Episodes

  • 79: Hattie Williams, Katherine Bradley and Kate Beales

    79: Hattie Williams, Katherine Bradley and Kate Beales
    Dec 27 2025
    In this episode, we're joined by former Brighton resident Hattie Williams, author of BITTER SWEET, to Brighton-based Katherine Bradley about her new book THE INSTITUTE, and Kate Beales joins us to talk about a writing retreat she's co-hosting with Anna in March and reads from her debut novel BROKEN HORSES.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 78: Christmas Gift Guide with Elizabeth Perry and Gabrielle Griffiths

    78: Christmas Gift Guide with Elizabeth Perry and Gabrielle Griffiths
    Nov 22 2025
    Our bumper Christmas Recommendation episode is here! Whether you're looking for inspiration for gifts to buy loved ones, or to put on your own wish-lists, Elizabeth Perry and I have got you covered! We also speak to Brighton-based writer Gabrielle Griffiths about her debut novel GREATER SINS.

    Books we discussed on the show:

    Fiction
    The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
    The Lilac People by Milo Todd

    All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
    Heartwood by Amity Gaige

    The Artist by Lucy Steeds
    The Two Roberts by Damian Barr

    Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor.
    Moderation by Elaine Castillo

    A Family Matter by Claire Lynch
    The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

    Non-fiction
    Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth
    Deep House by Jeremy Atherton Lin

    Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen
    Bunker by Bradley Garrett / In Love with Love by Ella Risbridger

    Challenger by Adam Higginbotham
    Paradise by Lizzie Johnson

    Supremacy by Parmy Olson
    If Then by Jill Lepore

    Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
    That Dark Spring by Susannah Stapleton
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 77: Chris Bridges, Hayley Dunlop, Social Sauna Book Club, Demystifying Publishing and more!

    77: Chris Bridges, Hayley Dunlop, Social Sauna Book Club, Demystifying Publishing and more!
    Oct 25 2025
    On this month's show we talk to Chris Bridges about his new book SICK TO DEATH; to Hayley Dunlop about her Christmas novel IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, to Anna Jefferson about New Writing South's DEMYSTIFYING PUBLISHING DAY and to Kelly from SOCIAL SAUNA BOOK CLUB.

    Events we mention at the end of the show:
    • Queer Gothic: Chloe Michelle Howarth & Leon Craig
    • How to Build a Writing Career with Real Writers Circle and Amanda Prowse
    • Interactive Murder Mystery Evening at Waterstones
    • Online Writing Retreat with Writers HQ
    • JOURNALISM BASICS: What is journalistic writing?
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 76: 🛟The Coast is Queer LGBTQ+ Literary Festival featuring Ayse Huseyin, Abi Fellows, Kit Heyam and DG Coutinho 🛟

    76: 🛟The Coast is Queer LGBTQ+ Literary Festival featuring Ayse Huseyin, Abi Fellows, Kit Heyam and DG Coutinho 🛟
    Aug 23 2025
    This month's show is dedicated to The Coast is Queer Festival, Brighton's landmark festival of LGBTQ+ literature.

    Info about all the events we speak to festival speakers Ayse Huseyin, Abi Fellows, Kit Heyam and DG Coutinho. We also chat to Sarah from Writers HQ about their Writing As Resistance Festival in September.

    The Coast is Queer events mentioned on the show: The Queer Girls Book Club presents Christina Fonthes Not That Innocent with with Jack Jordan, DG Coutinho, Piotr Cieplak and Lesley Thomson Developing Your Non-Fiction with Abi Fellows and Paula Akpan Is a Shared History Possible? with Dr. Nat Arias, Kit Heyam, Jane Traies and Paula Akpan
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 75: Jo Morey, Sally Gardner, Piotr Cieplak and Chapter 34 Books

    75: Jo Morey, Sally Gardner, Piotr Cieplak and Chapter 34 Books
    Jul 26 2025
    On this month's episode, we speak to Jo Morey about her new book THE NIGHT LAGOON, to Sally Gardner about THE BRIDE STONE and to Piotr Cieplak about ZOFIA NOWAK'S BOOK OF SUPERIOR DETECTING. We also chat to Kelly at Chapter 34 Books in Shoreham about their event programme and summer reads.

    If you're interested in coming to our day long writing retreat, you can find out more here.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 74: Marisa Linton, Kerry Downes, Jill Johnson, E.C. Nevin and Brighton Book Festival

    74: Marisa Linton, Kerry Downes, Jill Johnson, E.C. Nevin and Brighton Book Festival
    May 24 2025
    On this month's show, we speak to Brighton-based writers Marisa Linton, Kerry Downes and Jill Johnson, plus Althea from Brighton Book Festival tells us about this year's offering. We break our own Brighton-based rules to have E.C. Nevin on the show... the book was just that good!
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 73: Emma Jane Unsworth, Lauren Bravo, Andrew Flewitt and Beyond The Book Festival

    73: Emma Jane Unsworth, Lauren Bravo, Andrew Flewitt and Beyond The Book Festival
    Apr 26 2025
    This month we speak to three Brighton-based writers; Emma Jane Unsworth (SLAGS), Lauren Bravo (PROBABLY NOTHING) and Andrew Flewitt (DO YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER LOSS?). We also talk to Phil Viner about BEYOND THE BOOK festival which takes place on May 10th.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • 72: Saba Sams is coming to Brighton Festival on May 8th

    72: Saba Sams is coming to Brighton Festival on May 8th
    Apr 23 2025
    In this bonus Footnote episode, Saba Sams joins us to talk about her debut novel, GUNK, which she's launching at the Brighton Festival in conversation with Fee Mac. Get tickets here.

    Jules has been divorced from her ex-husband Leon for five years, but she still works alongside him at the nightclub. With the arrival of Nim, a new employee at the bar, Jules is jolted awake for the first time in years and with an unexpected pregnancy in the mix, this novel poses questions around who we choose to build our families with.

    Selected for Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists in 2023 and author of the dazzling collection of short stories, Send Nudes, Saba Sams is a voice not to be missed.

    Show More Show Less
    15 mins