taken in the past week. so a long time since writing, but only the seasons change.
1. quite possibly Dan and Charlie’s sofa.
2. the big field in Ruskin Park, 3 mins from our house, and spring-frosty at 7.35am today.
3. my favourite magnolia – by the old stable block. (our favourite cafe/park resting place soon??!!)
Not Writing But Blogging 
I’m halfway through The Room of Lost Things. I started it yesterday, reluctantly put it down for sleep, family duties, food, work etc, and hope to get back to it later today.
I’ve lived in the Loughborough Junction area for seven years (a few years on Coldharbour Lane in a flat opposite the shops, now round the corner and closer to Ruskin Park). I share your appreciation of this part of London and am enjoying your compassionate portrayal of the type of people who live and work around here.
I also admire your technical ability – it is a wonderfully well written book.
Amanda
P.S. Great pics.
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so glad you’re enjoying it Amanda. I was invited to a book club (locally again, Finsen St) this weekend, and was delighted to meet people living round here who know the area and feel close to the book because of it. Oddly, I think it never much occurred to me to think about my neighbours’ reaction to a novel set in their home (as well as mine!) – I guess I’m lucky the local people seem to be liking it too!
thanks for letting me know,
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I finished the book last night but I think the characters and the storyline will stay with me for a long time.
Akeel and Robert are wonderfully complex human beings. I enjoyed the delicate portrayal of the dynamics of their relationship and their inner lives. It had a kind of exquisite beauty to it.
The cherry on the cake is that all this is played out in a recognisable Loughborough Junction setting.
I’ll certainly be looking for more of your books.
Amanda
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I have just finished Room of Lost Things and I loved it. Left my children to fend for themselves almost all day so I could read it to the end.
I’m back in NZ again after 5 years in London and London is still in my heart and that is only part of what I loved about your book (and the other one which had this effect on me was Ian McEwan’s Saturday). Off to find what else of yours my library has.
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yay! so glad you enjoyed it and it gave you back some London – am sure your children will have gained the benefit of a happy, if distracted, mother!!
x
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Dear Stella,
thanks for your great book “The room of lost things”.
I live in Switzerland but most of my family are living in Britain (my Mum’s English) and there are times when a book such as your’s can help me flee into some “inner exile”. So I thoroughly enjoyed my time off in South London.
Is your book being translated into German? If you’re looking for a translator let me know, I felt like getting into it just for fun and to be able to share it with my German speaking husband.
Take care, with greetings from abroad
Linda
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thanks Linda, great to hear it gave you some respite from London-exile! no German publishers as yet, but there is a LOVELY French translation from Grasset (Chambre des Vies Oubliees) that he may prefer if his French is better than his English? (my Swiss friends seem to have half a dozen languages, but I know any linguist has different language preferences …)
all best,
Stella x
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Ahh, I’m afraid his French is even worse…, never mind, he’ll just have to wait for the German translation which MUST be somewhere in the pipeline…
If not, I am interested; have translated a few websites and some texts for my employer (BearParc in Berne) as I do have a translator’s diploma.
Thanks and more greetings
Linda x
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