Interview with Lisa Bent

Lisa Bent's debut romance novel, Symona’s Still Single (2020), was published as part of the ground-breaking #Twentyin2020 cohort, which saw 20 Black British writers published in the same year by independent publishing house Jacaranda, a first in the UK. 

Her second book is called Bombshell (2024) - a romance comedy co-written with Alison Hammond, published by Penguin. 

Lisa has written for The Independent, Stylist Magazine and Porter Magazine. She is currently writing the sequel to Symona’s Still Single.

Interviewed By Saskia Kabongo

SK: What inspired you to write Symona’s Still Single, and was there a specific moment that pushed you to start?

LB: On Facebook I used to share my opinion on everything from politics, films to my dating trials and tribulations which always got the most likes and comments. When my friend sent me a competition from Jacaranda, a Black-owned independent publishing house calling for 20 Black British writers, I decided to go for it and here I am, one of the 20 published in 2020. This was and still is groundbreaking. No mainstream or independent publishing house has ever done this. 

SK: Your background is in Psychology and HR. How did that influence the way you developed Symona’s character and her journey of self-discovery?

LB: My background in Psychology has heavily influenced how I developed Symona. I wanted a protagonist that was self-aware and knew the importance of self-love to show what dating looked like from this standpoint, which I would have loved to have read when growing up.

Being your whole self is important; however, I show the contradiction of this in the workplace. My insights and experiences are not unique. The aim of including them is to resonate with those who have. For those who haven’t … yet, it’s a signpost to show, reassure and help.

The unspoken pressure to assimilate, code switch to get by and succeed while finding your voice to advocate for yourself is a journey in itself. 

SK: Did you draw from any personal experiences while writing this novel, or were the characters and scenarios purely fictional?

LB: The majority of the book is fiction. However, there are a few personal experiences within that I have changed and embellished so it’s no longer my story but it remains grounded in realism to feel believable.

SK: Writing a debut novel can be a challenging process. What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced while bringing this story to life?

LB: As I’ve never written a book before I didn’t know if I was doing it right. Letting go of self-doubt and giving myself permission to just write was a big hurdle in the beginning. Cultivating my discipline and creative process was a journey alongside rebuking the word “writer's block” to embrace taking a break. Hard deadlines are scary.

SK: The book beautifully balances humour and emotional depth. Was that intentional from the start, and how did you find that balance in your writing?

LB: I didn’t want to just write a romance novel filled with fantasy and 90’s music video dreams. I wanted to bring to life the real struggle of Black British women in their late thirties because our / their stories weren’t being told. My Facebook posts showed me I wasn’t alone. My friendship groups told me I wasn’t alone, and so I knew there would be others who felt the same. I wanted my book to highlight these important feelings for us to be seen and heard.

The balance lives in good storytelling and my vibrant, personable and relatable characters. 

SK: What was the most rewarding part of writing Symona’s Still Single?

LB: The accomplishment of following through with the creative labour and birthing a book I am proud off. 

It’s also rewarding receiving lovely messages from readers who have been touched by Symona’s story and gone out of their way to tell me. It’s always a nice surprise that I do not take for granted. 

SK: The book challenges societal pressures on women to be in relationships by a certain age. How do you think these expectations impact Black British women specifically?

LB: The pressures are a mixture of culture, tradition and society. Within society there are stereotypes, beauty trends and the rest, all of which are layered and feed into each other. The reality of the biological ticking clock is ticking can cause a lot of stress. Childlessness is another form or grief no one talks about.

SK: What message do you hope readers take away from Symona’s journey, especially those who feel pressured to "have it all figured out"?

LB: I hope readers see the importance of self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-love. How having a willingness to delve into introspection can release you from your past and provide an opportunity to change your current situation and future.

No one has it all figured it. We can only work with where we are, with what we know. In time what we know becomes wisdom and discernment, but it’s reflection that enables us to acknowledge this.

Become the best version of yourself. Hold that vision high. 

SK: How do you think past relationships shape the way people approach love? Does Symona’s experience reflect common patterns you’ve seen in real life?

LB: How we were raised and how we are treated by family, friends and lovers all contribute to what we think of ourselves, what we expect and what we think we deserve from all types of love and relationships. 

Symona’s journey is only one story of hundreds. However, at the centre no matter what your story, self-esteem, self-belief, self-worth, self-confidence, self-acceptance and self-love will be impacted to various degrees. This will also be the common pattern.

SK: Symona’s dating experiences highlight the complexities of being a Black woman in the dating world. Why was it important for you to show these realities?

LB: It was important to show it because it exists. I wanted the reader to walk alongside Symona and in-turn feel seen, heard and understood. 

SK: In London, dating can be exciting but also overwhelming. How did the city influence the way you wrote Symona’s love life?

LB: I am a Londoner, and for my first book I wanted to pull from my experiences and observations to bring it to life in a richer way that resonates with fellow Londoners.

SK: The men Symona dates each represent different challenges and relationship dynamics. Did you want readers to recognize these types of men from their own experiences?

LB: I wanted to show that while it may be easy to generalise, no man is the same and therefore no relationship is the same. The signs may be different too, but there are signs, red and green flags and it’s really important to pay attention. The book is designed to speak to as many people as possible in the hope that something resonates. 

SK: What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about dating as a Black British woman, and did you aim to address those in the book?

LB: A single Black woman in her late thirties to early / mid-forties is loaded with accusations that she must be difficult, too picky or career driven. If you are also childless those labels also apply, though more focus given to career drive.

I also wanted to address that a woman shooting her shot doesn’t make her desperate. 

SK: As a British-Jamaican woman, how did your heritage influence the way you wrote Symona’s character and her experiences?

LB: Symona is a Black Woman because I am. It is laced with cultural flair as a result. The spiritual touch through her Grandma I would say is the clearest influence.

SK: There’s a growing demand for more authentic Black British love stories in mainstream fiction. How do you feel about the current state of representation in publishing?

LB: Due to Jacaranda’s groundbreaking competition and the death of George Floyd the literary landscape has a wealth of brilliant Black British authors which is growing. This is not only necessary but refreshing, especially as when I was growing up I had never read a romance novel by a Black British author.

SK: Did you feel any pressure to write a certain type of story to fit industry expectations, or did you stay true to your vision from the start?

My intention was not to create a Black Bridget Jones. I stayed true to my vision from the start with full support from my publisher Valerie Brandes. 

SK: You speak on topics like mental health, self-acceptance, and "showing up as your whole self." How do these themes connect to Symona’s journey?

LB: Without giving too much away, these are themes that people navigate in the journey of life. One in four people are likely to have a mental health issue in any given year, I believe it’s higher than that. I show you Symona’s journey in the hope readers will audit where they are at. 

SK: Many women struggle with self-worth when it comes to relationships. What advice would you give to those trying to find confidence in their singlehood?

LB: Being single is the perfect time to reflect, heal and bloom. To love the parts that need attention, to understand who you are, what makes you tick and to build confidence and self-worth.

Two halves make a whole, but there is so much more power and beauty in understanding you are already whole, you don’t need to seek “a better half.” 

Romance your life. Find your joy. Enjoy exploring yourself and working out what sparks you up. Take the solo trip. Get comfortable with being in your own space, alone. Enjoy the time that doesn’t require negotiating.

The work done in the single space is the grounding and foundation of who you are and what you will or won’t tolerate. Self-love is first love. You set the bar. 

SK: Symona’s Still Single is your debut novel. Do you have plans to write another book, perhaps a sequel?

LB: Bombshell is my second romance novel co-written with Alison Hammond, released November 2024.

The sequel has been cooking and taking longer than expected. Who told me to leave the book in a funny place? Lol. I mean, I could leave it there, but I think you are all intrigued to see how it all ends. 

SK: What’s next for you as an author and speaker? Are there any exciting projects in the works?

LB: This year I hope to be more visible and vocal. I am a panel guest at The Alternative Book Fair on 5th March. It’s a Jacaranda takeover at Islington Library and I will be joined by fellow romance writers Sareeta Domingo and Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm. It’s a free event, so come through and say hello.

SK: If you could tell your younger self one thing about writing and publishing, what would it be?

LB: Your story, style and voice are important. Just give yourself permission to write, and write. There is a publisher who will just get it. 

About the Interviewer 
Saskia Kabongo is a journalism student at the University of Leicester with a passion for storytelling. She is inspired by authors and their writing, always eager to learn more about their creative process. Through her interviews, she aims to share meaningful conversations that highlight the people behind the stories. 

Review by Lee Wright of "The Viaduct" by David Wheldon

The Viaduct, David Wheldon’s first novel, published in 1983, was well received at the time. Following his death in 2022, it was rereleased by Valancourt Books. The story begins with Alexander – more commonly referred to as A., since Wheldon wanted to save time during the writing process (he had originally planned to add the full name later, but A. carried thematic weight in what became a Kafkaesque story). The protagonist being reduced to a mere letter also reflects his loss of personal identity after being released from prison where he served time for writing a seditious book that purported to expose the secrets of the city’s governmental workings. 

Soon, however, he is confronted with new, unspecified charges and escapes his pursuers by fleeing down a stretch of abandoned railway tracks – taken over by nature – built on a viaduct that dominates the city. The viaduct, now blending seamlessly with the landscape, appears as though it were not crafted by human hands, but instead formed by a bizarre upheaval of the earth itself. 

A. is dressed for travel – heavy boots, sturdy canvas trousers, and a pack on his back, which he later exchanges for a worn suit, confusing those he encounters and causing them to believe he is a lawyer. What A. is journeying toward remains unclear; there is no hint of a paradise at the end of the tracks, only more towns and villages. When asked, “Where are you going?” He simply replies, “I’m going on.” 

His journey starts at the terminus, hoping to catch a train, only to find that the railway had been shut down a decade earlier. At the beginning of the novel, beneath the viaduct, several church bells toll, like the sound of a race starting gun. We learn that A.’s cell window overlooked the viaduct, and he would often gaze up at it. Such repeated, obsessive focus on something distant and unreachable might suggest themes of escapism or wistful dreaming.

There is a sense that the narrative may not just be a straightforward recounting of events, but rather a reflection of the character’s inner world – much like Bobby Western in Cormac McCarthy’s The Passenger, which also gives off a dreamlike atmosphere. We know nothing of those who pursue him. They are blunt-featured men of practised patience, like Stasi agents. Some of them pursue him on horseback; the most deadly possess a fixed stare that can make a man faint. A. gets beyond the “boundary,” and the city disappears as swiftly as it was created. 

This is where the novel loses its early tension and switches from a slow-burning thriller to a book about everything and nothing. A. meets fellow travellers and villagers who have established small communities, where one man can serve as pastor, mayor, and magistrate. A. and his companions are regarded as directionless and superstitious. The novel portrays life as a constant search for comfort or stability, but this desire for security is ultimately unattainable, illusory. Someone remarks about A. “You were a dissatisfied young man.” This kind of dissatisfaction could lead to a man’s downfall. The story is surreal, and the characters feel more like mere vessels for the author’s voice than fully developed individuals. However, The Viaduct would fit perfectly on the shelf next to works by McCarthy, DeLillo, or Kafka.

About the reviewer
Lee Wright has an MA in Creative Writing and is currently working towards a PhD researching memoir and film. His fiction and poetry have been published with Fairlight Books, époque press and Burning House Press.

Interview with Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm

  

Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm is a dynamic Author, Journalist, Writing Coach, and Festival Director, dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in literature. Her debut novel, Swimming With Fishes (2017), gained international recognition when its audio rights were acquired by Danish powerhouse Saga Egmont. Her second novel, Love Again (2020), was a standout in the prestigious Jacaranda #Twentyin2020 initiative and was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelist Association Award 2021 (Inclusion Category). Passionate about empowering writers, Rasheda is the Founder and Director of the WILDE Hammersmith & Fulham Writers’ Festival, a premier platform celebrating female and indie authors. The festival, known for its inspiring short story and poetry competitions, fosters emerging talent and champions creative excellence. With a keen eye for storytelling and a commitment to literary innovation, Rasheda continues to shape the literary landscape, mentoring aspiring authors and advocating for inclusive narratives worldwide. Her website is here. IG: @ashantirasheda 

  

Interviewed by Saskia Kabongo

SK: Love Again beautifully explores love and second chances later in life. What inspired you to write this story? 

RAM: Life and love. Also the beauty of human connection. Love’s complexities, passion, heartbreak, and hope, these offer endless storytelling possibilities. Also the desire to explore deep emotions which often fuel the creation of heartfelt romantic narratives. 

SK: Honey’s journey feels so real and relatable. Is she based on anyone you know, or did she come entirely from your imagination? 

RAM: Honey's situation was inspired by the culture of arranged marriage, but in a Caribbean home. 

SK: The novel touches on deep emotions like love and self-worth. Was there a particular scene that was the most challenging or emotional for you to write? 

RAM: Ashley's relationship with his mentally unstable mother, and Fatty's relationship with her addict mother. They were quite challenging, and both based on people's real-life experiences. 

SK: What message did you hope readers would take away from Honey’s story? 

RAM: This fake-turned-real romance novel teaches readers that love can grow unexpectedly, even from pretence. It highlights the power of emotional connection, authenticity, and vulnerability. It shows that true feelings often develop when least expected. 

SK: How did you approach writing about mature Black women in romance, especially in a genre that often focuses on younger characters? 

RAM: I consider people in their late 20s and 30s young, which the leading protagonists were. I strongly believe that readers are not bound by the rules and stereotypes of genres, and that as a creative, we can make our own rules.  

SK: Honey has a lot of emotional layers strong, yet vulnerable. How did you shape her character and her personal growth throughout the book?

RAM: Honey’s character was shaped through contrasts - her strength masks deep vulnerability, creating emotional depth. Throughout the book, she faces challenges that force her to confront her fears, open her heart, and embrace her true self. Her growth comes from learning that true strength lies in vulnerability and allowing herself to trust, and love fully. 

SK: Ashley is such an interesting romantic lead. What qualities did you want to highlight in him as a partner for Honey? 

RAM: Ashley seems to be the bad-boy type. He's confident, ambitious, cheeky, sensuous, yet vulnerable because of his past relationship with Bethany, who was unfaithful. This gave him the ability to be loyal to his true love. His deep strength comes from his childhood experience, protecting his mother and baby sister, Marley. He fell in love with Honey’s fiery nature, her boldness. I wanted to highlight his vulnerability and strength. I wanted to show that when he loved, he was capable of offering unwavering support and love, while challenging Honey to grow. His kindness, wit, and emotional depth make him an ideal partner, proving that love thrives in understanding and mutual respect. 

SK: If Honey and Ashley could give each other one piece of advice at the start of their journey, what do you think it would be? 

RAM: Honey would tell Ashley, "Let me in; you don’t have to do everything alone." She sees his strength but knows true love requires trust, openness, and the courage to share burdens. Ashley would tell Honey, "Don’t try to fix me—just stand by me." He fears his vulnerability but longs for genuine support.  

SK: There are so few books that center Black British women in a mature romance. Did you feel a responsibility to tell this story? 

RAM: Representation matters, and I wanted to showcase a Black British woman and man experiencing love, vulnerability, and growth in a mature, authentic way. It felt important to tell a story where my characters are fully seen—complex, deserving, and deeply loved—offering a narrative that reflects real-life experiences often overlooked in romance. 

SK: How do you think Love Again challenges traditional narratives about love, aging, and relationships? 

RAM: Love Again challenges traditional narratives by showing that love isn’t limited by age, (although I don't consider late 20s or mid 30s to be old) or past heartbreak. It redefines romance as a journey of self-discovery, healing, and second chances. The story proves that mature love can be just as passionate and transformative, celebrating vulnerability and deep emotional connection at any stage in life. That's why I see my genre as "Love Story" as opposed to "Romance," which seems to limit narratives and what you can do with it. 

SK: You also teach Creative Writing. How does your own writing process influence the way you guide your students? 

RAM: My writing process is deeply rooted in exploration and patience, which I encourage my students to embrace. I emphasise the importance of vulnerability, experimenting with voice, and allowing stories to evolve naturally. I guide them to trust their instincts, take risks, and understand that writing is as much about discovery as it is about craft. I encourage them to get the story out. Vomit it onto the page, then go through your vomit and arrange it 

SK: Do you see yourself revisiting Honey’s story in the future perhaps in a sequel? 

RAM: Revisiting Honey’s story is definitely something I’d consider. The feedback from readers has been incredible, especially their curiosity about Fatty and Zhara's journey. There’s so much potential for exploring their growth and relationships further, and I’d love to dive back into that world if the time feels right! 

SK: Are you working on any new books, and if so, can you share a little about what’s next for you? 

RAM: Yes, Home for Christmas will be my next romance novel, filled with holiday warmth, love, and second chances. Alongside that, I’m working on Life Happens, a Women's Fiction exploring the unexpected twists of life, friendship, and personal growth. Both stories aim to highlight women's resilience and the beauty in life's imperfections. 

SK: What other stories or themes would you love to explore in your future writing? 

RAM: I’m excited to explore themes of self-expression, healing, and personal growth in future stories. Writing to Exhale, my upcoming non-fiction book, (out in 2026) will offer guidance and inspiration for emerging writers, helping them find their voice and embrace the therapeutic power of storytelling. It’s a project close to my heart. 

About the Interviewer 
Saskia Kabongo is a journalism student at the University of Leicester with a passion for storytelling. She is inspired by authors and their writing, always eager to learn more about their creative process. Through her interviews, she aims to share meaningful conversations that highlight the people behind the stories. 

Review by Saskia Kabongo of "Loveless" by Alice Oseman

 

Alice Oseman has once again created a deeply moving and relatable story in Loveless, a book that made me feel truly seen and understood. Having already fallen in love with Oseman’s writing through Heartstopper and her other works, I knew I had to read Loveless, and it turned out to be the best book I have ever read. 

The novel follows Georgia, a university student navigating her first year while coming to terms with her asexual and aromantic identity. Oseman’s writing captures the raw and emotional journey of self-discovery with honesty and depth, making Georgia’s experience feel incredibly real. As someone who is British and currently in my first year of university, I found the depiction of university life, its social dynamics, accommodation struggles, and the pressure to fit in was strikingly accurate. 

One of the most beautiful aspects of Loveless is how it explores identity beyond the conventional labels of gay, bi, or straight. It highlights the importance of self-discovery and reassures readers that there is no single way to experience love. Georgia’s story is filled with moments of doubt, frustration, and sadness as she struggles with feeling "different," but Oseman shows us that different does not mean broken. Through her journey, she finds a supportive and diverse group of friends who not only accept her but help her understand that she is valid exactly as she is. 

The friendships in this book are particularly powerful. Georgia’s bond with her best friends Pip and Jason, as well as her growing connection with her roommate Rooney, felt so real and heartfelt. Oseman beautifully portrays how friendships can be just as meaningful and transformative as romantic relationships. One quote that stood out to me was: "We were a whole messy group of people who had found each other, who loved each other. That was our thing. Friendship. That was the grand love story." 

This book spreads awareness about the LGBTQ+ community and the spectrum of identities within it, emphasizing that love and identity are deeply personal and unique to everyone. It also challenges societal expectations, particularly the idea that romance is the ultimate goal in life, reminding readers that self-love and friendship can be just as fulfilling. 

The slow-burn relationship between Georgia and Rooney was another highlight of the book. They started as friends, helping each other grow and face the challenges of university life, and by the end, their connection had evolved into something deeper. The way Oseman writes about their relationship is full of support, understanding, and mutual encouragement that felt incredibly genuine. 

Ultimately, Loveless is a powerful and necessary book that reassures readers, especially young adults, that they are not alone in their experiences. It encourages embracing who you are, no matter how different you may feel, and reminds us all that love comes in many forms. Thank you, Alice Oseman, for writing such realistic and heartfelt characters. 

About the reviewer
Saskia Kabongo is a first-year journalism student at the University of Leicester with aspirations of becoming an author and publisher. A passionate reader, she consumes around 200 books a year, constantly seeking stories that inspire and challenge her. Growing up in London, she draws endless inspiration from the city's people and narratives. Her favorite authors, Krista and Becca Ritchie, are known for their deeply authentic characters and unique storytelling, which she believes make every book feel like a reality TV show come to life.

Review by Saskia Kabongo of "Carrie Soto Is Back" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

After reading several of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books and feeling deeply moved, I knew Carrie Soto Is Back would be something special, and it absolutely was. This is a gripping, inspiring story about passion, resilience, and proving that you are never too old to fight for what you love. 

Carrie Soto was once the greatest tennis player in the world. With her father as her coach, she dominated the sport in her prime, adored by fans and feared by rivals. But after 20 years of retirement, she makes the bold decision to return even though she knows that all eyes are on her, waiting to see if she will fail. Can she reclaim her title? Or will she embarrass herself on the world’s biggest stage? 

This book is about so much more than tennis. It’s about a woman refusing to let age, doubt, or the press dictate her limits. Carrie faces relentless criticism, particularly from a media that is far harsher on female athletes than their male counterparts. The novel highlights the double standards women endure in sports and the way strength and ambition are celebrated in men but scrutinized in women. Yet Carrie refuses to back down. Old rivals don’t stop her. Her age doesn’t stop her. She pushes forward with an unshakable belief in herself, showing that women can do anything. 

The heart of the story, though, is the relationship between Carrie and her father, Javier. Their bond is beautiful as he is her biggest supporter, her toughest critic, and her rock through every high and low. Carrie not only pushes herself, but she also helps her father find a new purpose after the loss of her mother, reminding him to live fully. Their dynamic adds so much emotional depth to the novel, making it more than just a sports story, it’s a testament to love, family, and perseverance. 

The tennis matches had me biting my nails, completely absorbed in every point, every setback, and every comeback. This book is electrifying, emotional, and deeply motivating. It reminds us to be bold, be brave, and chase our dreams without apology. One of the most powerful quotes from the book is: “The only thing you can do in this life is try your best. And when that doesn’t work, you try again. And again. And again." 

Carrie Soto Is Back is a must-read for anyone who has ever fought for something they love. It’s a story of grit, determination, and the unbreakable spirit of a woman who refuses to be counted out. 

About the reviewer
Saskia Kabongo is a first-year journalism student at the University of Leicester with aspirations of becoming an author and publisher. A passionate reader, she consumes around 200 books a year, constantly seeking stories that inspire and challenge her. Growing up in London, she draws endless inspiration from the city's people and narratives. Her favorite authors, Krista and Becca Ritchie, are known for their deeply authentic characters and unique storytelling, which she believes make every book feel like a reality TV show come to life.

Review by Saskia Kabongo of "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes

  

Wow! what a book. Me Before You is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking love stories I have ever read. Without even trying, Jojo Moyes creates a romance that feels so raw and real, proving that love isn’t just about grand gestures or endless kisses, it’s about the connection between two people, the way they change each other’s lives. 

Louisa Clark is the heart of this novel. She is bright, kind, and full of life, finding joy in the smallest things, whether it’s boiling a kettle or watching a foreign film. She reminds us that happiness can be found anywhere if we allow ourselves to see it. On the other hand, Will Traynor is strong in a different way. Once a man who had everything that was wealth, adventure, and success, his life is turned upside down after an accident leaves him paralyzed. Yet, despite his pain, he finds the strength to smile for Lou, to let her in, and to spend his last six months truly living. Their time together is filled with laughter, adventure, and the kind of love that doesn’t need to be said out loud to be felt deeply. 

One of the most powerful messages in this book is about embracing life, no matter the circumstances. Lou teaches Will that joy can be found even in the simplest moments, while Will pushes Lou to dream bigger and step outside the limits she has placed on herself. Their love story isn’t just romantic, it’s inspiring. 

A quote that stayed with me is: “You only get one life. It’s actually your duty to live it as fully as possible." 

This book is more than just a love story, it’s a lesson in appreciating the time we have and making the most of it. It touches on themes of mental and physical health, personal growth, and the idea that life is meant to be lived to the fullest. Me Before You made me laugh, cry, and reflect on the choices we make. It’s a book that stays with you long after you turn the last page. 

If you haven’t read this yet, please do. It just might change the way you see life. 

About the reviewer
Saskia Kabongo is a first-year journalism student at the University of Leicester with aspirations of becoming an author and publisher. A passionate reader, she consumes around 200 books a year, constantly seeking stories that inspire and challenge her. Growing up in London, she draws endless inspiration from the city's people and narratives. Her favourite authors, Krista and Becca Ritchie, are known for their deeply authentic characters and unique storytelling, which she believes make every book feel like a reality TV show come to life.

Review by Sally Shaw of "Red Runs the Witch's Thread" by Victoria Williamson

Red Runs the Witch’s Thread is a novella by Scottish author Victoria Williamson. It’s a story of the impact of a young girl’s perception of childhood, puberty, childbirth and society’s expectations. 

The year is 1722. Christian and her maid Meg visit Paisley, to sell Christian’s white skein of thread to a merchant. The merchant treats them with contempt and no deal is made. Meg wants to protect her mistress but she knows better than to speak out. Once on the street she tells her mistress her thoughts but Christian can only hear one thing: "The blood was pounding in her ears, drumming out a single dreadful word that thundered up from the depths of her memory and drowned out every other sound. Witch. Witch. WITCH!"

Christian is a woman driven to ensure the economic stability of her family and home, Bargarran House. She believes that by producing the purest white thread and enhancing its production will provide security: "The hand-powered twist mill that would allow a dozen spindles of her hand-spun linen to be twisted into strong thread all at once would revolutionise linen commerce in Scotland." But Christian’s memories return her to her childhood, taking her out of herself, "Christian Shaw, the child who was bewitched." The story moves back and forth from 1696/7 to 1722. On this journey Christian’s mind and strength unravel as she is led to facing the truth behind her being bewitched and the consequences to her family and those who have contact with her. 

Williamson is able to create the atmosphere of the time, how society interpreted the functions of the human body and the individual's behaviour. The story highlights the history of witches and the human beings who were singled out as different and misunderstood. 

As Christian travels towards her own truth and identity, she is watched over by her loyal maid Meg and observed by the Ravens. Ultimately the power of the Ravens will lead to discoveries. I found this book has made me aware of how misunderstanding, fear and lack of knowledge can inflict pain and loss on communities and create mistrust within societies. What is a witch is difficult to know, Christian’s story provides an insight into the witch trials and their importance within history and the modern world.

About the reviewer
Sally Shaw has an MA Creative Writing from the University of Leicester. She gains inspiration from old photographs, history, childhood memories, and is inspired by writers Sandra Cisneros, Deborah Morgan, Liz Berry and Emily Dickinson. She has short stories and poetry published in various online publications including The Ink Pantry, AnotherNorth, Roi Faineant Press. Sally lives in the countryside. 

Review by Maria Taylor of "Ambush at Still Lake" by Caroline Bird

It’s been said that humour often comes from a serious place. That concept can be easily applied to Caroline Bird’s Ambush at Still Lake. Themes such as parenthood, marriage, addiction and recovery are turned on their head in Bird’s surreal and animated collection of poems. In Bird’s prose poem ‘The Addict Impersonator Contest,’ addiction itself is quite literally turned on its head: 

                                                                                               True self-hate
          Takes years to master like the Handstand Scorpion Pose in yoga, or
          Jazz drumming…

The humour here is wry, perhaps even uncomfortable, but  it also dances with the truth. The poem ends with a distortion of the speaker’s mimicked addiction with real-life hurt. I felt the irony of the judges’ description of it being ‘the realest routine they’d ever seen’ and felt the punch of ‘Mum and Dad crying with pride.’ Bird understands how humour and tragedy cause friction when woven together. There’s an intuitive awareness of this that often has startling results. 

Throughout the collection, rich images and strange confessions jump out at you. Experiencing a Bird poem requires a suspension of disbelief which I was more than happy to go along with. We live in a strange and complex world and Bird’s poems allow us to navigate the strangeness in an engrossing, vivid way. In ‘Starter Marriage,’ for instance, the speaker in the poem invites everyone to their wedding, including a BT Operator who kept them on hold for ‘forty minutes in 2007.’ Is Bird perchance saying that we live in a society in which most individual relationships are based on shallow connections – or is it just straight-up funny? Or both? What I especially like about Bird’s poems is the reluctance to come up with answers. Instead the speaker and the phone operator dance together, ‘reminiscing / under a marquee of stars,’ to what else but the ‘synthesised’ tune of Greensleeves that brought them together. 

In ‘The Baby Monitor,’ a sinister scenario occurs when a baby monitor becomes a living being, long after the actual baby has grown into a child at ‘preschool.’ There is something universal about the monitor itself being an object parents fixate on – and perhaps that stress never goes away:

                I sat through parents’ evening
          Like a killer in the dock, Knowing
          The monitor was home alone 
          Crying to an empty room.

For all the humour here, it’s also surprisingly chilling! 

Bird’s poems have a spontaneous feel, as if they’ve sprung from a place where humour and pain co-exist. Perhaps when someone has been through a great deal, they appreciate that the so called ‘happy ever after’ of marriage is not a wholly trustworthy thing. In the collection’s title poem, ‘Ambush at Still Lake,’ it’s the placid lake itself which offers an answer of sorts to the manic nature of life: ‘We carry on / dying forever, always almost home.’ 

About the reviewer
Maria Taylor is a British Cypriot poet and reviewer. Her latest collection is Dressing for the Afterlife (Nine Arches Press). Her debut collection of poetry, Melanchrini, was shortlisted for the Michael Murphy Memorial Prize. She has been published widely, including poems and reviews in The Guardian, Magma and The Times Literary Supplement. She has been highly commended in the UK Forward Prizes for poetry. She also works as Reviews Editor for Under the Radar. 

Review by Alan McCormick of "Precipitation" by Ailsa Cox, with illustrations by Patricia Farrell

Precipitation is the fifth in a series of small, illustrated story collections from the independent Manchester based publisher Confingo. Precipitation has three stories of frail characters from the city, faltering in alluring yet foreboding settings. There are echoes of David Constantine’s stories in the nuanced, empathetic characterisations and subtle lyrical handling of dramatic natural elements, the incessant rain falling through the ravines and scarred slopes of West Yorkshire and North Wales. 

In the first story, ‘Heavy Showers and Thunder,’ I was initially resistant to the seemingly novelistic back and forth cast of divergent characters, the multi-layered use of shifting time and back story. Within a few pages I was hooked. Luke seeks shelter on a desperate drenched cycle ride in the Calderdale hills with his ex-in-laws George and Barbara. He is escaping his new family home in the city. Middle-class and urban, he is an outsider in the rural landscape, in his ex-in-laws’ small village home. Tightly wrought grievances, social and political differences, and unquenched grief permeate their night together. Their daughter, Cass, Luke’s first wife, had died in a climbing accident years before and Barbara blames Luke. George and Barbara’s teenage granddaughter rarely contacts them anymore, and life hasn’t healed or moved on for them. Fuelled by a few drinks, George conveys Barbara’s resentment and blaming to Luke, who bridles, then retreats to the emotional ‘time-warp’ of Cass’s old moth-infested bedroom. 

Ailsa Cox is unafraid of putting a writer centre stage – the frustrated novelist Jason in ‘The Empty Quarter’ and the poet Fleur in ‘Stan’s House.’ Fleur came from Manchester with her partner (outsiders again) to live in Bethel Street, the same fictional Calderdale setting for ‘Heavy Showers and Thunder.’ Initially full of naïve optimism and excitement, the elements and surroundings soon close in and get the better of her. She encounters a malevolent old woman Yvonne, who she christens Miss Havisham. The old lady casts a spell, picking at her vulnerabilities, her aloneness. Initially repelled, Fleur becomes obsessed, her antennae piqued when learning that Yvonne once had a brother, a wild drunken poet called Stan – giving name to ‘Stan’s House.’ Fleur ends up as Yvonne had predicted, alone, when her partner moves out, the two women left somehow invisibly drawn together despite themselves. Stan and Fleur, two failing poets floundering in the exposing elements, also suggested Sylvia Plath’s grave in Calderdale’s Heptonstall, Ted Hughes’ family farm home nestled a mile away amongst the brooding escarpments.      

In ‘The Empty Quarter’ a hollowed-out novelist, Jason, can only think to escape his disappointing life and fulfil a long-held longing to reinvoke Wilfred Thesiger’s Arabian journeys, not by visiting there, but by imagining it from the lonely outpost of his writer friend’s neglected Welsh cottage. He loses himself in the mix, the incessant rain and isolation, a backdrop to his imaginary breakouts into the desert.

I was reminded of Tessa Hadley and Alice Munro (and then discovered Ailsa Cox has written a book about Munro) in the psychological depth of her stories that extend well beyond the page, so you think about the characters long after reading about them. So much is left unsaid, shadows creeping in from the past, from complex painful family dynamics. Life and feeling are brought naturally, three-dimensionally into the present, in these fragile characters’ thwarted attempts to maintain relationships, fulfil longings and escape disappointing lives. 

Shadowy pasts and character’s yearnings are skilfully invoked by Patricia Farrell’s accompanying black and white illustrations. It’s a wonderful mix and a great collection that left me enthralled and wanting more.

About the reviewer
Alan McCormick lives in Wicklow. He writes fiction and memoir. Recent writing has appeared in The Stinging Fly, Banshee, The Lonely Crowd, Exacting Clam, Southword and Culture Matters. His website is here.

You can read more about Precipitation on Creative Writing at Leicester here. 

Review by Neil Fulwood of "New and Selected Poems" by Julian Stannard

As usual, when a new collection of poetry lands on my desk, I open it at random and sample two or three poems to get a feel for tone, content and the author’s personal style, before reading the book in sequence and mulling over my review. At random in this case turned out to be page 21 and a poem called "Speed," which concerns itself with a volume of Rupi Kaur, a waste-paper basket and the peregrination of the one toward the other. Grinning devilishly, I flipped toward a hundred and some pages and alighted on "Closed," a wry state-of-the-nation piece which ends with a memorable redefinition of "Protestant Work Ethic." I stuck the kettle on, settled back and started at the beginning. I ripped through the book’s 247 pages in two sittings.

Let’s be honest: a lot of poetry can be po-faced. Overly serious, with humour regarded as the province of light verse, and light verse regarded as something of a pejorative. Hallelujah, then, for Julian Stannard, who gives us the best of both worlds: poetry that blends intellectual rigour, sterling craftsmanship and sly wit in a seemingly effortless manner. 

There’s a mordant Englishman abroad aesthetic in poems like "The Blessing of the Octopus at Lerici," "Piazza Della Posta Vecchia" and the magnificently titled "The Road to Bastardo," but mainly he achieves the kind of loose-limbed informality that was the trademark of the New York school (only without the attendant self-indulgence or tendency to the verbose). Not that Stannard aligns himself with any particular movement or trend. Simply, he doesn’t need to. And speaking of magnificent titles, wait till you experience the pure delirious joy of "The Gargantuan Muffin Beauty Contest." Or "Well-Regulated Dumplings." It takes some skill to fashion poems that live up to titles like these.

Flipping through the book once again - already it’s proving one of those handful of titles in my collection that I find myself instinctively drawn back to - I looked for something succinct, something I could quote in full, that would give the reader a flavour of the Julian Stannard experience. Almost immediately, "What Did I Find on Bogliasco Beach" presented itself:

         Bottle-tops, bottle-tops, bottle-tops
         grey stones and some smaller red ones too

         desiccated seaweed, stuff mostly
         and something that once hung from a tree.

         And oh yes I found a pair of lips.

To use a cliché more suited to film reviews, Stannard’s New & Selected is a wild ride. Do yourself a favour: buy a ticket; take the trip.

About the reviewer 
Neil Fulwood lives and works in Nottingham. He has published four full poetry collections with Shoestring Press, No Avoiding It, Can’t Take Me Anywhere, Service Cancelled, and The Point of the Stick, and a volume of political satires, Mad Parade, with Smokestack Books.

You can read more about New and Selected Poems by Julian Stannard on Creative Writing at Leicester here. 

Review by Kirsten Arcadio of "Android Author" by Sapphira Olson

"Eloise slipped in and out of consciousness, a flickering representation of reality played in her mind like images in a Victorian zoetrope." Set in a dystopian world where androids write novels, Android Author is a steam-punky romp that explores themes of creativity, artificial intelligence and the boundaries between humans and AI. 

The novel is colourfully meta, chopping between the narrative of its various protagonists and the texts they are writing. Wild and fast-paced, the novel makes interesting use of intertextuality with multiple references to To Kill a Mockingbird and overtones of George Orwell and Philip K. Dick.

Initially, the narrative follows the fate of an AI story-writing machine (Android Writer PD121928) whose sole purpose is to produce stories and novels, churning out a concoction of weird and wonderful stories including a 140-character "novel," the only one of its works that is accepted for publication. During the process the reader learns about the AI’s life: its cat, killed by a drone delivery, the late wife it dismantled because it had begun to "hate her a little bit," and the ever-present existential threat of being killed if its stories are not accepted by a publisher. After its demise, its stories are collected by Eloise, a human prostitute, who endeavours to keep them alive in a number of different ways. 

The world of this novel is a rich and varied futuristic landscape, full of all manner of funky androids, including Mary Whitehouse sex androids and Audrey Hepburn killer fembots. In this world, the old literary classics of a bygone human era are considered "filth" and Eloise’s plight to publish a story a lost cause. 

As the novel progresses, Eloise’s aim to bring authentic storytelling back into the world takes her on a kaleidoscopic journey through time with a scientist Umberto and a varied cast of androids on a spaceship not unlike The Heart of Gold in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Android Author. It’s a rich, psychedelic experience, perfect for fans of Douglas Adams, graphic novels, and speculative fiction that is original and fun. 

About the reviewer

Kirsten Arcadio is a novelist and digital marketing professional based in London and the East Midlands. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Leicester. 

Review by Mike O'Driscoll of "PoppyHarp" by Simon Avery

It’s always a pleasure to encounter a new work from Simon Avery, whose evocative and humane short stories illuminated many issues of Black Static magazine before it folded. His superb novella, The Teardrop Method, is a hauntingly eloquent exploration of the nature of creativity and how it manifests in the work of a musician. The complex and compelling forces at play in the creative process seems to be a recurring theme and it’s one he returns to in his first novel, PoppyHarp, a much less austere and bleak work than the novella, but one still redolent with an air of sadness and lost opportunities.

The story focuses on writer Noah’s attempts to discover the fate of Oliver Frayling, creator of 1970s kids’ TV show The Adventures of Imogen and Florian, who had disappeared some years previous to the novel’s present. Noah reunites with Oliver’s daughter Imogen, a former girlfriend, who was the child star of the show alongside Florian, a somewhat down-at-heel rabbit. As the narrative unfolds through a series of elegantly structured flashbacks, we learn of Oliver’s fleeting success and the profound effect the brush with fame has on his life, particularly on his relationship with his wife and daughter. Oliver’s struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, and his subsequent feelings of guilt are beautifully rendered by Avery, as is the evocation of the British television milieu of the 1970s, calling to mind a host of children’s shows from the era, but in particular works by Oliver Postage and Peter Firmin, including Bagpuss, The Clangers and Pogle’s Wood.

Following the initial success of The Adventures of Imogen and Florian, Oliver, through his relationship with his producer Malcolm Church, is drawn into the orbit of characters loosely based on David Hockney, Kenneth Williams, and perhaps Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Avery gives us convincing and affectionate portraits of these actors and artists, showing not only their foibles and petty jealousies, but also their compassion for and loyalty to each other. This sense of empathy permeates the novel, particularly in the rekindling of the relationship between Noah and Imogen, both now middle-aged, the former separated from his wife, the latter caring for a husband suffering from Alzheimer’s. Their faltering efforts to reconnect with each other mirror Oliver’s tentative and ultimately doomed attempts to reconcile with his family. And always there beneath the narrative surface, is the question of PoppyHarp, ostensibly a failed television play created by Oliver and Malcolm, but at its heart, a work much more suggestive of the magical and restorative power of art.

The breadth of the ideas and themes that Avery touches upon in fewer than 300 pages is nothing short of astonishing: the dark side of fame and celebrity, the mysterious power of the creative urge, the pervasive fear engendered by the Cold War, the dreadful physical and social toll of AIDS, the extent to which Britain has been reshaped by social and political forces to become, as the novel suggests, a more compassionate and tolerant society. PoppyHarp is a sensitive and singular work that more than fulfils the promise of Avery’s shorter fiction.

About the reviewer
Mike O’Driscoll is a writer living in Swansea. His work has appeared in Black Static, Interzone, the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and numerous anthologies. His story ‘Sounds Like’ was adapted for a TV movie by Brad Anderson, as part of the Masters of Horror series. Mike blogs on different aspects of genre writing and film here. 

Review by Kim Wiltshire of "The University of Bliss" by Julian Stannard

The University of Bliss is a dystopian campus novel set ten years in the future and we join this terrifying new world just as new Vice-Chancellor Gladys Nirvana is about to take up her position at The University of Bliss, or UOB (pronounced YOB) as it is known to its students.

In the political climate of 2035, any academic endeavour is strongly discouraged, with the one poor scholar who managed to publish a book being demoted to Head Trolley Pusher on the university’s very own train. As the management seek higher salaries, fewer pesky academics and more bureaucracy, can the last of the humanities lecturers save higher education from itself? Focussing on Harry Blink, the poor poet who hasn’t published any poetry in years, we meet a range of Deans, Pro-Vice Chancellors and Professors whose sole aim is to disassociate higher education from any notion of learning, instead rewarding those lecturers who spend time on their Lego creativity and awaiting the visit of the Weeping Aubergine / Eggplant from the Light of Idaho. Sounds both surreal and scary? Well, it is. 

I managed to read this book in one day, which is a good thing, and at times it made me laugh out loud and other times nod in sad recognition. Yes, it is a bit broad at times perhaps, and certainly you can feel the author’s frustration with the current higher education climate, but anyone working in the Humanities will recognise the tropes that this novel satirises, such as compulsory attendance at events during Staff Wellbeing Weeks instead of doing any research, 87% of students receiving first class honours degrees and the Creative Writing programmes being viewed with deep suspicion and loathing by those in charge. 

Stannard uses to great effect the dystopian device of keeping the near future near enough for us to recognise many of the directives and initiatives but extrapolating them just far enough for the reader to think: yes, actually, that could well happen. We only have to consider the changes the last decade has seen in higher education, the way league table position and awards are trumpeted at open days whilst redundancy policies are rife, leaving a shrivelled team of lecturers to work forty or fifty hours a week to keep up. And, heaven forfend, should there be a fall in the league table, a fall in the NSS, a fall in the REF, the blame is placed firmly back at those same lecturers’ doors – why aren’t they doing more in terms of outreach, pedagogy, knowledge exchange, public visibility, reflection? The move towards obsessions over lanyards and a consideration of whether robotic dogs might do a better (and of course cheaper) job of teaching students than actual people doesn’t actually seem so ridiculous.

But I would stress that this is not just a book for those working in humanities in HEIs across the UK, this doesn’t just speak to that handful of Creative Writing academics who get asked ‘Yes, but what are you employability statisitics like?’ It is for anyone who values education, who values culture, who considers the world their children or grandchildren are going to inherit in terms of learning, philosophy, literature and art. It is a highly readable novel, biting, funny and fast paced, but at the same time, do take a pause every now and then to consider the world Stannard is creating – how close do you think we’re getting to that now?

About the reviewer
Kim Wiltshire is a writer and academic, Reader and Programme Leader for Creative Writing at Edge Hill University. She writes scripts, short stories and was a British Academy Innovation Fellowship researching ways of embedding arts into healthcare settings during 2022 and 2023.