Forthwrite

We chat with author Amita Murray about her process for writing Regency novels, getting to know your characters and the importance of filling her creative cup. Follow Amita Amita Murray's Unladylike series of Regency novels are published with Harper Collins. She has won the Exeter Novel Prize and the SI Leeds Literary Prize, been a writer-in-residence with Leverhulme, Literature Works, Spread t...

In this episode we speak with novelist Roisin Maguire about being kind to yourself, filling your well as a source of creativity and the inspiration for her wonderful book Night Swimmers. Also includes a reading from the novel. You can connect with Roisin through her publisher Serpent's Tail Roisin is an award-winning short story writer who lives by the sea in rural County Down. A former bounce...

We chat to Orlaine Mcdonald about protecting herself as a writer, her process and what it's like to be shortlisted for an award as a debut novelist. Plus a reading from her book No Small Thing. Please note this episode comes with a trigger warning for discussion of suicide. Follow Orlaine Orlaine is a writer of mixed Jamaican & Irish heritage. She lives in London. No Small Thing won the 2024 K...

This week we speak with YA author Marisa Linton about writing fiction as a means of refuge, bringing a wealth of academic knowledge to a creative outlet and we hear a reading from her novel The Binding Spell. Follow Marisa Marisa Linton is an author, historian and professor emerita. She is one of the world's leading experts on the French Revolution, and taught history for many years at Kingston Un...

We chat with prize-winning author Fiona Williams about her creative process, how it felt winning the Bridport first novel prize and giving herself time to play with different writing styles. Plus a reading from her beautiful novel The House of Broken Bricks. Follow Fiona. Fiona Williams is a writer of literary fiction. Her debut novel The House of Broken Bricks was the winner of the 2021 Bridport...

We chat to Kate Lord Brown about what it takes to write a book a year around the challenges of life, her process and honouring historic women through literature. Follow Kate Kate Lord Brown was a finalist in ITV's The People's Author contest, and her novel The Perfume Garden , which has been published in nine languages, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2014. Her books have been t...

We speak to author Diana Anyakwo about her fascinating route into writing, where her inspiration comes from and how she balances writing with everything in life. Plus we hear a reading from her fab YA novel My Life as a Chameleon. Follow Diana Diana Anyakwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. She is of mixed Irish and Nigerian heritage. She moved to the UK when she was a teenager and later graduated from t...

We spend a joyful half hour talking to Frances Quinn about writing historical novels, finding out what a Titanorack is and discovering that Francis hides Abba song titles in her novels! Follow Frances Frances Quinn is the author of historical novels The Smallest Man, That Bonesetter Woman and The Lost Passenger.  She grew up in Forest Gate, East London and studied English at King’s College, Cambri...

In this episode we speak to the brilliant award-winning author and activist Monique Roffey. We hear a reading from her brilliant latest novel Passiontide, as well as discussing her creative writing process and gleaning some gems of advice for would-be writers. Follow Monique Monique Roffey, FRSL, is an award-winning Trinidadian born British writer of novels, essays, literary journalism and a memoi...

This week we speak with the absolute force of nature that is author Marcia Hutchinson. From Zumba, yoga and spin to writing brilliant books. We hear a reading from her new novel The Mercy Step, plus talk about the process of co-authoring The Blackbirds of St Giles - plus an absolute lightbulb moment tip for hitting your daily word count! Follow Marcia Marcia Hutchinson was born to Windrush generat...

We hope you enjoy our conversation with author, podcast host and psychotherapist Jennifer Cox. We hear a reading from her phenomenal book Women Are Angry and get the lowdown on how the book came about and how she writes. Follow Jennifer Jennifer Cox is a UK psychotherapist and author of Women Are Angry, The Times and Sunday Times Best Self-Help Book of the Year. She co-hosts the hit global podcast...

We speak to the wonderful Kia Abdullah about how to write a page turner, being a travel writer and the threat of AI. Follow Kia Kia Abdullah is a bestselling author and travel writer. Her novels include Take It Back , a Guardian and Telegraph thriller of the year; Truth Be Told , which was shortlisted for the Diverse Book Awards; and Next of Kin , which won the Adult Fiction Diverse Book Award, an...

Listen to this bonus festive episode with Jo Middleton author of Happy Bloody Christmas! We talk about her incredibly speedy novel writing process, challenges going from blog to book, and her brilliant advice to just get cracking! Follow Jo @jomiddletonauthor Jo Middleton is a writer, bookshop manager, creative writing teacher and mum of two daughters. She lives in Somerset with her three cats, al...

This week we are in conversation with brilliant Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, on all aspects of her creative writing process, watching reality TV as research and fitting the writing in around everything else. Follow Lizzie @lizziedamiblackburn Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British-Nigerian charity worker turned author who grew up in south London and now lives with her husband and young son in Milton...

This week Anna and Sam chat creative writing with wonderful author Rosanna Amaka. Tune in for our conversation about writing to a deadline (or not), finding inspiration in unexpected places and writing your way out of a creative block. Follow Rosanna @rosannaamaka Rosanna Amaka is a writer from London, and is of African and Caribbean heritage. Her debut novel ‘The Book of Echoes’, was shortlisted...

In this episode Anna and Sam chat with fabulour author Reshma Ruia. We talk about her writing from poetry, to short stories to novels and not forgetting her PhD. Reshma shares her wisdom on the writing process.   Follow Reshma @reshma_ruia_writer Dr. Reshma Ruia is a Manchester based British writer of Indian origin.  She has a PhD and Master’s in Creative Writing from Manchester University. Her fi...

In this episode Anna and Sam chat with the lovely Kate Morrison about researching her novel it before and after the dawn of the internet, having a slow process and the different experience of writing historical vs 1990s fiction. Follow Kate @katecmorri Kate Morrison's debut historical novel A Book of Secrets was published in 2019 by Jacaranda Books and longlisted for the Historical Writers Associa...

This week Anna and Sam speak with fabulous author Disha Bose. We talk about writing with a young baby, finding inspiration in parenting forums and when to follow the shiny new idea. Follow Disha @dishabossy Disha Bose was born and raised in India. She worked in the tech industry for a few years before deciding to pursue her dream of writing a novel. She lives in Ireland now, her first novel Dirty...

This week we talk to brilliant author Kate Sawyer, about killing your darlings, doing character development work by watching reality TV and breaking your novel down into manageable chunks. Follow Kate @mskatesawyer Kate Sawyer worked as an actor and theatre and events producer, before writing several short films and then turning her hand to fiction. Her debut novel, The Stranding , was shortlisted...

This week we chat with ever so lovely Rebecca Ryan about prioritising her writing, her way into being published and the cost of a tin of beans. Follow Rebecca @becsryanauthor Rebecca Ryan is the author of two uplifting fiction novels. My (extra) Ordinary Life was out last year and The Philosophy of Love is her more recent work. She left a career in teaching to write full time and lives in Bradford...

In this episode Anna and Sam talk to Women's Prize longlisted author Effie Black about how it felt for her debut In Defense of the Act to be nominated and her route to writing it. Plus she helps Sam out with her book group homework. Follow Effie @effie_black_ Effie Black is a London-based writer with a background in science. She enjoys writing from a queer perspective and she likes bringing a...

This week Anna and Sam chat to Chikodili Emelumadu about her brilliant book Dazzling and the process of writing it. Also the wisdom of leaning into your stage of life. Follow Chikodili @chikodiliemelumadu Chikọdịlị Emelụmadụ was born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire and raised in Awka, Nigeria. Her work has been shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson Awards (2015), the Caine Prize for African Literature (...

This week Anna and Sam chat to Lola Jaye about her writing process, from finding inspiration in the National Portrait Gallery, to interviewing family members and making time to write. Follow Lola @lola.jaye Lola Jaye is a critically acclaimed author, registered psychotherapist and speaker who has penned six novels and a self-help book. She was born and raised in London, England and has lived in Ni...

In this episode Anna and Sam chat to Ella Foote, about all things writing. Dive in to hear how Ella turned her passion for open water swimming into a career writing about it, how she juggles writing around her busy life and the importance of a deadline. Follow Ella @ellachloeswims Ella Foote is an author, editor and outdoor swimming expert. She is Editor at Outdoor Swimmer magazine, the world’s on...

Welcome to a brand new series of Forthwrite, the podcast formerly known as Writing Around The Kids. In this episode Anna and Sam talk with Women's Prize long-listed authour Pam Williams, about finding the right way to tell her family's story, the value of feedback and how she squeezes writing into her busy schedule. Find Pam ⁠ @pamwilliamsauthor ⁠ Pam is a Grenadian heritage writer born in...