Hay 30 list-making author Jaroslav Kalfar shares his writing routine! In 2017, to celebrate their 30th birthday the Hay Festival selected 30 people they think will shape the world in the next 30 years, and today's Czech debutant made the cut! Jaroslav's acclaimed novel 'Spaceman of Bohemia' gives us a Czech astronaut who, while sent on a mission he will probably never return from, sees his marriage break-down, starts to go insane, and meets a gigantic alien spider with an obsession for bacon. It's a philosophical sci-fi tale of isolation, love and self-discovery When Jaroslav was 15, he moved to Florida with a tiny, glimmer of an idea. Over the next year he turned this into a short story, before enrolling in New York University with the sole aim of turning it into a full novel - now it's published, and critics love it. Still in the States, he is most creative while working in manic, fanciful writing bursts overnight, while partying with friends in the day. There's a fantastic book recommendation in here too, and if you're struggling with an idea yourself, it will really help you get it down on paper. Our Distinguished Diary this week is social activist, producer, director, actress and writer Maya Angelou - we'll talk about where she jotted down her SEVEN AUTOBIOGRAPHIES. Music-wise, we're further south than Paris today. We've arrived in Auxerre and stopped at a quirky, boutique hotel to rest for the night - where you'll find the jazz in the reception hall sounds remarkably similar. writersroutine@gmail.com @writerspod

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