Attend

When Sam falls in love with Deptford thug Derek, and Anne's best friend Kathleen takes her own life, they discover they are linked not just by a world of drugs and revenge; they also share the friendship of the uncanny and enigmatic Deborah. Seamstress, sailor, story-teller and self-proclaimed centenarian immortal, Deborah slowly reveals to Anne and Sam her improbable, fantastical life, a history of hidden Deptford and ultimately the solution to their crises. With echoes of Armistead Maupin, Attend is a beautifully written, darkly funny, mesmerisingly emotive and deliciously told debut novel, rich in finely wrought characters that you will never forget.

“"With its blend of dark, gritty themes and gorgeous imagery, this is a book to make you believe there's still magic in the world." -- Heat Magazine”

"Attend demands and rewards attention. Camel's magical realism opens trenchant depths in the ordinary, elevating the raw details--both emotional and prosaic--of people's lives into moving motifs." --Foreword Reviews
"With its blend of dark, gritty themes and gorgeous imagery, this is a book to make you believe there's still magic in the world." --Heat Magazine
"A literary EastEnders, with precision language and beautifully interwoven storytelling . . . I couldn't put it down." --Liz Loves Books
"An intricate piece of work, showing off author West Camel's skill in weaving words and phrases together to create a great debut novel." --Off-The-Shelf Books
"Delicate, evocative prose telling an intriguing story with contemporary relevance, insight and compassion." --Live and Deadly
"Gritty, yet beautifully written; fantastical, yet down-to-earth; gripping and moving." --A Discount Ticket to Everywhere
"Up to date, gritty and dark yet filled with a magic that is unique and uplifting. Attend is adventurous, charming and utterly compelling." --Random Things Through My Letterbox

Born and bred in south London - and not the Somerset village with which he shares a name - West Camel worked as an editor in higher education and business before turning his attention to the arts and publishing. He has worked as a book and arts journalist, and was editor at Dalkey Archive Press, where he edited the Best European Fiction 2015 anthology, before moving to new press Orenda Books just after its launch. He currently combines his work as editor at Orenda with writing and editing a wide range of material for various arts organisations, including ghost-writing a New-Adult novel and editing The Riveter magazine for the European Literature Network. He has also written several short scripts, which have been produced in London's fringe theatres, and was longlisted for the Old Vic's 12.

When Sam falls in love with Deptford thug Derek, and Anne's best friend Kathleen takes her own life, they discover they are linked not just by a world of drugs and revenge; they also share the friendship of the uncanny and enigmatic Deborah. Seamstress, sailor, story-teller and self-proclaimed centenarian immortal, Deborah slowly reveals to Anne and Sam her improbable, fantastical life, a history of hidden Deptford and ultimately the solution to their crises. With echoes of Armistead Maupin, Attend is a beautifully written, darkly funny, mesmerisingly emotive and deliciously told debut novel, rich in finely wrought characters that you will never forget.

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