Marketing people like to coin a catchy term or expression, and we see it in publishing all the time. Remember 'chick lit', and then 'mum lit' and 'uplit'? Now we have 'cli-fi', a play on sci-fi when exploring issues around climate change or an ecological theme in novels.
And if you've had time away from the news or football this week to listen to the radio or read the papers, you may have seen a flurry of features about this subject, most notably mentioning the debut novelist who is visiting us online this coming week!
Kate Sawyer has achieved some outstanding media coverage and great reviews for her novel 'The Stranding' which was published on Thursday. She notched up interviews with Mariella Frostrup on Times Radio and with Emma Barton on Woman's Hour when she joined Diane Cook talking about her debut 'The New Wilderness', also about surviving in an inhospitable environment.
There have been reviews and mentions in 'The Guardian' and 'The Sunday Times', and an article in 'Grazia' as well as celebrity author endorsements, and these are only the items I've picked up.
So, if you'd like to find out why this book is attracting so much attention, why not join me in talking to Kate this week.
We're meeting online on Thursday 1 July at 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased here and provide access to the conversation as well as a signed copy of 'The Stranding', and, if you're quick, a wonderful goody bag of branded tote, postcard and badge!
Of course I hope someday soon to be running author events in person once again. I have been encouraged by the efforts in Suffolk of The Cut Arts Centre in Halesworth and the Felixstowe Book Festival this weekend in opening up their sessions to limited numbers and with online streaming sessions, too. They've worked very well. You can view my conversation with Anna Pavord at The Cut here, and do please donate to organisations like these whenever you can to ensure that we can all go 'back to normal' just as soon as possible.
In the meantime, Browsers Bookshop Book Group discussion will be taking place tomorrow on Zoom. We'll be discussing 'Crow Lake' by Mary Lawson.