The Writing Life

Something of a minisode this week, as Steph and Simon pick their favourite podcast episodes since lockdown began in the UK in March 2020. They also dive into the International Literature Showcase, which next week reveals its new list of unmissable writers courtesy of Kei Miller! Let's do some links: Discover 50 umissable writers at the International Literature Showcase: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/international-literature-showcase-2021/ Book for Joy Francis' keynote: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/recovery-reimagining-literature/ Book for Innovation & Enterprise in the Literature Sector: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/innovation-enterprise/ Book for Kei Miller presents... https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/kei-miller-presents/ And here are Steph and Simon's podcast picks: J. Michael Straczynski on becoming a writer: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/j-michael-straczynski-on-becoming-a-writer-staying-a-writer/ Greg Kasavin on HADES: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/writing-hades-with-greg-kasavin/ Richard Lambert and Wolf Road: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/what-happens-when-covid-19-cancels-your-book-launch/ Sonia Faleiro's non-fiction: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/writing-creative-non-fiction-with-sonia-faleiro/ Crowdfunding with Tom Cox: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/crowdfunded-publishing-with-tom-cox/ A Delicate Sight with Max Porter and Sam Winston: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/podcast-reveal-a-delicate-sight/  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Find out more about what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ Music by Bennet Maples.

Joe Michael Straczynski is the creator of influential science fiction classic Babylon 5; he has worked extensively for Marvel and DC comics, was nominated for a BAFTA for his screenplay Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood; co-created Sense8 with the Wachowskis for Netflix; worked on the screenplay for the first Thor movie, helping to shape what is now the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and in the 80s worked on Murder, She Wrote, The Twilight Zone and animated shows such as He-Man and the Master of the Universe and The Real Ghostbusters. His novel Together We Will Go is out in 2021. He has won the Inkpot Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ray Bradbury Award, the Eisner Award, the Hugo Award (twice), the Saturn Award and many more. His bio also mentions that he is a terrible singer, an abysmal dancer and that he sucks at poetry. Joe is on the show this week to talk about Becoming A Writer, Staying A Writer: The Artistry, Joy and Career of Storytelling, his new book on writing which is out now. Simon is very, very excited. Hosted by Simon Jones and Vicki Maitland. Find out more about what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ Join our Discord writing community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Listen to our episode with Thomas McMullan talking about The Last Good Man: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/ambiguity-and-metaphor-with-thomas-mcmullan/  Music by Bennet Maples.

Jessie Greengrass is on the pod to discuss her latest novel The High House. Jessie is an award-winning writer and was selected by Elif Shafak for the 2019 International Literature Showcase. Asking the questions is Vicki Maitland. Meanwhile, Simon and Steph look back at the City of Literature festival (which you can catch up on here: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ ) and look forward to the upcoming Early Career Awards and 2021 International Literature Showcase featuring a new list of incredible writers selected by Kei Miller. Book for the (free!) big reveal of Kei's new list: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/kei-miller-presents/ Find out more about the International Literature Showcase: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ils/  Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.

In the final episode of our Imagining the City series, author and artist Lynn Buckle joins us from Dublin to talk to Flo Reynolds about writing her first book, feeling like a fraud and how to write positively about the climate crisis. Lynn's first novel, The Groundsmen, was published in 2018 by époque press. Nominated for the Republic of Consciousness Prize, it was listed as Easons Best of Irish Literature and featured in a year-long book tour of Ireland and the UK. What Willow Says was published in May 2021 - find out more here: https://www.epoquepress.com/what-willow-says  Meanwhile, Simon and Steph talk about the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and having writers back in the building at Dragon Hall. Find out more here: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/  Join our Discord writing community! https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Abir Mukherjee is the Times bestselling author of the Sam Wyndham series of crime novels set in Raj era India. His debut, A Rising Man, won the CWA Endeavour Dagger for best historical crime novel of 2017 and was shortlisted for the MWA Edgar for best novel. His second novel, A Necessary Evil, won the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing and was a Zoe Ball Book Club pick. His third novel, Smoke and Ashes, was chosen by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 Best Crime & Thriller Novels since 1945. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with his wife and two sons. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/ 

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Derek Owusu is a writer, poet and podcaster from north London. He discovered his passion for literature at the age of twenty-three while studying exercise science at university. Unable to afford a change of degree, Derek began reading voraciously and sneaking into English Literature lectures at the University of Manchester. Derek edited and contributed to Safe: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space. That Reminds Me, his first solo work, won the Desmond Elliott Prize 2020. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/  Image (c) Josima Senior.

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Kerri ní Dochartaigh was born in 1983, in Derry-Londonderry at the border between the North and South of Ireland. She read English Literature and Classical Civilisation at Trinity College Dublin and trained as a Waldorf teacher in Edinburgh. She taught in Edinburgh and Bristol, before returning to Ireland in her early thirties. She writes about nature, literature and place for the Irish Times, Dublin Review of Books, Caught by the River and others. She now lives in a railway cottage in the very heart of Ireland. Thin Places is her first book. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/  Image (c) Manus Kenny.

Icelandic writer Valur Gunnarsson joins Sarah Bower to discuss his work, with a focus on alternate histories. He is best known as a writer of creative historical fiction; his first novel was a Viking fantasy and his third an alternative history where the Germans invade Iceland in World War II. Meanwhile, his second novel was a piece of autofiction set in the aftermath of the economic collapse of 2008. His fourth book, Bjarmalönd, is set in the former Soviet Union. He also co-founded Grapevine magazine and has made three albums and a poetry book.  Valur was in town virtually as part of our Imagining the City residencies, which you can find out about here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/ Meanwhile, Simon and Steph get over-excited about recording the first podcast IN DRAGON HALL since March 2020. While some Covid-19 rules remain in place, this week marks the first public event held in the building since the start of lockdown. As such, the centre is a hive of activity - as you'll hear in the background of this episode. We're also launching the City of Literature programme as part of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival this week. Find out all about it and book your (FREE!) tickets here: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna Join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW Find out more about what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/  Music by Bennet Maples.

In the third of our Imagining the City podcasts, New Zealand writer Liz Breslin talks to British academic and poet Tiffany Atkinson about writing communities and how writing can help you discover yourself. Liz also reads two of her poems, including one from her new collection, In Bed with the Feminists. Flo Reynolds also jumps on the pod to introduce the next Book Club book, In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri. Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. BCLT Event with Jhumpa: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/sebald-lecture-jhumpa-lahiri/ Our City of Literature events: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ Imagining the City resources: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/  Join the Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW Music by Bennet Maples.

Our Imagining the City series continues with virtual writer in residence Marcin Wilk, at home in Krakow, talking to bookseller Joe Hedinger from Norwich's famous Book Hive bookshop. Marcin is a non-fiction writer and has written two biographies of famous Polish women and a history of Poland in the year before World War 2. They talk about writing in the pandemic, Polish culture and history, how to be organised when you're very busy, his love of Virginia Woolf and much more. Audio quality is a little lower than usual due to irritating technical glitches - apologies You can find out more about Imagining the City and read Marcin's articles here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/ Find out more about our City of Literature strand at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.