The Joy of Writing: Recent Episodes
Mark Carew
A podcast that ran from April 2020 to July 2021 featuring:
1) In-depth conversations with fellow writers about their work (mostly their novels, which I read cover to cover!)
2) Discussions of the nitty-gritty of writing - is it really a joy?
3) Advice for new and aspiring writers - as in how to write a novel
New episodes due in 2024! Let me know what you would like to hear on my new blog at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18857302.Mark_Carew
@Mark__Carew
Excellent advice, from a senior lecturer in creative writing at the Open University, on all stages of writing a novel. How to start, keep going, and produce a draft ready for submission to an agent.
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What can a writer expect from a "writing career"? Ups and downs, highs and lows, of course! With experience comes wisdom. Learning about writing, books, readers, and the publishing industry never stops.
My guest is Sally O'Reilly, author of Dark Aemilia, published by Myriad in 2014. Aemilia Lanyer meets William Shakespeare in the time of the plague, witchcraft, and a dying Queen Elizabeth, in this vividly imagined novel, rich in historical detail and speculation on who really wrote Macbeth.
Publisher: https://myriadeditions.com/books/dark-aemilia/
Dark Aemilia is available in hardcover, paperback and ebook.
We discuss several topics in this episode. How the act and art of writing books is central to Fiona's life. How her intuitive approach to writing translates into advice for her creative writing students. And how receiving fancy stationery as a present when young was an inspiration to write stories in the first place.
My guest is Fiona Melrose, author of Midwinter, published by Corsair in 2016. We discuss the book, its themes of coming to terms with grief and a fractured family, and how living in Suffolk informed the story.
Publisher: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/fiona-melrose/midwinter/9781472151780/
Midwinter is available in hardcover, paperback and ebook.
Elizabeth Haynes is a best selling crime author - seven of her published novels started life in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a community-supported writing event where writers try and write a novel of 50,000 words in the month of November. Learn about how NaNoWriMo works and why it's a good idea for writers to give it a go.
Covid-19 has forced book launches, readings and festivals online to give a different experience for authors interacting with an audience. The current situation, however, has not always been so kind on the creative process, and has dampened many efforts to write and even to know what would be worth writing.
We discuss the creative writing courses Tyler teaches on, and how visiting authors are generous with their time and advice to students. Tyler's inspirational book is The Collector of Hearts: New Tales of the Grotesque, by Joyce Carol Oates.
My guest is Tyler Keevil, author of Your Still Beating Heart, to be published on 10 September, 2020. We discuss the book, its themes, and its compelling narrative voice.
Publisher: https://myriadeditions.com/books/your-still-beating-heart/
Your Still Beating Heart is out in e-book and hardback.
What is success to writers? Getting published? Making money? Fame? Lizzie and I discuss what counts as success and what writers might like to realistically aim for.
All writers need at least some skills as publicist and marketeer of their own work. We learn from Lizzie what it means to take on these roles in support of her book. We also hear how she is getting on with book number 7.
My guest is Lizzie Enfield, author of Finish Your Book: Complete Your Half-Written Novel. Published (Amazon) in July 2019. We discuss the book, and talk about advice to writers who would like to beat the block and finish their work.
Tom explains how he is wary of writing advice - one size does not fit all. It is one of the pleasures of this podcast that we get to hear such a range of advice and opinions on how to write! Tom talks more about his influential book: Naples '44, by Norman Lewis.
Tom talks about how he marked publication of his debut novel online, when a physical, social book launch was not possible. Tom's next book, The Hunting Season, is out soon. He discusses writing book 3.
My guest is Tom Benjamin, author of A Quiet Death in Italy, published by Constable/Hachette in 2019. We discuss the book, and how the city of Bologna and its history is a major theme.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the book in detail!
Publishers: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/tom-benjamin/a-quiet-death-in-italy/9781472131560/
A Quiet Death in Italy is out now in e-book, paperback, and audiobook.
Listen to excellent advice from Ed, creative writing teacher, on how to write narrative non-fiction.
Ghostland is out now in hardback and audiobook, and out on 15 October 2020 in paperback.
My guest is Edward Parnell, author of Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country, published by William Collins in 2019. We discuss the book, and Ed's research into the writers and settings of some classic ghost stories.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the book in detail!
Author website https://edwardparnell.com/
Publishers: https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780008271954/ghostland-in-search-of-a-haunted-country/
Ghostland is out now in hardback, paperback and audiobook.
Wonderful advice, and notes on an inspirational poetry collection, from Andy that will boost your creativity!
My guest is Andrew McDonnell, author of The Somnambulist Cookbook, published by Salt in 2019. We discuss the book, which is Andy's debut poetry collection, and learn about his influences and the power of dreams.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the book in detail!
Author website: http://www.gatehousepress.com/lighthouse/about/
Publishers: https://www.saltpublishing.com/collections/author-andrew-mcdonnell
My guest is Louise Fein, author of People Like Us, published by Head of Zeus in 2020. We discuss her novel, which is about an ill-fated romance set in 1930s Germany.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the book in detail!
WEBSITE https://www.louisefein.com/
Publishers: https://headofzeus.com/books/9781789545340
In the last of the series, Amanthi and I discuss what aspiring authors should be doing (hint: read widely!). She tells me about a short story/novella that she admired, the influence of which can be felt in her work.
Amanthi tells me about her book tour of India for the promotion of Beautiful Place. She tells me about how her experiences as a Sri Lankan/British author, and how politics inevitably crept into the discussion of her book.
My guest is Amanthi Harris, author of Beautiful Place, published by Salt in 2019. We discuss her book, set at a guesthouse on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, and the multitude of characters we meet.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the novel in detail!
https://www.saltpublishing.com/collections/author-amanthi-harris
I hear Sally’s advice to aspiring authors (hint: writing courses are a good idea!). We also discuss a book that influenced her at a young age, and consider that it’s never too late to read the classics.
Sally tells me about life as a writer after Haverscroft (no pun intended) and the fun of post-publication activities. We also discuss writing book two, similar in flavour to the first but with new characters and setting.
My guest is Sally Harris, author of Haverscroft, published by Salt in 2019. We talk about her book, which is a traditional haunted house tale mixed with domestic noir, and what publication of her debut meant to her.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the novel in detail!
https://www.saltpublishing.com/collections/author-s-a-harris
Eleanor and I discuss advice to writers (here’s a hint: turn up to work!) and why writing must be its own reward; we would do it come what may! We also learn about a classic book that made a great impression on her.
I talk with Eleanor about life after the publication of A Perfect Explanation, with book launches, readings, and scary radio interviews. We also discuss her approach to writing books two and three.
My first guest in this series is Eleanor Anstruther, author of A Perfect Explanation, published by Salt in 2019. Her novel is based on the true-life events of her grandmother, Enid Campbell, who sold her son to her sister for £500.
SPOILER ALERT! We discuss the novel in detail!
https://www.saltpublishing.com/collections/author-eleanor-anstruther