In this episode, I’m joined by the fabulously brilliant author, Susan Cahill. We talk about magic (not the Debbie and Paul type), Care Bears, Portals, Emotional Coding, Taskmaster, Crystals, Ghosts, Writing, Ireland, Humour, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Lego-finding Saints.

It’s a brilliant and dreamy chat and I learnt a lot about Irish history, magical myths and how a story evolves, and there is a special Care Bear countdown! Susan Cahill is a writer and podcaster and one half of Mothers Who Write. Her latest children’s book is The World Between the Rain (Everything With Words, 2024), a thrilling adventure that takes the reader from the west coast of Ireland to deep beneath the sea in a mystical world full of gods and demons, mystery and suspense. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and longlisted for the Branford Boase debut novel award. Her podcast, Storyshaped, which she co-hosts with Sinéad O’Hart is about the stories that shape us from the very beginning.

Don’t miss episode updates @bethanreadwrites

Follow Susan- @susancahillwrites

Susan's website

Susan’s book - The World Between The Rain

Storyshaped podcast

Mothers Who Write

The Blindboy podcast

Amy Poehler's A Good Hang Podcast

Jingle by @goodebags and Frankie.

Artwork by @georgiamaiaillustrations

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In this episode I'm joined by the marvellous, bestselling humorous fiction author Kathleen Whyman. We talk about the writing process, why it’s important to keep on writing, enter competitions and put yourself out there. We discuss writing with humour, writing communities, (we’re both members of the brilliant Mothers Who Write community), deadlines, Jackie Magazine and washing.

It’s a gorgeous chat and if you are considering writing a book, have written a book and are trying to work out the next steps, or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes of writing a book, this episode is for you.

Kathleen Whyman is a bestselling humorous women’s fiction author and has been shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print prize.

She writes for all the multi-tasking, mentally-overloaded women who have put themselves on the subs bench for the sake of their family, and are beginning to realise that they don’t have it all – they do it all!

Kathleen also mentors authors and is an events host. She regularly interviews authors, chairs panels and teaches writing with humour workshops. Her fourth book, The Mother of All Comebacks is out now.

Technological Turbulence: The usual sound meddling rogues pop up from time to time...(we'll miss them, when they're gone... or maybe not!)

Don’t miss episode updates: @bethanreadwrites

Kathleen’s books - Bookshop.org link

Author and Book Link

Follow Kathleen on Instagram

Kathleen's Website

Kathleen runs Write Club, a monthly writing community in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, for women at every stage of their writing. For more details, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/writeclubKathleen

Kathleen will be teaching an online workshop on writing with humour for New Writing South on 2nd December. Details will be released soon at https://newwritingsouth.com/

Nicola Washington (Too Much Social)

Mothers Who Write

Jingle by @goodebags and Frankie.

Artwork by @georgiamaiaillustrations

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In this episode I'm joined by the fantastically talented Adam Batty. We talk about his recent podcast MF Doom, Long Island to Leeds, which is fascinating and you all must listen to it immediately after our chat and you have till the 23rd July to vote for the MF Doom podcast in the British Podcasting Awards.

As well as the incredible MF Doom podcast we talk about the power of music and how it unifies people. We wax lyrical about Belle and Sebastian, the apocalypse, Costco, David Hockney, Proust, Leeds, and a behind the scenes look at making a podcast for the radio. We also talk about how the stereotype of rap music couldn’t be further from the truth. A gem of a chat!

Adam Batty is a writer and creative based in the north of England, who is fascinated by the stories that sit on the fringes of popular culture. His most recent project is MF DOOM: Long Island To Leeds, a 5-part audio documentary series for BBC Sounds. An expanded version of the show is going to be airing on BBC 6Music on July 20th 2026 on consecutive nights.

*Technological Turbulence – the rogue echo is back! It pops up for both of us from time to time, changes are in place to try and banish the echo for good!

Don’t miss episode updates: @bethanreadwrites

Follow Adam; @adam_makes_noise

Adam’s bio

Adam’s substack

Podcast on BBC Sounds; MF Doom; Long Island to Leeds

Guardian Article

Vote for MF Doom in the British Podcasting Awards (first round closes 23.07.2026)

Belle & Sebastian: @belleandsebastian

Jingle by @goodebags and Frankie.

Artwork by @georgiamaiaillustrations

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I'm joined by the brilliant Elaine Gregersen. We discuss the need for humour in extremely hard times, writing, ambition, werewolves, awards, creepy hotels and a lot more.

Trigger warning: In this episode we discuss baby loss, grief, miscarriage, funerals and hospital experiences.

Elaine Gregersen is an award-winning writer, public speaker, and podcast coach based in the North East of England. She writes and speaks about baby loss, caring, grief, and creativity. In 2025, she won the Allyson Kent Prize for Fearless Writing. She has also been shortlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Prize and the Curae Literary Prize, and longlisted for the Motherhood Uncensored competition. Her pop culture podcast, The Honeymoon Period, reaches listeners in over 60 countries and has been featured in The Guardian, My Weekly Magazine and Film Stories.

Don’t miss episode updates: @bethanreadwrites

Follow Elaine - @elainegwrites, substack, website

Elaine & Mark’s fantastic podcast - The Honeymoon Period

Books mentioned:

Stuart Murdoch - Nobody's Empire

Elle Wright - Ask Me His Name

Jingle by @goodebags and Frankie.

Artwork by @georgiamaiaillustrations

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*The beginning and end sound a bit muffly and sleepy as I was recording them in the spare room of a friend's house while they slept!

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In this episode I’m joined by the award-winning and ridiculously hilarious writer Adam Farrer. We discuss the need for humour in hard times, the apocalypse, writing, moths, penis shaped biscuits, Prince, Britain’s Got Talent and a lot more.

Trigger Warning: In this episode we discuss suicidal ideation, grief, sibling loss and pet loss.

Adam Farrer is a writer, mentor and editor and currently works at the University of Salford, where he is the Writer in Residence for Peel Park. He has taught creative nonfiction and life writing at the University of Lancaster as well as extensively at retreats, literary festivals and prisons.

He is the author of two personal essay collections, Cold Fish Soup (Saraband, 2022), winner of the Northbound Book Award, and Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures (HarperNorth, 2025) and edits the creative nonfiction journal The Real Story.'

Don’t miss episode updates @bethanreadwrites

Follow Adam - @adamjfarrer

Adam’s website - https://www.adamfarrer.co.uk/

Adam’s books - Cold Fish Soup

Broken Biscuits

Jenn Ashworth - books

Adam’s mum and sister on Ruby Red performers on BGT

Jingle by @goodebags and Frankie.

Artwork by @georgiamaiaillustrations

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.