Chatting Lit

For this episode we try something a bit different! While discussing the book Ultramarine with its author, Mariette Navarro and its English translator, Cory Stockwell you get to hear some live translation! Mariette discusses the inspiration behind the novel, how different it was to write it compared to the usual work she does in theatre, and how it feels to see her work translated into several lang...

For this episode I'm joined by the author Deborah McFadyen to discuss her book Ren. We also talk about writing believable dialogue, writing in Scots, Glasgow as a literary city and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Severance by Ling Ma The Hole by José Revueltas, translated by Amanda Hopkinson and Sophie Hughes Dear Neighbour by Jane Claire Bradley Metabolize, If Able by Clay AD This Is...

I'm joined for this episode by Chris Lee, author of The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, as well as the man behind the podcast and website Outside Write ( https://outsidewrite.co.uk/ ) We talk about the relationship between football and politics, the growth of left-wing fanbases, his favourite football books and more! The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism by Chris...

Literature podcast collab episode! I'm joined for this episode by Ben from the Beyond The Zero podcast (@beyondzeropod) to discuss Australian Literature. We talk about his favourite Aussie authors, the state of the Aussie book market, which is the capital of Oz literature and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Raven Smith’s Men by Raven Smith Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth Paradais by...

Back with another episode after another unexpected break! In this one I talk to Rick Harsch, author of The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas and the man behind Corona/Samizdat Press. We discuss the problem of the every growing TBR, how Rick wrote Eddie Vegas, how he decides what to publish and more! Books mentioned in this episode: The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas by Rick Harsch Poguemahone by Pa...

After another unexpected break, Chatting Lit is back! In this episode, I speak to Palmer Smith about her book The Butterfly Bruises, a collection of poems and short stories, available to buy directly from the publisher here: https://pressdionysus.com/product/palmer-smith-the-butterfly-bruises/ Palmer and I discuss the relationship between her short stories and poems, Southern Gothic literature, he...

For this episode I'm joined by the musician, writer and visual artist Jarboe ( https://www.thelivingjarboe.com/ ) to discuss her process of writing lyrics and prose, the vinyl reissue of her album Sacrificial Cake, the relationship between her different artforms and more! Books mentioned in this episode: The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas by Rick Harsch The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy The G...

I'm back! After a longer than planned 'season break' I'm here to discuss the work of Sally Rooney with Natalie Beech, co-founder of the Feminist Fiction (@feminist.finction) book club and co-host of the podcast of the same name! We discuss the recurrent themes in Rooney's work, what we like/dislike about it, if she is the 'voice of millennial women' and more! Boo...

For this episode I speak to Joe Carducci about his screenplay collections Wyoming Stories and Western Stories, as well as his book about Western films, Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture. We discuss some of his favourite Westerns, why people still watch Westerns today, and how film making has changed over the years. Books mentioned in this episode: Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, transla...

My guest for this episode is Chris 'Frenchie' French, a music journalist for various print and online publications. We discuss how he got into music journalism, if things like the #metoo movement will make rock stars more cautious about what they tell in their autobiographies, and if in an age of social media and streaming there's still a role for professional music critics. Shoutou...

In this episode I speak to the Australian author Thommy Waite @thommywaiteworld) about his book Any Day You Can Die. We discuss his writing process, his influences, Bookstagram, cancel culture and more! Shout-out for this episode goes out to fellow lit podcast Beyond The Zero @beyondthezeropod) Books mentioned in the episode: Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture by Joe Carducci Everyman by P...

For this episode I've assembled a crack team of book nerds to discuss 'the classics.: Megan (@feminist.fiction), Noah (@everyone_who_reads_), Seth (@wastemailinglist) and Matty (@theobliterature). We debate what constitutes a classic, which ones we love and loathe, and if we need to expand our notion of the term. Books mentioned in this episode: America and the Cult of the Cactus Boots:...

For anyone who's ever wondered what happens when you put two teachers who are also book lovers together, this one's for you! I'm joined by Archie Thorn, author of Home Time Blues, a fantastic book set in a high school in Scotland, which looks at many themes; the failure of education to inspire children; the impact a job you don't like can have on personal relationships; unsympa...

This episode is one I've been trying to get set-up for a while, and it finally happened! I'm joined for this edition of Chatting Lit by Phillip Freedenberg and Jeff Walton, who are the author and illustrator of America and the Cult of the Cactus Boots: A Diagnostic, a fantastic maximalist novel set in a dystopian America in the which the written word has been banned. We discuss the uniqu...

I'm joined in this episode by Gemma who's a bookseller at Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights ( https://mrbsemporium.com/ ) , an independent bookshop in Bath here in the UK. We discuss the reading spas which Mr B's is famous for, how to balance selling 'commercial' books with more literary ones, how working as a bookseller has changed Gemma's own reading habits a...

This episode sees me combine two of my loves: books and nature! I'm joined by George Steedman Jones,  host of the Coffee with Conservationists podcast (@coffee_with_conservationists) (which I totally get the name of wrong in the episode, sorry George!), who is studying for a BA in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University. We discuss the popularity of nature writing in the...

In this episode I finally speak to someone on the frontline of getting books into people's hands- Matt from QueerLit ( https://www.queerlit.co.uk/ ), Manchester's LGBTQ+ bookshop! We discuss the failure of major book retailers to engage with LGBTQ+ audiences, why diversity in books is important and Matt gives some tips for any budding bookshop owners! The shoutout for this episode is a d...

In this episode I speak to Sam from Charco Press, the UK award-winning publisher, who specialise in Latin American literature. We discuss how Charco started, how the literary world needs to move from the Latin American Boom, and Sam gives some great advice for anyone thinking of starting up their own publishing house! No shout-outs for this episode as I stupidly forgot to record them! Books mentio...

For this episode I'm joined by my dear friend Holly Cruise (@hollyzonebooks & @hollyzonehistory) of the Queer Girl Film Club podcast (@queergirlfilmclub) to discuss comics and graphic novels! We discuss what we love and dislike about the artform and industry, if 'graphic novel' is just a snobby term to make comics more appealing to literary types, and our favourites! Shout-outs...

In this episode I look back on my favourite reads of 2021, with listeners/friends contributing theirs too! This was recorded in one take, unedited, so here it is, warts and all! Shout-outs go to my dear friend Andreas of the band Saint and the Sinners (@saintandthesinners), as well as all the book podcasts I listen to: How's The Water? (@howsthewaterpodcast) The Wee Scottish Book Club hosted...

In this episode I speak to Steve Von Till, best known for his work with the band Neurosis, about his poetry collection Harvestman: 23 Untitled Poems and Collected Lyrics. We discuss how nature inspires his writing, how he inspires the students he teaches to love reading, American Transcendental poets and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Train Dreams by Denis Johnso...

In this episode I speak to the founders of two book clubs: Megan (@feminist.fiction) from Feminist Fiction and Natalie (@bookenders) from the Wellness Book Club. We chat about how their groups came into being, how they've both evolved into something bigger, and their tips on starting up a book club! Shout-outs for this episode go to Natalie (@scottiesandbooks) and Scott (@scott.you.reading) o...

In this episode I chat to Dr Thomas Prosser from the University of Cardiff, author of What's In It For Me? Self-interest and Political Difference. We discuss the changing nature of the Labour Party, Sally Rooney's decision to now allow her latest book to be translated into Hebrew , if Brexiteers are stupid and more! Shout-outs for this episode: Mark (@northernlightbooks) Emily (@moonchil...

I'm joined for this episode by two of Bookstagram's brightest and best Pynchon scholars... Seth: @wastemailinglist Noah: @everyone_who_reads https://www.youtube.com/c/EveryoneWhoReadsitMustConverse We talk about how we each got into Pynchon's work, the recurring themes he writes about, what kind of readers his work would appeal to and more! Shout-outs this episode go to: Matty Markw...

For the first ever episode of Chatting Lit, I spoke to Kirstin Innes, author of Fishnet and Scabby Queen, and whose new non-fiction book Brickwork: A History of the Arches is coming out soon, co-authored by David Bratchpiece. We spoke about the #metoo movement, feminism, Scottish literature and more! Kirstin's website: https://kirstininnes.com/ Music by Tom Caruana: https://tomcaruana-teasea....