A Moment With… Lucy Kaufman

Lucy Kaufman is bringing the blog tour for The Heart-Shaped Box to Novel Kicks today. Welcome. 

The page-turning psychological thriller novella about infatuation, revenge and the lengths we will go to for love.

“She pressed her nose gingerly to the glass, peering unblinking through the viscous liquid at her gift.”

Victorian, rural Sussex. When headstrong daughter of a rector, Constance Timothy, receives a flurry of gifts in pretty little boxes from the charming, smouldering student doctor Smith Williams, her whole family anticipates a future betrothal.

Yet beneath the exquisite pastel lids and satin bows lie macabre secrets that entice Constance into a private world of obsession and darkness, where morality becomes blurred, loyalties are tested and unthinkable acts are possible.

One secret will shake the genteel world she knows to the core…

The first book of The Carousel of Curiosities series, this haunting novella is perfect for readers of Sarah Waters, Laura Purcell, and Angela Carter.

To talk about how much she loves Novellas and why you might too, it’s over to you, Lucy. 

Like many schoolkids in the UK, the first novella I read was Of Mice and Men. Short enough to read over a term in a classroom and engaging enough a story for even the most book-phobic child to be drawn into its emotional world, it’s obvious why Steinbeck’s 30,000-word masterpiece has become an all-time classic as well as a Literature syllabus perennial.

There are clues in that thin-spined book as to what makes a great novella: one strong storyline pushing forward to an inevitable climax and conclusion, unforgettable characters, vivid description that puts us right there with Lenny and George in Soledad, and an emotional tangle at its heart that has a deep sense of how things should go in an ideal world but – in this book at least – don’t.

I read recently how a novella is akin to other short forms such as flash, the short story and even poetry in that a novella cannot afford to waste a single word. For this reason, they may be short, but they are rich and refined, the good ones often polished to perfection like precious stones until they gleam.

A couple of years ago, on what was then Twitter, I happened to see a thread where someone was asking for people’s favourite novellas. I was busy moving house at the time and the idea of reading short books in-between packing up my house appealed because it felt manageable. I made a list of all the novella recommendations in the thread and set out to read as many as I could get hold of, bearing in mind some were so old or obscure they were no longer in print.

I had no intention of writing a novella then, but relished the opportunity to dive into these beloved stories and discover unique voices, vivid worlds and memorable characters in fascinating situations I might otherwise have never stumbled upon.

I must have read about fifty novellas in a row. Among my favourites are We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark, The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital by Lorrie Moore, and Foster by Claire Keegan. Each of these stories will stay with me for various reasons, the common reason being they each capture a moment, a feeling, an atmosphere so alive and densely rich I can still feel each of them now.

Loving the experience of reading a novella as I do, it makes me wonder about its bigger sister, the novel. Why are novels so long? Is the story so much bigger it needs to be this length – in which case, great! – or is there some filler, some padding or random tangents the story doesn’t need and would be better without? What I love about novellas is they are streamlined, distilled down to their essence until all we are left with is this slim, pure, perfectly-formed gem.

It should have been no surprise to me, after having absorbed so many novellas in a row, that I would write some shorter pieces. The Heart-Shaped Box began life with the intention of it being a short, short story. But some pieces take on a life of their own and become the length they are meant to be.

It’s only now I join the dots between my adventure in novellas and what has become The Heart-Shaped Box. I am grateful for those little gems I read that year and wonder how my own tiny novella matches up. It’s a farfetched dream to think I may have created a gem of my own, but that is not for me to decide. It’s out of my hands now. The Heart-Shaped Box is out there, mingling with strangers and finding its feet in the world. It belongs to the reader.

About Lucy Kaufman –

Lucy Kaufman is an award-winning author, playwright, audio dramatist and poet. 40 of her plays have been performed professionally around the UK and Australia, to critical acclaim.

She has lectured in Playwriting and Screenwriting for Pen to Print and Canterbury Christ Church University and is a mentor at The Writing Coach.

Originally from London, she now lives by the sea with her husband, sons, dogs and cats.

Say hello to Lucy on Instagram. You can also follow Sepia Ink Publishing on Instagram. 

The Heart-Shaped Box is book one in the Carousel of Curiosities series was was released in February 2026. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

Subscribe to Lucy Kaufman’s newsletter at www.sepiaink.co.uk by 15th February 2026 for the chance to win a small heart-shaped box of chocolates. Open to UK only.

(Novel Kicks is not responsible for distribution of the prize.) 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.