I recently read My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse. Set in nineteenth century China, it’s a love story between Robert Hart, inspector general of China’s Customs Service, and his concubine, Ayaou. As I turned the pages I swiftly slipped into the story and was lost in it until the end. Afterwards I had some questions swirling around in my head – so I invited the author, Lloyd Lofthouse to drop by on Tuesday, 29^th September to answer them. I’m looking forward to hearing more about the novel.

Meanwhile, here’s what some of the reviewers have said:

“If even half of Lofthouse’s narrative is true, it’s a stunning work that enmeshes imperialism, modernity, miscegenation and plain old desire in a sweaty matrix of destruction and painful birth.”
City Weekend Magazine

“Those who are interested in unconventional romances with an out-of-the-ordinary setting will find plenty to enjoy.”
Historical Novels Review

“Hart’s struggles adapting to Chinese culture, always feeling the pull and force of his Victorian British background, are compelling. His relationships with his concubine and his concubine’s sister are poignant—the novel is as much a study of the complexities of love as it is anything else. A powerful novel …”
Judge of 2008 Writer’s Digest Self Published Book Awards

Drop by on Tuesday, 29^th September and find out more about My Splendid Concubine.