Thanks to all who came out on a cold November night to help celebrate the New York City launch of The Latecomers at Book Culture on Columbus. I’m especially grateful to Helen Simonson who led conversation about the book, and about writing fiction set at the turn of the other century. Her The Summer Before the War, set in 1914, is not only a page-turner, it was a trove of historic details and post-Victorian consciousness that informed The Latecomers.

Here is Cody Stuart, maestro of best bookstores in NYC– Book Cultures on Upper and Upper-Upper West Side–introducing The Latecomers.

A warm-up slide presentation before the talk. “The Hidden History of 20th Century America.” How glad I was to discover PPT skills still intact from my pitch days as an ad exec.

Here, Helen Simonson (MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND and THE SUMMER BEFORE THE WAR) speculates on the power of secrets in life and as a driver in narrative.

Here I am bolstered by fellow former castle mates Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan (SARONG PARTY GIRLS and A TIGER IN THE KITCHEN) and Leland Cheuk (LETTERS FROM DINOSAURS and NO GOOD VERY BAD ASIAN, forthcoming). We were residents last winter at the royally sublime Hawthornden in Edinburgh, a 14th century castle where I finished writing THE LATECOMERS.

Recently, I got word that the first buyer of foreign rights to The Latecomers was Russia. I hear people are already lining up for my readings in Moscow!