Remembering Stephen S. Thompson
This past May, we lost our author and, more importantly, our friend, Stephen S. Thompson.
An accomplished, award-winning writer, Stephen wrote for television and received much acclaim for his feature-length drama Sitting In Limbo, his response to his brother Anthony Bryan’s fight against deportation amidst the Windrush Scandal which went on to win a BAFTA for Best Single Drama.
Thompson had written for The Observer, The Voice, Wasafiri, Five Dials and Arena Magazine amongst others, and was the editor and publisher of the online literary journal The Colverstone Review. He lectured on creative writing at Winchester University, Birkbeck College and the University of Edinburgh, and taught screenwriting at Central Film School in London.
We couldn’t wait to shout it from the rooftops when we acquired and published his novel No More Heroes, a story of a man who becomes an overnight celebrity after his heroic actions on a London tube after a bomb blast catches the eyes of the world.
His work also caught the eyes of readers, with one review stating: “I rarely write reviews for books but I am grieving for this one having finished it in one day so I am forced to write about it.”
“This story is so beautifully crafted that I instantly felt as if I had stepped into Simon's world. As other reviewers have said, it is a 'page-turner' but, the day after finishing it, I am still reflecting on what it says about the human condition. At times the pace is almost unbearable, moving at the speed of an underground train, at others, the train slows down for a short time - just long enough for you to get some insight into Simon's mind or relationships.”
“This isn't 'about' terrorism or 7/7 so much as it is about media culture, racism, gender, sexism, relationships, poverty, equal opportunities... which makes it sound so heavy - but that is the genius of Stephen Thompson. You think you are reading a beach banger and boom! He's just hit you with some thought-provoking stuff…”
The Jacaranda team would like to thank Stephen for entrusting his works to us, for being an inspiration and we are honoured and privileged to share his legacy with readers in the years to come. Our deepest heartfelt condolences are extended to his family and friends.
