In four weeks time my debut novel, Behind the Portrait, will hit the bookstores and I would love you to join me for the launch evening at Hatchards Piccadilly, London, to celebrate publication day, on 7th September.
There’ll be a Q&A session, a cocktail to sip (with a 1930s vibe) and a chance to chat and pick up a signed copy of the novel. Book your tickets for the event here, I would love you to join me in the fabulous surroundings of Hatchards – the oldest bookshop in the UK!
And you can pre-order Behind the Portrait here, in the UK. It’s also available to pre-order in the US here.
You might wonder how I ended up writing fiction after focusing on non-fiction books. To be honest, moving into fiction felt like a natural step, and in many ways my love for decorative antiques and vintage art really inspired me when it came to writing about a group of bohemian artists in Paris, in the 1930s. A decade hit by the Great Depression after the financial crash on Wall Street, yet the fashions were among the most glamorous of that century. Art and science pushed boundaries; technology saw the invention of the electron microscope, the Polaroid camera and the helicopter. It was the 1930s that saw the rise of swing music and Surrealist art with dreamlike images to challenge economic and political unrest.
My background – an art degree, with half of the coursework in art history – along with a dream job in the design studio at the National Gallery, where I was surrounded by art every day for nearly five years, helped fuel my interest in the lives of artists.
I didn’t study creative writing at degree level but have enjoyed short courses over the years including an evening course at University of London and at the annual Festival of Words in the Fleet Street Quarter.
Last week, I chatted with my publisher, Whitefox, about the publishing process and you can read all about it here, Q&A with Michelle Mason.
The vintage oil painting, below, of anemones dates to the mid-century. Arranged in a blue bowl set against an intricately painted background of pinks, creams and soft pale blues, the impasto oil paint gives a wonderfully dense colour and texture to the artwork. Painted in oils on wooden board, and measures 36.5 cm x 35cm. Available here online.
In case you missed it… Interior Style for Book Lovers
And this issue, from my visit to interior designer Beata Heuman’s HQ…
August Newsletter
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August 1, 2025
Welcome to the August edition of Love Vintage Etc. for all my Substack subscribers and Mason & Painter followers.
Thank you, as always, for reading, Love Vintage Etc. Join me next time for vintage updates, interiors, art and my favourite places to visit in Paris. And please do send a comment – it’s great to hear your views – and if you click on the little ♡ symbol it helps to spread the word!
I would love you to pre-order Behind the Portrait. For the UK here or here at Waterstones. And for the US here. Thank you! Your support means a great deal. Chat soon, much love,
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