Carmel Rosato, who handles EAFOL’s International Communications in the UK, shares some of adventures
Laura Barnett and Jessie Burton One of the new books attracting a great deal of attention in the UK at the moment is The Versions of Us by first-time novelist, Laura Barnett (Weidenfeld). Drawing comparisons with the film Sliding Doors, Kate Atkinson’s Like After Life, and David Nicholls’ One Day, it explores the many possible paths that life can take, the twists and turns dictated by the split second choices we make. The book gives different narratives of the lives of Eva Edelstein and Jim Taylor following their initial chance encounter in 1958, the ‘what might have beens’ cleverly crafted, so it is in fact three stories in one. The launch party took place at Daunt’s, the wonderful bookstore in Marylebone, London. Also at the launch was Jessie Burton, whose first book The Miniaturist was such a hit last year. It turns out that both Laura and Jessie were in the same class at school in South-West London – their A-level English teacher Janet Buck, whom I spoke to at the launch, said it had been a class of exceptional talent and it was no surprise that both girls had become successful authors. Laura said she was thrilled by the reception the book had received so far. Like Burton’s The Miniaturist, it was the subject of a bidding war with a number of publishers vying for the rights. It will certainly be one of the UK’s bestsellers over the summer.
Laura Barnett and Jessie Burton One of the new books attracting a great deal of attention in the UK at the moment is The Versions of Us by first-time novelist, Laura Barnett (Weidenfeld). Drawing comparisons with the film Sliding Doors, Kate Atkinson’s Like After Life, and David Nicholls’ One Day, it explores the many possible paths that life can take, the twists and turns dictated by the split second choices we make. The book gives different narratives of the lives of Eva Edelstein and Jim Taylor following their initial chance encounter in 1958, the ‘what might have beens’ cleverly crafted, so it is in fact three stories in one. The launch party took place at Daunt’s, the wonderful bookstore in Marylebone, London. Also at the launch was Jessie Burton, whose first book The Miniaturist was such a hit last year. It turns out that both Laura and Jessie were in the same class at school in South-West London – their A-level English teacher Janet Buck, whom I spoke to at the launch, said it had been a class of exceptional talent and it was no surprise that both girls had become successful authors. Laura said she was thrilled by the reception the book had received so far. Like Burton’s The Miniaturist, it was the subject of a bidding war with a number of publishers vying for the rights. It will certainly be one of the UK’s bestsellers over the summer.