Chatting Lit

For this episode we try something a bit different! While discussing the book Ultramarine with its author, Mariette Navarro and its English translator, Cory Stockwell you get to hear some live translation! Mariette discusses the inspiration behind the novel, how different it was to write it compared to the usual work she does in theatre, and how it feels to see her work translated into several languages. Cory tells us about his route into translating, the difficulties of translating English to...

For this episode I'm joined by the author Deborah McFadyen to discuss her book Ren. We also talk about writing believable dialogue, writing in Scots, Glasgow as a literary city and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Severance by Ling Ma The Hole by José Revueltas, translated by Amanda Hopkinson and Sophie Hughes Dear Neighbour by Jane Claire Bradley Metabolize, If Able by Clay AD This Is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes Bless The Daughter Raised By The Voice in...

I'm joined for this episode by Chris Lee, author of The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, as well as the man behind the podcast and website Outside Write (https://outsidewrite.co.uk/) We talk about the relationship between football and politics, the growth of left-wing fanbases, his favourite football books and more! The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism by Chris Lee Severance by Ling Ma Ultramarine by Mariette Navarro, translated by Cory Stockwell Origin Sto...

Literature podcast collab episode! I'm joined for this episode by Ben from the Beyond The Zero podcast (@beyondzeropod) to discuss Australian Literature. We talk about his favourite Aussie authors, the state of the Aussie book market, which is the capital of Oz literature and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Raven Smith’s Men by Raven Smith Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth Paradais by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, translated by S...

Back with another episode after another unexpected break! In this one I talk to Rick Harsch, author of The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas and the man behind Corona/Samizdat Press. We discuss the problem of the every growing TBR, how Rick wrote Eddie Vegas, how he decides what to publish and more! Books mentioned in this episode: The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas by Rick Harsch Poguemahone by Patrick McCabe The Prague Orgy by Philip Roth El Llano in Flame by Juan Rulfo, translated by Steph...

After another unexpected break, Chatting Lit is back! In this episode, I speak to Palmer Smith about her book The Butterfly Bruises, a collection of poems and short stories, available to buy directly from the publisher here: https://pressdionysus.com/product/palmer-smith-the-butterfly-bruises/ Palmer and I discuss the relationship between her short stories and poems, Southern Gothic literature, her relationship to the two main settings of her work (NYC and the American South) and more! Book...

For this episode I'm joined by the musician, writer and visual artist Jarboe (https://www.thelivingjarboe.com/) to discuss her process of writing lyrics and prose, the vinyl reissue of her album Sacrificial Cake, the relationship between her different artforms and more! Books mentioned in this episode: The Manifold Destiny of Eddie Vegas by Rick Harsch The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy The Gallow’s Pole by Ben Myers Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty Mercia’s Take by Daniel Wiles The Dangers of S...

I'm back! After a longer than planned 'season break' I'm here to discuss the work of Sally Rooney with Natalie Beech, co-founder of the Feminist Fiction (@feminist.finction) book club and co-host of the podcast of the same name! We discuss the recurrent themes in Rooney's work, what we like/dislike about it, if she is the 'voice of millennial women' and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Fup by Jim Dodge Swamplandia by Karen Russell What a Shame by Abigail Bergstrom Convenience Store Wom...

For this episode I speak to Joe Carducci about his screenplay collections Wyoming Stories and Western Stories, as well as his book about Western films, Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture. We discuss some of his favourite Westerns, why people still watch Westerns today, and how film making has changed over the years. Books mentioned in this episode: Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy ...

My guest for this episode is Chris 'Frenchie' French, a music journalist for various print and online publications. We discuss how he got into music journalism, if things like the #metoo movement will make rock stars more cautious about what they tell in their autobiographies, and if in an age of social media and streaming there's still a role for professional music critics. Shoutouts for this episode go to Ben at Beyond The Zero podcast (@beyondthezeropod) and some of the publications Chris...

In this episode I speak to the Australian author Thommy Waite @thommywaiteworld) about his book Any Day You Can Die. We discuss his writing process, his influences, Bookstagram, cancel culture and more! Shout-out for this episode goes out to fellow lit podcast Beyond The Zero @beyondthezeropod) Books mentioned in the episode: Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture by Joe Carducci Everyman by Philip Roth The Humbling by Philip Roth Salt Lick by Lulu Allison Wise Blood by Flannery O’ Conn...

For anyone who's ever wondered what happens when you put two teachers who are also book lovers together, this one's for you! I'm joined by Archie Thorn, author of Home Time Blues, a fantastic book set in a high school in Scotland, which looks at many themes; the failure of education to inspire children; the impact a job you don't like can have on personal relationships; unsympathetic management cultures and more. We discuss these topics, what literature is on the Scottish curriculum, the deba...

I'm joined in this episode by Gemma who's a bookseller at Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights (https://mrbsemporium.com/) , an independent bookshop in Bath here in the UK. We discuss the reading spas which Mr B's is famous for, how to balance selling 'commercial' books with more literary ones, how working as a bookseller has changed Gemma's own reading habits and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Still Life by Sarah Winman To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara Open Water by Caleb...

This episode sees me combine two of my loves: books and nature! I'm joined by George Steedman Jones, host of the Coffee with Conservationists podcast (@coffee_with_conservationists) (which I totally get the name of wrong in the episode, sorry George!), who is studying for a BA in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University. We discuss the popularity of nature writing in the UK, if eco-dystopias are good or bad for engaging people with climate change, and if as readers...

In this episode I speak to Sam from Charco Press, the UK award-winning publisher, who specialise in Latin American literature. We discuss how Charco started, how the literary world needs to move from the Latin American Boom, and Sam gives some great advice for anyone thinking of starting up their own publishing house! No shout-outs for this episode as I stupidly forgot to record them! Books mentioned in this episode: Never Did the Fire by Diamela Eltit, translated by Daniel HahnCatching Fir...

For this episode I'm joined by my dear friend Holly Cruise (@hollyzonebooks & @hollyzonehistory) of the Queer Girl Film Club podcast (@queergirlfilmclub) to discuss comics and graphic novels! We discuss what we love and dislike about the artform and industry, if 'graphic novel' is just a snobby term to make comics more appealing to literary types, and our favourites! Shout-outs for this episode go to: Zoe (@jenniferqueenie) Robert (@rocinante.lit) Comics mentioned in the episode by Holl...

In this episode I speak to Steve Von Till, best known for his work with the band Neurosis, about his poetry collection Harvestman: 23 Untitled Poems and Collected Lyrics. We discuss how nature inspires his writing, how he inspires the students he teaches to love reading, American Transcendental poets and more! Books mentioned in this episode: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Train Dreams by Denis Johnson Crow by Ted Hughes Underland by Robert Macfarlane Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and En...

In this episode I chat to Dr Thomas Prosser from the University of Cardiff, author of What's In It For Me? Self-interest and Political Difference. We discuss the changing nature of the Labour Party, Sally Rooney's decision to now allow her latest book to be translated into Hebrew , if Brexiteers are stupid and more! Shout-outs for this episode: Mark (@northernlightbooks) Emily (@moonchildemily) Lydia (@lydiathevirgo) Books mentioned in this episode: Political Liberalism by John Rawls Brexit...

I'm joined for this episode by two of Bookstagram's brightest and best Pynchon scholars... Seth: @wastemailinglist Noah: @everyone_who_reads https://www.youtube.com/c/EveryoneWhoReadsitMustConverse We talk about how we each got into Pynchon's work, the recurring themes he writes about, what kind of readers his work would appeal to and more! Shout-outs this episode go to: Matty Markwood @theobliterature Brad Wetzel @bradspersecond

Hi, and welcome to Chatting Lit, the podcast for book lovers! We talk to authors, publishers and others within the book industry, as well as having chats about a variety of bookish topics. Please subscribe on your preferred podcast platform, and follow us on our social media pages. Chatting Lit on Instagram: @chattinglitpodcast