The Waterstones Podcast

Publisher And Other Stories have spent the last decade bringing bold new voices to English readers and in their anniversary year they continue to break new ground. Interdisciplinary artist Tice Cin takes the reader inside the Turkish men's clubs and households of North London for a unique perspective on the heroin trade that spans generations and borders. In this episode we hear from those around the publication about what makes Cin so exciting as an artist and she shares some of what she has had to go through to bring us this striking debut novel.  Featuring: Tice Cin, Max Porter, Stefan Tobler, Nichola Smalley, Donald Winchester.

When Susanna Clarke's magical vision of an alternate Georgian England arrived it became an instant bestseller but as we discover in this episode, the book's journey was far from certain. Clarke shares how a writer's confidence can wax and wane and we discover how secret support behind the scenes helped her writing come into the light. Featuring Neil Gaiman and voices from publishing and bookselling, this is the inside story of an 'instant' classic. Featuring: Susanna Clarke, Neil Gaiman, Alexandra Pringle, Kathleen Farrar, Josh Prince, Becky Kelly

In 2014 a book with a striking bird on its cover appeared in bookshops but what kind of book was it? Was it a memoir about grief, or a book about training a goshawk? Was it a biography of T. H. White, or was it nature writing? Or was it perhaps a melding of all of these things? And how did this hybrid book go on to become an award winner and international bestseller? In this episode we hear from Helen Macdonald about turning grief into almost a new genre of writing and from the team at publisher Jonathan Cape, which celebrates its centenary this year, about creating a modern classic. Featuring: Helen Macdonald, Dan Franklin, Suzanne Dean, Chris Wormell, Ruth Waldram, Rob Verner Jeffreys, Steve Bundy

Being a small, independent publisher doesn't mean thinking small, and with prize-winning successes already under their belt, Galley Beggar Press took on the challenge of publishing a novel consisting of a single sentence that ran for more than a thousand pages. Ducks, Newburyport went on to win prizes too as well as Booker recognition and in this episode we hear from Lucy Ellman about how you write a stream-of-consciousness novel on this scale and from those involved in publishing it about the challenges in typesetting it, printing it, and narrating the audio book. Featuring Lucy Ellman, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar, Alex Billington, Stephanie Ellyne, Aaron Myles, Rob Verner-Jeffreys

With perfect timing, our episode telling the inside story of A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll arrives just as we announce that it has been chosen as the overall winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2021. We speak to those involved about the serendipity of how it came to be published, why it's important to get the right people in the room when it comes to publishing and why this book is not just important but also one of the best books for children of the last decade. Featuring: Elle McNicoll, David Stevens, Eishar Brar, Lauren Gardner, Marissaié Jordan, Kay Wilson, Lizzie Huxley Jones, Florentyna Martin

As a bowler for the West Indies, Michael Holding was well known for his measured run up and devastating fast bowling, an approach he has taken into his punditry where he is always calm and controlled but also frank and honest with his opinions. So when rain delayed the start of play and conversation was steered to the impact of racism in cricket in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Holding spoke with a clarity which forced everyone watching and those who caught up later to take notice of his words. A year on, the conversation he started has become a book, including the conversations he's had with other sporting icons, and another view of history that shows how important education is in eradicating racism and improving equality for all. In this episode we find out from those involved why this book is so important and their hopes for what it might achieve. Featuring: Michael Holding, Ed Hawkins, Ian Marshall, Samar Habib

After a few years working at one of the most established publishers in New York, Zakiya Dalila Harris was inspired to write a novel which would turn its gaze on the world of publishing itself and set up one of the most intriguing literary thrillers of the year. She spoke to us about the encounter that provided the novel's seed and the experience of working both inside publishing and outside it as an author. We also hear from editor Alexis Kirschbaum about this book's unique qualities and fellow author Erin Kelly about why she couldn't stop turning its pages. Featuring: Zakiya Dalila Harris, Alexis Kirschbaum, Erin Kelly

The Vanishing Half, our current Fiction Book of the Month was first published last year, as the impact of lockdown hit us all and, over in America, the murder of George Floyd stirred up debate and protest. With the book now available in paperback we hear from Brit Bennett about the impact of that but also what came before it, from her editor about the battle to get to publish her and from early readers about why this tale of twin sisters living such separate lives has resonated with so many readers. Featuring Brit Bennett, Sharmaine Lovegrove, Nico Taylor, Millie Seaward, Candice Carty-Williams

As an independent publisher that consistently punches above its weight, with Booker Prize shortlisting and other notable successes, we speak to Sam Jordison and Eloise Millar, the two people behind Galley Beggar Press, about their latest publication, Insignificance by James Clammer. We also hear from James about the world of the working class, his own past as a plumber, and the emotional journey of his protagonist, Joseph. Featuring James Clammer, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar 

The novel that cemented the reputation of David Mitchell as one of the most exciting and innovative writers of his generation is also a masterclass in structure. In this episode of the podcast we get to hear about the painstaking work that went into its construction but also the happy accidents that emanated from that to help make the novel such a rich and rewarding reading experience. We also hear about how his background as a Waterstones bookseller helped to make him the novelist he is today! Featuring: David Mitchell, Carole Welch, Jamie Hodder-Williams, Martin Latham.