Diary of a First-Time Novelist

Paying my first self-assessed tax bill was really satisfying. That may sound perverse, but I’m happy for two reasons: they sent me an invoice, which suggests they trust me and my return didn’t warrant an investigation; and the fact that I have something to pay means that I made enough money from writing to be [...]

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Congratulations to Evie Wyld, whose novel, After the Fire a Still Small Voice just won the John Llewelyn Rhys Prize. Evie and I recently did a reading together at Goldsmiths, where we discovered that both our novels feature characters who get through life with the help of a lucky vegetable – what are the chances? [...]

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This is usually one of my favourite times of the year: autumn leaves to kick through, the smell of bonfire smoke, fireworks… I like Hallowe’en, too: much less stressful than Christmas with its big build up, flurry of food production and legacy of disappointment and indigestion. When the children were younger I enjoyed decorating the [...]

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I’ve just completed my first self-assessment tax return, and as I wanted to use the short form I had to submit it by the 31st October. With my usual failure to grasp the concept of linear time I hadn’t realised that was quite so soon, and that, as we’re away next week and the postmen [...]

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Well that wasn’t too bad: I gave my first-ever talk to people who’d paid to be there and nobody heckled, threw anything, walked out before the end or even – as far as I could see – fell asleep. It felt quite strange to be sitting on a stage, looking at rows of my friends [...]

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I had lunch a few days ago with Gill Butler, who hosts the literary events at Blackheath Halls, to discuss the format for Wednesday evening. I still can’t quite believe that they’ll be charging people to come and hear me talk. It makes me feel slightly better when I remind myself that the only people [...]

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I go to a marvellous party where I skulk in the toilets and try not to drink gin.

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This is the web site of Bronia Kita. Here you can find out about me and my writing life, and when I work out how to do it, order my book and contact me.

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