The woman who painted her dreams - Isla Dewar

A sturdy wilful child, Madeline Green adores her father, her hero, her Ted. She thinks him a wonder. When he dies, Madeline, still in her teens, stumbles forward into life with one burning ambition - to paint. She makes friends with Annie and her wayward husband, Willie. She finds solace in her relationship with Stuart, her pal, lover, soulmate. Moves into his dilapidated country house. Living removed from the world, Madeline's aspirations seem to slip away. Seeking release from her frustrated desires by painting her turbulent wild imaginings whilst sleeping, Madeline, at last, discovers the true Madeline, and finds recognition. Or rather, recognition finds her. And she realises that life is not a straight path from childhood to her goals. It is her mistakes, wrong turnings, her misunderstandings, distractions and absurdities that make her 'The me I am.'

Isla Dewar is the author of many acclaimed novels including Keeping up with Magda, Dancing in a Distant Place, Secrets of a Family Album and Women Talking Dirty. Women Talking Dirty was made into a film starring Eileen Atkins, Helen Bonham Carter, Gina McKee and James Nesbitt.

Isla lives in Fife with her cartoonist husband.

'She writes with wit and perception...well-crafted, humorous and insightful'
'Isla Dewar is not just a fine craftswoman; like Madeline Green, she too is an artist' Sunday Herald

Sunday Herald, Glasgow

'Isla Dewar's true skill is in her eye for detail and character development...Dewar writes touchingly, but not too sentimentally' Aberdeen Press & Journal
Aberdeen Press & Journal

'Funny, sad and poignant, this is a brilliantly observation of family life and childhood...Isla Dewar paints a picture with words, sights, sounds and smells and such warmth in an incredibly evocative novel' Yorkshire Evening Press
Yorkshire Evening Press

The power of Dewar's highly visual imagination brings off this tender, uncompromising story with panache and feeling
Glasgow Herald

'An accomplished and beautifully written novel' Real magazine
Real magazine

'It's the way that Isla Dewar develops her characters that gives her writing such extraordinary strength...an absorbing story... Isla Dewar has the ability to conjure up the most delightful cameo scenes, and the power to keep the story moving towards its inevitable end' Oxford Times
Oxford Times

'Such a compelling read...you won't be able to put it down' Newcastle Journal
Newcastle Journal

'Strong characters, sharp dialogue and a haunting sense of place...a compelling study of desire, frustration and contentment' Eve magazine
Eve

'The feisty character of Madeline carries this charmingly written story of conflicting desires' Family Circle
Family Circle

'Filled with intricate descriptions and razor-sharp observations' Waterstone's Books Quarterly
Waterstone's Books Quarterly

Dewar is a wonderful writer, less quirky than Atkinson, although The Woman Who Painted Her Dreams achieves a similar blend of the funny and poignant...Part love story, part friendship tale, part exploration of the artistic psyche, this is a thoughtful and amusing novel
Sainsbury's Magazine

'Her sixth book, The Woman Who Painted Her Dreams, is her best yet. In it she writes brilliantly about the joy of creativity and sex, but misses nothing about love and the pain that goes with it' Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday

'Dewar has a great knack of taking ordinary people and situations and flipping them on their heads, and her characters are engagingly eccentric and complex...a magical novel' Glamour
Glamour

'It's something of an indictment of the modern world that the world ''nice'' is almost an insult but, regardless, that's what Dewar's novel is. Nice' Sunday Herald
Sunday Herald

I have loved Isla Dewar's novels right from the start: she manages to combine humour with beautiful writing and wonderful characterisation. THE WOMAN WHO PAINTED HER DREAMS is her best yet.
Sarah Brown

'Wry humour, beautifully evoked landscapes and skilful characterisation' Bookseller
Bookseller

'Isla Dewar is remarkably good at setting a period. The perplexities of being a small only child in a house of adults circa 1959 is beautifully captured' The List - Glasgow
The List - Glasgow

'Isla Dewar's new novel takes the everyday and gives it a twist to make it funny and heartfelt' Publishing News
Publishing News

Isla's books are 'warm, accessible' and 'make an instant bond with their readers'
'She knows just what will move us' Scotsman

Scotsman

'You will wish that this magical, poignant and funny story never has to end' Glasgow Evening Times
Glasgow Evening Times