Guest Post with Eva Glyn
CHOOSING THE DUBROVNIK BOOK CLUB BOOKS – EVA GLYN
One of the joys of writing a book about a book club was
knowing that I’d have to choose books for them to read – especially as most, if
not all, of the selections needed to tie into the plot.
To support her in her new endeavour, Claire recruits her
Croatian cousin Vedran. He’s not much of a reader and he’d rather stay at home
these days, having been pilloried on social media following the disappearance
of his girlfriend. Which is the reason why Luna recognises him, and two
thoughts collide in her mind: that Vedran is too nice to be a murderer, and
inspired by The Thursday Murder Club, could they not solve the mystery
of what happened to Didi and clear his name?
The second book is Vedran’s choice and he asks Claire to
pick a sporting biography. This really isn’t her forte so she chooses one which
looks as though it has more to it than simply balls, if you’ll pardon the
expression. It’s Marcus Trescothick’s Coming Back to Me, a book which
affected me profoundly when it came out in 2008, dealing as it does with the
cricketer’s battles with mental health. Vedran, however, takes great offence at
her choice – as far as he’s concerned, mental health is not something which
ought to be discussed. Not an uncommon opinion in Croatia.
When Karmela’s turn comes she picks a British classic, Jane
Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Without realising just how like Elinor
Dashwood she is. Head before heart, self-contained… But the next book on the
list has the potential to open old wounds; Priscilla Morris’s Black
Butterflies, which is inextricably linked to the past Karmela has tried to
bury for so long.
There are two more titles, but as I write this I realise that
to tell you about them would give away too much of the plot.
At times it was more than challenging to pick the right
book, and along the way I read and rejected so many – including Virginia
Woolf’s Orlando, which I loved and almost fitted in so many ways. Just
not quite well enough. Hopefully, with my final choices, I’ve got it right.
THE DUBROVNIK BOOK CLUB - BLURB
In
a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town, a book club begins…
Newly
arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomson’s life is about
to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin
Vedran, employee Luna and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book
club.
But when
their first book club pick – an engrossing cosy crime – inspires them to embark
upon an investigation that is close to the group’s heart, they quickly learn
the value of keeping their new-found friends close as lives and stories begin
to entwine…
Buy links for all formats and retailers can be found here:
https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-dubrovnik-book-club-eva-glyn
EVA GLYN BIOGRAPHY
Eva Glyn
writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its
heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the
stories they hide.
Her love
affair with Croatia began in 2019, and since then the country’s haunting
histories and gorgeous scenery have proved fertile ground for her books, driven
by her friendship with a tour guide she met there. His wartime story provided
the inspiration for The
Olive Grove
and his help in creating a realistic portrayal of Croatian life has proved
invaluable. Her second novel set in the country, An Island of Secrets is a dual timeline
looking back to World War 2, and although her third is a contemporary romance
featuring mature main characters, The Collaborator’s Daughter, has its
roots in that conflict too.
Inspired by
authors she loves such as Libby Page and Faith Hogan, Eva has wanted to write
books about unlikely friendships for a long time. March 2024 saw her dream
realised, when The Dubrovnik Book Club was published.
Eva lives in
Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and is lucky enough to be
married to the love of her life, who she’s been with for almost thirty years.
She also writes as Jane Cable.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow Eva on
Instagram: @evaglynauthor
Twitter: @JaneCable
Bookbub: @EvaGlyn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaGlynAuthor/
Thank you, Eva. You certainly did get your choices right. It's a fascinating book and it made me want to go back to the stunning city of Dubrovnik. It's already doing so well and I wish you much continued success with it.
You may read my review of The Dubrovnik Book Club here:
Thank you for reading. I'm sure you found Eva's piece as interesting as I did.
This gives a fascinating insight into Jane/Eva's thinking behind her wonderful book. The book choices intrigued me too and what she eventually came up with proves to me that a good writer needs to read and read and read. I agree with you that this latest book is so good. Her best yet, in my opinion, and she has written some crackers. Thank you for sharing, Jan. And... happy writing to you too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela. I, too, admire Jane's writing and loved this post taking us behind the scenes. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteI adored the book choices as it gave the reader an insight into the characters. It is wonderful how the characters interact with each other, discover themselves and develop. The Dubrovnik Book Club is a clever novel. Jessie C
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jessie. The book chosen for each charcter shows a lot of thought went into the choices. Thank you for your comments.
DeleteA great post ladies. It was great to read more about the book choices in this lovely book xx
ReplyDeleteThank you. I too enjoyed hearing how Eva/Jane decided on the books. Thanks for commenting.
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