San Clemente

Catherine Airey’s debut novel Confessions features on the “Books to Look Forward to in 2025” lists for the Financial Times and The Sunday Times. Catherine has been praised by The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Independent, Publishers Weekly and The Irish Times.  The Guardian named her as one of 2025’s Best New Novelists. The Radio Times says she’s “bound to become a household name very soon.”  Author...

Megan is one of Ireland's rising stars, according to The Times. Her novels Acts of Desperation and Ordinary Human Failings have earned huge acclaim over the past few years. Among those accolades are shortlist nominations for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the Nero Prize, the Royal Society of Literature's Encore Award & the Gordon Burn Prize. She's been longlisted for the Wome...

Abi became a New York Times Bestseller with her book The Girl With the Louding Voice. It was loved by Malala Yousafzai, Dolly Parton, Andi Oliver & Elizabeth Day, among many, many others. It was a Radio 4 Bookclub Pick, Shortlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize for Fiction, and an International Word-of-Mouth Bestseller. It also featured on The Guardian's Not The Booker List. It was also a G...

Sean Wang is one of the most exciting directors in the world right now. His debut feature film Dídi comes out this week in cinemas near you. It was presented at this year's Sundance, where it won the US Dramatic Audience Award and Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast, and closed Sundance London. It was also acquired by Focus Features. Sean was Oscar Nominated for his short doc, Nǎi Nai &a...

For our 50th episode (!!) Leïla Slimani joins to talk about her latest book Watch Us Dance, which follows on from The Country of Others. Leïla is a French-Moroccan writer and journalist. In November 2018, she was named the second most influential French person in the world, ahead of the President and Mbappé, in Vanity Fair's esteemed annual list. France Today listed in last year as one of 12 I...

Sin + Helen have teamed up to write Prophet, in every bookshop you've ever seen right now. Sin is a musician and writer- this is their first novel. Helen, who uses she/they pronouns, is a writer, poet, naturalist and historian of science. They have previously been celebrated internationally for their book H is for Hawk, which won many prizes including the Costa Book of the Year, Prix du Meille...

Sin + Helen have teamed up to write Prophet, in every bookshop you've ever seen right now. Sin is a musician and writer- this is their first novel. Helen, who uses she/they pronouns, is a writer, poet, naturalist and historian of science. They have previously been celebrated internationally for their book H is for Hawk, which won many prizes including the Costa Book of the Year, Prix du Meille...

Louisa Treger is the acclaimed author of four novels,  The Lodger  (2014),  The Dragon Lady  (2019)  Madwoman  (2022), a historical fiction Book of the Year in  The Times  and  The Sunday Times , and a Book of the Month in the  Independent , and  The Paris Muse  (2024).  She has written for  The Times, The Telegraph, Tatler, BBC History Magazin e and  English Heritage . Radio appearances include B...

Nana is an artist you should know, just ask Dazed, Paper Mag and Fader. Her 21st century queer cowgirl album, Wyoming, is a masterclass in electronic pop. She's featured on major playlists including Spotify's Indie Chillout & anti pop. Also Zara Home Dining. Find her on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠ . For more music, listen to our previous episodes or get ready for more later in the week.

Claire was shortlisted for the Woman's Prize for Fiction this year. She also won the Rooney Prize, Ireland's longest standing literary award, and been nominated for the Irish Novel of the Year Award and the Kerry Group Award for fiction. Her latest work Soldier, Sailor has received international praise from The Independent, The Times, The New York Times, The Irish Times, The Boston Globe,...

Rita's exquisite book, Headshot ,is one of LitHub & The Independent 2024 Most Anticipated Books. Plus, it featured on the Oprah Daily Spring 2024 List. Rita's been praised in The Washington Post, Guardian, Spectator Australia, The New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, ABC News & Telegraph Praise. She's also been interviewed about by NPR & LitHub.  Her previous book, Belly...

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, Karen's latest novel picks up in her series about aliens 150 years from now as they make first contact. Her Cygnus Beta series has earned praise from The Guardian, Martha Wells, LitHub, The Big Issue & BookRiot. Get your copy here , or at your local seller. [More on Karen from her about the author online:] Barbadian writer Dr. Karen Lord is...

Kate has worked as a national journalist for two decades and now we get to enjoy her novels. The Maiden was a Times and Waterstones bestseller that was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024. It also won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2020 prize for new writers. It's been recommended by the Guardian, Harper's Bazaar, The Scotsman, The Times, The Bookseller and the BBC. He...

Peace is a leading academic and award winning novelist. Her full list of projects and accolades is right here for you, courtesy of her website: She is associate professor in politics at the University of Bristol and her research is at the intersection of African studies, women’s and gender studies, and international relations. She studies state and non-state actor responses to gender-based violenc...

Pam's debut novel, A Trace of Sun, was long listed for the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction. Her work has been covered in The Guardian, The Independent, Harper's Bazaar, India Today, Glamour and Good Housekeeping. After graduating in Fashion at St Martin's School of Art in 1984, Pam was worked as fashion editor at She, Now, PS and Shape. Her short stories and poetry has been publishe...

Erin went viral with her mashup of White Ferrari and I Know the End (which you can listen to on streaming). She's been on BBC Spotlight, and featured in Clash, Clout, Wonderland and Ones to Watch. Although she was set to perform at The Great Escape festival, she's chosen to join the boycott on sponsor Barclays in solidarity with Palestine. If you're looking for an artist set to take ov...

One of Australian literature's biggest names, Kate has written countless novels about her country, her family and the complexity of the stories we tell. Her book, The Secret River, was Shortlisted for the Booker and won what is now the Women's Prize, as well as the now retired Commonwealth Prize. It's a set text for many teens across Australia and in leading universities. She's sho...

Akemi is a rising star, and that's according to BBC Introducing, Fred Perry Subculture, Notion, Line of Best Fit & Metal Mag. She was a guest at Chanel's Métiers d'Art Show in Manchester. She's played at Radio 1's Big Weekend and her song Lemon Tea has 1.7 million streams on Spotify. She's featured on major Apple Music, Prime Music and Spotify playlists. Among them, Spo...

Effie is a scientist and a Women's Prize Longlisted Debut Novelist. This is her first podcast interview, you're welcome. Her book has featured in The Guardian, The Independent, Harper's Bazaar, Good Housekeeping and The Bookseller. Get yourself a copy of In Defence of the Act, here or at your local bookshop.

Not only is Heather a screen and theatre actress, she's a major rising star of British photography. She's been interviewed by The National Portrait Gallery, The Independent, Digital Spy, Tatler and BBC News. Her screen work includes BBC's This is Going to Hurt and Prime's The Power. And her theatre career includes the Lyric's School Girls or the African Mean Girls Play, the Nat...

Flora's been praised by TLS and Times of London for her debut, The Tower. It's a Bookseller Editor's Choice Pick for March 2024. She is also a critic & contributor for GQ, The Telegraph, Radio Times, TIME & The Guardian She's been shortlisted for the V.S Pritchett Short Story Prize, won of the British Vogue Talent Contest and is one of the London Library's 40 Emerging W...

Known as Sugi, Vasugi Ganeshananthan is Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction with her second novel Brotherless Night. The book has also features on the New York Times Editor's Choice and The Washington Post's Best Books of the Year List. Get it here , or from your local bookseller. Here's just a slice of her career from her website : A former vice president of the South As...

Noreen's Memoir, A Flat Place, is now Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. It was also a Book of the Year 2023 for The Guardian, Sunday Times & New Yorker. It was longlisted for The Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize, Shortlisted for The Sunday Times Young Author of the Year Award 2024 and Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2024. Noreen lectures at Bristol in...

Taylor is one of the most exciting artists on your fyp. Her songs I Like Mondays and Quarter Life Crisis have gone super viral. Quarter Life Crisis sparked a beautiful trend of appreciating our younger self and who we are now. Very fitting for her honest, empathetic writing style. It was streamed over 30 million times and used for 400k+ videos, even by Drew Barrymore and Kevin Jonas. Her TikTok vi...

Emma was Grammy Nominated for Best Director following her iconic music video for Janelle Monáe's song PYNK. She also directed Troye Sivan's Lucky Strike mv. Her debut feature, Bleeding Love, starring Ewan & Clara McGregor is out now. She also has another feature, Buffalo Flats, in development. Her TV work includes episodes of: Dollface, Little Voice and Long Slow Exhale. We talk about...