News
Updated the first week of the month.
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August & September 2024 THE RIVER RESIDENTS ORGANISATIONThe RRG welcomes new members. You don't need to live on the river to be part of our group: the RRG includes people who work and walk along the Thames, use its public transport ‐ or simply care about it. If you would like to receive updates, you can sign up to receive our newsletter. Among current issues: Thames Water sewage spills, Blackwall Yard Jetty, the PLA's balcony tax, cruise ships on the Thames. August & September Books
Colin Barrett, Wild Houses |
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June & July 2024 Michelle Lovric's last blog on the History Girls was May 31st, about the folk-art phenomenon of Jesus-in-a-Bottle and the continuing battle in Venice against the oversized cruise ships. On May 25th, members of London's River Residents Group joined Venice's NoGrandiNavi on the Zattere to protest against plans to excavate canals in the lagoon in order to bring the biggest ships back into the heart of the city. 
The issue of over-tourism in Venice and other places is examined in a new series on BBC Radio 4, The Tourist Trap. The first episode features an interview with Marta Sottoriva of NGN. June & July Books
Colson Whitehead, Apex Hides the Hurt |
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April & May 2024 Michelle Lovric's next History Girls post is not March 12th as previously mentioned but May 31st. April & May Books
Colson Whitehead, Apex Hides the Hurt |
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February & March 2024 Michelle Lovric's next History Girls blog post will be on March 12th. February & March Books
Paul Murray, Bee Sting |
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December 2023 & January 2024 
On December 1st, Michelle Lovric published a post on the History Girls about the renewed threat to the Venetian lagoon from the monster cruise liners. December 2023 & January 2024 Books
Katharine Briggs, A Dictionary of Fairies |
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October & November 2023 THE RIVER RESIDENTS GROUP This new group focussed on the Thames has attracted a large number of subscribers. You don't need to live on the river to be a part of it ‐ just to care about the river and the built environment that surrounds it.
The RRG has been active in the case of the Oceandiva, Europe's biggest party boat, which wants to operate on the Thames. But we are also interested in wildlife, riparian architecture, pseudo‐public space, noise that creates risks for physical and mental health and other ways in which communities are being put at risk by overdevelopment and inconsiderate commodification of London's greatest public realm, the Thames. Here is drawing from a London child worried about the effect of the Oceandiva and its partygoers on the Thames seals and swans. Thank you to Polly, aged 10.
To receive our newsletters, please see the link on the home page. October & November Books
Harrods 1895 Catalogue |
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August & September 2023
A Puffin in Venice ‐ continues his Instagram adventures River Residents Organisation Recent press about the RRG and the Oceandiva:
(Picture: Mail Online) Thames largest ever party boat Oceandiva ‘strikes anchor’ during test ∣ Evening Standard The RRG welcomes new members. You don’t need to live on the river to be part of our group: the RRG includes people who work and walk along the Thames, use its public transport ‐ or simply care about it. If you would like to receive updates, you can sign up to receive our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. August & September Books
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June & July 2023
A Puffin in Venice ‐ a new Instagram venture (Above, the Puffin at Florian, Venice's most beautiful café). River Residents Group
The RRG has been launched to highlight the increasing threat to culture, history and diversity from over-development both on and off the Thames. The umbrella group of individuals, communities, residents and cultural organisations plans to raise awareness of the loopholes that leave the Thames under threat from attempts to commodify and privatize its views, with developers chasing permissions for sky-grabs and leisure operators, such as the Oceandiva, exploiting the river at the expense of ordinary Londoners. The RRG aims to campaign to preserve the river's cultural heritage and ecological assets ‐ and its liveability ‐ for future generations, working alongside the respected River Thames Society and other organisations. The struggle with the Oceandiva has been an initial focal point. However, in working together on that issue, the organisers discovered many other things in common. The RRG aims to be a positive force for good, giving practical assistance when things need to be done. We'll also let you know about news and events on the river. The RRG welcomes new members. You don't need to live on the river to be part of our group: the RRG includes people who work and walk along the Thames, use its public transport ‐ or simply care about it. If you would like to receive updates, you can sign up to receive our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. June & July Books
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April & May 2023 Michelle Lovric's next History Girls blog post is scheduled for March 31st.
Coming soon: Tracery, an exhibition by Déirdre Kelly, intertwining Venice and the Lake District in works based on maps and lace. Robert Cervera and Andreas Philippopoulos‐Mihalopoulos A constellation of conduits was channelled between us, and our distance became water
Saturday 25 March - Saturday 29 April 2023 An aquatic installation is spreading through the gallery space. It makes you move sidelong, curve along its corridors of affect, turn sharp at the next dystopian swelling. It asks you to swim gently across the expanse of water that has taken over the planet. It invites you to eavesdrop on the goings of a flooded city, and the genderless lovers in the centre of it all. April & May Books
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February & March 2023 Michelle Lovric's next History Girls blog post will be on March 12th. February & March Books Jane Kenyon, Constance |
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December 2022 & January 2023 Reading Round, Bankside Some Autumn and Winter walks for enquiring minds ... December & January Books Charles Simic, Selected Poems |
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October & November 2022 New Writing Michelle Lovric's work‐in‐progress poem about the cruise ships in Venice is published in the Guild of St George Companions Review, page 36 Companions Review 2022 by Guild of St George ‐ Issuu Books for October & November Mary Oliver, Swan |
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August & September 2022
Places are now open for a new year of Michelle Lovric's Royal Literary Fund Reading Round group at Bankside, London. Sessions start in October. ‘The Reading Round has been the highlight of my year. If you enjoy stories, being read to is a real delight, and someone else choosing means you are introduced to new writers, new adventures. Poetry has always been a challenge for me but now I see they are just stories in a different form, and discussing them as a group has made me more open to reading poetry. The discussions are lively but collaborative and every session has been a joy.’ ‘As someone who hardly ever reads for pleasure, I am decidedly illiterate when it comes to authors and poets, particularly the more the contemporary ones. So I joined the Reading round Bankside initiative with trepidation. ‘Will I fit in? Will I embarrass myself by my ignorance?’ etc, etc. What I found was a group of lovely people, yes, certainly all more literate than I, but inclusive and full of interesting ideas, guided by an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and warm facilitator who led us through a wide range of short stories and poems with lightness of touch and sensitivity. I would commend Reading round Bankside to anyone who wishes they were better read, but has given up on book groups because somehow they can't even manage reading one book a month! You won't be disappointed.’ ‘Ambivalent to start with... as I wasn't quite sure what to expect ‐ I was so surprised at how much I have enjoyed being part of the Reading Round group, it really has been one of the best things I have done this year. Michelle convened such brilliant, open and inclusive sessions ‐ introducing us to different texts and poems each week, opening my eyes to many older and contemporary writers which I would have not read or looked at closely otherwise.’ ‘Wonderful to discover new stories and poems, with expert guidance from Michelle and sharing a rich variety of perspectives in conversation with the group. As open and relaxed as a good book group, but the close reading brings a really stimulating added dimension.’ ‘It has been an absolute delight attending these sessions with Michelle. Each week is a new discovery of a different writer or a fresh look at one you know. Hearing the diversity of opinions in the group is fascinating. I highly recommend you treat yourself to this weekly evening escape exploring the wealth of international literature that Michelle lays before you.’ ‘Sadly my year at Reading Round is drawing to a close ‐ it would be lovely to carry on but I understand the need to make room for others. The choice of readings provided has been wonderful. To me, some new authors, and ones that I have continued to seek out. It is so easy to get into a reading rut. Reading Round has enabled me to explore other areas, sometimes out of my comfort zone. Well done, keep up the good work.’ You can apply to join October's intake here: Michelle Lovric ‐ Reading Round New Writing Michelle Lovric wrote a post for Writers Rebel about the new threat facing the River Thames. And there's more about that threat in this History Girls blog. Michelle Lovric's poem ‘aut maritus’ was shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize in June 2022. Books for August & September
Ellen Bass, Mules of Love |
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June & July 2022 From Autumn 2022, Michelle Lovric will lead a new Royal Literary Fund Reading Round group in Bankside, London. Applications are open now. More information and how to apply here. Michelle Lovric's next blog on the History Girls will be June 3rd. The Thames is once more under threat from Europe's biggest party boat. This new website tells the story so far, with links to the petitions and other information. Books for June & July 
Meg Mason, Sorrow and Bliss |
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April & May 2022 Listening to stories & poems, The RLF has invited Michelle Lovric to set up a second Reading Round on Bankside for 2022/23, starting in October. There will be thirty weekly sessions with various breaks for holidays. Reading Round is a kind of book club with no homework. Each week, you’ll be presented with new stories and poems for a guided discussion. Please see link for more information and how to apply for one of the 12 new places.
The English Association has reviewed The Water’s Daughter very nicely here. April & May Books Barry Hannah, High Lonesome |
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February & March 2022 An online talk about Ruskin, Carpaccio and the Slav community of Venice. MICHELLE LOVRIC, novelist, writer, campaigner, Companion of the Guild ‘ Supreme, serene, unassuming, unfaltering sweetness’: what Ruskin has to say about Carpaccio’s paintings of St George in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. This very Venetian institution, also known as the Scuola Dalmata, is still active, with several hundred Venetian confratelli and consorelle, many of whom proudly give their time to work there. Eminent actor Joseph Mydell will read excerpts from Ruskin’s observations on the art of the scuola, interspersed with brief context from Fors Clavigera. You can register here for this free zoom event READING ROUND, BANKSIDE One new place will become available from January 2022. February & March Books
Rose Tremain, Islands of Mercy |
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December 2021 & January 2022 Michelle Lovric has been shortlisted in the Bridport Prize for poetry 2021. Her novel Carnevale is included in Gregory Dowling's analysis of the portrayals of Casanova in fiction, ‘BRAW BOBBY-DAZZLER’, recently published in Casanoviana 4. She will be presenting a lecture about Ruskin and Carpaccio on February 11th 2022 Voices from Venice ‐ third of four readings from John Ruskin's writing on Venice ‐ The Guild of St George Reading Round, Bankside December & January Books 
Sarah Salway, Not Sorry |
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October & November 2021
A new review for The Book of Human Skin: ‘one of the most entertaining novels I've read in a long while - and I read, on average, about 45 - 50 novels a year.’
And The Floating Book also receives a new review from Sarah Johnson at Reading the Past: ‘The Floating Book resembles dark chocolate: alluring, richly decadent, and somewhat bittersweet.’ See the full review here. A message from the Guild of St George: MONDAY 18th OCTOBER, 5.30pm (UK time) on zoom, via Eventbrite PLEASE PRE-REGISTER FOR A FREE TICKET VIA EVENTBRITE, HERE In these two session, three Companions will each have 10 minutes to offer their own perspective on the challenges and opportunities that technology and pollution respectively present us with. From the challenges and opportunities of the internet and social media, to the light and noise pollution on the River Thames, via Venice, our speakers will each bring their own rich experience to the topic. Their talks will be followed by discussion between them and then audience questions. All are welcome. The zoom room will be opened at 5.15pm, ready for a punctual start at 5.30pm. October & November Books
Kashuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun |
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August & September 2021
Places are now open for Michelle Lovric's Royal Literary Fund Reading Round group at Bankside, London. Michelle Lovric was interviewed in depth by Sophia Bennett for Prepublished. New Writing
Michelle Lovric posted a lament about quack hand treatments on The History Girls on June 4th. August & September Books
Cherie Jones, How the One‐Armed Sister Sweeps the House |
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June & July 2021 More details on the Royal Literary Fund's Reading Round group that Michelle Lovric will lead in Bankside, London, from October 2021. Two of Michelle Lovric's poems have been longlisted in the Poetry Society's National Poetry Competition 2020. Her poem Ciarlatano has been commended by the judges in the 2021 FPM‐Hippocrates Open Prize for Poetry and Medicine. June & July Books
T.P. Stevens, Southwark Cathedral |
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April & May 2021 
Michelle Lovric’s The Book of Human Skin has been named as among the six best novels of the 21st Century (so far) on reviewsrevues – Book reviews, author interviews, music reviews. A revue of reviews! The full list is: Atonement – Ian McEwan (2001); The Book Of Human Skin – Michele Lovric (2010); The Book Thief – Markus Zusak (2007); The Crimson Petal And The White – Michel Faber (2002); The Great Believers – Rebecca Makkai (2018); The Heart’s Invisible Furies – John Boyne (2017). Michelle Lovric’s History Girls blog originally scheduled for March 12 will now appear on July 23 instead. Michelle Lovric has been awarded a Lectorship by the Royal Literary Fund, to set up a Reading Round scheme in Bankside, London. David Winston, whose photographs illustrate some of these web-pages, has given an interview to The Curator’s Salon. David Winston – The Curator's Salon April & May Books
Eley Williams, The Liar’s Dictionary |
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February & March 2021 Michelle Lovric's next History Girls blog post will be on March 12th. Recommended for when travel to Venice can be resumed: a lovely new book by Anna Bellani. 
Available from the San Marco Press February & March Books
Donal Ryan, Strange Flowers |
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December 2020 & January 2021 Michelle Lovric wrote a poem to commemorate the life of Southwark Cathedral's cat Doorkins, who died on September 30th. A service in memory of Doorkins was held at the Cathedral on October 28th. The poem can be seen on the Cathedral's website. December & January Books 
Kiley Reid, Such a Fun Age |
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October & November 2020 A new anthology has been published about the November 2019 flood and the Covid 19 pandemic in Venice: Venice Rising: Aqua Granda, Pandemic, Rebirth. Royalties will go to Venetian organisations dedicated to preserving a liveable city and trying to keep the polluting, dangerous cruise ships out: We are Here Venice; NoGrandiNavi and Venice Calls.
Venice Rising website: For the ebook at Smashwords:
A bookseller review for The Water's Daughter: from Sue Chambers at the Waterstones Finchley Road 02 Centre in London: Another fantastic tale from Michelle Lovric with mermaids (yes, the mermaids are back! Which is wonderful – they are perhaps my favourite characters), a heroine with a remarkable sense of touch (to say the least), a land–lover of a hero (in Venice), a rather wild and fascinating Djinni and a wonderful feline Afreet...to mention just a few of the extraordinary characters in this story of revenge, history and power. I loved it. My Dad, now aged 90 – has got a copy and is now settling down to read it, having fallen for Michelle's writing back in 2009... An atmospheric book rich in both plot and language – dark as Michelle's books so often are, so not for the squeamish. Definitely for those who enjoy that wonderful thing – a very good book – weirdly this is beginning to sound as though I'm advertising Mr Kipling's cakes...apologies... as much as the story, I enjoy the language. The characters that are so full and so intricate and so in character (if that makes any sense at all) – and of course Venice, herself. If I never sold you a copy of The Undrowned Child – a lamentable situation, if ever there was one – then buy a copy of this. Sadly The Undrowned Child is now no longer in print – but you may be able to find a copy out there, but in the mean while – enjoy this latest celebration of Venice and revenge... And on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure, a lovely review by Sue Purkiss http://awfullybigreviews.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-waters-daughter-by-michelle-lovric.html
The Undrowned Child is recommended in this round-up of children's books set in Venice. October & November Books
Tiziano Scarpa, Le Nuvole e I Soldi |
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August & September 2020
‘There are more watery adventure from Michelle Lovric, who lyrically explores the magic of Venice. The Water's Daughter (Orion, £6.99, 11+) is a thrilling Gothic fantasy about a girl who can see what once happened in a place by pressing her fingertips against its walls. When young boys start disappearing in Venice, Aurelia must use her ability to find them. This book is atmospheric and lush, for romantic adolescents stuck on staycations.’ ‘This dark and twisting tale is full of adventure and incredible characters seamlessly linked through Venice and its charm. A smashing story!’ ‘I am so excited to see this mixture of mystery and fantasy finally make its way into middle grade fiction. Often explored separately, I am yet to see these two genres come together in such an interesting way. The Water's Daughter may just be the novel that fills a gap in middle–grade fantasy, by pairing mysteries and magical realism together in a children's book.’ ‘The book is a glorious flight of imagination, with excitement, humour and Michelle Lovric talked about the new book and the campaign to save the London and Venice from the invasion of the mega-ships for the radio broadcast
An extract from The Mourning Emporium was also included in the programme, beautifully read and produced by Douglas Clarke–Wood. New Writing Michelle Lovric posted on The History Girls on July 10th: Why I'm not busy doing publicity for my new book ... ... and on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on July 27th: An Unexpected Place to Find a Lion August & September Books
Amanda Craig, The Golden Rule |
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June & July 2020
June & July Books
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April & May 2020 New Writing On March 13th, Michelle Lovric posted a piece on the History Girls blog about plague in Venice’s past and present. Michelle Lovric has been longlisted in the National Poetry Competition, which received over 16,000 entries. April & May Books Hannah Kent, The Good People |
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February & March 2020 'The Chastity of Aunts' by Michelle Lovric has been commended in the Troubadour International Poetry Prize, 2019, judged by Pat Boran & Kathryn Maris. http://www.coffeehousepoetry.org/prizes The Chastity of Aunts Anyone who has the temerity to write about Jane Austen is aware of [two] facts: first, that of all great writers she is the most difficult to catch in the act of greatness; second, that there are twenty–five elderly gentlemen living in the neighbourhood of London who resent any slight upon her genius as if it were an insult to the chastity of their aunts. – Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own and yet aunts are promiscuous as Michelle Lovric’s forthcoming novel for children, The Water’s Daughter, will be published on July 9th 2020 STUDY IN VENICE. The Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice has issued new residential scholarship announcements (deadline: 10 March 2020). The 7 scholarships, covering 2 months residencies, are offered – within the interdisciplinary context that characterizes the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore – to Italian and international scholars wishing to work on Italian culture–related research projects – especially that of the Veneto – in one of the following fields: art history, Venetian history, Renaissance Studies, literature, music, drama, early printed books and comparative cultures and spiritualities. New Writing Michelle Lovric’s next History Girls blog post will be on March 13th. February & March Books Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays of Travel |
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December 2019 & January 2020 Michelle Lovric joined children's authors Anna Fargher, Ally Sherrick, Trisha Krauss, Lara Flecker, Hilary McKay, Michelle Harrison, Vashti Hardy and Chris Wormell, as well as children and parents for a Christmas Book Festival at Waterstones in the O2 Centre, Finchley Road on November 24th. She will be talking with the photographer David Winston about capturing images of Venice in word and on film – and particularly at night – at the Circolo Italo-Britannico on Monday December 16th. This time, the event will be at the Collegium Tarsicii, San Marco 1731, 30124 Venezia. Michelle Lovric's next book for children will be The Water's Daughter, set in Arabia and eighteenth-century Venice. It is due out in Summer 2020. A review for The Wishing Bones  Lovric creates a vivid and historically detailed Venice with rich characters that provide a powerful message to the reader that you are not your past and that you can still be a good person if you've done things you regret. A powerful ode to resilience and the importance of the family that you make for yourself. Extract from a review on Read Plus December & January Books Glenn Gilbert, editor: Pidgin and Creole Languages Selected Essays By Hugo Schuchardt |
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October & November 2019 Review for The Wishing Bones. New Writing On July 10th, Michelle Lovric wrote about how Casanova fell foul of the Me Too movement in America. For July 31st, Michelle Lovric interviewed Lyndsay Myers for An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on the subject of transnationalism. On September 6th, she borrowed Joan Lennon's slot to introduce a new play. The History Girls has now changed its format from daily to once a week. Books for October & November Laurie Graham, Dr Dan's Casebook |
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August & September 2019
The Wishing Bones has just been published.
Michelle Lovric 3.30pm August 4th at
A reminder about FLOW New Writing On June 10th Michelle Lovric posted on The History Girls about the rather tetchy Madonnas supervising children in every sestiere of Venice. And on July 10th, she wrote about the carnivorous hotel that is the setting of The Wishing Bones, and how it was inspired by a real hotel in the Blue Mountains north of Sydney. Michelle Lovric's novels are referenced in "Saving Venice": Local, Global and Transnational Perspectives on Cultural Heritage in Children's Fantasy, a paper by Lindsay Myers.On July 31st, Michelle Lovric's posting an interview on An Awfully Big Adventure, talking with Lindsay Myers about these issues. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th Books for August & September Lisa Halliday, Asymmetry |
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June & July 2019
Michelle Lovric will be taking part in June 28-30, 2019 Lectures and film screening at Centro Culturale Don Orione Artiginelli, Dorsoduro Reception at Galleria il Redentore, Giudecca Known as one of the eminent travellers of the 18th century, Giacomo Casanova visited much of Europe and wrote one of the era's most important chronicles, as much a travel account as an autobiography. Exploring his interactions with people in the many cities he visited and on the roads reveals insights into both the man and his times. How do we, of other places and times, expand our understanding of his contributions? The Symposium will include papers, an author panel, a reception, and an exclusive screening of the film version of the ballet Casanova by Northern Ballet. Optional extra excursions include a trip on the Burchiello, walking tours to Casanova sites in Venice, and a visit to the Casanova Museum. Registration is now open at https://kathleenanngonzalez.wixsite.com/casanovainplace Presented by Kathleen Ann Gonzalez, author of Casanova's Venice: A Walking Guide (also known as Seductive Venice: In Casanova's Footsteps) and Malina Stefanovska, University of California, Los Angeles. kathleenanngonzalez@yahoo.com FLOW a pair of water-themed creative writing masterclasses November 9th and 23rd 2019 How many water–words are associated with writing? Inspiration wells up or runs dry. From it, we distil ideas. We plot a course through the unfathomable. Writing has depth – or shallows. It has a wave–like rhythm. We immerse ourselves in good words, indeed we can almost drown in them. A writer, like water, reflects and can scintillate. Great writing flows in liquid syllables. These two masterclasses offer a rare opportunity to work with two experienced and successful writers in a beautiful historic loft on the edge of the great River Thames in the watery heart of London. The workshops are not just for writing about water; we will teach you to deploy water as a vital fluid in your creative practice.
This kind of work is a tide that will not go out. With each exercise, we shall build on the material you create, cross–referencing and adding depth. There will be more than writing to take away from each session. The exercises will generate seed material for you to develop and nurture your creativity beyond the hours you spend here. Facilitators: Michelle Lovric, novelist, poet, journalist, RLF Fellow and creative writing tutor; Lucy Coats, writer for children and young adults, journalist, writing tutor and specialist in multicultural myths and legends. Lucy and Michelle have for several years taught masterclasses at The Guardian. Cost: £285 for two full-day sessions. Book via Eventbrite Hours are 9.45am till 4.30pm. Numbers are limited to eleven places. For further information or to book, please email ml@lovric.demon.co.uk/lucycoatswriter@gmail.com This venue is not suitable for anyone allergic to short-haired cats. "Water is the one substance from which the earth can conceal nothing; it sucks out its innermost secrets and brings them to our very lips." Jean Giraudoux New Writing On the History Girls website, on April 10th, Michelle Lovric wrote about reliquaries and mourning the death of a special cat. On May 10th she wrote about the special Venetian phenomenon of light dancing in dark places. Her next History Girls blog will on June 10th Books for June & July Vesna Goldsworthy, Monsieur Ka |
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April & May 2019
Presenting the cover for The Wishing Bones, out on July 25th this year. The young Casanova is a character in this new novel for children. Michelle Lovric will be a panellist at the 'Casanova in Place' symposium in Venice at the end of June. New Writing Michelle posted a piece about cats in mediaeval manuscripts on The History Girls blog on February 10th.
And on March 10th, she wrote about David Winston, a photographer who captures the dark essence of Venice. Her next History Girls' post will be on April 10th Books for April & May Tahir Shah, The Caliph's House |
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STOP PRESS Due to unforeseen circumstances, the FLOW workshops have been postponed until November 9th and 23rd 2019. |
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February & March 2019 As promised, more details on the Flow workshops
FLOW
How many water‐words are associated with writing? Inspiration wells up or runs dry. From it, we distil ideas. We plot a course through the unfathomable. Writing has depth ‐ or shallows. It has a wave‐like rhythm. We immerse ourselves in good words, indeed we can almost drown in them. A writer, like water, reflects and can scintillate. Great writing flows in liquid syllables. These two masterclasses offer a rare opportunity to work with two experienced and successful writers in a beautiful historic loft on the edge of the great River Thames in the watery heart of London. The workshops are not just for writing about water; we will teach you to deploy water as a vital fluid in your creative practice.
This kind of work is a tide that will not go out. With each exercise, we shall build on the material you create, cross‐referencing and adding depth. There will be more than writing to take away from each session. The exercises will generate seed material for you to develop and nurture your creativity beyond the hours you spend here. Facilitators: Michelle Lovric, novelist, poet, journalist, RLF Fellow and creative writing tutor; Lucy Coats, writer for children and young adults, journalist, writing tutor and specialist in multicultural myths and legends. Lucy and Michelle have for several years taught masterclasses at The Guardian. Cost: £285 for the two sessions, payable via Eventbrite or directly. It is necessary to do Session 1 to get the most out of Session 2. Hours are 9.45am till 4.30pm. Numbers are limited to eleven places. For further information or to book, please email ml@lovric.demon.co.uk/lucycoatswriter@gmail.com This venue is not suitable for anyone allergic to short-haired cats. "Water is the one substance from which the earth can conceal nothing; it sucks out its innermost secrets and brings them to our very lips." Jean Giraudoux New Writing Michelle Lovric's new book for children, The Wishing Bones, will be published by Orion on July 25th 2019. Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on December 10th, writing a new instalment in her account of the fascinating Company of Christ and the Good Death in Venice. And on January 10th, she wrote about how Venice does Christmas. Her next post on the History Girls' blog is February 10th. Her next History Girls piece will appear on February 10th Books for February & March Paolo Nelli, ed, Il Naufragio della Querina |
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December 2018 & January 2019
Announcing a pair of Creative Writing Masterclasses These two masterclasses offer a rare opportunity to work with two experienced and successful writers in a beautiful historic loft on the water's edge in the heart of London. Cost: £135 per session. Numbers are limited to eleven places. The venue is not suitable for anyone allergic to short-haired cats. More details about this workshop early in the new year. To reserve a place, email mlATlovric.demon.co.uk (replacing the 'AT' with '©'. This helps cut down spamming.) For more information about creating tutoring and mentoring, see this section of the website. New Writing Michelle Lovric posted a History Girls piece about hunting down Norwegian fishermen on the Venetian mainland on October 10th. On November 5th (five days earlier than usual) she wrote about the infamous lack of a column of infamy in Venice. Her review of the Ruskin exhibition at the Palazzo Ducale in Venice was published in The Companion in October. Michelle's next History Girls blog will be on December 10th Books for December & January Carol DeVaughn, Life Class |
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October & November 2018 Watch this space: new website pages going live soon on creative tutoring and masterclasses. New Writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on August 10th, writing about the silent victims of mass tourism. And on September 10th, she interviewed writer Laurie Graham about the joys and problems of creating sequels to successful books. Her next History Girls blog will be on October 10th Books for October & November Jenny Alexander, Free-Range Writing |
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August & September 2018 New Writing A lovely new review for The Undrowned Child: http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/article/971708/The-Undrowned-Child-by-Michelle-Lovric/ On June 1st Michelle Lovric posted on The History Girls about the commemoration of the London Bridge terror attack and the ways in which the local community has sought and found healing. And on July 10th, she wrote about the not-so-subtle signs of life one can read around Venice. She'd been hoping to bring exciting news of the Column of Infamy, but that story is still unfolding s-l-o-w-l-y. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th. Fingers crossed that it can be column-oriented. Books for August & September Roberto Tiraboschi, The Apothecary's Shop |
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June & July 2018 Michelle Lovric has scripted a performance that will take place in Southwark Cathedral on June 3rd during a Grand Iftar to mark the anniversary of the terror attack on London Bridge and the Borough Market - which left eight people dead, 48 wounded and five hundred cordoned in or out of their homes and workplaces for days while the area remained in lockdown. The spoken word piece is based on the testimonies of many residents, community leaders and businesspeople who were caught up in the attack and its aftermath. The paperback edition of My Sister Milly is published on June 14th 2018 Michelle Lovric is now a Reader for the Faber Academy. From July 2018, she will also be available to mentor writers one-to-one on work-in-progress in the form of novels, poetry collections/pamphlets, memoirs, short stories, essays, speeches, thesis and dissertation work. For further details, please contact michelleATlovric.demon.co.uk, using an '@' in place of 'AT'. (This helps prevent spamming.) New Writing On the History Girls website, on April 10th, Michelle Lovric looked into a pair of pale pink hands. On May 10th she wrote about a visit to a villa in the Veneto. Her next History Girls blog will on June 1st - ten days earlier than usual, as she's writing about the first anniversary of the attack on London Bridge and the Borough Market. Books for June & July Elizabeth Strout, Amy and Isabelle GDPR COMPLIANCE. This website doesn't collect or do anything with your data. The web platform keeps the cookies and is GDPR-compliant, using cookies for traffic analysis and security. If you email, your email address will be used only to reply to you. |
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April & May 2018 New Writing Michelle posted a piece about the literary phenomenon of the Purple Cow on The History Girls blog on February 10th. And on March 10th, she reviewed Salvatore Settis’s book, If Venice Dies. Her next History Girls post will be on April 10th. Books for April & May Hilda Sheehan, The God Baby |
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Febrary & March 2018 Venice News Well-loved Venetian writer Tiziano Scarpa has launched his new novel, Il Cipiglio del Gufo (The Frown of the Owl) at a packed reading in the Einaudi bookshop in Venice. New Writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on December 10th, writing about the commercial invasion of Venice by mega cruise-ships. This post, ‘Suicide by Greed’, received more than 17,000 views in three weeks. And on January 10th, she wrote about a devilish monkey outed and cast out by a clever priest. Her next post on the History Girls’ blog is February 10th. Her review of Vathek, ‘Enough Gothic to give Ten Cathedrals Indigestion’, appeared on the writers review site on January 8th. Books for February & March Katharine McMahon, The Crimson Rooms |
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December 2017 & January 2018 On October 21st, Michelle Lovric was awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ in the Bridport Prize poetry competition for her poem ‘Niece Comes Out of the Attic’. The poem is printed in The Bridport Prize 2017 anthology. One judge, Lemn Sissay, said this of the poem: ‘In ‘Niece comes out of the attic’, I was gripped by the gothic in this poem. And by what was not said. It's beautiful. Powerful. Evocative.’ New Writing Michelle posted an interview with Gregory Dowling on the History Girls website for October 10th. On November 10th, she wrote about the Gothic in literature, architecture and other media. Michelle's next History Girls blog will be on December 10th. Her review of one of the earliest Gothic novels, William Beckford’s Vathek will shortly appear on the Writers Review website. Books for December & January Geraldine Paine, Disappearing Tracks: A Story in Verse |
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October & November 2017 New Writing My Sister Milly has reached the Number 1 spot on Amazon and featured in the Sunday Times best-seller list. Michelle Lovric did a book-signing for The Undrowned Child at Waterstones in the Finchley Road O2 centre on Saturday 26th August. New Writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on August 10th, writing about doors and door furniture in the classics and in Venice. And on September 10th, she described a poetic interlude among the forests and lakes of north east Poland. Her next History Girls blog will be on October 10th Books for October & November Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad |
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August & September 2017 New Writing Michelle Lovric interviewed Vicky Bennison about the Pasta Granny phenomenon in an illustrated blog on the History Girls on June 10th. And on July 10th, she introduced Southwark's most famous quack, who sold sunbeams in a pill. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th. Books for August & September Marie-Helen Bertino, 2am at the Cat's Pajamas |
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STOP PRESS JUNE 29th 2017 Michelle Lovric is the co-writer of My Sister Milly by Gemma Dowler, published on June 29th by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Books. The book tells the inside story of the Dowler family before and after disappearance of thirteen-year-old Milly on March 21st 2002. Through the eyes of her sister, Gemma Dowler, we see a candid portrait of the very special person Milly really was. We experience the shock of Milly’s disappearance, the agony of protracted search, the tragic discovery of her remains and the eventual conviction of her murderer in a traumatic trial, the phone-hacking scandal that brought down the News of the World and the shocking disclosures, more than a decade later, of what really happened to Milly. The Dowler family has waited many years to tell their story. Now it emerges in Gemma’s brave, distinctive voice. For the first time, Gemma and her family show how - with love, humour, music and the help of an extraordinary therapist - they have survived more tragedy than anyone should have to bear. Gemma Dowler will be doing various television and radio interviews about the book in the course of this week and the next. |
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June & July 2017 New Writing On the History Girls website, on April 10th, Michelle Lovric looked into the strange case of Dr Seuss’s one and only flop. On May 10th she wrote about a piece of Victorian paper engineering known as the Rattlum Snakorum. Her next History Girls blog will be on June 10th. Books for June & July David Mitchell, Slade House |
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April & May 2017 An essay by Michelle Lovric is included in this new publication, Stories of Inspiration: Historical Fiction Edition, Volume 1: Historical Fiction Writers Trace Their Journeys from Starting Point to Finished Work, edited by Suzanne Fox. New Writing Michelle posted a piece about the social melting pot that was an old Venetian Apothecary for The History Girls blog on February 10th. And on March 10th, she wrote about the George Bernard Shaw cookbook ‐ yes, it really is a thing. Her next History Girls’ post will be on April 10th. Books for April & May Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls |
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February & March 2017 There’s an interesting review of The Book of Human Skin by Josie Jaffrey at The Gin Book Club: An extract: I knew I was going to love this book the moment I saw it. Joanne Harris says on the cover: "I don’t think I have enjoyed anything as much since Perfume", and it’s an apt comparison. I loved Perfume: the tangible world, the focus on sensation and the twisted empathy that was created by Suskind for his anti-hero. The Book of Human Skin has the former in common with Suskind’s novel, but not the latter two. It does, however, share something of Perfume’s darkness. The story is centred around Marcella, and is narrated in short chapters from the perspective of various characters (Marcella, Minguillo, a servant, a doctor and a nun) who feature heavily in the story. This technique had the potential to alienate and disorientate readers, but I was hooked from the very first page. Lovric’s writing is so accomplished, the deft character notes so compelling, that I resented having to put it down at bedtime. There are moments of horror, but not the ones that I was expecting from the title. Instead, the narrative is filled with tension, desperation, and later a sense of impotence and frustration as Minguillo unleashes various subtle tortures upon his sister. And subtlety is the key here: Lovric doesn’t hammer us over the head with gory or gruesome plot devices. Instead, she focusses on the psychological to great effect. See the full review here. New Writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on December 10th, writing about the original snake oil and its salesmen. And on January 10th, she wrote about Grandeur and Curiosity as manifested by different writers. Her next post on the History Girls’ blog is February 10th. Books for February & March Oswald Wynd, The Ginger Tree (with thanks to Eila Huxford for the recommendation)
Jodi Picoult, Small Great Things |
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December 2016 & January 2017 New Writing On the History Girls, Michelle posted about an unusual little book for October 10th. On November 10th, she blogged about apothecaries in Venice in a piece called The Great Venice Boil-Off. Michelle’s next History Girls blog will be on December 10th. December & January books Ottessa Moshfegh, Eileen |
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October & November 2016 New Writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on August 10th, writing about the lyrics to miserable Country & Western songs through history. And on September 10th, she wrote about an extraordinary quack apparatus known as the Health Jolting Chair. Her next History Girls blog will be on October 10th. October & November books Caitlin Moran, How to Build a Girl |
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August & September 2016 Chapter 26, a blog about travelling and reading, has given a thoughtful review to The Book of Human Skin. New Writing Michelle Lovric’s article, ‘A Carnivorous Hotel: fantastical fiction and baroque reality’ was released on the RLF website on Monday July 18. http://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/a-carnivorous-hotel/ She wrote about quack aphrodisiacs in an illustrated blog on the History Girls on June 10th. And on July 10th, she explored the old idea of prognostication using bodily moles. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th. August & September books Flann O’Brien, Myles before Myles |
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June & July 2016 The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters audio book has received an AudioFile Earphones Award. The review says Caroline Lennon’s lilting performance is splendid in this lively look at morality and the Victorians’ well-documented obsession with hair. In 1865, the seven Swiney sisters of Harristown, Ireland, are endowed with luxurious, lustrous, overabundant tresses--from golden to raven black--and beautiful voices. To avoid starvation, they become The Swiney Godivas, a vaudeville act. They sing, dance, and perform mini hair-related dramas, and as the pièce de résistance, they let down their hair. Lennon captures the melodic Irish rhythms in both descriptions and dialogue. Each sister’s voice is unique--sweet or whiny or fierce. The story is based on the real-life Sutherland sisters of upstate New York, who were also known for their lavish locks. Top-notch listening. New Writing On the History Girls website, Michelle Lovric’s April 10th post was taken by Lucy Coats, writing about Cleopatra, the heroine of her two YA novels. On May 10th she wrote about mining idiomatic language to create characters’ voices. Her next History Girls blog will on June 10th. June & July books Diane Wakowski, Emerald Ice |
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April & May 2016 Venice News A message from Mother Goose in Venice: Remember that the theatre is quite small, and bookings are obligatory, so contact your friends and email us soon to get your seats. Please write us with the number of seats and the date desired. You will receive a confirmation email. Below you will find specific information on the shows. New Writing Michelle posted a piece about quack beauty cures for women for The History Girls blog on February 10th. And on March 10th, she wrote about W.G. Sebald’s pockets and the interesting things a writer might find in them. In April – Shakespeare month – her History Girls blogspot will go to Lucy Coats, writing about Cleopatra, in and out of the plays. Chosen, the second of Lucy’s novels about young Cleopatra, is published this month. April & May books Carol Drinkwater, The Forgotten Summer |
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February & March 2016 New WritingMichelle contributed to the History Girls blog on December 15th, writing about the commercial humiliation of a sober old industrial building in the historic heart of London. And on January 10th, she wrote about the deplorable habits of the Jacana spinosa and the loading of historical language against female sexuality. Her next post on the History Girls’ blog is February 10th. February & March books Mackenney, Richard, Tradesmen and traders: the world of the guilds in Venice and Europe, c.1250 - c.1650
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December 2015 & January 2016 More Guardian Masterclasses on How to Write for Children, with Lucy Coats and Michelle Lovric: Saturday January 26th is the next date. There was a very animated meeting of ‘The Venetians’ book club, discussing The Book of Human Skin, at Michelle Lovric’s London home on November 8th. Among other things, the Book Club members suggested a cast-list for the ‘forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster’, including Benedict Cummerbatch, Dane Deehan, Andrew Scott or Eddie Redmayne for Minguillo To continue the theme of films, Darren Hartwell of Book Zone (for Boys), would like to see a film of The Undrowned Child. On the Middlegradestrikesback blog, he wrote, ‘Michelle is one of my favourite middle grade writers and I totally love her Venice-set fantasy stories. I would love to see Spielberg directing this one, or alternatively I would love to see a Studio Ghibli version - could someone please persuade Hayao Miyazaki to come out of retirement (again)?’ New WritingOn the History Girls, Michelle posted about Saint Dimitri the Myrrh Gusher, patron saint of Thessaloniki, for October 10th. On November 10th she blogged about how art mimics lit-life and the discovery of a Biennale exhibit in Venice that seemed to perfectly capture the Ravageurs, creatures she invented for Talina in the Tower. Michelle’s next History Girls blog will be on December 10th. December & January books Simon Mawer, Swimming to Ithaca
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October & November 2015 Michelle Lovric’s The Book of Human Skin has been included in the best books of the 21st century by newbooks magazine. You can see the entry on nudge-book.com Michelle Lovric’s Venice-set novels have been included in on yonndr.com, a website that enables you to search for fiction by its geographical setting. The founder, Helen Harbord, explains, ‘Yonndr is all about location ‐ you type in the name of a worldwide location and get a list of novels set in that place. It’s a fantastic travel companion as you can also find books set in your current location and then filter the results by genre and/or time period.’ Links to Michelle Lovric’s books: http://yonndr.com/location/england/europe/uk/london/book/9781444001891-the-mourning-emporium Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on August 10th, writing about about Mouths of Truth in Venetian walls. And on September 10th, she interviewed Gregory Dowling about his new Venice-set novel, Ascension. October & November books Gregory Dowling, Ascension
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August & September 2015 The new paperback edition of the Harristown Sisters is on display at Daunts in London (left). Thanks to Paola de Carolis for the picture. With Lucy Coats, Michelle Lovric will be teaching more Guardian Master classes on How to Write for Children this coming Autumn. New Writing Michelle Lovric wrote about the unbroken thread of cats in her four relaunched novels, in an illustrated blog on the History Girls on June 10th. And on July 10th, she wrote about two male faces of compelling character. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th. Venice News The Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice has designed, or redesigned, a range of postcards and posters that address the serious problem of cruise liners in Venice.
The famous Jacopo de Barbari map has been subtly adjusted to show the convergence of the cruise ships on the historic city
The Costa Concordia disaster has been transplanted to Venice
And a traffic jam of cruise ships is shown in the Giudecca canal 
These items are available as posters, prints and postcards at the online shop August & September books Lucy Coats, Cleo
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June & July 2015 Book news The True & Splendid History of The Harristown Sisters is published in paperback with its new jacket on June 5th Suzanne Fox at Society 19 website has published a detailed interview with Michelle Lovric. Here is an extract from the introduction.... As a longtime fan of British author Michelle Lovric’s intricate, inventive, and vividly atmospheric novels, I was delighted to see her journey down some of the odder (and hairier) byways of the nineteenth century in The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, published in 2014 by Bloomsbury in both the UK and USA. The novel offers both an absorbing realistic narrative and the magical pleasures of parable and fable; similarly, it’s at once true to the historical realities of its period and entirely contemporary in its relevance, themes and questions. Add to that a story touching on objectification of the female body, medical misconception and quackery, financial success and chicanery, sisterly bonds and conflicts, female power and powerlessness, Ireland, Venice, music, mothering, an absent and mysterious father, love, redemption, hair tonic, dolls, and some of the best female character names since the Bible (not to mention another score of items too lengthy to mention here) and you have a book that’s the narrative equivalent of a wunderkammern. I won’t go into her impressive biography here, as this introduction is growing as long as the Swiney Godivas’ tresses, but please visit Michelle Lovric’s website, www.michellelovric.com, for that and her latest news.... and note that UK readers will be able to buy The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters as well as Carnevale, The Floating Book, and The Remedy in new paperback editions this June. All that said, Society Nineteen is pleased to talk with Michelle Lovric about the novel, her work, and more. http://www.societynineteenjournal.com/2015/06/so19-talks-with-michelle-lovric.html Readings from The Undrowned Child were performed in the Garden of Thetis at Arsenale on Saturday April 25th, with Oreste Sabadin reading from the Italian edition (pictured left) and playing the clarinet, and Francesca Saccani accompanying him with images. The event was organised by Wigwam, the society for garden history in Venice, and was entitled ‘Monsters and Mermaids in the Orchard.’ Diary Exhibition in Venice: DÉIRDRE KELLY ‘Maproom: Sospesi tra due elementi’ Scuola Internazionale di Grafica  Michelle Lovric’s lecture at the Aman Hotel, Venice, due on June 20th, has been postponed. New writing On the History Girls website, Michelle Lovric posted her personal Happy Birthday to Giacomo Girolamo Casanova on April 10th On May 10th she wrote about The Undrowned Child performance with music and art in the Garden of Thetis. Her next History Girls blog will on June 10th. June and July books Susannah Rutherglen, Charlotte Hale et al, In a New Light, Giovanni Bellini’s St. Francis in the Desert
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April & May 2015 Book news The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters will be published in paperback by Bloomsbury on June 18th 2015, with a brand new cover. At the same time Bloomsbury will be re-launching her previous novels in paperback, also with new covers:
On June 20th, Michelle Lovric will be giving a talk about the Harristown Sisters at the Aman Hotel, also known as Palazzo Papadopoli, where the sisters live during their sojourn in Venice. Michelle Lovric is judging a creative writing competition for The Royal Society for Literature. The subject is ‘The Unfamiliar’, and the competition is for students at Kings College London, where Michelle is one of the Royal Literary Fund Fellows at the Graduate School. The prize is an opportunity to win a place on their forthcoming creative writing masterclass - Writing the Unfamiliar - with Kamila Shamsie. Taking place in Somerset House on 11th April, 10.30am, this class considers how to make the unfamiliar familiar enough to write about - with particular reference to place and time period. Further details of the class can be found on the RSL website here.
The Washbrook Book Club, led by Eila Huxford, met at Michelle Lovric’s London home on February 13th to discuss The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters. Among matters discussed were the interesting names of the eponymous sisters, the Irish and Venetian settings of the book, and also the close friendships between writers, particularly among the blogging cooperative, The History Girls, including Laurie Graham, whose work is much admired by the Washbrook Book Club. At left, Michelle Lovric thanks Eila Huxford for her marvellous and penetrating questions about The Harristown Sisters. Venice News This wonderful video of Venice in the 1940s shows a city of children, in pairs, in lines led by nuns, in boats, climbing mysterious staircases. There is no trace of the war though perhaps the wistfulness alludes to the Jewish children who were deported, to their deaths. Two new books about Venice have been published by The San Marco Press: Byron - Venice, An English Milord in Europe and Italy is by Anne Amison, intimate account of the poet. The author has drawn on original correspondence and, as she puts it, ‘shoe leather. She comments in her note on the sources that she has walked the city, visiting all of Byron’s haunts. ‘In short, if a location is mentioned in the text, I’ve done my best to visit it: my partner once remarked that if Byron were alive today he would take out a restraining order on me.’ Venezia e’ una regatta is edited by Maurizio Crovato, with a wonderful preface by Venetian writer Tiziano Scarpa. This book traces the regattas of the lagoon, boat by boat, month by month, island by island. New writing Michelle posted a piece about the mysterious nature of sea horses for The History Girls blog on February 10th. And on March 10th, she wrote about the strange case of the missing pier gates from Mr Roots’s horse hospital in London. The blog received many comments and has been referred to the Conservation Officer in Southwark. April and May books Karen Maitland, Company of Liars
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February & March 2015 Bloomsbury’s UK cover for The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters made it into The Huffington Post’s top 20 covers for 2014 On June 20th, Michelle Lovric will give an illustrated talk about the book at Venice’s Aman Hotel (site of the Clooney nuptials and also the setting for the Venetian part of The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters. Fleur in her World has given the book a lovely review ‘There are books that you love, and then there are books that lift you up, spin you around, and then drop you back to earth, dazzled. ‘The True and Splendid Adventures of the Harristown Sisters’ is one of those books; a captivating story packed full of full of characters, incidents and images. There were seven Swiney sisters, and they were all blessed with fantastic rivers of hair, cascading below their knees and ranging in color from honey gold to copper red to the deepest black. Darcy, the eldest, was dark-haired and dark-hearted; twins Berenice and Enda bickered incessantly; Oona was gentle and fair; Pertilly was plain and Stolid; Ida was the youngest, a wild fairy queen; and flame-haired middle sister, Manticory, would tell all of their stories and the stories of them all. The were all beautifully, richly and distinctively drawn, and each sister has her own role in the story that was to come .... The telling of the story is sublime, the prose is gorgeously descriptive, somehow rich, poetic and earthy all at the same time. The settings are magically evoked, they live and breathe, and so many story strands - same that are predictable and some that are anything but - are woven together to make a glorious tapestry of a book. There’s wit, there’s colour and there’s love threaded through what might otherwise have been a very dark story. And at the centre of it all are those fascinating, infuriating sisters; they quarrel bitterly, they feud, they take sides against each other, but they also cling together and keep each others secrets. Such a wonderful portrayal of sisterhood! I loved watching them all interact, and their conversations were a joy. I loved Manticory’s narration; I loved the way the story played out; I loved that there was a thread of feminism that was strained at the time but that never quite broke; I loved so many things .... This story was inspired by the true story of the ‘Seven Sutherland Sisters,’ who were once household names in America, who used their locks to sell hair products, who found fame and fortune; and who at one time owned the grandest of mansions where they lived together .... That story sounds fascinating, and really it couldn’t have inspired a finer fiction. ‘The True and Splendid Adventures of the Harristown Sisters’ more than lives up to its name; it pulled me into its world, it held me spell-bound, and I was so sorry when the story was over and I had to let go’ Fleur in her World, December 27th 2014 And there’s another one at Mockingbirds, Looking Glasses and Prejudices ‘This is a beautifully well written sensitive book! The descriptions are harsh, but accurate and the struggles of poverty and of being young unprotected women in a men’s world as described by Ms. Lovric is stripped of all romance. The story line is strong, the plot completely plausible and the pace is breathless and keeps you running page after page. There are lovely descriptions of Venice and the author lovingly details all its splendor and grandeur! But what really holds the book together is the characterization of the sisters; I have rarely ever come across an ensemble where the entire cast is so unique and glitteringly brilliant. Ms. Lovric infuses life, independence and exclusive personality to each of the sisters to make them stand apart from the other. Darcy is mean bully, Manticory the intellectual, Pertilly, the ugly one in a family of beauties, gentle Oona, the constant hatred of the twins and shy and sensitive Ida. As you follow the sisters through their rags to riches and then back to rags story, the reader is subjected the entire spectrum of sisterhood - hatred and love, envy and generosity and while they slowly fall under different influences, they also cling together in their tribaldom. You might not like all of them, you may not even relate to all of them, but you cannot, you simply cannot ignore any one of them. They jump out of the pages of the book and grip your imagination and stay with you even after you have long finished reading it!’ Mockingbirds, Looking Glasses and Prejudices January 5th 2015 The Washbrook Book Club will be reviewing The Harristown Sisters with Michelle Lovric in London on February 20th.
New writing On the History Girls December 10th, Michelle Lovric blogged about how famous writers of history have named their cats. And on January 10th she contributed a piece about a year in Venice to mark the achievements of the father of printing, Aldo Manuzio. Her next post on the History Girls’ blog is on February 10th.
February books Sophia Toibin, The Silversmith’s Wife
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December 2014 & January 2015 More Guardian Masterclasses on How to Write for Children, with Lucy Coats and Michelle Lovric: Thursday 22 January 2015 Saturday 14 March 2015 Another review of those Harristown Sisters This is such a fun book. Black as all hell, but fun nevertheless. It tells the story of seven sisters with outlandish names (I particularly fell for Pertilly and Manticory) and even more outlandish hair which, in the age of Millais’s Ophelia, makes them popular with men of a slightly grubby, fetishistic persuasion, a couple of whom see a business opportunity and proceed to exploit the poor backwoods girls mercilessly. They are not alone, however: demonic eldest sister, Darcy - who, in a surreal twist late in the book, actually becomes physically diabolical - is a stunning literary villain, and from the very beginning, the reader’s heart aches for her comeuppance. But this is just one of the many strands, woven like a lustrous auburn plait into a complex plot, that urges you through Manticory’s narrative to the explosive denouement. The characters themselves are key here, and all fulfil their given roles beautifully … It has something to say (perhaps about the eternal exploitation of women, perhaps about society’s worship of the physical and vacuous, perhaps about the complexity of familial and romantic relationships...) but is above all, a beautifully written (I love the slow crows and thin geese), right rollicking adventure through poverty to wealth and back again, from Ireland to Venice and back again. If Christmas is starting to take up all your time, and you need a book that will transport you from mundane everyday nonsense without feeling like you are feasting on cotton wool, this is perfect. Enjoy. Lulu, At night - my little lamp - and book November 2014 The Book of Human Skin caught this review from Threadbare Beauty Transported me in time and space to an unfamiliar world where brothers are very very mean to sisters. In this patriarchal place, the female protagonist has to do her utmost to survive her brother’s bizarre tastes. This book is kind of like a Cronenberg flick….you hate to read the gruesome details, and you just can’t put it down.
New writing Michelle posted some Thoughts on Monstrosity - on the History Girls website for October 10th. On November 10th she was called away to a family emergency and her place was kindly taken by Sarah Gristwood blogging about the redoubtable Ellen Wilkinson Michelle’s next History Girls blog will be on December 10th.
Venice News Artist Christine Morley has created an extraordinary mural for the 'Upupa' restaurant/pizzeria/bar in Campo del Ghetto Nuovo in Venice. The mural shows local characters from centuries past interacting with modern Venetians.
Upupa - Venezia and info@upupavenezia.com.
December books Jessie Burton, The Miniaturist
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October & November 2014 Book news
Michelle Lovric is honoured to be appointed a Companion of the Guild of St George, established by the art historian and polymath John Ruskin in the 1870s. The Guild’s history, current projects and aims are described here. She hopes to take an active part in this wonderful organisation, and to make use of her writing and teaching skills, and her knowledge of Venice, for the benefit of the Guild. Ruskin made this pencil and sepia sketch in 1870s -1, while studying the paintings of Vittore Carpaccio in the Scuola Dalmata in Venice. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
American reviews continue for the newly published American edition of The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters.
‘Their tale is just as scandalous as a contemporary Hollywood tell-all, but with the delicious villains, mysteries and grisly deaths of a 19th-century penny dreadful. Plus, it’s beautifully told, with a keen sense of the era and its locals plaited deftly into the drama.’’ Meredith Grahl Counts, BUST magazine August/September 2014
Morgan Ribera at Bustle named it as one of August 2014's Best Books: “Michelle Lovric’s latest novel is a story all about hair — specifically long, cascading, floor-length hair. It stars the seven Harristown Sisters, all of whom have decadent heads of hair each in a different vivid shade. Impoverished, fatherless, and coming of age in the mid-1800s in a rural Ireland still suffering in the aftermath of the Great Famine, these seven sisters decide to use their flourishing follicles to change their luck, but with personalities as different as the color of their locks, their heads are bound to butt. Together they become a talented, traveling celebrity septet, singing, jigging, and flashing their gorgeous, Rapunzel-like gifts to the delight of international admirers. From the dancehalls of Ireland to the lavish stages of Venice, their act will send them on a rollercoaster of wealth and fame, but these sisters will have to overcome their own differences and jealousies too in order to defend themselves against exploitation and obsession. Rich with historic detail and inspired by the true story, Lovric’s imaginative new novel is an enchanting read, filled with adventure alongside lessons about glory, loss, and deceit, about financial hardship, sibling rivalry, and the consequences of celebrity. “
When Women Talks website named it as one of the seven best books published so far this year: “This is perfect for fans of historical fiction. Loosely based on a true story, it follows the lives of seven sisters with extraordinarily long hair, hair that leads them out of their poor existence in rural Ireland to the stage, riches and a palazzo in Venice. As well as being a great story, it also asks wider questions about female sexuality and experience, questions that are as relevant now as they were when this book was set.”
Mirella Patzer at The Historical Novel Review blogspot praised it: ‘It is a rags to riches to rags story that I found myself completely absorbed by. Each of the sisters was depicted with plenty of faults and qualities, which added to my interest in this fascinating tale. It is a roller coaster ride that takes the reader to joy, love, despair, and tragedy. This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to book clubs as there is an avalanche of material that will lead to many a lively discussion. A lovely look into the odd and unusual lives of these fascinating women.’ Historical Novel Review blogspot September 3 2014
‘Combining magical realism, just a hint of fairy tale lore and the real emotions of a group of sisters coming of age, Michelle Lovric’s The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters is a delightful, if sometimes dark, tale of love, family and loyalties … … It’s a funny fairy tale, with hints of Rushdie’s magic peeking through a mainly realistic prose and nods to the legacy and legend of Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude …and, if nothing else, exemplifies the perfect way to mix fairy tales and lore with the harsh realities of a nation’s, family’s and culture’s truths. Corduroy Books August 19th 2014
‘Lovric does a marvelous job emulating the rhythm and slang of the Irish language, making The Harristown Sisters raucous reading. What begins as plausible fiction moves through operatic highs and lows and a fair bit of magical realism (Darcy’s physicality begins to mirror her black soul) before the novel winds down. Seven sisters and a career spanning decades is a lot of territory to cover but with Lovric’s imaginative touches, The Harristown Sisters is a lively Irish tale.’ The Gilmore Guide to Books, September 12th 2014
Back in the United Kingdom, reviews are still coming too: “I want to mention the excellent descriptive writing in this book. Every time Manticory thinks of her childhood in Harristown, County Kildare, she remembers the ‘turf stoves, thin geese and slow crows’ until Harristown becomes almost a character in itself. Later in the book, the descriptions of Venice are particularly beautiful… The palazzi and churches let their fretted stones hang down into our faces like beautiful, insistent ghosts. Beckoning lanterns hung at arched water-gates. Inside their houses, equisitely dressed Venetians displayed themselves in glowing tableaux so that each palace seemed to host a puppet theatre performing just for us. The city was mystical and barbaric all at once, a floating fortress so delicate that the fairies would hesitate to place the weight of their wings on it. I also loved the images of the girls hanging their hair from the windows of the bell tower of San Vidal like seven Rapunzels and each of them standing in the bow of a gondola with her hair trailing into the boat behind. I could tell this book was written by someone who knows and loves Venice.” Helen at She Reads Novels August 13th 2014
The Undrowned Child has received a lovely review as well: A wonderfully surreal and at time subversive romp through a Victorian Venice awash with saucy-tongued mermaids, green poisonous icecream, malevolent seagulls and beetles, lurid pirates, shapeshifting cats and a hideous cannibalistic butcher, who carries his head under his arm in what could be a nod (pun intended) to Washington Irving. Teo is endearingly bookish, her friend Renzo is slight, scholarly and ultimately gallant, whilst the haughty, sometimes flirtatious mermaids are good fun. On a quest to stop the legendary historical traitor Bajamonte Tiepolo (try saying that when you’ve had a few ginger beers), Teo and Renzo hurry down the backstreets of a half-imaginary, half-real Venice, clutching a magical book that helps them at every turn. On the way they encounter mythical apothecaries stocking ‘Venetian Treacle’, plague-ridden children and sinister sculptures. All the while Bajamonte grows in strength, and threatens to have his bloody revenge on Venice once and for all… All in all, I loved this book, and could hardly put it down! A rollicking, rambunctious read full of the salty tang of a Venice both real and wonderfully imagined. (And the mermaids are delightful.) Overall rating: Whimsical, wonderful and at times highly inventive, Lovric has proven to me that she’s a writer to watch out for. Eleanor Keane, The Breathing Ghosts, August 20th 2014
And How to Abuse, Insult & Insinuate in Classical Latin by Michelle Lovric and Nikiforos Doxiadis is highlighted at History of the Ancient World, which chooses the top ten insults from ancient Rome from it.
Venice News There’s a really excellent video here about how Venice works backstage, explaining the construction of the city and the problems she faces now.
George Clooney married in Venice on September 27th and his chosen hotel for his reception party was the Aman, aka the Palazzo Papadopoli, the Venetian setting of The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters.
A conference about water-cures in Venice is to be led by Nelli Elena Vanzan-Marchini.
Corso di Storia della Sanità 2014 VENEZIA E LA TALASSOTERAPIA **** ATENEO VENETO Campo S. Fantin lunedì 6 ottobre 2014 Aula Magna ore 17,30 introduce Erilde Terenzoni Venezia e il termalismo europeo: una storia di bagni e di cure conferenza con immagini di Nelli Vanzan Marchini
WELLINGTON BOOKS, the English language bookshop in Venice, has just started a crowd-funding campaign. Here is what they say: ‘The results of our (nearly) first year of activity are good and encouraging yet Italian bureaucracy is giving us some problems - we have been waiting for ages for special funds for young entrepreneurs which are still on their way… For this reason we decided to start this campaign, just to be sure that we can strongly go on for another year even without the help of the Italian State. We are not expecting to become rich, whatever we collect will be invested in the shop, as many other small bookstores have already done around the world. If you are already a client of Wellington BooKs or if you don't fancy donating or if you don't like these crowdfunding initiatives that's fine - we will be very grateful if you could just SHARE this thing with your friends. Here is the link to the campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wellington-books-venice-initiative
New writing Michelle contributed to the History Girls blog on August 10th a list of murder weapons she has deployed in Venice And on September 10th, she wrote about the ferocious patere that dot the walls of Venetian palaces, in a blog entitled What’s Biting Venice? Her next post on the History Girls’ blog is October 10th. She also contributed to Writers Read blog with a list of her recent reading and thoughts on it. And she is preparing an interview with Society19 about The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters
October & November books Sarah Salway, Digging Up Paradise: Potatoes, People and Poetry in the Garden of England |
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August & September 2014 Book news Reviews continue to come in for The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, including this one from Oprah.com in the USA, where it is published this month. “How do seven impoverished, fatherless sisters from rural Ireland with only middling artistic talents rise to notoriety? Darcy, the leader of the tribe, bullies her sisters into taking to the dance halls of their famine-stricken hometown, with hopes of striking it big. At the end of each show, the girls turn their backs to the audience and let down their hair, which cascades, unfettered, to their ankles. They soon become a hit act. "Our hair had its roots inside us, but it was outside as well," says Manticory, the lone redheaded sister and our narrator. "In that slippage between our inner and outer selves—there lurked our seven scintillating destinies and all our troubles besides." The novel is loosely based on a true-life group of American sisters who leveraged their hair to fame and fortune, and is cleverly set during a period when the Pre-Raphaelite style signified romance and freedom. Each of the seven sisters—insult-spitting Darcy, sweet Edna, tender Oona, wicked Berenice, plain Pertilly, spirited Ida, keen-eyed Manticory—will experience heartbreak and violence, even as their stars rise. Read this for the story, which is wildly compelling, and also for the prose, as magnetic as the sisters themselves.” National Geographic listed The Harristown Sisters at top of the Ultimate Summer TripLit Reading List for novels that ‘take you there’:“Hair! The Swiney siblings have a lot of it in this fascinatingly odd tale, inspired by real-life sisters who gain fame and fortune for their ankle-length tresses in famine-plagued, Pre-Raphaelite-era Ireland.” Amy Alipio, National Geographic, July 14th 2014 More reviews for the UK edition: “Vividly descriptive, it’s an extraordinary book …” Choice Magazine, July 1st 2014 “The fifth novel from Michelle Lovric – writer of The Remedy – is lined with a penetrating melancholic beauty.” The Western Daily Press, June 28th 2014 Sunday Times reviewer Nick Rennison felt that the book was at times over-written but concluded that it “has a swagger and style that make it an enjoyable read.” The Sunday Times June 29th 2014 Meanwhile, The Independent on Sunday named The Harristown Sisters as one of the best books of the year, in an alternative Man Booker List. Literary editor Katy Guest put the novel in the category of “The Anne Enright award for the Irish novel most guaranteed to make you cry Niall Williams wins this year's award on the strength of his title alone. History of the Rain (Bloomsbury) is described as a "rain-sodden history of 14 acres of the worst farming land in Ireland" but inevitably, given its author, it is suffused with warmth and humour. As is The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, by Michelle Lovric (Bloomsbury), about seven Irish sisters in the mid-1800s, all of whom have extravagant, Pre-Raphaelite hair …” The book was a Summer Holiday Pick for Annabel, one of the editors of Shiny New Books: “Michelle Lovric’s evocative prose weaves an addictive tale of unhinged sisters, celebrity, greed and, yes, hair in The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters” ‘Lovric puts her battling and embattled Swiney sisters into smaller and smaller corners, turning their tale into a full blown tragedy before it's all over. The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters is a dark tale, full of betrayal and unscrupulousness and pure creepiness. But I had a fantastic time reading it. Lovric's characters are so well-developed. Her plot overturns so many narrative conventions that I read with my iPad plugged into the wall for a few hours because I was running out of juice and I couldn't bear to leave off while it charged. I had to know what happened next. This is a brilliant, challenging novel.’ Annie Smith at The Summer Reading Project “Michelle Lovric’s delightful novel, narrated by Manticory, follows the Swiney Godivas from Harristown to Dublin to Venice. I loved the descriptions of the Swiney Godivas’ shows, in which they re-enact fairy-tales, myths and biblical tales, form tableaux of famous works of art like Botticelli’s Venus and plunder the works of Dickens, Thackeray and even Shakespeare for ‘hairy’ scenes and heroines for ‘tribute’ acts. The theatrical scenes are spiced by the sisters’ animosity towards each other, the surreptitious pinching and shoving, the whispers of ‘brown bitch heifer’ through the staged smiles” Helen Parry at Shiny New Books Michelle Lovric was interviewed about the book by Sean Rocks for RTE’s Arena programme on July 1st and by Jenni Murray for BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on July 24th. With Lucy Coats, Michelle Lovric will be teaching a Guardian Master class on How to Write for Children on September 20th. There are further sessions planned for October and November. Saturday 20 September 2014 Wednesday 22 October 2014 Saturday 22 November 2014
New writing Michelle posted an interview with Simon Chaplin about the Wellcome Trust’s extraordinary image library on the History Girls on July 10th. Her next post on the History Girls will be August 10th. Her article about Medusa Myths appeared on Bookanista on July 5th
August & September books Karen Joy Fowler, We All Completely Beside Ourselves |
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 Harristown Sisters in the Gated Garden at London’s Borough Market  photograph by Meredith Crosbie   |
July 2014 Book news Reviews have been coming in for The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, published on June 5th by Bloomsbury in the UK. The American edition will be published in August. It was the lead fiction review in The Times on Saturday June 7th “This is story to sweep you up and spin you about like a mad Irish jig. It swirls you away amid giddy torrents of language into a fantastical, sensual, yet villainously comic world … Lovric relishes language. You almost taste the words that twist round your tongue and burst open on your lips. Here are slanging matches in which curses are pelted like fistfuls of slime. Here are eddies of adjectives. Here are descriptions to reinvigorate even the most mundane scenes. “Perhaps it is the rain forever scribbling on our roofs and our faces that teaches the Irish our unstinting verbosity,” says the auburn haired narrator Manticory. “ It’s what we have instead of food of luck. Think of it as a generosity of syllables, a wishful giving of words when we have nothing else to offer by way of hospitality: we lay great mouthfuls of language on you to round your bellies and comfort your thoughts like so many boileds and roasts.” … the dark Freudian undercurrents of the fairytale are updated to deal with contemporary themes, among them the objectification of women and the right to privacy. As the compulsive power of her narrative increasingly overcomes the plangent mazes of her description, the reader finally realises that they are in the irresistible hands of a storyteller who portrays not just her period but human nature too.” Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times, June 7th 2014 “Lovric’s tale is lush with delightful Irish rhythms and memorable characters.” Kirkus June 5th 2014 “The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters is a book permeated by a malignant sadness. Lewis Wolpert coined the phrase in his 1999 book Malignant Sadness: The Anatomy of Depression. If not technically applicable, the phrase definitely captures the underlying mood of this novel. Joy and anything approaching happiness are only very sparsely, and sometimes perversely, peppered throughout the novel. The melancholic expression of the red-haired girl on the front cover should have given me a clue. Yet, not far from her face are those words ‘true and splendid’ — and thus the peculiar beauty of this novel is expressed: in her delineation of destitution, fame and death, Michelle Lovric writes a truly splendid novel.” “Michelle Lovric’s darkly lively vocabulary and fantastical storytelling makes me feel I could tumble down a rabbit hole into another, not entirely nice, world. The Harristown Sisters is the tale of seven Irish siblings, heart-breakingly poor but all with a gift valued by the Pre-Raphaelite age they live in: extraordinarily long flowing hair. And so they are whisked away into dubious society and dangerous fame. Just love her humour and magical flamboyance.” Kerry Fowler, Sainsbury’s Magazine, July 2014 “Sometimes, all you want from a book is fabulous escapism, a rich and detailed plot, unusual and memorable characters, larger than life but oddly real, a bit of a saga, a bit of a fantasy, a dash of historical realism, an edge of melodramatic soap opera, all tied up with excellent writing and a cracking pace. Look no further, friends! I’ve found this season’s pacy but gothic, horrifying but enthralling, joyful and mournful, grubby, edifying, modern but ‘olden days’ read. Michelle Lovric, The award-winning writer of The Book of Human Skin, has crafted something really beautiful and unusual in True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters.” UBS Review of Books June 17th 2014 “… if you aren't nail-chewing within moments of the deliciously elongated climax starting to build, you have no nails to start with.” Ani Johnson, The Bookbag, June 6, 2014 “I was a Michelle Lovric fan from the moment I started reading ‘The Book of Human Skin’. Amazing book that lives with me still – years after I first read it! So when I saw this book, I had to read it. Was I disappointed? Not at all. The Swiney Godivas are quite simply wonderful …” S.J. Bradford’s Book Blog June 4th 2014 Image Magazine in Ireland chose The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters as its book of the month, describing it as “an addictively subversive page-turner.” “Michelle Lovric’s The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters is a book which almost appropriates the adjective ‘fecund’ to itself by way of description, so much does its language teem with rich, sappy, loamy, fruitfulness, even to a glorious abandon of excess … This is a Gothic, operatic book by virtue of the intensity of feeling and opulence, sumptuousness of language, the reaching of heights of ecstasy, the plummeting the darkness of jealousy, violence, betrayal and murder. But the whole is delivered with such vivacity, such joyousness and juicy humour and playfulness of language that it becomes a wild, frolicsome read, despite the savage undercurrents. And lest the term ‘Gothic’ should fret potential readers who might fear the pages may romp with werewolves vampires zombies and such other silly company – fear not, the ‘Gothic’ relates to the architecture of the language, full of delicious crenellations and furbelows. There ARE monsters within these pages, and they are all of a very human kind, with no need for the agency of magic.” “My book of the year to date. It took my breath away ….” Fleur in her World, June 10 2014 “The book’s rollicking, earthy voice evokes 19th-century Ireland with gusto, and Lovric brings the sisters and their tangled relationships to life as they come full circle to confront the poverty and losses from their past.” Publishers Weekly, USA, June 10 2014 From the very beginning Lovric’s use of language is as colourful as her story; her descriptions of Venice and its palazzos are particularly lovely. Manticory’s voice is vibrant, intelligent, endearing and, at times, very funny … It’s a thoroughly entertaining tale in which love, lust, tragedy, comedy and revenge all play their part, and it ends very satisfyingly. A Life in Books, June 22nd 2014 In Harper’s Bazaar July issue, Sam Baker named The Harristown Sisters as one of her top ten reads for the summer: “An admission: I adored Michele Lovric’s macabre, Orange long-listed The Book of Human Skin. A second admission, I have a lot of red hair. These two things combined, I was always going to love The Harristown Sisters - singing, dancing septuplets who social-climb their way from poverty-stricken Dublin to Pre-Raphaelite Venice on the back of their auburn locks. But, as with the fairytale spirit Lovric so successfully conjures, nothing comes without a price.” There’s a string of interesting reviews on Goodreads too.
New writing Michelle Lovric has posted a blog about a research trip to Ireland on The History Girls on June 10th (following her interview on the same site with Mary Hoffman) Her next blog for The History Girls will be July 10th. She posted on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on June 11th about being caught in flagrante by an eminent publisher Her piece on five literary landmarks in Venice was published on Wanderlust June 14th. These included the newly reopened medical museum at SS Giovanni e Paolo and the home of Pietro Aretino. And her interview with Pam Johnson on Words Unlimited on June 16th discussed the ways in which she researches, organises and structures her work, certain regrets about giving up her work as a packager of designed books and the way in which she writes some novel scenes as poetry before smoothing them into prose. On Electric Sheep, Michelle Lovric posted on why she identifies with a philistine, impotent, Irish child-killer from the movie In Bruges. Bookanista will feature an article she has written about hair and sex in the nineteenth century Bookings are now open for the September 20th Guardian Masterclass on How to Write for Children with Lucy Coats and Michelle Lovric.
July books Joanne Harris, Gentlemen and Players |
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June 2014 Book news The True & Splendid History of The Harristown Sisters is published on June 5th by Bloomsbury in the UK. It comes out in August with Bloomsbury in the USA. The publishers have created a wonderful Pinterest board about long hair and literature, to celebrate publication. Some advance reviews This is the riotous and true (!) tale of seven 19th-century sisters, who, with their help of their luscious long red locks, rose out of poverty in rural Ireland to become famous performers. Hooked from page one! Company, June 2014 Lovric takes a little known piece of history and breathes it into full and colorful life. Impossible to put down.
New writing On the History Girls, May 10th, Michelle Lovric posted a personal essay about Julia Pastrana, the woman with hair where hair should not be, and consequently one of the most celebrated freaks of the hair-obsessed Victorian age. Author and wine-journalist Patricia Guy has hosted a photo-essay by her dog Stanley about accompanying Michelle Lovric on a writerly walk around Venice. On May 25th, You Magazine, in The Mail on Sunday, published a feature by Michelle Lovric on the phenomenon of the Seven Sutherland Sisters, who took America by storm with their 37 feet of hair and their million-selling hair products. The Sutherlands are the inspiration behind The Harristown Sisters. Michelle’s next History Girls post will be on June 10th. She will be writing about a shockingly poignant research trip to Ireland to hunt down a habitat for the Swiney Godivas, the singing and dancing siblings who are the protagonists of The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters. She is interviewed by Mary Hoffman for the History Girls site on June 1.
She’ll also be guest blogging on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on June 11th, about the embarrassment of being caught in flagrante delicto by an eminent publisher in a Venetian palazzo. ABBA was recently named number 2 in the top 10 list of literary blogs. The June diary for English Writers in Italy is an essay by Michelle Lovric on a piece of floating history in Venice. She has written a piece on Five Literary Landmarks in Venice for Wanderlust, to be published on June 7th Meanwhile the excellent Venetian blogger Erla Zwingle has recorded the passing of Signor Baiamonte Tiepolo. His long-ago ancestor is the villain of Michelle Lovric’s first two books for children, The Undrowned Child and The Mourning Emporium.
June books Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch |
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May 2014
Book news The Goodreads website has the first full review of The Harristown Sisters. Here is an extract: This book is a delight from page one. And nothing has ever made me want to visit Ireland so much as this book did. That's not a burn against Ireland. But there was such a vividness of description, that smell, language, dialect, culture, history, legend, lore leaped off the page at me. The story of seven sisters, their abundance of hair, and the trials and tribulations that come as a result of this could have been the stuff of fluffy lightweight melodrama. But I do not exaggerate when I say that nothing I have read in contemporaneous fiction, comes as close to resembling a Bronte novel as this one does. I'm not going to say which Bronte as we all have our favourites and dislikes and I'm not planning on prejudicing you one way or the other. The fact that there were seven sisters alone who formed the core of the novel's characters presents challenges in differentiation, but each sister was such a personality and had such a unique voice. I was constantly on the verge of weeping at how beautiful a grasp of language Michelle Lovric has. This book could have been written in the 19th century. Every sentence and paragraph feels carefully thought through but not at the expense of pushing the narrative forward. Turns of phrase stopped me in my tracks and had to be re-read. This isn't a case of style over substance. There is a complete harmony at work here. … If you're someone like me who laments that they don't write them like they used to, do yourself a favour and read this book. Review by Anton, April 4th 2014
Essie Fox has published a review of The Book of Human Skin on her blog about writing. I adore Michelle Lovric's writing style which is magical, flamboyant and entirely assured. Her YA novels are also a delight - if only we'd had them when I was a child! However The Book of Human Skin is decidedly not a children's read. It is fiercely dark and subversive, though not without great humour. The central story is that of a Marcella, a young girl who is locked away in a convent when her brother, Minguillo (mesmerising and charismatic, but horribly evil too) begins his narration with the words 'This is going to be a little uncomfortable'. Indeed it is! And Marcella's suffering at his hands is narrated from the extravagant viewpoint of no less than five individuals who (apart from creating a sense of awe that any writer could pull that off) knit together a complex scheme of events that lead to a thrilling conclusion. I particularly enjoyed this novel because the quite sinister convent scenes are set in Santa Catalina, in the Peruvian city of Arequipa, a convent which I have also toured, and found it to be an inspiring place with a melancholy, haunting air. I always thought I would like to set a novel of my own in that place. But having read Michelle's Lovric's work I couldn't even begin to compete. Delightful, horrific and riotous. A truly entertaining read. (And while we are on the subject, should you enjoy this novel, Michelle Lovric's The Remedy is another based upon the convent theme.) Review by Essie Fox, DO YOU DO THE WRITE THING? blog, April 1st 2014. Essie’s atmospheric and lush Victorian novels, The Somnabulist, Elijah’s Mermaid and The Goddess and the Thief are published by Orion. She blogs as The Virtual Victorian, and her clever website is here.
Darren Hartwell at BOOKZONE (FOR BOYS) has written a heartfelt blog about the current media furore about gendering of the children’s book market. He cited Teo Gasperin, female protagonist of The Undrowned Child, as a character who could appeal to both boy and girl readers: Michelle Lovric is not only one of my all time favourite writers of Middle Grade fantasy, she also writes fantastic female protagonists. Teo in The Undrowned Child, and its sequel The Mourning Emporium, is up there with Alice in my mind, but Talina (Talina in the Tower) and Amneris and Biri (The Fate in the Box) are almost as great.
Diary Exhibition in Venice: DÉIRDRE KELLY ‘NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION’ 22 May - 14 June 2014
Opening: 22 May 2014, 6-8pm Impossible landscapes, routes and directions emerge from Deirdre Kelly’s 'altered' maps which are certainly ‘not to be used for navigation’. Maps are tools that provide the means by which we both organize and locate ourselves within a continually changing world. Déirdre Kelly manipulates cartography to create her own personalised maps. Standing before these map collages, the viewer is both ‘found’ and ‘displaced’ in relation to pictorial worlds, as the overarching spatial rules collide with the particulars represented. From palimpsest to hypertext: artists have literally and conceptually been ‘mapping’ the world, looking at the familiar in different ways, as new technologies have replaced the magical world of wonder encapsulated in hand-drawn maps and atlases of the past. ‘My map is my mirror’, Déirdre Kelly describes her infinite map, reminding us of the human need and a desire for physical maps, now more than ever.
Déirdre Kelly, born in London, lives and works in Venice, Italy. Kelly has been exhibiting since 1985, her works can be found in many private and public collections including: Museum of Modern Art Library, New York; Tate Gallery Library, London; Reuters Ltd and Sedgewick Group International. www.deirdrekelly.net
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica info@scuolagrafica.it
An unusual production of Thomas Otway’s classic Restoration play, Venice Preserv’d, is to be performed by the Spectators’ Guild in Greenwich this Spring. See details here:
New writing Michelle posted her second essay about Venice on the eve of World War One on The History Girls, April 10th She will be writing the June diary piece for English Writers in Italy and a posting for An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on June 11th. Her next History Girls blog will on May 10th.
May books Elizabeth Hand, Mortal Love
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April 2014
Book news In an early review of the American edition of The True & Splendid History of The Harristown Sisters. Karen Frank writes: If the Swiney sisters were with us today they would be the stars of a reality show which would blow the Kardashians out of the water. Lovric bases her novel on an actual American sister act and resets the events in post famine Ireland. From starvation to world acclaim these sisters use their amazingly long and luxurious hair to rise to the heights as an entertainment sensation while falling victim to an unscrupulous 19th century marketing scheme. Alternately dark and delightful the story is a Gothic feast with plenty of meat. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, has written: 'Michelle Lovric is devilishly clever, fiendishly comic and generally just an irresistible novelist. I delighted in every page.'
An extra date has been added to the Guardian Masterclasses How to Write for Children, which Michelle Lovric teaches with Lucy Coats. The following dates are now confirmed: April 5th May 7th May 31st To book, contact the Guardian
New writing In her art of writing blog, Lisa Clifford interviewed Michelle Lovric about how food can be used in plot and character development. The interview can be seen here. Michelle posted a piece on Venice on the eve of World War One The History Girls blog on March 10th. She will continue that essay in her History Girls blog on April 10th.
April books Robert Galbraith, The Cuckoo’s Calling
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March 2014 Goodreads has a giveaway offer for The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, to be published on June 5th, by Bloomsbury.
New writing Michelle posted a piece on The History Girls on February 10th about a letter of passage for two milk-fed zebras. Her next History Girls blog will be on March 10th. A new course on food-writing in Tuscany
Venice News Venetian collage artist Deirdre Kelly features in a new exhibition in London GLUE Contemporary Collage & Photomontage
March books Kate Atkinson, Life after Life
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February 2014 Michelle posted a blog about the Feast of the Epiphany in Venice on the History Girls website on January 10th. Her next posting there will be on February 10th.
February books Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries |
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January 2014 A welcome to the Harristown Sisters … WE LOVE THIS BOOK asked ten of its favourite bloggers to nominate the books they are most eagerly anticipating in 2014. Fleur Fisher chose The True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, saying, “I have loved Michelle Lovric’s dark, rich, historical novels, and, after travelling to Venice and to Latin America with her, I am so excited to discover the stories she will tell and the pictures she will paint of 19th-century Ireland, in the wonderfully titled The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters.” Fleur Fisher from Fleur in her World. Follow Jane on Twitter @fleurinherworld The first three Guardian Masterclasses on Writing for Children, taught by Lucy Coats and Michelle Lovric, have sold out and so new dates are planned for April and May 2014, with a whole weekend in February: Lucy Coats blogged about the teaching experience on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure. New writing Michelle posted a blog about seeing a Canaletto painting from a unique perspective for the History Girls, December 10th, 2013. Her next History Girls blog is scheduled for January 10th. Venice News
English Pantomime in Venice January books Tiziano Scarpa, Laguna l’invidiosa |
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December 2013
Apologies to Tracey Robertson for rendering her speechless, but also thanks for an interesting review of The Book of Human Skin on The Book and Booze Club website:
New writing Michelle was planning a post about her experience of filming with Michael Portillo on one of his Great Railway Journeys on History Girls website for November 10th but computer problems meant she missed her slot. (Instead, there is an excellent post by Elizabeth Laird about literary travellers). Her next History Girls blog will be on December 10th. Her essay (in Italian) on using Baiamonte Tiepolo as a villain in her children’s books has been published in La congiura imperfetta di Baiamonte Tiepolo, edited by Nelli-Elena Vanzan Marchini. The book records the proceedings of two conferences held in 2010 to mark the 700th anniversary of the failed conspiracy to murder Doge Pietro Gradenigo and set up a new government in Venice.
Venice News The Venezia Città di Lettori campaign to save the bookshops of La Serenissima has continued with a new initiative on November 30th. Cafoscarina Michela Scibilia [mattino], Alberto Fiorin [pomeriggio] In a strange echo of the events of Michelle Lovric’s novel, The Fate in the Box, a new happening has been taking place in Venice since November 6th. Spot the similarities in the cover of The Fate in the Box, and the promotional poster for Crocodiles of Venice on the left. The show takes place every Wednesday evening from 6pm at F30, one minute from Piazzale Roma and a few feet from the Calatrava Bridge.
December books Booklovers will be delighted to hear that Tales on Moon Lane has reopened looking more beautiful than ever, after the flood that closed the bookshop in the summer.
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November 2013
Venice News The 2014 Venice Pantomime, entitled Jack and the Beanstalk (Jack e i Fagioli Magici) will be held at the Teatro a L'Avogaria January 16, 17 and 18. Bookings will be taking bookings for seats in December and January. Conference on the Lazzaretto Vecchio and the Ospedale Civile in Venice Le conferenze-dibattito si terranno all'Ateneo Veneto: il 22 ottobre alle ore 17,30 con Nelli Vanzan Marchini,Gaetano Thiene dell'Università degli Studi di Padoca, Girolamo Fazzini responsabile del Lazzaretto Novo : La storia e il futuro del Lazzaretto Vecchio, il 29 ottobre alle 17,30 Il patrimonio storico dell'Ospedale Civile nella Scuola Grande di San Marco, relatrice Nelli Vanzan Marchini, sono invitati al dibattito Giuseppe Dal Ben Direttore dell'USSL 12 veneziana, le soprintendenti Lorena Dal Poz, Giovanna Damiani, Erilde Terenzoni. il 5 novembre parteciperanno alla tavola rotonda su I patrimoni della sanità veneziana, progettualità europea e modelli di sviluppo compatibile Alberto D'Alessandro (Consiglio d'Europa, Venice Office), Fausta Bressani (Direzione dei Beni Culturali della Regione del Veneto), Umberto Marcello del Majno (Comitati Internazionali dei privati), Vincenzo Tiné (Soprintendenza per i beni archeologici del Veneto), Erminia Sciacchitano (referente MiBact per la cooperazione con il Consiglio d’Europa)
New writing Michelle contributed some thoughts on drowning to the History Girls blog on October 10th. Her next post on that blog is on November 10th.
November books Beatrice Hitchman, Petit Mort Ines Bielski Lagazzi, Saint Lucy Alessandro Marzo Magno, Bound in Venice, The Serene Republic and the Dawn of the Book
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October
2013
Michelle
Lovric's next book for adults, The
True & Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters, will be published
by Bloomsbury in June 2014 in the UK and in August in the USA.
The Fate
in the Box
is one of eight shortlisted titles for the Hillingdon Primary School
Book of the Year Award 2014.
Two
poems by Michelle have been shortlisted for the
Bridport Prize.
Her poem about a London rat visiting Venice
has just been published in
Projects Inspired by Poetry and Art by Caroline George and Rebecca
Bruce.
New writing
Michelle
posted about a march through Venice's past on
The History Girls website on
August 10th
Her next
History Girls blog will be on October 10th.
October books
Davide
Busato, Serial Killers of Venice
Sally
Gardner, Maggot Moon
Rachel
Joyce, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of
Harold Fry
Wendy
French and Jane Kirwan, Born in
the NHS
Roddy
Doyle, Greyhound of a Girl
Frank
Schatzing, Death and the Devil
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August & September 2013
Welcome to the Birdcage describes The Book of Human Skin
as "wonderful slice of fiction.
If you're a fan of any Gothic Literature, the works and writing of Anne
Rice or shows like Hannibal, Game of Thrones
or The Borgias on HBO etc I
would recommend this book for you. This dazzlingly dark novel will
certainly prove an interesting read as it turns one of the most
beautiful cities in Europe into a much grimmer place. The story is
shocking and amusing in all the right measures. Don't read this book if
you have a queasy/weak stomach."
Darren Hartwell at Bookzone4Boys has
posted
a heartwarming review of The Fate
in the Box: "With this,
her fourth book, surely it is time that Michelle is lauded by all as one
of the current greats, along with the likes of David Almond, John Boyne,
and even Neil Gaiman. I certainly enjoyed this a lot more than I did
The Ocean at the End of the Lane." He adds: "Somewhere I have
a much used book mark that bears a quote by the great Mark Twain. I
think it goes something like: "My books are like water; those of the
great geniuses are wine. Fortunately everybody drinks water". Yes, I
drink a lot of water, but every now and again I like to partake of a
fine wine, and Michelle Lovric's books are among the finest of fine
wines available."
Events and appearances
Michelle Lovric will be teaching a Guardian Masterclass in children’s
writing with Lucy Coats on September 7th. The course is sold
out but there are further sessions planned for October and November. She
will also appear at the Festival of Book Clubs at Lord Wandsworth
College on September 11th. Lord
Wandsworth College
New writing
Michelle posted a blog about a new mascot
for Venice on the
History Girls on July 10th.
On August 10th, she posted on
gifts to the water, historical and present. Her next post on the
History Girls will be September 10th.
August books Michael Chabon, Telegraph Avenue
Mary Roach, Stiff
Joan Carroll Cruz, Relics
Louise Levene, A Vision of Loveliness
Paula Martinac, Chicken
James Bentley, Restless Bones
Nicholson Baker, A Box of Matches
Kevin Fong, Extremes
Kathleen Walker-Meikle, Mediaeval Pets
Rob Lloyd Jones, Wild Boy
Penelope Lively, According to Mark
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July 2013
New writing Michelle posted a
blog about blue glass seahorses, hair sandwiches and veiled statues on
The History Girls on June 10th. Her next blog for
The History Girls will be July 10th. She writes about
beautification and laziness in
an interview with Beth Kemp at Thoughts by the Hearthfire.
Many of
July Books Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple Hibiscus Andrea Ashworth, Once in a House on Fire
John Julius Norwich, The
Augustus Hare and St Claire Baddeley,
Joseph Pohle, Mariology
John Eglin,
Federico Barbierato, The Inquisitor in the Hat Shop
Alison Luchs, The Mermaids of
H. Chick (ed), A Chronicle of the Carmelites in
Andrew Jotischky, The Carmelites and
Various, San Marco,
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     Artwork by Agnes Treherne |
June 2013 The Fate in the Box, published May 2nd, has been receiving reviews. Elizabeth Murray at Inis, the magazine for Children's Books Ireland, says, "Lovric uses a unique and charismatic approach to standard themes such as good vs evil, right vs wrong, selfishness vs the greater good and the right to redemption and revenge. Overall, The Fate in the Box delivers a gripping blend of nail-biting adventure, brain-tingling mystery and laugh-out-loud slapstick with a rewarding ending, guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats." Vincent Ripley at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books writes, "There is so much going on in this story that you are never quite sure what's coming around the corner. It could be amazingly written dialogue one minute quickly followed by humour and laughs the next. With a combination of suspense, mystery, horror and mayhem this story really does have the lot. It is a truly creative and, in my opinion, a one of a kind reading experience." Sarah Taylor at Bookbabblers read the whole book in two sittings. Sue Purkiss on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure warns that "The Fate in the Box is not for the faint-hearted. But the way the story is told is so affirmative that, even as you seriously consider taking shelter behind the sofa, you know that ultimately good and the children will triumph. I'd recommend this to boys and girls who enjoy adventure, humour, fantasy, and a good story phenomenally well told." Meanwhile Bookwitch warns readers that they also risk getting an education. Beth Kemp at Thoughts from the Hearthfire says that "The Fate in the Box has all the characteristics of the best-loved children's stories, including larger-than-life characters alongside believable child heroes, magic and mystery and clear lines between good and evil." Sam Hawksmoor at Hackwriters has worked out the connections: "There is great evil and paranoia in this Italian adventure and much fun to be had in what is really a kind of distant prequel to the wonderful Undrowned Child by Ms Lovric. The conclusion: A complex delight with vivid writing that brings old And The Fate in the Box's salty-tongued curry-gobbling mermaids are also mentioned in this lovely review for The Undrowned Child. Meanwhile The Mourning Emporium receives a lovely accolade from The first ever electronic editions of Michelle's earlier three novels for adults are published on June 3rd by The books will be reissued in paperback, with new covers, to coincide with the publication of the new adult novel, The Swiney Godivas, in 2014. New writing Michelle has written a poem about a young Michelle will be the guest speaker at a Guardian masterclass on How to Write For Children led by Lucy Coats. The course takes place on September 7th 2013. Details and booking information here. Michelle posted a piece on The History Girls on May 1oth about exploring the extraordinary bell-tower of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in She wrote about what has happened to all the Canaletto paintings in She revealed some Swedish affinities and strange truths about herself in an interview with Bookwitch
With Sarah Taylor at Bookbabblers, she talked about writing the eighteenth century and the "pulchroactivity" of Michelle's next History Girls post will be on June 10th. June books Charles L. Graves, Ed, Humours of Irish Life Algernon Bastard, The Gourmet's Guide to Europe, 1903 Moris Farhi, Songs from Two Continents Natasha Solomons, The Novel in the ViolaKatie Fforde, Living Dangerously Günter Grass, Poems of Günter Grass J.O. Choules (ed), Young Americans Abroad Vacation in Europe: Travels in Hunter Davies, The Grand Tour George. H. Heffner, The Youthful Wanderer, 1876 (extract: As I was very much disappointed with I shall not occupy much time in describing this daughter of the sea. The railway bridge which leads to this city is about two miles long. I expected that a city whose streets are canals and whose carriages are all boats, would present a very unique appearance, but when I once saw them, they were so exactly what I had anticipated, that I felt disgusted and left the city without doing justice even to the vast collection of paintings in the Ducal Palace. |
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