Diamond Star Halo
by Tiffany Murray
‘Halo Llewelyn’s prayers begin, ‘Dear God and Otis Redding,’ because she lives at Rockfarm, a rural recording studio where the sound of tractors and Stratocasters do battle. One midsummer night an American band called Tequila arrives in a beautiful silver bus, and when they and that summer are gone, they leave behind an equally beautiful baby boy; they leave Fred.
A seductive story of fate, magic, and rock ‘n’ roll, Diamond Star Halo shows what happens when a family and a farm become the breeding ground for fame.
‘Heartfelt writing...it fizzes. If Murray’s debut was a psychedelic nod towards Stella Gibbons, in this one she proves herself the glam-rock Dodie Smith.’ Alfred Hickling, The Guardian.
‘Tiffany Murray’s new book is one of the few to give the adjective “kooky” back its good name.’ The Independent.
‘A powerful and gripping novel...It is both rare and satisfying to find a writer with such a deft touch.’ Mslexia.
‘As the many devotees of Happy Accidents will attest, Murray’s evocative, dark-rooted writing is not quite like anyone else’s. Perhaps it’s enough to say that Diamond Star Halo made me smile and feel that life just became several degrees more enchanting.’ Patrick Gale, author of Notes From an Exhibition.
‘Cider With Rosie with an impeccable soundtrack.’ Mark Radcliffe.
Tiffany Murray
Tiffany Murray’s first novel, Happy Accidents, was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. She is a graduate of UEA’s MA fiction and PhD programmes, and has taught Creative Writing there, at the universities of Bath and Manchester, and for Arvon. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Glamorgan. Tiffany’s writing has appeared in The Times, The Independent and The Observer Music Monthly, and in 2005 she received an Arts Council Award. She lives in the Welsh Marches, and when she was very small Freddie Mercury wrote a little of Bohemian Rhapsody at her house.
Author photo © Fritz Fryer