SARAH SALWAY

Do you remember that first time we met? It was in the old studio in Brunson Road. How much did we miss, love, by not being together?In the early 1960s, Maureen Griffiths, married with children, accompanies a friend to a modelling shoot, never intending to be in front of the camera herself. But after meeting photographer Martin Morris, Maureen is transformed - and Martin quickly falls for her. It is forty years later. Shortly after Maureens death, Martin moves into Pilgrim House, a retirement home, in part because Maureens husband, George, is also a resident there. Through the letters he continues to write to Maureen, Martin reveals a lifetime of tireless devotion to his one true love. He is also determined to figure out why she stayed with her difficult, demanding husband. So with the aid of some of the colourful residents of Pilgrim House, Martin delves into the secrets of Maureens family and becomes increasingly entwined in the complicated life that Maureen built to shield herself.Told through letters, emails, and other missives, Getting The Picture is an irresistible, funny and deeply moving novel of family secrets, regrets, and abiding love, with all the authors sly wit and powers of observation on full displayThis novel is Dean Street Presss entry for the 2015 Man Booker Prize.Praise for Getting The PictureGetting The Picture astutely probes the quotidian eeriness of that other planet that is old age and a life recollected. Marvelous. William GibsonThe best novels seduce the reader, so allow the wonderful chorus of voices in Sarah Salways Getting The Picture to do just that. Let them whisper secrets, plans and mysteries; of the past, of the present. Let their possible futures come into focus for a celebratory final picture. This novel is uplifting, sinister and beautiful. Tiffany MurrayOne of the smartest, wittiest writers of present times, and I recommend anything by her. Getting The Picture is just great. I couldnt get through a page without smiling or laughing aloud... there is one photography session where an old man and woman meet with a camera between them that is riveting; Salway adds layers to it in the retelling, so that the poignancy of the event overtakes the humor. I cant stop thinking about the state of mind of the 79 year old woman who lowers her shirt for the camera. All these old people still want to be seen, and to reveal themselves. Salway is a wonder at detail - small moments from all her books are permanently embedded in my mind. Dont know how she does it, but its marvelous. Alice Elliott DarkSarah Salway is an astonishingly smart writer. Her fiction is always beautifully structured, touching and clever. She manages the trick of creating characters you care about in stories you admire. I cant wait to see what she does next. Neil Gaiman

Written in alphabetical entries, a charming new British voice spells out the ABCs of love with the perfect blend of observation and wit in her debut novel.

One of the great hidden gems of the past decade. Written in brief entries from Ambition to Zzzzz Salways confident debut novel chronicles the existential ups and downs of British 20-something Verity Bell. The alphabetically arranged mini-chapters make for an inventive and episodic narrative, as Verity muses on her career (A is for Attitude: "I work as a secretary in the media something I dont always talk about because some people seem to think Im showing off"), her friendship with the fabulous Sally (B is for Best Friends: "my best friend, Sally, has become the mistress of a millionaire called Colin"), her feelings on Gwyneth Paltrow (G is for You-Know-Who: "If I looked like Gwyneth Paltrow, nothing could possibly go wrong in my life") and other issues of love, friendship and family. With both parents deceased, Verity clings to Sally as a sort of substitute family, but struggles with her insecurities and her envy of Sallys perfect existence. She falls madly in love with a married man but, unsurprisingly, their steamy affair is not the solution to Veritys problems; rather, it exacerbates her self-doubt as she plays second fiddle to the wife and children. Ultimately, Veritys life takes an unexpected turn, and she emerges a stronger and more creative woman. Salway wraps her bright, comic writing in bite-sized chunks that make this first novel an easy-reading pleasure. First published in 2004 to considerable critical acclaim Neil Gaiman called Sarah an astonishingly smart writer and Sainsburys magazine hailed the book as a Bridget Jones for our times Something Beginning With became a cult classic. By which we mean a book that didnt sell a huge amount but nearly everyone who did buy it loved it. We are delighted to be able to include Something Beginning With as one of the launch titles for The Library of Lost Books. Sarah has a considerable online following and her debut novel has been unavailable for some time.

Discover a novelist that Neil Gaiman describes as an astonishingly smart writer. When a chance meeting with a stranger leads to an offer of a room in exchange for telling her stories, Molly jumps at the chance. Slowly she builds a new, eccentric family around herself: Tim, her secretive boyfriend, who just might be a spy; Miranda, the lovelorn hairstylist; Liz, the lusty librarian; Mr. Roberts, landlord and listener; and his French wife, Mrs. Roberts. Much to Mollys surprise, she finds the stories she tells now are her key to creating a completely different life. Suddenly, her future is full of endless possibilities. The trouble is, Mollys not the only one telling tales. And the truth is always stranger than fiction. Sarah Salways witty, finely-tuned and poignant story of many stories is a uniquely entrancing chronicle.