Christie Watson's first novel, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, won the Costa First Novel Award; her second, Where Women Are Kings, achieved international critical acclaim; and her nursing memoir, The Language of Kindness, was a number one bestseller. In 2020, during the first peak of the pandemic, she published The Courage to Care and briefly returned to clinical work. Christie was shocked not only by the changing world, but her changing body, as her perimenopause took hold. Quilt on Fire, her fifth book, is the funny, honest and liberating account of her midlife journey.
The handbook for compassion... a must-read book -- Chris Evans She repeatedly finds the beam of light in the darkest rooms... Watson is a terrific guide to the gritty reality of hospital life... We have never needed their [nurses'] expertise more than we do now -- Helen Brown * Daily Telegraph * Now more than ever, nurses are on our minds and in our hearts. Christie writes with beauty and compassion about how they do their jobs. When I wasn't crying, I was marvelling -- Tracy Chevalier, author of A Single Thread Magnificent... timely and resonant... In these unprecedented times, Watson challenges the rest of us to be more like nurses and to find the courage to care, no matter who is in need -- Caroline Sanderson * Sunday Express * An inspiring book for our challenging times. It's never been more important to care for one another and the amazing Christie Watson shows us the way -- Olivia Colman