Meet Annabelle Thorpe – our newest kid on the bloc!

Bookend-ers, please say hello to Annabelle Thorpe!

Annabelle has been a travel and features journalist for fifteen years, writing for all sorts of national prints and online media, including the Times, Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Express.

The People We Were Before is Annabelle’s debut novel, and believe us when we tell you – it’s an absolute must-read! The story is narrated by a young Croatian boy called Miro, whose family move from the inland city of Knin to the sunkissed village of Ljeta on the Dalmatian Coast, in a desperate attempt to forget an awful tragedy. Their new, idyllic life is cut short by the start of the brutal conflict that erupts between Croatia and Serbia, and rages on throughout the 1990s.

This is a fascinating story about love, friendship, and the strength of the familial bond. It is about hope and redemption, and about survival in the face of the gravest hardships. Publishing 21 April, this is the perfect summer read. We caught up with Annabelle and asked her all about her perfect weekend plans, and here’s what we found out…

Long lie in or up with the lark?

A long lie-in, with croissants and the papers.  Bliss.

Citybreak or escape to the country?

Citybreak.  It’s amazing what you can discover in a weekend.

Bookshop browsing or exploring a library?

Second-hand bookshop browsing.  You never know what you’ll find.

Traditional Sunday roast or grand kitchen experimenting.

A roast.  Although anything with roast potatoes will do.

Time to write or step away from the computer.

I try to write every day, usually first thing in the morning.

Are you off to the latest exhibition or getting arty yourself?

I love exhibitions.  The last one I saw, Artist & Empire at Tate Britain was brilliant.

Radio 2 or Radio 4

Both.

Dressing up to the nines or jeans and wellies?

Jeans and wellies.  I’m in London in the week, so weekends mean the garden or the beach.

Trip to the Cinema or a DVD on the sofa?

Cinema.  The popcorn’s better.

The feel of a shiny-new book or the smell of a dog-eared classic?

The classic.  A dog-eared book has history.  I love that.

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