34-year-old Scottish author Luke Williams launched his debut novel “The Echo Chamber” last month. He chose the Word Power Bookshop on West Nicholson Street as a venue because of all the time he spent there during his years as a student at Edinburgh University.
After reading a few significant passages of his novel to those who attended the event to celebrate his first work, Williams answered questions from the assembled audience. He did not fail to mention and thank his dear friend and colleague, who attended the book launch and who was sitting in the front row.
Natasha Soobramanien is the author of Damarie’s Diaries, which are part of Williams book, and is also the person to whom the book is dedicated.
Williams explained:- “Natasha is an amazing writer herself.” He also said that he could not have written this book without her – as not only she wrote part of it, but she was, most importantly, his first reader and a figure of help and encouragement during the process of writing The Echo Chamber.
The novel, narrated by Evie Steppman, is a story about a woman’s memories. She can hear things that others cannot. For example, she hears her past, which enables her to remember, not only her own birth, but also the birth of Nigeria, the country where her father worked for the British colonial administration. The novel, which British writer Ali Smith described as:- “Original, brilliant and inconceivable”, was in fact inspired by Williams’ studies in Colonial History.
Before he started signing copies of his book, Williams joked about how long it took him to finish his first novel. He then added that he is currently in the process of writing his second work. And, judging from the enthusiasm of those who attended his book launch, Williams already has some fans waiting for his next novel.
