Spring 2020

So here we are, in lockdown. I think it’s taken a while to sink in – the deeper the shock, the longer it takes to catch up with oneself. Of course it’s utterly catastrophic for many millions of people, who can’t do their jobs. For us authors it’s a little different. We can carry on as before.

Yet of course we can’t, not really. For a start, if we have a book coming out, it won’t be in the bookshops (the paperback of “The Carer” is published in April, goodness knows what’s going to happen to it. And my daughter Lottie Moggach’s new novel, “Brixton Hill” is published in July).

Then there’s the question of concentration. It’s all so alarming and absorbing, out there, that ones brain is scrambled. Added to this are all the emails, WhatsApps, texts, funny videos, pouring in from all ones friends who’re in lockdown too and want to cheer you up, and visa versa.

And if one’s writing a contemporary novel, how does one cope with this huge event which is going to change the world?

These are trivial questions, in the scheme of things. But art’s purpose is to address what’s happening and try to make sense of it. Hmmm. You first.

Once this settles down and we stop spending the whole time on Skype, we might start to do some reading. I’ve made a little video which I’ll post on this blog about the sort of books I feel like reading during this weird period. Escapist? Comforting? What are your preferences? I’ll bet that not too many people will be drawn towards violent or dystopian novels, not just now, but I may be wrong.

I’m refreshing my official Facebook page @DeborahMoggach and will be posting things over the next months. If you would like to contact me then please do follow me on Facebook and drop me a message there. I’d love to talk to you, and I’m not going anywhere. Alternatively, my email is moggachdeborah@gmail.com.