Kate Rigby
was born near Liverpool and now lives in Devon. She’s been writing for
over thirty-five years, with a few small successes along the way.
She realized her unhip credentials were mounting so she decided to write about it. Little Guide to Unhip was first published in 2010 and has recently been updated.
However,
she’s not completely unhip. Her punk novel, Fall
Of The Flamingo Circus was published by Allison & Busby (1990) and by
Villard (American hardback 1990). Skrev Press published her novels Seaview Terrace (2003) Sucka!(2004) and Break Point(2006) and other shorter work has appeared in Skrev’s
avant garde magazine Texts’ Bones including a version of her satirical novella
Lost The Plot.
Thalidomide Kid was published by Bewrite Books (2007).
She has had
other short stories published and shortlisted including Hard Workers and Headboards, first published in The Diva Book of Short Stories and
as part of the Dancing In The Dark erotic anthology, Pfoxmoor Publishing (2011)
She also received a Southern Arts bursary for her
novel Where A Shadow Played (now
re-Kindled as Did You Whisper Back?).
Most of her titles are available in e-format and some,
for instance, Far Cry From The Turquoise
Room and Savage To Savvy, are
also available in paperback.
She loves cats, singing, photography, music and LFC. She has
fibromyalgia but is also an armchair campaigner against social injustice,
energy permitting.
Far Cry From The Turquoise Room
Leila
is the eight-year-old daughter of Hassan Nassiri, a wealthy Iranian property
owner, and younger sister to the adored Fayruz, her father's favourite
daughter.
Then
tragedy strikes in a holiday narrowboat accident having far-reaching
consequences for the surviving family. So begins Leila's journey: at times
heart-breaking and dangerous and romance, often exhilarating and ultimately
life-affirming.
Review:
"Hassan
is a Persian man living in England with his family. Life is splendid; he does
well at business and his family is perfect. But suddenly, life changes, when
his oldest daughter dies in a tragic accident. At first, Leila, the younger
daughter, does her best to fit in with the new family dynamic, trying to draw
her parents out and make them happy. It becomes clear that her parents will not
return to their previous way of life, however, when they threaten to send Leila
to boarding school. This, coupled with the revelation that there will be a new
baby in the family, prompts Leila to run away, and develop a new identity
living with travelers throughout England.
The first
few chapters of this book were like the soft introductory strains to a
beautiful piece of music. They helped to identify the tone, mood, and voice of
the entire piece. This music that the book creates is unlike anything I have
ever experienced. The simultaneous stories of Hassan and Leila make for an
incredibly original book.I really loved watching Leila's character develop. We
walk with her over the course of several years, and watch her come of age in
the most difficult of circumstances. She feels abandoned, by her sister, her
parents, and later by the people who promised to protect her. I also really
enjoyed seeing Hassan's character begin to awake, albeit a little late, to the
important place Leila has in their family.
This story is so moving, and I think it really lends a voice to people and situations not normally represented in modern literature. While the book is very British in feeling and vocabulary, this is a story to which anyone can relate. Many countries have immigrant populations, and many immigrants are misunderstood, as Hassam feels Persians are. Many wish to fit it and fully assimilate, as Leila does when she wishes she were white. And who among us cannot relate to the pain of tragedy and death.
I am honestly struggling to find the right words to convey how breathtaking this book is. So, instead of taking my very inarticulate word for it, just simply read for yourself."
This story is so moving, and I think it really lends a voice to people and situations not normally represented in modern literature. While the book is very British in feeling and vocabulary, this is a story to which anyone can relate. Many countries have immigrant populations, and many immigrants are misunderstood, as Hassam feels Persians are. Many wish to fit it and fully assimilate, as Leila does when she wishes she were white. And who among us cannot relate to the pain of tragedy and death.
I am honestly struggling to find the right words to convey how breathtaking this book is. So, instead of taking my very inarticulate word for it, just simply read for yourself."
REVIEWED BY
Tiffany
Harkleroad
PURCHASE LINK
AUTHOR'S Website.
Or her
occasional blog:
Thanks so much for featuring me, Soooz. I'm very honoured :)
ReplyDeleteI have been an admirer of your work for such a long time, it was a real pleasure to have you participate. xo
ReplyDelete