About - Sweeping up the Village- by Bren Gosling

At 14 in Kosovo his dreams of becoming a professional basket ball player were shattered by war.
Fast forward to 2002; Almir is 21, newly arrived in London and working as a Walthamstow street sweeper. One day his broom strikes a pair of discarded women’s sandals, triggering a series of crippling flashbacks which threaten his sanity. When he is moved onto a quieter beat – sweeping up Walthamstow’s village – Almir finds himself attracted to an older man with issues of his own.
In the weeks surrounding the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, Almir struggles to rebuild his life. Can he conceal the guilty secret tormenting him?
Sweeping up the Village is a compelling debut novel about lost identity, love and the need to belong. Short listed for the 2012 Harry Bowling Prize for new writers.

If you are an agent or publisher who would like to see more of this novel or the full manuscript email nicke17@clara.co.uk

Bren Gosling