freedom, following the death of the mother for … More “But that wasn’t how I remembered it…”
From the Waterstones website… I’m thrilled with this review of my novel. Thank you, Paul! Paperback edition by Paul Barry Ali Thurm writes with delicate skill and mischievous wit to create a tale coloured with both the light and the shadow of passionate obsession. I found myself quickly sucked into the manoeuvrings of her gently drawn characters … More What a debut!
If you want to write, you need to feed your creativity, and in lockdown it hasn’t been easy. I’m lucky enough not to have to commute to work (well only from my bed to my desk) so my first trip by tube to the National Gallery this week was more than exciting. It felt like … More Feeding your creativity
Up and down week. The ups were: getting a five star Amazon review for One Scheme of Happiness – I’ve no idea who it was, but when things aren’t easy (lockdown isolation) the idea that someone out there has read and enjoyed my book gives me a little glow! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on … More Writing update
When One Scheme of Happiness, my debut novel, was published at the end of February there was time for two launches – one in my daughter’s cafe The English Rose in Victoria, then a second one in Ealing where I live at a lovely independent bookshop The Pitshanger Bookshop. I was planning so much more… … More Writing update
One week tomorrow my debut novel will be published. It’s been a long wait, but finally the day is nearly here – Thursday February 27th. I can’t believe how great an experience it has been with Retreat West Books who’ve supported me all the way from first meeting to discuss the book through the whole … More Writing update: One Scheme of Happiness
Well… it’s a long time since I’ve posted anything here. Mainly because I’ve been in the middle of moving house… downsizing from a massive Edwardian semi with far too many bedrooms and bathrooms to a cosy 2 bed flat. Two weeks before Christmas is an extremely mad time of the year to move, and … More Writing update: One Scheme of Happiness
Counting down to next February 2020 when my book One Scheme of Happiness is due to be published… Only four months and not so long ago it was 18 months and felt so far in the future it would almost never happen. Like a small child waiting for Christmas, the days and weeks stretched ahead … More Writing update
This editing malarkey is a fascinating process. My lovely publisher has given me an editorial report so I know what needs to go, what needs to be improved and what (gulp!) extra chapters need to be written… But it’s not the straightforward process I was imagining (call me naive or what). Really it’s more: add … More Writing update
