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Send us a text In this episode I talk to filmmaker and musician, Luke Seomore, about finding your own style as an artist, collaboration, falling in love with image and our mutual love for the Werner Herzog film, Stroszek. Luke Seomore is an award winning filmmaker whose thought-provoking work spans commercials, features, documentaries and art installations. Working alongside his directing partner Joseph Bull, their debut fictional feature, BLOOD CELLS premiered at Venice Film Festival. It was released by Picturehouse following its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Michael Powell Award. A hypnotic road movie that offers a distinctive look at contemporary Britain, the drama found wide critical acclaim following its release. Their previous film, the feature documentary ISOLATION (about the experiences of ex-soldiers, seen through the eyes of paratrooper turned photographer, Stuart Griffiths), premiered at Edinburgh and was described by the Guardian as "a beautifully attuned piece of work." Luke composes their music and soundtracks under the guise BLESSED ARE THE HEARTS THAT BEND, and released his debut album through Berlin label Vaagner in 2020. He has performed live scores to their lauded feature documentary ISOLATION in a series of sold-out shows at venues including the Roundhouse and the Barbican in London. Blessed Are the Hearts That Bend's latest album is 'A gentle death / a sudden birth' released in December 2024. https://www.unit9.com/director/luke-and-joseph https://www.instagram.com/lukeseomore/ https://lukeseomore.bandcamp.com https://player.bfi.org.uk/subscription/film/watch-stroszek-1977-online

Send us a text In this episode I talk to Kirsteen McNish about writing grief, place and writing as an act of vulnerability. Kirsteen writes a regular column for Caught By The River, and was long listed for the Nan Shepherd Prize in 2023.  She is also an events curator who works with writers, filmmakers, musicians and artists on special one off events in unusual places often outdoors. She curated  the album "Mirry" around lost work by a female musician with musicians Simon Tong and Tom Fraser. She is interested in the micro and the macro and stories of lesser heard people and how that interpolates with place. https://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2023/01/shadows-reflections-kirsteen-mcnish/ https://www.littletoller.co.uk/the-clearing/aqua-vitae-by-kirsteen-mcnish/

Send us a text In this episode I talk to Annabel about her painting, writing in fragments, the value of small things and writing with and through depression. Through a variety of media including painting, photography, video, cyanotype, and drawing. Annabel Dover engages the viewer in untold tales of wonder. Throughout her practice she finds herself drawn to objects and the invisible stories that surround them.  Her work is part distillation, part peripatetic ramble through her influences which range from archaeological illustration, archaic scientific techniques and the enthusiasms of a Victorian lady to the theories of Freud and anthropological research.  Dover was born in Liverpool, educated in Newcastle and London. Her PhD at Chelsea College of Art explored a practice-led response to the cyanotype albums of Anna Atkins. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.   https://www.annabeldover.uk

Send us a text In this episode I talk with Naomi Booth about how place sparks inspiration, enmeshment, resistance to and the demands of the creative impulse and how vital it is to decolonise our minds from patriarchal capitalism if we are to create. Naomi Booth is the author of the short-story collection Animals at Night and the novels Sealed and Exit Management. Her work has been listed for the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award, included in the Guardian’s Best Fiction of the year 2020, and shortlisted for the Edgehill Prize. Her story, ‘Sour Hall’, which is set in the Calder Valley, won the Edgehill Reader’s Award and was adapted into an Audible Originals drama series. Naomi was born in Bradford and grew up in West Yorkshire. She now lives in York and teaches at Durham University. Her new novel, raw content, is set between York and the Colne Valley, and will be published in March 2025. Raw Content is published on the 13th of March 2025 https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/naomi-booth/raw-content/9781472159359/ https://naomibooth.com

Send us a text In this episode Adelle Stripe and I talk about her writing process, living with another writer, working through self-doubt and the punk rock gardening club. We also give a shout out to 3:AM, Andrew Gallix, Ben Myers and Lee Rourke.  Adelle Stripe is a writer based in West Yorkshire. Her books include the Sunday Times bestseller Ten Thousand Apologies and Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile, a fictionalised biography inspired by the playwright Andrea Dunbar. She has been shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize, Portico Prize for Literature and Penderyn Music Book Prize. As a journalist, she has contributed to The Quietus, TLS, New Statesman and Record Collector. She is a recipient of Manchester University's Burgess Fellowship. https://www.adellestripe.co.uk https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/13/base-notes-by-adelle-stripe-review-an-olfactory-trip-down-memory-lane This is the last episode in this series... time for me to work on the next novel... chat soon.

Send us a text We're back. Join me while I explore the hard graft of creating the work we all love. I'll be talking to writers, artists, musicians and film makers about what inspires and drives them, what gets in the way and how they overcome obstacles. 

Send us a text *TW* Child poverty, abuse, neglect. In this episode Terri White and I discuss our personal experiences of child poverty, sexual abuse and neglect. Please take care listening if these issues are difficult for you. We also talk about our right to tell our stories, privilege and what inspires and lifts Terri (Rocky II features high!). Links to Terri's work: https://terriwhite.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=email&utm_source=post&utm_content=152259302&utm_campaign=email-checkout&next=https%3A%2F%2Fterriwhite.substack.com%2Fp%2Fyour-monster-the-madness-and-a-sally&r=24uuz https://canongate.co.uk/books/2716-coming-undone-a-memoir/ If you'd like support around the issues discussed see links below: https://napac.org.uk https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/help-after-rape-and-sexual-assault/ https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/child-abuse-survivors/

Send us a text This episode I talk with Duke Garwood about his creative process, getting stuck and how to free yourself from creative blocks. Duke is a multi instrumentalist, singer, songwriter who has released six studio albums (including Holy Week, Emerald Palace, Heavy Love) and has collaborated and worked with many other artists including Mark Lanegan, The Orb, Morcheeba, The Archie Bronson outfit and more… Links to Duke's work below: https://youtu.be/8oS4H9Gt98c?si=yYwwlJpOE7Vfc4kH https://youtu.be/Dsj14awsQgI?si=vwVH6YqGY3sQnAbo https://youtu.be/h0MqEtqSoH4?si=mCIE6LU9Zdu4KtTG https://youtu.be/KLwn64B4QDc?si=6TwywzZPfvY4QzOy https://youtu.be/s0qHseKcLJo?si=FL8s_uVcS-EmqTAL

Send us a text In this episode I talk about time; theory, experience, the novel, death, ageing, New Years Resolutions and writing. Pretty basic then.  I am indebted to the incredible website, http://www.exactlywhatistime.com for all the information I discuss on theories and philosophies of time and I recommend you check it out if it interests you; and it should!! I also talk about: From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood Nabokov's Dream Diary Innocents and Others by Dana Spiotta Let me know how you're doing and how you write time...  Happy New Year, you gorgeous bunch!

Send us a text I chat with Sharon about writing her novel The Handsworth Times and her forthcoming novel, Should I Fall Behind, process, confidence, social media, empathy, appropriation, Nick Cave, music playlists, swearing and more... We mention writers:  Janet Frame Kit de Waal (check out their work if you haven't already) Sharon's book is available here: http://www.bluemoosebooks.com/books/handsworth-times

Send us a text Triumph, wobbles, anxiety and first draft trials... So, had recorded the charming and talented Ronan Hession, author of Leonard and Hungry Paul but the quality wasn't good enough for you beauties... hence just me this chapter. I will be recording Ronan when he's in London promoting his book. Sorry Ronan! If you would like to come on and discuss your work (ANY creative process not just literary endeavours) let me know, get in touch! Books I mention this chapter are: Dogwood by Lindsay Parnell Mothlight by Adam Scovell Union Street by Pat Barker

Send us a text Hey,  How're you? This chapter we talk about writing in a colloquial voice; it's importance in reflecting diverse characters, but not misrepresenting or diminishing them. How do we do it? And do it well?  I share a short extract of the first draft of The Sound Mirror, where I'm working on voice. Also I chat about the following books: Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan The Colour Purple by Alice Walker The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and Lucia by Alex Pheby Murmur by Will Eaves Let me know what you're working on, who you'd like hear on the podcast and what you think about writing in a character's idiom. Next chapter I have a special guest!  twitter - @heidipearljames Facebook - First Graft

Send us a text Join me as I chat with Rónán about his novel, music, silence, making meaning, translation, writing and the wild creativity of family lexicons and fibs.  Read this book! https://www.bluemoosebooks.com/books/leonard-and-hungry-paul

Send us a text In this chapter I share some news... and chat with my editor Hetha Duffy about editing, our process, what to look out for in your work, what Hetha loves to read and she also gives us top tips on submitting your work and the intricacies of writing, editing and publishing. 

Send us a text In this chapter I talk to the wonderful Katherine Angel, the author of Daddy Issues (Peninsula Press, 2019), and Unmastered: A Book On Desire, Most Difficult To Tell (Penguin, 2012). Her next book is called Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again, and will be published by Verso. Katherine teaches creative and critical writing at Birkbeck College, University of London, and has a PhD in the history and philosophy of sexuality and psychiatry from the University of Cambridge.  We talk about consent, complexity, Stranger Things, relationships, inspiration, Sophie MacKintosh's The Water Cure, Adam Phillips on Winnicott, writing ourselves into being, trusting the process and so much more.  See links below: https://www.waterstones.com/book/unmastered/katherine-angel/9780718194772 https://www.waterstones.com/book/daddy-issues/katherine-angel/9781999922399 https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-water-cure/sophie-mackintosh/9780241983010