A good website updater I am not! I admit that these days I mostly post stuff on my Twitter or Instagram. But, especially for those who read and hopefully liked my novel CHRISTODORA, I did want to say here that my new novel CORRESPONDENTS will be out from Grove Atlantic on May 14, 2019. This novel grew out of two impulses: one, my desire to write a novel based on my Boston-area Lebanese-Irish roots and, two, my morbid obsession with the devastation the U.S. caused in Iraq in the wake of its 2003 invasion. The challenge with this book was figuring out how to braid those two things. Please read the book and let me know if I did it! I’m very proud that Kirkus Reviews has already given the book a “starred” pre-publication review calling it “finely tuned,” “propulsive” and “engrossing”–just what I was aiming for!–and “a surprisingly moving war novel alert to global violence and politics but thriving on the character level.” If your interest is piqued, you can support independent bookstores by pre-ordering the book from Indie Bound. And if you do read and like it and you’re on social media, please post about it and help spread the word! Drop me a line on Twitter or Insta and let me know what you think! Even better, if you think you can pull together at least a dozen folks at your favorite local bookstore, let me know and I’ll try to come!
Hi Tim – LOVED Christodora!! Really looking forward to Correspondents! You are a very talented writer!
Thank you so much, Maged, I really hope you enjoy the new book!
Mr. Murphy,
I just finished reading CORRESPONDENTS. What a marvelous story!
I spent five years in Damascus–from 2003–2006 and from 2008–2010. I worked with the Iraqi Student Project, preparing young Iraqis for university. I loved Damascus; hence my return in 2008.
Your novel made me laugh and made me cry. AND you’ve written other books, one of which, CHRISTODORA is at the hold desk for me at my public library.
Write on, author.
Shukran,
Mary
Mary, thank you so much for your kind note. Where do you live? I would love to hear more of your Damascus experience someday – I had my visa, all set to go in early 2011 during a monthlong trip to Beirut, then the conflict began and hence I had to rely on second-hand sources for the Damascus chapter of the book. I hope I got it right! Thank you again and if you are on Facebook, Instagram or any of those, please let folks know about the book – that really really helps keep it alive out there.
Shukran back atcha,
Tim