In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by journalist and author Tanya Sweeney to talk about her brilliant debut novel, Esther is Now Following You, a sharp, funny and unsettling exploration of social media, celebrity culture and parasocial relationships.

Tanya has spent over fifteen years working in journalism, and we talk about how that background shaped her move into fiction, from finding her voice on the page to learning how to build fully rounded, believable characters. At the heart of the novel is Esther, a woman whose life is deeply influenced by online personas, fandom and the blurred lines between connection and obsession, something that feels increasingly familiar in today’s digital world.

Tanya is refreshingly honest about the pressure of writing a second book after the success of a debut, how much harder it feels knowing people are waiting to read it, and what that does to your confidence as a writer. 

We finish, as always, with some excellent book recommendations, making this a must-listen episode for readers who love smart, contemporary fiction that interrogates modern life.

You can find Tanya here: https://www.instagram.com/tanyasweeney/

You can buy the book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/esther-is-now-following-you-tanya-sweeney/7866244?ean=9780857507914&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

The Girls by Lori Lansens

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heissey

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld