Not Too Busy To Write

Catherine Newman is a writer with a varied career including two parenting memoirs and a middle grade novel. She had written for the New York Times, O Magazine, The Boston Globe and was a columnist for Real Simple Magazine. Her debut novel We All Want Impossible Things is the story of Ash, whose best friend Edi is dying of cancer. Set over a few weeks in a hospice, this book is filled with laughter and heartbreak. Catherine and I talk about the relief of laughing in the face of death, learning to embrace your natural writing voice and the how years of having to make a living from writing has had a positive impact on Catherine's daily writing habit. We All Want Impossible Things is out now.Ease Retreat - Non-fiction with Penny Wincer, Wales, April 20-23 2023We All Want Impossible Things - Catherine Newman#AmWriting Podcast Love, Nina - Nina Stibbe Catherine Newman on instagram - @catherinenewmanCatherine's website - catherinenewmanwriter.comPenny on instagram - @pennywincerPenny's newsletter

Caro Giles is a writer based in the north east of England, whose first book Twelve Moons tells the story, across a year, of raising her 4 daughters alone in a wild and isolated part of the country. It's an incredible memoir about caring, isolation, and joy found in tiny pockets of time. We talk about how the pandemic totally changed how she the structure of the book, the challenges of writing and caring and this beautiful idea of writing as a way to put yourself in the foreground, when you have been in the background for so long.LinksTwelve Moons - Caro GilesAn Evening with Caro Giles - Waterstones Newcastle 26th JanuaryAlnwick Story Festival 25th February Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste NgEmpireland - Sathnam SangheraThis Time Tomorrow - Emma StraubCaro Giles on instagram @carogileswritesPenny on instagram @pennywincerYou can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter about writing and making time for creativity here pennywincerwrites.com

After a varied writing career including speech writing, journalism and screen writing, Janice Hallett turned to crime fiction and became a best-selling author that completely turned the genre on its head. Using transcripts, messages, emails, letters and articles, Janice's novels weave intricate, humourous and clever tales of murder and mystery. It was such a delight to take a deep dive with her into her writing process and how her varied experience as a writer informs how she approaches novels.The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is out January 19thLinksThe Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - Janice HallettThe Twyford Code - Janice Hallett The Appeal - Janice HallettYou can find Janice Hallett on Twitter @JaniceHallettYou can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincerYou can sign up to Penny's weekly writing newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com

Not Too Busy To Write will be back for a new series on January 18th. Guests for series 6 include memoirists, debut novelists, non-fiction authors and much more. The series kicks off with best selling crime author Janice Hallett and oh my goodness is it a great episode about writing outside of the box. See you in two weeks for series 6!Want to write a non-fiction book proposal this year? Penny's first online workshop of the year is on January 11th at 7.30pm. Tickets are just £39Write Your Book Proposal - eventbritewww.pennywincerwrites.com/workshopsPenny on Instagram - @pennywincer

Lindsey Kelk is a Sunday Times bestselling author of over 20 novels. Her latest The Christmas Wish is a hilarious and delightful time loop story set during a family Christmas. Lindsey and I chat about subverting Hallmark movie tropes, being a full time novelist in a much maligned genre and the realities of being working class in the publishing industry.The Christmas Wish is a joy and is out now in hardback.LinksThe Christmas Wish - Lindsey KelkThe Change - Kirsten MillerHer Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno DawsonBook Lovers - Emily HenryThis Time Tomorrow - Emma StraubBook Proposal Group January 2023 - pennywincerwrites.com/bookproposalgroupPenny's weekly newsletter You can find Lindsey on instagram - @lindseykelk and on Twitter @LindseyKelkLindsey on Facebook Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer

Chibundu Onuzo is a novelist whose first book was published when she was just 21 years old. Her third and latest novel Sankofa was short listed for the Women's Prize for Fiction Futures Prize, an Amazon book of the year and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick in 2021.We talk about the inspiration behind Sankofa, how Chibundu's writing process has changed over the past 10 years and her role as a judge of the Women's Prize Trust Discoveries 2023.LinksSankofa - Chibundu Onuzo Women's Prize Discoveries Prize 2023 The Spider King's Daughter - Chibundu OnuzoYou can sign up for Penny's newsletter here Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer

Emily Henson is an art director and stylist and the author of five books. Her latest is Create: Inspiring homes that value creativity over consumption. In this episode Emily talks about her journey from stylist and blogger to author and the close collaborative, relationship she has with her publisher. It's a really fun and informative episode for all those who would love to know exactly what goes in to producing and writing gorgeous and thoughtful illustrated books.LinksCreate - Emily HensonLife Unstyled - Emily HensonLife Unstyled BlogLife Unstyled on InstagramEmily Henson's Styling portfolioPenny Wincer's Newsletter - pennywincerwrites.comPenny of Instagram - @pennywincer

Ali and Penny are back together talking about the experience of publication. It has been three months since Ali's book The Last Days came out and it seemed like a great time to have a debrief and discuss the highs and lows, the hard work and the realities of publishing. We talk about reviews, proofs, blurbs, news events that drown out book publicity and the things outside of our control when publishing. We also take a little look ahead to our next publications.LinksStrandings - Peter RileyLipstick Traces - Greil MarcusAn Angel at My Table - Janet Frame Foster - Claire KeeganThe Hours - Michael CunninghamSign up to Penny's newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.comAli Millar on Instagram @ali_millar_writesPenny Wincer on Instagram @pennywincer

Winnie M Li is a Taiwanese-American author and activist originally from New Jersey. Her second novel Complicit is about a film lecturer in an obscure American college who once was on the cusp of a major film career. When she is approached by an investigative journalist about an alleged incident that occurred 10 years earlier, memories of youthful ambition and guilt arise. Winnie talks in this episode about how the lure of writing about film was what compelled her to write a second (very different) novel about sexual assault. About how using the framework of the protagonist telling her story to someone else from the distance of 10 years, gave her an interesting perspective to play with. We also talk about the arts grants that have allowed her to pursue her writing. LinksComplicit - Winnie M LiDark Chapter - Winnie M LiArts Council England Grants https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/ProjectGrantshttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/dycpWinnie M Li websiteInstagram - @winniemliYou can sign up to Penny's newsletter here Penny on Instagram @pennywincer

Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a fashion psychologist and the author of Big Dress Energy: How fashion psychology can transform your wardrobe and your confidence. It's a book that is a pleasure to read, filled with insights and backed up by rigorous research. In this episode Shakaila talks dressing our different identities, the challenges of switching from academic writing to creative non-fiction, making academic research more widely available to the everyday reader and some of the difficult decisions she made around creating time to write this book, including being honest about her chronic pain condition and her role raising her sisters children. Big Dress Energy is out now.LinksBig Dress Energy - Shakaila Forbes-BellBig Dress Energy Podcast