Interview with Suyin Du Bois

Suyin Du Bois is a poet of mixed Chinese-Malaysian and Belgian heritage, living in London with her South African husband. Her poems have been published in Propel, Iamb, Stanzas, Bi+ Lines: An Anthology of Contemporary Bi+ Poets (Fourteen Publishing, 2023) and Malaysian Places and Spaces (Maya Press, 2024), amongst others. She is a member of the Southbank Centre’s New Poets Collective 2024/25. When not obsessing over word choice, Suyin spends her time building a profit-with-purpose start-up that seeks to ensure 24/7 access to nutritious, affordable food for NHS hospital staff. Eating Air is her debut pamphlet.

Interviewed by Laura Sygrove

LS: Eating Air opens with "Ode to Kaya," a poem that moves between childhood and adulthood. Why did this feel like the right poem to begin the collection?

SDB: "Ode to Kaya" was the first poem I wrote where food took such a central role, and it really opened up something in me. Suddenly I was thinking of all the different ways food could help me explore different areas of emotional interest. Since this poem acted as a gateway for me, I hoped it might do the same for my reader. Beyond that, it seeded some key context and themes for the collection which I hoped would help get the reader quickly into this world: the idea of multiple homes at distance from one another, the connective power of food, as well as tensions around identity.

LS: In poems such as this one, there is a sense that food and memory change when carried across borders. How has living in London affected your relationship to the places and traditions you write about?

SDB: Certainly, I think distance romanticises the worlds that you are apart from, and that we are more at risk of taking for granted that to which we have daily access. In my writing I am often trying to capture elements of the world that are not my day-to-day, to make my memories and momentary impressions tangible. Regarding living in London specifically, I love how culturally mixed London feels to me, how it feels like a place where I can be all the parts of myself. I do think it is a very positive influence on my writing in this sense. 

LS: Your preface connects food, poetry, and a sense of home, while many poems explore questions of identity and belonging. How has writing poetry helped you navigate the cultures, languages, and places that have shaped you? 

SDB: What a beautiful question. I love the reflective nature of writing poetry. It encourages me to ask questions of myself, to think about what I’m interested in communicating and why. There are parts of my cultural upbringing that are already bedded in, others I have consciously sought out for myself, and others I am only learning about now. I am still being shaped. It’s all a work in progress, and I think poetry has a supportive, parallel role to play in that. Beyond this, I love how poetry connects me to other people. I have some readers who have similar upbringings and background to me and others who have completely different ones. Hearing both these sets of readers highlight something I wrote that resonates with them is beautiful and fills me with a new sense of belonging. I honestly can’t get enough of it. 

LS: Much of the collection is written in prose poetry. What drew you to this form, and how do you decide when a poem needs a different structure?

SDB: Pretty much every poem for me starts as a brief note about a specific idea or memory. My Notes app is full of these! When I have time to sit down and write, I take one of these ideas and free-write to try to get down as much core and tangential detail as I can. From this free-write, I pick out the elements that I think make a poem, and then start writing toward that in a much more structured fashion. Usually this is where I start to introduce form. I'm firstly interested in making line breaks and stanzas work with my own cadence and pacing: I will always read my poems out loud throughout the editing process (a big reason why I struggle to edit in public!). Beyond that, I look at the overall shape and feel of the poem, and try to use the form to introduce some element of surprise or highlight particular words or ideas. 

For the slash poems in the collection, I still see these as line-broken poems rather than prose poems. In "Cut Scenes" this felt right at first due to the fragmentary nature of retelling memories that aren't mine, where I am inserting myself. Additionally, there was something about the poem being sliced up like steak that I rather liked! In "Every trip to Brussels must include a Sunday," again these felt like fragments of varying interconnectivity all stuck together in one big way, so the close separateness of the slash felt right to me here as well.

LS: In poems such as "Auntie Pixi’s Aga Agak," recipes become a way of preserving memory. What interested you about those moments where cultural inheritance feels both intimate and incomplete? 

SDB: While I very much embrace my two heritages, I feel a certain level of disconnectedness also for two key reasons (and perhaps others too). Firstly, I never knew any of my grandparents, they all passed away before I was born. Secondly, I can't speak any of my heritage languages fluently. As I've gotten older these things have bothered me more and I've mourned that feeling of distance, even in the context of love, with older family members who have now passed. This is a continuing area of interest for me.

LS: "Chinese New Year at Sara’s" explores the tension between inheriting traditions and reshaping them. Why was that an important theme for you to write about? 

SDB: I suspect that I or the things that I do will never be whole or authentic enough for some people, and so I'm conscious that I need to claim and celebrate these differences for myself. Knowing this and doing it, however, are not the same thing! Having said that, I actually didn’t realise that’s where this poem was going to go when I started to write it. It took me to quite a bold, declarative place all by itself. 

LS: The title Eating Air comes from Hokkien and Malay expressions connected to food, wellbeing, and travel. When did you realise it was the right title for the collection, and what does the phrase mean to you now?

SDB: I had these phrases "chiak hong" and "makan angin" noted down as a seed idea for a poem for a long time, and planned to explore how these idioms for travelling translate to "eating air," but I just never ended up writing into the idea. When I was getting my sample of ten poems together in response to The Emma Press open call for submissions, I needed to give the collection a working title in the proposal. I was struggling to find something within the sequence of poems itself and this jumped out at me when I turned to my Notes app for inspiration. It just seemed to fit perfectly with how the poems invite the reader to travel across the world with them. I also love how the title is intriguing in English as an unusual turn of phrase. I’ve had several people ask me the story behind it. Luckily, I was able to include an explanation in the preface, which unravels this for non-Malaysians.

LS: Food carries memory, grief, family history, identity, and belonging throughout the pamphlet. What does food allow you to explore in poetry that other subjects might not?

SDB: Food gives me a really concrete, sensory way into so many different subjects. I can start off free-writing about the physical experience of eating and end up somewhere completely different, abstract or even undefined, which I might otherwise struggle to get to or to articulate without the more tangible language of food. 

It felt really generative for me as well, having this theme of food to play with. I was constantly thinking of new meaningful food moments, and noting them all down. I was really conscious that I didn’t want to be writing the same poem over and over again though, so I kept pushing myself to make sure each poem took me in a new direction. 

About the interviewer
Laura Sygrove is a graduate of the MA Creative Writing programme at the University of Leicester. She is an advance reader at DartFrog Books and writes for The Publishing Post. You can read some of her poems here, here and here. You can read a review by Laura of Eating Air by Suyin Du Bois on Everybody's Reviewing here. 

Interview with Annabelle Slator

Annabelle Slator grew up writing stories in the depths of the British countryside. After achieving a degree in Creative Writing, she spent most of her twenties working with brands and start-ups in London and New York. Nowadays, if she isn’t spending time writing, you can almost always find her obsessing over niche internet drama, practising her fencing parry or mooching around vintage fairs and flea markets. Annabelle’s first contemporary romance novels, The Launch Date and Risky Business, were inspired by her time working in the wild world of dating apps and the tech industry. You can read more about Risky Business on Creative Writing at Leicester here. Annabelle's website is here. 

Interviewed by Anupriya Sisodia

Q: Tell us more about the Risky Business: what inspired you to write a modern, fast-paced romance set in the tech start-up world? 

AS: Risky Business is inspired by my experiences not only working in the tech and start-up industry, but working exclusively for women-run and female-founded companies. It admittedly is not the sexiest world to set a romance, but it was an area I felt was relatively unexplored in the romance genre and something to which I can bring a unique perspective. 

Q: Were there any scenes or moments that were especially fun or challenging to write? 

AS: The set-up and opening chapters were the most challenging to write, and were rewritten several times during the drafting process. I was trying to hit a balance between a dynamic main character with plenty of agency whilst making sure she "stumbled" into the circumstances of the story instead of actively choosing to deceive everyone from the start. The chapters I found the most fun to write were the meet-cute chapters, the first carefree, flirty night Jess spends with Oliver. I found those chapters to be incredibly cathartic for a character who had spent so long focusing on her own anxieties instead of living her life to the fullest. 

Q: What genres or topics do you enjoy writing about the most? 

AS: I love romance! First kisses and romantic tension are always the most enjoyable parts of the process, but blending self discovery and growth is the most satisfying part of writing, even if it’s not as fun as flirty banter and hijinks in the moment! 

Q: How do you approach blending humour, tension, and romance in your storytelling?

AS: I like to champion the idea that romance is inherently hilarious and should be treated as such. Having a crush makes you do and say things you never thought you would, that you would laugh at somebody else doing, and often look back at and cringe. I approach humour, tension and romance in the same way. Whether they are clashing or in sync, they often work hand in hand to create something magical on the page.  

Q: How do you handle writer's block or creative doubt?

AS: For me, writers block has never been a massive issue because I am always working on multiple projects as once. If I’m stuck on a part of a story, I will focus on another for a few days until the knot in my mind becomes untangled. I also find working on something physical, like cooking or even going for a long walk, helps immensely if I’m really stuck. Ultimately, creativity is a muscle; it can get tired and that’s okay but it needs to be exercised regularly to keep working.  

Q: Are there specific messages or feelings you hope your readers take away from your story?

AS: I hope my readers feel inspired to take their dreams seriously, but also not be too hard on themselves. In the past I have felt a lot of the feelings Jess (and Grace in The Launch Date, my previous novel) experience, and I learnt a great deal through them. I hope readers have the same experience. 

Q: Did you draw on any personal experiences or observations about gender dynamics in tech or in general while writing Jess’s journey? 

AS: Not necessarily direct personal experiences, but witnessing how female founders are treated in the space was a huge inspiration for the story. I think most women can relate to the experiences Jess has in the book, or know someone who has. In particular, Risky Business was inspired by the real-life story of two female entrepreneurs who created a fake male CEO called Keith Mann to dodge tech industry sexism. Ever since reading a news story about this in 2017 I had wondered what would happen if you took that concept further, hiring a man to be the face of a company who was nowhere near qualified. 

Q: You set the story across Rome, Paris, and Vienna. How did these locations shape the plot and the characters’ personal growth? 

AS: Originally, this story was just set in London like my first novel, The Launch Date, but with the mechanics of the story being punctuated by rounds of a tech competition, the idea of just going back to the same hotel events hall every few chapters seemed very boring. I also wanted to make the competition as expensive as possible for Jess without it seeming ridiculous. Tech is a very pricey industry to enter and often excludes people who have great ideas but no financial backing. Making these an international escapade not only made the competition more dynamic but also gave me the opportunity to have fun and flirty scenes between Jess and Oliver outside of a hotel foyer, like the aeroplane bathroom, the French countryside cafe and the Italian dive bar. 

Q: What is your favourite part of being a writer? 

AS: Apart from the obvious of fulfilling a childhood dream of being a published author, it’s amazing to have a job that is so creatively fulfilling. The personal freedom is also a huge part of being a full-time author that I did not anticipate being one of my favourite parts. It can be stressful, not always knowing what the next year will hold and waiting on publishers for feedback etc, but it’s the best job I’ve ever had. 

Q: What personal advice would you give aspiring writers?

AS: Writing to a schedule was one of the best decisions I made when I first started writing full novels. If your goal is to be published, your first book is most likely the only one you will ever write on your own schedule. When writing The Launch Date, I deliberately gave myself a year to plan, write and edit the manuscript before querying, as I knew that was the rough timeline a publisher would give me. As it turns out, I had even less time to write and edit Risky Business, so I’m really glad I had the experience of a tight turnaround before things got serious! 

Q: Finally, what are you currently working on?

AS: I can’t reveal too many specifics right now but I’m currently finishing up something a little bit spookier than The Launch Date or Risky Business, but just as exciting and tension-filled. You can follow me on instagram @annabelleslator or tiktok @annabelleslatorauthor for future updates! 

About the interviewer 
Anupriya Sisodia is a published romance fiction author, pursuing an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester. She is an avid reader who loves writing stories with realistic, relatable characters who experience emotional and exciting journeys on their way to a happy ending.

Interview with Duncan Gill

Duncan Gill is a British author, born in England, Hemel Hempstead, in1987. The Ancestral Odyssey is the name of his epic fantasy book series that started with The Utopian Dream and was independently published in 2016 to positive reviews. Gill has published six volumes under The Ancestral Odyssey and is currently writing its continuation - a series that thus far has captured the essence of traditional fantasy storytelling, while reaching to bring fans of the genre something new. His goal is to honour what epic fantasy is but he strives to experiment and expand upon it, hoping to demonstrate that it can be more than what was once thought.

His official website is here. On X: @MegasTeque

Interviewed by Joyce Bou Charaa

JBC: What first inspired you to become a writer? Was there a specific memory or experience that drove you to start writing stories?

DG: That’s a good question, and unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer. I believe it all came from a concept that slowly formed in my early teens from various places, but I suppose this desire to write, this need to forge my own story was always there under the surface, it just needed some help to be discovered, and then of course once it was unearthed, you can begin to learn, refine, and polish the craft at your own leisure. Bu, going back before that moment if I may? I remember coming away from books as a child, walking out of films and finishing certain video games - I was left with annoying thoughts of what would come next and what would that look like? When such titles did not continue, I’d begin to craft the narrative myself in my own head, and because I grew up in a time without the noise of social media, I craved long walks and lengthy car journeys, but more specifically, I craved time alone, because only when I was alone could I indulge in this meditative state assisted with music that enabled me to continue the story of x, y and z, stories I’d build simply by thinking about them. The beauty of this was it could be anything I wanted it to be, and I believe that was my initiation to what was coming next, a project of my own making, one that I felt had to be written.

As for inspirations, I’m usually drawn to stories complete with their own worlds, and that world can look like anything so long as it’s grounded in its own unique signature and style. I like worlds that feel lived in, worlds that have been thought out, worlds with the weight of history, with wear and tear at the corners, worlds that encapsulate both beauty, danger with a lick of mystery, while enriched in their own fantastical setting. If done right, anything can be believed.

To no one’s surprise, Lord of the Rings is a champion when it comes to world building, Harry Potter is indeed excellent, worthy of a mention for inspiration. I think all modern fantasy writers have to have read or at least indulged in these worlds, but I personally leaned further into Tolkien having started to read the trilogy at sixteen and finishing it at seventeen while visiting my Grandparents in Suffolk, which was a year or so into creating my own fantasy world set in a place called Equis. However, before I discovered Tolkien and Rowling and everything hence, I remember reading and becoming invested in a magazine that belonged to my elder brother called The Ancestral Trail; the first issue was published by Marshal Cavendish in 1992, while its final issue was released in 1994. Written by Fergus Fleming and Ian Probert and illustrated by Julek Heller, this trail follows a story that is very much in line with what inspires me and my own work: a dark, fantasy tale born out of an unsettling world of magic and monsters. Of course, there are so many other inspirations, such as Amy Hennig’s Legacy of Kain series that’s set in the rotting, gothic, vampiric world of Nosgoth, Lorne Lanning's Oddworld, and the biomechanical worlds depicted by the artist H. R. Giger, the mind behind the universe of the nightmarish Star Beast, better known as Alien. Such brilliant works all meld together; they mix with your own unique senses and perception, and from this ooze you slowly but surely build.

JBC: You've written six volumes of your fantasy series, The Ancestral Odyssey. Could you tell us more about the book idea and how it started? Also, can you share some behind-the-scenes moments from crafting the plot?

DG: Sure. The idea is to create a series of books coupled with their own themes distinct from each other, yet at their core tell a story about inheritance, what we pass down to future generations. This thread might not be clear to begin with, but as the stories unfold, it all centres around a question; what is the most important thing to inherit? What is the most important thing worth preserving? These ideas, loose and flimsy at the time, became my base, and from this foundation grew what we see today. It’s hard to pin down where it all exactly started; as I mentioned earlier, when I was a child I was always lost in my own head making things up, doing everything I could to stay in that place rather than face bitter reality, but if I had to accurately point to a time where Odyssey started, I’d say it was around 2002, perhaps 2003. It didn’t exist as a book back then, but instead it was a humble collection of sketches, hand-written descriptions of locations, a simple hand drawn map, and loads of notes scribbled on the backs of receipts from where I worked at the time. Despite not having a goal or endgame in mind, I continued to work on it, I kept building it for reasons I was uncertain of, but something was telling me that this was a calling, that there was something here worth exploring, and that’s what I did, I kept building it, I kept adding to it little by little and expanding this jargon until semblances of ideas formed. Were all these ideas any good? No, not all of them, but those that I believe are good have either been executed, or are still being tended to today, and are yet to flower.

A few years later, I’d submit this huge body of work as part of a college project in 2006, a project which earned me a place in university in 2007, and that was when I started writing the book in my dorm, and the book was called Mythology: Seeds of War. This is where I encountered my first problem as a storyteller. Seeds of War wasn’t fit for a beginning, there was already too much going on, most of the characters were well established, the journey was already in full swing, huge events had taken place that deserved to be experienced, and there was no real weight to the dialogue. It didn’t feel right to start here, so I decided to shelve it for what I thought would be a short time (eighteen years, give or take) and got to work on something that feels more and more like a history now. I dialled the clock back twenty years on the timeline and got to work on the first instalment which was called Mythology: The Perfect World, only for it to evolve after my backpacking travels of Western and Eastern Europe in 2016 into The Ancestral Odyssey: The Utopian Dream, a story focusing on two protagonists, a young General, Lethaniel Presian and a spiritual Star Caller, Isabelle Verano - two characters who fight on the same side but in very different ways. Lethaniel relies on his swordplay, his military strategy and brute force to survive, while Isabelle depends upon her magic, her faith, and mysterious foresight. These two characters at times cross paths, but ultimately there are two different stories that orbit around finding one’s place and one’s purpose in a beautiful yet unforgiving world, a world called Equis, where word spreads fast and mercy is something of a rarity.

JBC: Out of all your characters, which one is your favourite? What makes this character so unique to you?

DG: I do have a soft spot for one character in particular, someone who I will detail as to why in a moment, but before I get there, I have to say that this question is like asking someone to choose your favourite film, book or band, sure you have a handful you immediately think of, but every so often the order switches around and you just need "that one" for that moment in time.

I feel that Alexius Marsay, Lethaniel’s best friend, is a favourite. The feedback I’ve gotten suggests people like him, and having re-read The Utopian Dream recently in preparation for the audiobook, his lines are witty, he often succumbs to his vices and adds some much-needed comic relief to an otherwise bleak story. I feel like Alexius is someone the everyday man can relate to, he loves to smoke, he loves to drink, he loves to eat and sleep in, he enjoys the company of women, he usually says what everyone is thinking and yet somehow, despite it all, he delivers each and every time, becoming that guy you can rely on, fighting with a ferocity that matches those of a knight's status.

Counter to this is Ridian Messiah, a character who fulfils the role as one of the Odyssey's key antagonists, and this guy I believe steals every scene he’s in - for example, the scene where he makes himself known to Lethaniel and his group, appearing rather casually before a burning cathedral, standing up to our heroes with a quiet stoicism, an unwavering confidence enriched with fiendish cunning, which gets the better of Lethaniel time and time again, exploiting his weaknesses that go beyond his ability to wield a sword, a skill that Ridian too is highly proficient with.

The character that is unique to me, though, I think is and always will be Isabelle. She’s special, because when I made the decision to shelve Seeds of War and write The Utopian Dream, that takes place two decades earlier, Isabelle was the character that more or less guided me through this world, and what I find even more peculiar is that I wasn’t the only one she guides, creating a narrative that wasn’t intentionally planned, but one I am thankful that formulated. Isabelle will always be special in that regard.

JBC: If you wanted to choose a new genre outside of fantasy, what would it be and why?

DG: Horror is actually my favourite genre for a plethora of reasons; it even trumps my love of fantasy. Horror is almost always the genre I turn to when it comes to selecting films to watch, books to read or games to play. There is something oddly fascinating and daring about exploring those parts of your psyche that genuinely disturb you, whether this involves an external tormentor or something that comes from within. The genre is fluid, it is malleable and when it’s done right, when a piece of horror well and truly finds you, it has the power to keep you in that space for hours, and in some cases, days.

I’ve also learned when thinking, studying and writing about larger-than-life topics, these steps inevitably slip into dark and disturbing places. If you don’t like the horror genre, of course that’s acceptable, but whether you like it or not, horror exists all around us, it is never far away, you cannot avoid it forever; the genre is but another avenue to explore a very real presence of the human condition, and that is important.

Please, do not misunderstand, I write in fantasy because it suits a personal desire, a need that can only be satisfied with the creation of a world married to a massive landscape with many characters to navigate, and when it comes to consuming fantasy, I’ll certainly indulge. I also feel like I’m better at writing fantasy than horror; just because I find horror more compelling in most cases does not mean I’m better at crafting it, fantasy comes out on top in that regard. However, I find that horror is easier to digest: where fantasy is an occasional visit, horror is something weekly. Some of the best examples of horror I can think of include the short story called "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream," written by Harlan Ellison in 1967. The video game Soma, developed by Frictional Games and released in 2015, is easily up there as one of the most disturbing games and concepts I’ve ever played, and as for House of Leaves written by Mark Z. Danielewski and published in 2000, what can I say: never in my life have I ever been terrified of a blank page, but this book achieved it. It’s unsettling to say the least, expertly written and furthermore, it can only exist in a book format, which makes it fascinating.

JBC: Lately, we've been seeing a rise in book-to-screen adaptations. What's your take on this trend? Do you envision The Ancestral Odyssey being adapted into film one day?

DG: I think Hollywood is in a spot of turmoil right now. I’m not exactly sure when it began, but we’ve been through approximately fifteen to twenty years of non-stop superhero movies adapted from old comic books. Some of these films are very good and adapted faithfully, most however are fun watches that ride that line of mediocrity, but the more recent ones have just been content for content's sake. They’re forgetful and are like to media junk food, that’s the vibe I’ve been getting when browsing the web or talking amongst friends, and I cannot argue with that. The era of the superhero flick is coming to an end. Sure, there will always be one or two sprouting up here and there, but I think we can all agree that the peak of superheroes was the Avengers finale. Since then, it’s just been on a downward spiral, and Hollywood must know that this once-deep well is running dry.

So, where do they turn to next and what can they capitalise on? Books have and always will be the best resource Hollywood can dip into, and I think that is the answer to their problem in the hunt for new ideas, because I don’t know about you, but I am getting sick of all these remakes. I am seeing a lot of popular video games being adapted to the screen, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Fallout to name a few. I’m not opposed to this, I love gaming, so long as the material is treated with respect, remains true to the source material and is crafted by people who know what they’re doing, to make something that honours the artist or artists that made it originally. Therein lies our problem, film makers these days and their writers often don’t know what they’re doing - whether they lack the wisdom and knowledge to translate the source material to the screen or are in thrall to the committee, the board of directors, the suits (as I like to call them) who are only in it to turn a profit, caring little for the actual art. Either way, what used to be exciting news, hearing about a classic game or book being adapted into a film, is now something to dread. Yes, I’ve been hurt far too many times now to get excited, and this segues nicely into my thoughts on a TAO (The Ancestral Odyssey) adaptation, if there ever was one.

There was a time when this was all I could think about; the fantasy, the idea of TAO being adapted into a film or perhaps a TV show, seeing this world and all these characters coming to life that mirror their personas on the page - this was something to aspire to; it would be exciting, and a dream come true. However, in the current climate, and with what I have seen with other book to film adaptations, I’m not so sure it would ever be allowed or could work if greenlit, from both a bureaucratic and practical point of view. In order for it to work, the project would need to be managed by people who genuinely cared, by people who are talented artists in their own right and would want to make the best collection of movies possible, because if anyone knows anything about movie making, it's that it is a team effort, no one man or woman can do everything, and only when everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet can you then hope for the best outcome, which is a well-written story, coupled with flawless acting and magnificent visuals. Also, and I am not even sure that this is possible, but I would want to organise a contract where I am on the board, to be part of the writing team, involved with the casting and would have a say on the direction of the story. This is my vision, after all, and of course I want what’s best for it. So, if by some miracle this does get the attention it needs, to be adapted onto the big screen by a dedicated, passionate team, and if by another miracle I’d have some executive power, then yes, let’s go, let’s get it done, let’s minimalize the inevitable heartbreaks and let’s make it into the best it can be, and I promise you it would be something spectacular. But if not, if it is to fall into the wrong hands and my power over the decision making was severely limited or, worse, stolen and undermined, then no, it’s never going to happen. I’ll be happy with just the completion of the books and have them sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

JBC: We know that you're working on an audiobook for Volume 1. How is the process going so far? And do you think audiobooks are becoming more appealing to readers today?

DG: It’s frustrating. Working on an independently made audiobook really locks you into your workstation. Once you start working on a session, you quite literally cannot be doing anything else, you need your eyes, your ears and 100% of your mind focused on the task at all times, and before you know it, that glorious welcoming morning sun is gone and it's night time, and to make things worse, you’ve not eaten anything and most of the tea and coffee you made has gone cold. You might be thinking that the solid stretches of work would yield something to be proud of and justify the days lost to the project, but when you analyse what you’ve accomplished, it’s not nearly as much as you hoped for. In fact, more often it's the case that you’ve achieved very little for something that is at best, satisfactory. I suppose because I am fresh to this new media, because I am still learning how to use the software and figuring out what works best, it’s reasonable to think that my frustrations thus far might be down to simple growing pains, especially when it comes to using AI voice techniques. That being said, the voice I am using does belong to a real voice actress, all I’ve done is recorded, cloned, and trained the voice to save on time (ironically) and money, money that I simply do not have in 2025. Had I the resources to do this the traditional way, then absolutely I would be all over it, but that is not the reality I live in, so with said advancements in AI, I’ve met the technology half way, meaning I’ve worked with someone talented, a singer-songwriter Emmy Lila, and with her consent (of course) cloned her voice, so I don’t have to be in studio for hundreds of hours. I did think despite the setbacks, I was making headway, but alas I learned that the voice needed a little more range. So, I contacted Miss Lila and to my delight, she came through with some more recordings; however, when the voice was updated, I needed to pass another verification checkpoint, and the only way to do this was to contact Emmy again, but tragedy struck! A death in the family has ground this project all the way down to a halt, and it could be weeks, perhaps some months, before work proceeds. It will take a long time, but when the audiobook does release, it will be presented professionally, the voice will read the work beautifully, it will come with sound effects and musical transitions, all of which besides the voice clone will be independent from AI.

Do I think that audiobooks are becoming more appealing? Yes, even though we live in an age where a lot of our basic needs are taken care of, people are busier than ever, and attention spans are dwindling due to the onslaught of social media. Everyone I have spoken with recently openly admits that they’re not reading as much as they’re used to and are turning to audiobooks instead. Reading will never cease, there will always be readers, but it would be naive of me to say that audiobooks aren’t having a huge impact on the industry as a whole.

JBC: Can you tell us about your upcoming projects? What awaits readers of The Ancestral Odyssey? And are you working on a new book outside the series?

DG: The Ancestral Odyssey will have five episodes in total under this name. The first episode is The Utopian Dream – Volumes 1, 2 and 3. The sequel, Rise of the Black Doves – Volumes 4, 5 and 6 - was completed last year, while work on episode three, Seeds of War – Volumes 7, 8 and 9 - is underway. I am thoroughly enjoying the story thus far, it certainly has an interesting opening and what will be a fantastic ending. I’m unsure about the middle due to all of the moving parts, but I assure you, there will be some surprises in this next instalment. The lead villain is dark and dangerous; someone you’d least expect to challenge this selection of characters. You’ll get an expansion on some of the technology, the magic, the Celestial’s will make their most dramatic appearance yet, and we’ll just get to continue with all these different stories left over from Rise, stories that I hope will capture the reader's imagination. Progress is sadly slow due to the demand of my day job and other projects, such as editing shorter stories, writing articles for the blog, a horror book I have in the making that needs attention, and the preparation of the re-release of The Utopian Dream, it all takes its toll. Episode four, Rainbow Dawn, and the final episode in the series called The Chosen Kindred will be undertaken when the time comes, but that will not be for some time yet.

While slaving away on The Utopian Dream's audiobook, I decided that a clean-up of the material was necessary, so in the coming months we will see it removed and swiftly re-published. The story will remain the exact same, nothing will be changed on that front, but its structure, its grammatical errors will be ironed out where needs be on all current formats, from Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback. The same will follow with Rise of the Black Doves, because after my enormous review/analysis of this monster of a book, a review titled "A Thought on Rise," an essay stretching to 100 pages long published on my blog on the 23rd of August, I did pick out a few mistakes that need adjusting, but it is less of a priority at the moment.

I am in the throes of writing my own speculative fiction, a story that’s separate from TAO called Viewer One, and it will wade into the murky waters of H. P. Lovecraft and lonely psychological horror. We’ll see how that turns out as it’s something of a side project right now. If you’d like to know where to find me, my website is the best place to start. From there you have access to articles, artwork, videos and a list of my books. 

Thank you for your questions, I hope my answers satisfied, it’s been a pleasure.

About the interviewer
Joyce Bou Charaa is a Lebanese writer and editor. Her works are featured in Aniko Press, Tint Journal, The Indiependent, Newpages, Wijdan platform, and other outlets. She covers culture, books, and literature. Her recent work is featured in Shadows of The Mind anthology. You can find her on Instagram: Joyboucharaa/ and on X: @joyceboucharaa.

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. 

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. 

Interview with Louise Powell

Dr Louise Powell is an award-winning working-class writer from Middlesbrough. She is the winner of the Sid Chaplin Northern Writer’s Award 2023 for her novel-in-progress and was jointly awarded the Peter Lathan Prize for New Playwriting 2022 for a one-act play. Louise is the author of the Coal Face collections of verbatim poetry, published by Redhills in 2023 and 2024. Her scripts have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra and performed at nine theatres, including Live Theatre, The Customs House and The Tristan Bates Theatre. She has written short films and podcasts and her memoir essay was published in Kit De Waal’s acclaimed Common People anthology. Louise has a PhD in English from Sheffield Hallam University, and her research is widely published in journals and educational magazines. She also holds a Professional Greyhound Trainers Licence from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.

Louise’s latest podcast project can be found here. And you can find out more about Louise and her forthcoming projects by visiting her website here. 

Interviewed by Kathy Hoyle

KH: Hi Louise. It’s a real pleasure to speak with you today. You describe yourself as a working-class writer. Although I also describe myself as such, I often find it quite a tricky thing to define. What does the term ‘working-class writing’ mean to you? 

LP: It’s a real pleasure to speak to you too, Kathy; thank you for having me! 

That’s such an interesting opening question. When I was on the Common People Professional Development Programme, Kit de Waal gave a talk about her writing and class identity. She said, ‘I’m working class, I feel it in my bones’ – and for me, the same sentiment applies to working-class writing. It’s writing which speaks to my life, whether through the characters, the turns of phrase or the setting. It’s writing with a truth to it; writing which doesn’t exoticise or denigrate the subjects. Writing which could be about characters who are in work or out of it; picking up a wage or receiving long-term benefits due to ill health.

I know that some writers, who grew up as I did in a family in receipt of benefits, like to use the term ‘benefits class.’ While I understand and respect that decision, I don’t use that term about myself because I strongly believe that class identity is about more than work. It’s also about values, communities; solidarity in the funniest and the grimmest of times. 

It’s about that feeling in the bones.

KH: Your work is fascinating, and it spans almost every genre, poetry, fiction, playwriting, podcasting and filmmaking. Do you have a preference for a particular creative outlet?

LP: I think it’s not so much a question of which form I prefer, but rather which form best fits the story to be told. If I’m working with a community, then I’ll think about forms such as verbatim poetry or audio, which foreground their voices and render me much less visible. If it’s a story which needs to be encountered in real time, I’ll think about theatre. More complex stories lend themselves to prose, while strongly visual stories need to be filmed. 

There’s so much to learn from working across different forms in terms of craft and audience. I like to have multiple projects in different forms on the go at any given time. I enjoy the variety and find that if one project gets stuck, immersing myself in a different projects in a different form really helps me to find the solution to it.

KH: My own research delves into oral history and regional dialect. I use oral histories to ‘capture’ authentic dialogue and use it in my work. You’ve also been involved in several oral history projects. Tell us about those. 

LP: I’ve recently worked on two substantial Arts Council-funded oral history projects: Dogpeople and Coal Face. Dogpeople uses oral histories to build a social history of flapping (greyhound racing at independent tracks) in County Durham. I grew up racing dogs at those tracks with my family, and the world has inspired a lot of creative work, including a novel which I’ll discuss later. Yet I wanted to carry out a project which allowed other people from within the community to tell their stories about the tracks. I worked the raw oral histories into an 8 x 20” podcast series. I also developed a Project Blog with Guest Writers, held a Community Exhibition at Wheatley Hill Heritage Centre and hosted Listening Parties, where participants could come together and listen to the podcasts.

Coal Face, meanwhile, uses oral histories to preserve the stories of coalfield communities in the words of the people are part of them. I take the raw interviews and weave them into a series of verbatim poems. Some of the poems tell an individual’s story, while others bring together all of the interviewees in order to present a wider narrative about such themes as the development of Washington New Town, the 84-85 Miners’ Strike, or what it felt like to work down the pit. These pieces have then been published by Redhills CIO in two books, in which my poetry sits alongside Sunderland photographer Andy Martin’s stunning portraiture. The writing and images have also been exhibited at Washington F-Pit Museum, and we’re due to exhibit new work at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens from 1 February – 15 March. Redhills will also publish a third book of writing and photography in time for the exhibition, and there will be a 6 x 20” series of podcasts featuring some of the oral histories, as well as a programme of community events.

One of the loveliest things about working with oral histories is getting to speak to such a wide variety of people. Each participant has a different – but equally fascinating – story to tell, and it’s a privilege to give them the space and the time to tell it. It’s also incredibly rewarding to see their enthusiasm for the finished outcome, be that a podcast, event or poem. There’s a great deal of trust involved in working with oral histories, and that’s something I’m always conscious of honouring when writing with them. 

KH: How important is a regional ‘voice’ to you and do you think publishers / theatre practitioners are becoming more open to dialect and regional narrative voices in stories?

LP: I’m certain that if I’d had access to regional voices growing up, I’d have found a much more direct path to being a writer myself. Pretty much everything I encountered was Standard English and middle-class, which meant that I didn’t know that someone from my background could be a writer until I was in my very late 20s. Even though I now work as a professional writer, I still struggle hugely with believing that I deserve to be in this space. So much of my energy has to go into battling anxieties about not belonging and not being good enough, and that’s energy that would be much better spent on creativity. I share this because lack of regional voices has a deep and long-lasting impact, especially when it intersects with other forms of under-represented identities.

My 70,000+ word dialect novel has only been out on sub to editors for a week, so it’s too early for me to comment on publishing. In terms of theatre, I think that practitioners are becoming more open to telling stories in the voices or dialects of communities, especially in co-created work. I do still see an imbalance of representation within my home region of the North East, though. There’s definitely a preference for Newcastle-based stories, with much less interest in plays from places like the Tees Valley. Part of this is down to the fact that there are no Tees Valley producing theatres (theatres which can fund and commission new writing) for adult work, but it’s also down to a perception that Tees Valley stories are somehow of lesser value. 

t's a point which was being made to me again and again while I carried out my research for a project called ‘First Stage.’ I spoke to writers, theatremakers and other cultural professionals in order to explore the consequences of a lack of new writing and talent development in the Tees Valley. Going back to my earlier point about the deep impact of a lack of regional voices, my research found that Tees Valley creatives took longer to find out that they could have creative careers, and experienced significant geographic barriers as they tried to build those careers. I put forward a series of recommendations to address the issues and am hopeful that at least some of them will be implemented. 

KH: You hold a Professional Greyhound Trainer’s Licence and Greyhound Racing is the theme of your novel-in-progress. Tell us a little about the novel and why it’s so important to you to tell this story.  

LP: My novel is a work of literary fiction which tells the folk legend of a former miner who’s a big name at the ‘flapping’ or independent greyhound racing track of Easington. It’s set in the late 90s and written totally in the East Durham dialect. The opening 6,000 words won the Sid Chaplin Northern Writers’ Award 2023, which led to representation by my lovely agent Elise Middleton at YMU Literary, and on 13th November 2024 we sent it out on submission to editors. I can’t go into too much detail about the content at the moment, but it’s a celebration of community and family, as well as an exploration of post-industrial masculinity.

I’m incredibly nervous about the book going on submission because I’ve worked on it for almost six years, constantly experimenting, drafting and redrafting in an attempt to improve my craft. This novel also means a lot to me because I was born into the flapping community, but there’s only one track left in all of the UK now – Thornton in Scotland. The loss of our independent tracks has been devastating for our community, and I wanted to write a book which is worthy of the brilliant people who were part of it. I’ve had so much encouragement from people within my community, as well as my immediate family and organisations like New Writing North, and I really, really hope I can repay that by getting the book published.    

KH: You work closely with a variety of both regional and national groups to support emerging working-class writers and have been incredibly successful yourself to have received funding and support for several of your projects. What advice can you give to emerging writers about where to find support, both financially and creatively?

LP: That’s an incredibly kind thing to say; thank you. In terms of financial support, I’d advise emerging writers to keep an eye out for small pots of funding, often known as ‘seed commissions,’ which can give you the opportunity to try out an idea. If you get the funding and find that the idea doesn’t have legs, that’s absolutely fine, but you may find that the seed commission can be expanded into a bigger project, which may be eligible for a larger funding pot. A seed commission can also be a good opportunity for you to try out working in a new form (e.g. audio rather than flash fiction), or to test a collaboration with another writer or creative which may then bear fruit in a longer-form project. 

In terms of creative support, I’ve found X (which is still ‘Twitter’ in my mind) to be a really useful platform to connect with other writers. Networks formed through professional development opportunities or creative writing groups can also be incredibly helpful, as you’ll often find writers at a similar career stage to you. Emerging writers should also look towards their regional literature development agency as a means through which to find support, whether that’s through career advice, workshops or opportunities to meet other writers. I feel very, very lucky to live within the area which New Writing North covers, as I wouldn’t have a creative career without the brilliant team there. That said, all of the literature development agencies are doing brilliant work to support writers in a difficult climate. 

I also think it’s really important for emerging writers to know that there’s a huge disparity between the ways that organisations and institutions behave towards you when you’re commissioned or funded. Some organisations are absolutely brilliant, paying you on time and treating you like the professional that you are, while others pay you late and make you feel much less valued. I don’t say this to be negative, but because when I was starting out, I didn’t know about this disparity – so when I was treated unprofessionally, I thought it was ‘just me.’ It wasn’t until I spoke to other emerging creatives that I realised it’s sadly all too common to be undervalued and to go unpaid. 

It's a horrible situation for any writer, but particularly for one who is part of an underrepresented group. We struggle to feel like we belong to the creative industries at the best of times, and when our time and roles are undermined, it magnifies those feelings of impostor syndrome and low self-esteem which so many of us struggle with. It also puts working-class writers, many of whom are already in precarious financial positions, into real jeopardy with regards to paying the bills or covering living expenses. All of this has a knock-on effect on our mental health, our ability to create our best work and advance our careers – but often, we’re so grateful to be given any opportunity in a competitive industry that we don’t dare to say anything. I know I didn’t, for a long time.

Until I realised that by speaking up against unprofessional practices, I wasn’t just advocating for myself, but for other writers from under-represented backgrounds. If I’m unhappy with the way that I’m being treated while working under commission or receiving funding, I’ll now explain why, and work with the organisation not just to resolve the issue, but to ensure it doesn’t happen again. So my best advice for emerging writers who find themselves funded or commissioned is not to be so grateful for the work that you’ll put up with being treated badly. You – and your craft - are worth so, so much more than that.

KH: Finally, could you tell us about some of the regional writers who inspire you.

When I was sixteen, I read D. H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers, and it was like a match had been struck to light a fire inside of me that I didn’t know was ready to burn. It was the first time that I’d ever read a book which chronicled that fierce familial love which has underpinned my experience of working-class life, and did it in a way which was both poetic and prosaic. 

I saw something of my soul and my vocation in the first half of that novel, but I never caught another glimpse of it through A-Levels or all my seven years of University. While I studied modules on literature from the Renaissance until the present day, I was never set a text which showed the realities of working-class life that I could recognise. I’m absolutely certain that if I’d had a module which looked specifically at class, or even been made aware that such books existed, I would have found that spark before last year.

That fire was relit when I started reading the novels of Sid Chaplin. There’s such a mixture of strength and delicacy, of warmth and horror, in Chaplin’s writing, and his sense of voice is utterly remarkable. There’s a swagger and directness to the narration of The Day of the Sardine, and yet there’s a passage towards the end which is so raw and affecting that it gave me chills. I love how The Watchers and the Watched plays with the reader’s expectations of where the story will go, and I also love Chaplin’s short stories. They’re like sitting at the kitchen table, listening to an old friend tell a tale – and with oral storytelling being such an important part of my life and craft, that’s one of the highest compliments I could pay a writer.

Some of my other favourite regional books include Walter Greenwood’s Love on the Dole, as it’s one of the very few books that emotionally nails what it means to live below the poverty line, and you can tell that Greenwood was writing for his life. I’ve also enjoyed Jack Common’s Kiddar’s Luck and Thomas Callaghan’s A Lang Way to the Pawnshop, which remind me of stories I’ve heard growing up. I really admire Catherine Cookson’s The Gambling Man for how it plays with expectations of class and gender, and deeply appreciate how the dialect infuses TV adaptations of Cookson’s works. 

In terms of contemporary regional writers, I admire Benjamin Myers, whose novel Pig Iron made me realise that it was possible to tell stories in County Durham dialect. I also loved his book Cuddy not only for its stylistic ambition, but for the warmth and love which underpinned the whole work. I also love Kit de Waal’s beautiful, lucid, pinpoint-accurate prose, and deeply admire her for everything that she has done to help me and other working-class writers to develop. When Kit selected my memoir essay for publication in Common People, she set in motion a chain of events which has led to the development of my creative career, and I’d love to be able to one day pay that forward for other working-class writers.

About the interviewer
Kathy Hoyle’s work is published in literary magazines such as Northern Gravy, The Forge, Lunate, Emerge Literary Journal, New Flash Fiction Review, South Florida Poetry Journal and Fictive Dream. She has won a variety of competitions including The Bath Flash Fiction Award, The Hammond House Origins Competition and The Retreat West Flash Fiction Competition. She was recently longlisted for The Wigleaf Top 50 and her work has been nominated for Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions and The Pushcart Prize. She is currently studying for a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester.