I’ve had a week off work and, writing half a short story aside, have been letting my mind unwind from the exertions of finishing the last novel. Mainly I’ve spent my time lying in the park reading. Near our apartment there’s an ancient burial mound (Jomon period, roughly 1000BCE – 300BCE) that makes for a peaceful spot.
It’s been wonderful having the time to read purely for pleasure again. 2015 has been a great year for books so far, as I’ve mentioned on here, but there are two coming out in the next few weeks I really want to draw your attention to.
Pippa Goldschmidt, author of The Falling Sky – one of my favourite novels from 2013 – has a new collection of short stories out on Freight Books on May 11th. The Need For Better Regulation of Outer Space has already been long-listed for the Frank O’Conner International Short Story Award and is, frankly, stunning. Knowing my love of Pippa’s writing, Freight asked me to provide a quote. Here’s what I said:
‘These stories, written with deep empathy and a bittersweet humour, open up a world where literature often fears to tread. Science is a tool for understanding the universe, but in Pippa Goldschmidt’s hands it is also a metaphor through which we can better understand ourselves. She is a writer of great heart and talent.’ Iain Maloney author of First Time Solo and Silma Hill
I was also lucky enough to read an advance copy of Nicholas Hogg’s third novel, Tokyo, out on Cargo Publishing in June but available for pre-order at a reduced price now. I have reviewed the novel for Japan Times, which will be in print around the publication date, but Cargo heard me raving about it on social media and asked me for a quote:
“The writing is masterful, the plot enthralling. Set against the terror and paranoia that smothered Japan after the 2011 triple disaster, this is noir at its disturbing best. Like the country itself, literature about Japan has entered a new era, with Nicholas Hogg at the forefront.” – Iain Maloney, author of First Time Solo and Silma Hill
Seriously, 2015, what a year? It has already give us these two plus Jane Alexander, Kirstin Innes and Kazuo Ishiguro and it’s only May. I fully expect the new Janice Galloway, Tendai Huchu, Kirsty Logan, Wayne Price, David Mitchell and Toni Davidson books to be fantastic. I’ve also got an advance copy of Jackie Copleton’s A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding sitting on my desk. If only I didn’t have to go back to work …
Iain Maloney 