Finding your perfect reading spot
January 4, 2021
It’s cold outside. Time to curl up and lose yourself in a good book – but where is your cosy corner?
My latest blog posts
New Year’s Eve traditions around the world
December 31, 2020
New Year’s Eve is a cause for celebration in many cultures: the end of the old and the start of the new; a clean slate; a time of hope. What traditions do you follow?
The Nutcracker: A festive favourite
December 28, 2020
Christmastime, for me, will always be inextricably linked with ballet. It was at this time of the year that my parents took my sister and me to our first ballet production: The Nutcracker.
A Christmas wish for you
December 25, 2020
Happy Christmas, dear reader! Wherever you are today, whatever you are doing, whoever you are spending time with – or missing – you are in my thoughts. I have made a Christmas wish for you.
Thank Dickens for Christmas
December 21, 2020
Did you know that many of our Christmas traditions, and indeed the very spirit of the holiday, have their roots in a little novella published in 1843?
An end to libraries?
December 17, 2020
‘I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library,’ wrote Jorge Luis Borges. But, as John Lennon suggested, imagine that there is no heaven, no Paradise – no library…
How contemporary should a contemporary romance be?
December 14, 2020
Here’s the dilemma: You’ve written a smouldering, passionate romance novel. It’s set in 1970. Is it a historical romance novel, or is it too recent? Is it contemporary romance novel, or is it too much in the past?
Dreaming of a white Christmas
December 10, 2020
‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know,’ sang Bing Crosby. But just why do we associate Christmas with snow, and how likely is snow on 25th December?
Visit a London theatre – from the comfort of your home
December 7, 2020
For me, Christmas is synonymous with a trip to the theatre – to watch a ballet, a play or a fun pantomime with the children. This year, sadly, the theatres are closed. But you can still see a wonderful London show…
Books as art: the wonder of the pop-up
December 3, 2020
What better Christmas gift than a book? Well, perhaps one that is also an object of beauty, an intricate and marvellously clever work of art…
Six dreamy winter paintings
December 1, 2020
It’s the first day of winter – the season of sparkling frosts and crystal skies and perfectly white snow. A time to find beauty and solace in nature.
The path to being a writer
November 26, 2020
I don’t think I ever set out to ‘be a writer’; I just knew from an early age that I wanted to create stories and write them down.
Perfect Christmas gifts for book lovers
November 23, 2020
Looking for Christmas present inspiration for your book-loving friend or partner or family member? Look no further! I’ve found some wonderful and quirky literary gifts that are bound to delight.
‘Passion is universal humanity’
November 19, 2020
The Ancient Greeks defined ‘passion’ as ‘to be acted on’. Should we follow our passions, act on them – or should we tame them?
A little tour of the Alcazar, Seville
November 16, 2020
This ancient palace, which features in my novel Indiscretion, transports you to a time gone by…
Romantic classical music: My top five pieces
November 12, 2020
Music has such power to express romantic feelings: as the French novelist Victor Hugo wrote, ‘Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.’ Here are my top five romantic pieces of classical music – inspiration for my latest novel, Concerto, the love story of a pianist composer and a music therapist.
An architectural tour of my novels
November 9, 2020
My love for travel shines through in my novels, which are set in countries I have loved exploring. Here I take you on a little tour of some of the wonderful historic architecture that features in my books.
How important is originality in fiction?
November 5, 2020
‘There is nothing new under the sun.’ So goes the proverb derived from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Depending on your perspective, you may find this a comforting thought or a frustrating limitation – or, indeed, a challenge to which you will rise.
The romance of the sunset
November 2, 2020
‘It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream,’ said the English philosopher Bernard Williams. I quite agree: for me, the sunset can be so stirring and poignant and romantic.
A brief introduction to opera
October 29, 2020
‘I have lived for art, I have lived for love.’ So sings Floria in Puccini’s opera Tosca. But what is an opera exactly, and how did this art form develop?
Writing for readers
October 26, 2020
‘Why does a writer write? Why hazard yourself? Each writer has their own answer to this question. Mine lies in my childhood…’
Welcome to Cádiz
October 22, 2020
The day I first visited Cádiz I just knew I must situate a love story there! The Moors compared the city to a ‘dish of silver in a bowl of blue’, so vivid are the colours there. It is a lovely city; the most beautiful in Spain, I think, and so today I want to introduce you to it briefly.
Modern expressions derived from Greek mythology
October 19, 2020
How’s your Ancient Greek? Better than you may imagine, for in fact plenty of modern words are derived from the language and legends of this ancient civilisation…
Collecting book editions
October 15, 2020
Confession: I have not one, or two, or even three copies of Jane Eyre. I have nine. Why collect different editions of the same book? For several reasons…
An enduring trope: The damsel in distress
October 12, 2020
In a modern love story, is there room for a damsel in distress? From where did this trope originate and why has it so endured? Is it okay, in fact, to be in distress and in need of rescue sometimes?
Should we rewrite classic literature for the modern times?
October 8, 2020
Classic literature endures for a good reason: it’s powerful and beautiful writing. But in our modern era, the language of these books can make for challenging reading. So should we translate classic literature into modern English?
Comfort from autumnal poetry
October 5, 2020
‘Come autumn’s scathe — come winter’s cold — / Come change — and human fate! / Whatever prospect Heaven doth bound, / Can ne’er be desolate.’ The seasons are changing… but we can find hope and comfort in poetry.
The heroine who follows her own star
October 1, 2020
My grandmother was a well-known feminist who taught me that women can do anything. Naturally, then, the heroines of my novels are strong, independent and bold…
Literary cookbooks for bibliophiles
September 28, 2020
Love novels? Love food? Then you’ll love literary cookbooks! These collections of recipes inspired by works of fiction offer you a chance to not only imagine fictional words but get a real taste of them…
Muse: The woman in the shadows
September 24, 2020
‘Maybe you could become my muse … what d’you say?’ So says the hero of my latest novel, Concerto, to the heroine. Umberto is a pianist composer set for superstardom; Catriona is his young and naïve neighbour who dreams of being an opera singer. The idea of being a muse… well, who wouldn’t be flattered? But does it mean living in the shadow of genius?
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Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo
February 22, 2021
‘Aida felt a familiar thrill of anticipation as she crossed the wide veranda and went through those hospitable doors; she’d enjoyed many happy times in this old hotel. Shepheard’s was an institution, holding its own unique place in the affections of all who knew and loved Egypt…’
A caged bird? The place of a woman in 1940s Egypt
February 18, 2021
‘I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.’ So declares the heroine of my favourite work of English literature. Jane Eyre was published in the 1840s, yet a century later still a woman has to assert her right to independence in a man’s world…
Escape and unwind with Song of the Nile
February 14, 2021
It’s publication day for my new novel, Song of the Nile,, in ebook format! The book will whisk you away from this long winter to the sultry heat of Egypt…
The natural beauty of the Egyptian deserts
February 11, 2021
Egypt is synonymous with vast sand-strewn landscapes beneath vivid skies. Here, in the driest and sunniest country in the world, most of the land is desert – and such beautiful desert.
The romance of feluccas on the Nile
February 8, 2021
The beautiful landscapes of Upper Egypt, where I grew up, are so vividly etched into my memory. The Nile, of course, is at the heart of the landscapes, and one of the most romantic views is of traditional felucca sailboats gliding on these timeless waters.
Egyptology: an enduring fascination
February 4, 2021
A passion for my home country of Egypt – its history, people and culture – is at the heart of my novel Song of the Nile. Of course, the ancient history of this land is particularly fascinating, and ‘Egyptology’ has wide appeal.
An introduction to the deities of Ancient Egypt
February 1, 2021
When we think of Ancient Egypt, we think of pharaohs and pyramids – and, of course, a large pantheon of gods and goddesses.
The poignancy of a homecoming
January 28, 2021
My new novel, Song of the Nile, opens with the heroine returning to her home in Luxor after an eight-year absence. For Aida, the homecoming is at once wonderful and painful.
Source of life: the mighty Nile of Egypt
January 25, 2021
Song of the Nile, my new novel, is set in Upper Egypt, where the River Nile is a timeless part of the landscape and a crucial part of history and culture.
Meet the heroine and hero of Song of the Nile
January 21, 2021
My new novel, Song of the Nile, is a passionate love story set in the sultry heat of Egypt. Allow me to introduce you to the protagonist, Aida, and the hero, Phares…
The Great Libraries of Alexandria
January 18, 2021
The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a treasure of my birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt. Not only is it beautiful and significant in and of itself, but it commemorates the Great Library of Alexandria built in the 200s BC, one of the most important libraries of all time. How could I fail to be inspired by such devotion to books?
Cover reveal for my NEW novel: Song of the Nile
January 15, 2021
I am delighted to share with you today the cover of my brand-new book, which will be published next month. Song of the Nile is my eighth novel, and is so close to my heart, for it is set in my homeland, Egypt.
Finding solace in music
January 11, 2021
When the nights are long and the days short, when sadness beckons and hope is hard to grasp, when spring seems a long time away… there’s always solace to be found in music.
Connecting through reading: the book club
January 7, 2021
In this long winter, we must contend with isolation, loneliness, feeling cutting off from community and friends. Could the answer be a book club?
Finding your perfect reading spot
January 4, 2021
It’s cold outside. Time to curl up and lose yourself in a good book – but where is your cosy corner?
New Year’s Eve traditions around the world
December 31, 2020
New Year’s Eve is a cause for celebration in many cultures: the end of the old and the start of the new; a clean slate; a time of hope. What traditions do you follow?
My latest blog posts
Amelia Edwards: Egyptologist and inspiration
March 22, 2021
Traveller, writer, Egyptologist – Amelia Edwards was a legend of the 19th century, and she continues to be an inspiration to this day.
Chic and elegant: Post-war fashion
March 18, 2021
After the hardships of World War II, it was such a luxury for a young woman to purchase new, fashionable clothes. So it is for Aida in Song of the Nile, when she returns home to Egypt and explores the fashion scene of Cairo.
1940s Cairo – a colourful, cosmopolitan city
March 15, 2021
‘Englishwomen in morning cottons, French and Italian girls in summer dresses, young Egyptian women with black abbas wrapped around their heads, men in tweeds or long white kaftans, a majestic sheikh in richly embroidered silks’ – welcome to the melting pot of 1940s Cairo.
Bayt Al-Suhaymi: The House of Suhaymi in Cairo
March 11, 2021
One of my favourite buildings in Cairo is the Bayt Al-Suhaymi, by the Khan el Khalili bazaar and souk. With its shady latticed mashrabiya windows, it reminds me of illustrations in the Arabian Nights, tales I would read as a child.
‘Eternal secrecy’: The Sphinx of Giza
March 8, 2021
One of the biggest and the oldest statues in the world, the Great Sphinx of Giza is renowned for its mystic look which speaks of eternal secrecy.
Mysterious giants: The pyramids of Giza
March 4, 2021
‘Mute witnesses to centuries of history, presiding over the graceful shadowy sand hillocks of the Arabian Desert and dark clusters of palm trees, towering up into the clear sky.’ The pyramids of Giza – what better backdrop for the first kiss of Aida and Phares in my novel Song of the Nile?
An epic love story or a marriage of convenience?
March 1, 2021
Is mutual understanding, respect and admiration enough to make a marriage work for Aida? Or does she need more – is love fundamental?
Ancient Egyptian jewellery
February 25, 2021
Beautiful Ancient Egyptian jewellery features in my new novel, Song of the Nile. Thanks to the gifts of her father, a keen archaeologist and Egyptologist, Aida has a huge collection of magnificent pieces: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, arm bands and headpieces dating back as far as the Hellenistic period.