Episodes
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
S6E9 A Nonfiction Novel: Juan Gabriel Vasquez on the story the facts don’t tell
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
“Novels can open a space in which opposing ideas are valid at the same time. In which reality is considered in a complex way.”
What defines a novel? Can the genre deal in both fiction and fact? It may seem contradictory, but the ability to play with facts in a novel may actually bring the truth behind them into focus more clearly.
Juan Gabriel Vasquez is widely heralded as one of the world’s greatest living novelists. In his new book Retrospective, he charts the barely fictionalised and extraordinary life of the Colombian film director Sergio Cabrera. In this episode Juan tells us about Cabrera’s series of incredible adventures, and he explains why he chose the format of a novel to portray the life of a real person.
In this episode, you will learn:
How novels can be a powerful way of portraying facts in a new light.
Why you should use the novels you write as a form of rebellion against the status quo.
When to leave yourself out of the story, to open space for your readers to make up their own minds about the events that unfold.
Find out more about Juan here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
S6E10 Messy Lives: Susannah Dickey on flawed characters and keeping it real
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
“Grief doesn’t experience time in a linear model. You don’t just grow out of grief by dint of the days passing. That’s why Lily doesn’t have a typical arc - that eureka moment at the end”.
Characters won’t always align with your views, or do the things you expect of them. The most authentic and compelling characters are those who lead messy lives and make infuriating decisions - because that’s real.
Susannah Dickey is a Northern Irish writer and the author of Common Decency. In the novel we follow neighbours Lily and Siobhan, whose isolating and messy lives become entwined in a dark way. In this episode Susannah explores their lives, delving into issues of empathy, understanding and the hidden intimacies of modern existence.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why it’s our job as writers to create deeply flawed and frustrating characters.
Why characters don’t always need to have a traditional narrative arc.
Why it’s ok for a reader to interpret your work in whichever way they want.
Find out more about Susannah here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
S6E11 Humour in the Face of Death: Catherine Newman on grief, laughter and polenta cake
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
“Anyone who has spent time in a hospice or sat by the bedside of a dying person knows this…it can be a lot of time to fill. Often weeks on end of sitting around. It’s like hosting a really bad dinner party.”
The dramatisation of death is common to see on page, stage and screen - usually all focused around the dying breaths and final moments. But those moments are fleeting, and for those waiting to die, it can be a long, mundane and even funny experience at times.
Catherine Newman is the author of We All Want Impossible Things, a novel which draws on her own personal experience of waiting by the bedside of her best friend as she approached the end. In the book we get to see the humour and heartache of a 40 year long friendship coming to an end, as Ash cares for her best friend Edi who’s been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to draw from real experiences in works of fiction.
Why flawed characters can still be loveable, even if they’re not likeable.
Why death doesn’t have to be dramatised to be deeply moving.
Find out more about Catherine here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
S6E12 Be More Grace: Fran Littlewood on midlife heroines and refuting the narrative
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
“This is an expression of everything I feel, in the midlife women around me, this sort of simmering rage that we’re living with. You’re supposed to be the perfect mother, the perfect wife, the perfect daughter, the perfect friend. It’s a huge, huge pressure.”
Held to an incredibly high standard by society and squeezed from all sides, women are fed an ideal that is impossible to live up to. And for women of a certain age, there’s the prevailing narrative that they’re “past it…invisible and unfuckable”.
Refuting this narrative is Fran Littlewood. In her novel Amazing Grace Adams, she rails against the existing stereotypes and expectations placed on women. Grace, who at times feels like a minor character in her own life, ends up fighting back, ripping up the social contract to have her “main character moment.”
In this episode, you will learn:
Why authentic characters can lead conflicted and contradictory lives.
How to use your writing to shine a spotlight on unseen stories.
Why you should reimagine the best version of yourself in your next character.
Find out more about Fran here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
BONUS: Writing Salon Volume II preview
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
Ahead of Series 7 which goes live in February, we share some exciting news from our sister project, The Writing Salon.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Trailer: Series 7
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Series 7 is about to launch, and it’s time to whet your appetite for our most international series to date. Find out what’s coming up, and hear a teaser of our conversation with Gabriella Braun, Director of Working Well, who’ll be kicking the series off by discussing her new book All That We Are: Uncovering the hidden truths behind our behaviour at work.
Tune in from Wednesday 1st February for the return of Behind The Spine.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
“Conflict isn’t just between people, it’s within us. We all have inherent contradictions within us. That is the way we’re built.”
Feuds, power struggles, tensions and conflict - the workplace can so easily become a hotbed of hostility. Toxic work cultures are frighteningly common - but why? And what can we do about it?
Gabriella Braun gets to the very root of this problem in her non-fiction novel All That We Are: uncovering the hidden truths behind our behaviour at work - an essential piece of reading that should be mandatory for everyone. In this episode, hear phrases like “the concentration camp in my mind” as we discuss the unspoken things that divide us. Find out how we can reflect on our “moments of madness” to create workplaces where we can thrive. And hear the haunting discoveries about Gabriella’s ancestry, spurred on through the writing of this book.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to tell a story that hasn’t yet found its headline.
Why including yourself as a character in your own book can tell you so much.
How to take the business of writing seriously.
Find out more about Gabriella here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
S7E2 A Crime Series: Simon Mason on creating a fresh new universe in a familiar setting
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
“What I trust is if my stories are not so much plot driven but character driven, then the possibilities are endless”.
Crime is a genre we all know and love. But what are the perfect ingredients for crafting a crime story that keeps you coming back for more - that stokes the desire to return for a whole series of novels?
Well, if you want the recipe, look no further than Simon Mason. He’s the author of ‘A Killing in November’ and ‘The Broken Afternoon’, two novels in the DI Wilkins series - an incredible universe he’s begun to unleash on the world. In this episode we find out why Simon always thinks of character first, before plot - and we discover why his novels have been labelled “Morse for the 2020s”.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you should search for opportunities for dramatic conflict when first drawing your cast of characters.
Why it’s ok to write in a setting already familiar to readers of your genre.
How rage and anger can be a powerful motivation to write.
Find out more about Simon here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
S7E3 Supernatural Belief: Katy Hays on tarot cards, ambition and toxic relationships
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
“It’s so strange, this idea that parts of your life are already determined. And would you want to know? I wouldn’t want to know.”
Do you believe in the supernatural? If not, what would make you believe? Or perhaps the question is, where? As a gothic museum home to people with outlandish theories, The Cloisters is the perfect breeding ground for supernatural belief.
‘The Cloisters: The Secret History for a New Generation’ is the new novel from Katy Hays. It follows the story of Ann Stilwell who discovers a once-thought lost deck of 15th-century Italian tarot cards, and gets caught up in a web of ambition, toxicity and mystery. In this episode we delve deep into notions of fate, destiny and belief, and get an insight into Katy’s writing process.
In this episode, you will learn:
The importance of setting in shaping the minds and beliefs of your characters.
Why you should hold your endings loosely, and how to let your characters tell their own story.
The key to outrunning your inner critic.
Find out more about Katy here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
“We need to get our heads out of the sand, and be open and aware to learning new things, in order to gain new inclusive habits which will enable us to be more sensitive and kinder to others.”
Our modern world is a more accepting one, but also a busier one. While we understand better than ever the importance of being kind - it can be difficult to find the time to actually practise kindness.
Benjy Kusi is a diversity, inclusion and wellbeing consultant, and the author of self-help guide ‘Hope this Helps: How to be Kinder to Yourself and Others’. The book is non-judgemental and packed with helpful explanations, tips and advice. In this episode we delve into issues of race, gender and identity, and explore the differences between sympathy and empathy.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why it’s ok to ask for help, and how to do it in a sensitive way.
How ignorance gets a bad rep and why we don’t need to pursue perfection.
The importance of communicating your message with kindness, not judgement.
Find out more about Benjy here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
S7E5 The Unseen Caribbean: Kevin Jared Hosein on the dark history of Trinidad
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
“It is as foreign to some people here, as it would be to someone not living here. There’s a kind of feral nature to it that I wanted to capture."
Many of us hold a picture postcard view of the Caribbean - steel drums, calypso music and coconut trees - but places like Trinidad have a shockingly dark past.
Kevin Jared Hosein is the author of ‘Hungry Ghosts’, a book which explores the impact of colonialism on Trinidad, taking us back in time to a snapshot in the country’s history when Trinidadians experienced subhuman living conditions, consigned to gruesome, barrack-type quarters. In this episode we learn about the violence that ensues as hardship forces a community to turn on itself, and explore the mythological concept of ‘hungry ghosts’.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to use violence not for the sake of violence, but as a way of communicating a more fundamental message.
How landscape can be used to convey emotion.
Why it’s important to understand the whole history of a country, even the unsavoury parts.
Find out more about Kevin here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
“Faced with a more precarious claim on power, the film industry is depicting men in more stereotypically powerful ways. The big question is ‘what do we do about it’?”
The global feminist movement has the same budget as one F35 fighter plane. That alone shows you how much of a chasm there is between the funding for peace and the funding for war.
In this International Women’s Day special, we speak to Dean Peacock, director of the Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace programme for the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom. In this episode he explores the origins of WILPF, one of the oldest women’s peacebuilding organisations in the world. He discusses the concept of the “war economy”. And he explains the impact of gaming and entertainment on ideals of masculinity.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why a new type of war story should be told - the stories of the pacifists and war resisters.
Why we need to redefine our vision of masculinity.
How to better use violence in your writing.
Find out more about Dean here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
“If someone wants to write a story that you have researched and really gotten involved with emotionally - if you see someone do it in a different way that opposes your own views - how would that make you feel?”
Have you ever had the feeling someone else might be writing the exact same story as you, at the exact same time? Have you ever felt desperate to finish your book in case someone pips you to the post?
Well, in The Witch in the Well rivalry, jealousy and hatred run amuck as this very scene unfolds. Our guest this episode is the book’s author, Camilla Bruce. In this episode we learn about the battle between Catherine and Elena, two women trying to tell the story of long-dead witch Ilsbeth Clark.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to get scientific about the writing process.
How folklore can complement a modern narrative.
The impact of looking through the lens of death.
Find out more about Camilla here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
S7E8 Violence Against Women: Ayesha Mago on the Sexual Violence Research Initiative
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
“There is such an unbelievable amount of violence. There is so much unnecessary hurt that women and children are suffering. There have got to be solutions, and we have to keep trying to find those.”
No matter where you are in the world, violence against women is frighteningly prevalent, taking many forms and rooted in the power imbalance between the genders.
Ayesha Mago is the global advocacy director of the the Sexual Violence Research Initiative, an organisation which works to advance research on violence against women and violence against children in low and middle-income countries. In this episode we hear the stark realities faced by women globally, and how badly the system can fail them. We find out why violence against women is so difficult to tackle, while getting an insight into the types of interventions that work. And we find out how people like Ayesha keep fighting, even when the problem feels too big to tackle.
In this episode, you will learn:
How effective communication may mean adapting what you say and how you say it.
The importance of challenging prevailing ideals of toxic masculinity in your writing.
About the role of honest storytelling in highlighting the issue of violence against women.
Find out more about Ayesha here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
S7E9 The Garnett Girls: Georgina Moore on family love, betrayal and secrets
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
“The girls really want to bring someone home that doesn’t just try to fit in. They want someone who’s going to bring something new to the family lore, to family legend, to the Garnett way of life.”
Every family has their own traditions, habits and customs that often seem alien to the outside world. And for large, close-knit families whose lives are entirely intertwined, this can make for a daunting experience for new partners.
The Garnett Girls certainly have their own way - whether they believe it’s the right way is up for debate. As a family of four women, led by eccentric mother Margo, they don’t do things by halves. A novel of family secrets, betrayal and the bonds of sisterhood, The Garnett Girls is the debut novel from book publicist Georgina Moore. And in this episode she tells the story of how they came to life.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to effectively establish the voices of multiple characters.
How to fully engage with the narrative benefits that come from using multiple perspectives.
And why you need to focus on presenting older women in an authentic way.
Find out more about Georgina here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
“I became more curious, I think. The longer I’ve written, the more curious I have become. I was somehow liberated when I started to work. I felt like I became more free.”
Is it ever too late to finish writing that novel you started all those years ago? Creating a truly great novel takes time - sometimes longer than you think. Today’s author spent an entire decade writing her newly released debut novel, and it was certainly worth the wait.
Lydia Sandgren is the author of Collected Works, a massive 700 page novel that follows the life of former writer Martin Berg. The book asks searching questions about motherhood, family relationships, the stories that we tell ourselves and those that we inherit. In this episode we hear how Lydia is the type of person who never gives up, and how she’s changed both as a person and a writer over the ten years of writing the book.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you don’t always need to know everything about your characters before you put pen to paper.
The art of adding musicality and lyricism to writing a novel.
Why cutting and re-writing your work isn't a waste of time.
Find out more about Lydia here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
S7E11 Andy Africa: Stephen Buoro on coming of age in the shadow of colonialism
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
“He’s carrying this post-colonial sense that many Black people, many Nigerians and Africans feel. Like, we feel we are subservient - we are not good enough as white people.”
Andrew Aziza is a 15 year old boy growing up in Kontagora in Northern Nigeria, wrestling with issues of politics, identity and spirituality. Faced with a feeling that Africa is “cursed”, he finds himself longing to be with a blonde, white woman from the West.
Stephen Buoro is the author of The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa, a coming-of-age story that follows an intelligent and highly emotional teenager on a journey of self discovery in the shadow of colonialism and communal violence. In this episode we discover how, among a backdrop of religious violence and turmoil, Andrew turns into the ‘superhero’ Andy Africa to save his continent, seemingly becoming a metaphor for Christ.
In this episode, you will learn:
To consider the duality and conflict between the themes that you tackle in your writing.
How you can break the mould and experiment with new writing styles.
Why using unique, local language can allow you to paint an authentic portrait of life within a community.
Find out more about Stephen here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
S7E12 Hotel 21: Senta Rich on kleptomania and control
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
“The reason I thought the cleaner had taken my brush wasn’t because of value. It was to get back at me, you see.”
What started as the innocuous tale of a missing hairbrush, potentially stolen by a hotel cleaner, quickly turned into an exciting novel about kleptomania and control.
It may have been just a small and fairly innocuous moment in Senta Rich’s life, but she morphed it into something spectacular - her debut novel Hotel 21. In the book we follow hotel cleaner Noelle, a seemingly model employee who can’t help taking little ‘souvenirs’ from the rooms. In this episode we delve into the life of a kleptomaniac, and what might drive someone to steal an abundance of meaningless treasures.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you should remain inquisitive and curious at all times.
The questions you should be conscious about when you begin putting pen to paper.
Why you should tap up the experts in your life for information.
Find out more about Senta here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
S8E1 One Moment: Becky Hunter on the strength we find in grief
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
“It’s that question ‘What if?’ ‘What if I had done this differently?’ And it's something I'm really obsessed with in my own life.”
The death of a main character is often a controversial and difficult moment in any work of literature - but what if it happens in the first few pages?
Stirred by her own experiences of losing a close friend far too soon, Becky Hunter’s debut novel One Moment sees death not as the end, but as the beginning. After a tragic opening, Scarlett watches down on her best friend Evie, as she wrestles with and comes to terms with her death.
In this episode, you will learn:
How writing can help us process grief, and gain strength from it.
To feel empowered to break writing conventions.
Why getting an agent does not guarantee success.
Find out more about Becky here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
S8E2 Go As A River: Shelley Read on the rocky path of adversity
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
“Her story in my mind is sort of a two steps forward, one step back kind of journey. It's not that we face one major challenge in our life and suddenly we are these wise and capable people.”
In life, there isn’t one straight road out of adversity and grief. And so, when charting your characters’ journeys through hardship, authenticity means lingering in the messiness.
Shelley Read’s new book ‘Go As A River’ is a wonderful coming-of-age story, which opens in 1940s rural Colorado. It follows the story of teenager Victoria Nash, and her struggle to survive after fleeing her home to the harsh wilderness of nearby mountains. We also meet young drifter Wilson Moon, who changes Victoria’s life forever. In this episode we discuss the choice of setting and location, we explore Wilson's portrayal - a masterclass in representation, and we dig into Shelley’s writing process.
In this episode, you will learn:
The power of setting your stories in locations that are close to your heart.
How to portray a character’s struggle authentically.
Not to be afraid of pushing characters down the order of importance, or losing their stories completely.
Find out more about Shelley here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
S8E3 The Girls of Summer: Katie Bishop on the fallibility of memory
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
“Having that realisation of looking back on a memory that they really prized and valued, and realising that it was something a little bit darker and that they were perhaps taken advantage of. It is something that's really troubling for people.”
Is there a moment in your life that you look back on with nothing but fondness? A golden moment where life was perfect? How closely do you think that memory holds up to reality?
We’re all guilty of looking back with rose-tinted glasses from time-to-time - but just how fallible can our memory really be? In her debut novel The Girls of Summer, Katie Bishop plays with the concept of a memory becoming dark and twisted on reflection. The novel sees protagonist Rachel go through a number of gruelling realisations about the ‘best summer of her life’.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you should carefully consider your use of tense.
How writing can help you give a voice to issues close to your heart.
Why stories don’t need plot twists to be compelling.
Find out more about Katie here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
S8E4 The Dive: Sara Ochs on the dark underbelly of an island paradise
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
“It's so welcoming. The people are wonderful. It's beautiful. It was really where I thought I could see myself living and building a life. And then when I found out about that murder, it did raise the hairs on the back of my neck.”
How does a place you love transform into a place of fear? Can the beauty of an island paradise ever outshine the darkness that lies beneath the surface?
The Dive is the debut novel from Sara Ochs. The thriller takes place on the fictional island of Koh Sang in Thailand, where backpackers are being picked off one by one. In this episode we discover how The Dive was inspired by Sara’s real-life experience in Koh Tao - a paradise plagued by murder.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you don’t have to be trained in writing, to write.
The importance of dramatic irony.
Why you need to take time to reflect on your success.
Find out more about Sara here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
S8E5 Kala: Colin Walsh on terrors of the past and a town of dark secrets
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
“Kala is the Sinatra of the book. You have all these different perspectives on her. My hope was that having these panoramic perspectives would create spaces for the reader to create their own relationship to Kala.”
A town with a series of dark secrets, upended by the reopening of a decades old-wound. When the horrors of the past have scarred and warped their victims over time, how does despair manifest when it all comes back to haunt them?
Kala is the debut novel from Colin Walsh. The book takes us to the Irish village of Kinlough, introducing us to three friends, Helen, Joe and Mush. In the past we see the events of a terrifying summer unfold, and in the present a body is unearthed in the woods and two girls have gone missing. In this episode we explore Colin’s many feats of literary genius that have brought this incredible thriller to life.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you can’t always plan your most crucial writing decisions.
How playing with perspectives can give one character multiple personalities.
An interesting way of adapting writing style to mimic the distinct personalities that feature in your book.
Find out more about Colin here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jul 12, 2023
Wednesday Jul 12, 2023
“I don't think anyone could have looked at the Patterson family and said, “oh, what a conventionally successful party”. But I did want to honour them. And I realised I was actually and am proud of them because they did it. They loved, they were good, they were decent, they were kind, they were courageous.”
Though Christina Patterson’s family may not be “conventionally successful”, they are extraordinary. Despite much tragedy, Christina looks back on her family’s story with joy.
In her new memoir, ‘Outside, the Sky is Blue’, she relives the rocky history of her family, exploring issues of mental ill health, cancer and death. As she rummages through boxes of letters, papers, photos and belongings, Christina also discovers new stories she must confront.
In this episode, you will learn:
That all stories are worth telling - everyone has a memoir in them.
The importance of self-love.
Why you should consider keeping a diary.
Find out more about Christina here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jul 19, 2023
S8E7 The Contest: Karen Hamilton on the jeopardy and dangers of a mountaintop thriller
Wednesday Jul 19, 2023
Wednesday Jul 19, 2023
“One person told me he got to a point where he didn't actually care whether he lived or died. He felt so ill that he had hallucinations. So it's a risk. It's a risk.”
For the people who’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, making it to the summit is more than a battle of fitness or of money. It’s a challenging test of one’s mental fortitude unlike no other. Throw into the mix a little deception, trickery and deceit - and that climb can become deadly.
In Karen Hamilton’s latest book ‘The Contest’, she introduces a new layer of jeopardy into the mix. In this mountaintop locked-room thriller, two teams are pitted against each other in a race to the top. But with traps, tricks and backstabbing abound - trust is nowhere to be found.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to write about a place you’ve not visited yourself.
How to deepen the mystery of your villain’s actions.
Why you should have faith in your editors.
Find out more about Karen here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
S8E8 Hokey Pokey: Kate Mascarenhas on a gothic horror in a grand hotel
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
“What you want from that gothic house is the sense of being overwhelmed by scale, while also having a sense of unease and claustrophobia as well. Those two things, twinned together.”
The Regent Hotel in Birmingham may be grand, but beneath its opulence, cocktail parties and fine dining, lies a gothic nightmare of murder, deception and mystery.
Hokey Pokey, the new book from Kate Mascarenhas, follows Nora Dickinson, who finds herself locked in the Regent with a host of high society guests during a terrible snow storm. And while they’re shut off from the outside world, reality begins to shift as supernatural terrors awake. In this episode we learn about Kate’s choice to blend two genres together, we dig into her hauntingly matter-of-fact writing style, and we explore the religious elements to her depiction of the supernatural.
In this episode, you will learn:
How do ensure flashbacks don’t sap the energy and tension from your story.
Why intuition and formal knowledge are key to engaging a reader’s emotions.
Why you should consider drawing the places you’re writing about.
Find out more about Kate here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Aug 02, 2023
Wednesday Aug 02, 2023
“I wanted to start with a very unstable, shaky foundation in order to create a world of voltage and heat and fire. Each book in the series is its own little storm.”
The hardboiled genre has received a complete makeover. Holiday is a queer, chain-smoking, heavily tattooed nun, covered completely in her nun’s habit. And her amateur sleuthing skills are taking the literary world by storm.
Scorched Grace is the first of a brand new series of books from Margot Douaihy. In the novel, Holiday attempts to uncover the mystery behind a shocking arson attack at Saint Sebastian's School. This poetic novel deals with religion, humanity, conflict, identity, eroticism and much more.
In this episode, you will learn:
How messy characters can be very healing and reparative to a reader.
Why you shouldn’t shy away from including eroticism in your books.
That there’s always room to refine and reinvent well-loved genres.
Find out more about Margot here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
S8E10 My Men: Victoria Kielland on the most infamous serial killer you’ve never heard of
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
“Her love is quite possessive, wanting to become the other person, owning the man, or becoming whole and finally complete. But the thing is, she's never going to complete herself because the wound is too deep.”
Between 14 and 40. That’s how many men were killed by Belle Gunness. Yet despite the terrible atrocities of ‘America’s first female serial killer’, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard her name.
In ‘My Men’, a new novel from Victoria Kielland, we learn the tortured and troubled history of this Norwegian-born serial killer, taking a glimpse into her twisted world. And we discover how this is not simply a story of a monster, but of a girl longing for love.
In this episode, you will learn:
How there is often humanity to be found in even the most terrifying monsters.
How love can be both a force for good and for bad.
And how sometimes it’s in the most innocuous of places that you’ll find the subject of your next novel.
Find out more about Victoria here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
S8E11 As Rich as the King: Abigail Assor’s bittersweet love-letter to Casablanca
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
“Loving a country is also never ceasing to be demanding. Through that book I asked my city to do something else, to change the system. I have a bittersweet relationship with the city. I love it. And at the same time, I have a little bit of anger.”
Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco, is a city of great inequality - a patriarchal system run by a monarchy. And in ‘As Rich as the King’, we see how that inequality impacts the life of sixteen-year-old French teenager Sarah.
Abigail Assor’s brilliantly poignant novel is inspired by her own experience growing up in Casablanca in the 90s. Sarah, while poor, attends Casablanca’s elite high school for expats and wealthy locals. It’s there that she tries to form a relationship with Driss, rumoured to be the richest guy in the city - but to do that she has to cross the gaping social divide that separates them.
In this episode, you will learn:
When to avoid making heroes of your characters.
Why, if you love a place, you must confront the harsh truths about it.
How to effectively communicate the underlying message of your book.
Find out more about Abigail here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
S8E12 Wedding Drama: Kate Sawyer on ‘This Family’ - a story of the unseen
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
“How many weddings have you gone to where you don't really know very many other people at the wedding? And it's trying to make those connections of who is who. It was something I wanted to recreate for the reader.”
Between deciding the guest-list and actually getting everyone together under one roof, wedding days can be… chaotic, to say the least. Beneath the jubilance often lies a web of unresolved family dramas and conflict. The question is, will it bubble up to the surface?
Kate Sawyer’s new novel ‘This Family’ is set over a single summer’s day, at the wedding of Mary, whose fractured family has been brought together. The book regularly takes us back in time, revealing information about the cast of characters that have gathered for the big day.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you shouldn’t place too many restrictions on yourself before you head into writing a novel.
Why the most interesting parts of a story are often what lie beneath what you can see.
Why you should surround yourself with fellow writers.
Find out more about Kate here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
JFK Assassination, What Really Happened?: 60th Anniversary Special with Mark Taylor
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
“Height of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis had happened just a year before. The last thing you want is to show the world’s superpower to be so incompetent that they shot their own president. And you can understand why they would cover that up and try to hide it.”
In memory of US President John F Kennedy, and to mark the 60th anniversary of his assassination, we peer beyond the conspiracy theories to find out what really happened on the fateful day. Did Lee Harvey Oswald really fire all three shots, as the official reports suggest?
Mark Taylor is an imagery analyst, holds a degree in psychology and has been an avid target shooter since the age of 11. With this unique skill set, he’s analysed the evidence in a level-headed and expert way. Examining footage like the Zapruder and Bronson films, images of the bullets, photos of the motorcade and the grassy knoll, Mark concludes the fatal third bullet came from another gun. In this episode we dig deep to find out who pulled the trigger on that final shot, and how Mark reached his conclusion.
You can also watch the full episode on YouTube here.
A word of caution, we’re discussing a murder, and will be showing video footage captured on the day of the assassination. As such, the content of this production may be emotionally challenging. If this is not for you, skip this episode, and join us next year for series 9. Otherwise, please take care while watching or listening.
See Mark’s full analysis here, in a presentation titled The JFK Assassination - The Real Nightmare On Elm Street.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
S9E1 Murder on Lake Garda: Tom Hindle on the nature of family, memory and lies
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
“No one wakes up a horrible person. It's something that takes hold over time. It's about worldview, formative experiences, and what you were told growing up as a kid. And I try very hard to think about that stuff because… you can feel it.” - Tom Hindle
In the idyllic setting of Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda, the illustrious Heywood family gather for a wedding when horror strikes. Someone has been murdered… but who is the killer? And will they strike again?
Tom Hindle is making quite the name for himself in the whodunit genre, with the releases of A Fatal Crossing, The Murder Game and now Murder on Lake Garda. Meshing the pacey excitement of a detective novel with the gritty realism of well fleshed out characters, his books have a hint of thriller, and his latest is no different.
Tune in as Tom tells us about the rotten Heywood family and their unsavoury past, how he came to set a murder mystery in such a place of serene beauty, and why the beat “People lie, facts don’t” runs so consistently throughout his novel.
In this episode you will learn:
Why you should think of your scenes as elastic bands if tension is your goal
How to avoid creating 2-dimensional characters.
That everyone is the hero of their own story, and believes what they’re doing is right.
Find out more about Tom here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
S9E2 A Man of Understanding: Diana Janney on poetry, philosophy and fractured souls
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
“What a great idea if, through this grieving process both of them could heal - could come to understand the other through the vehicle of poetry” - Diana Janney
Poetry and philosophy bring together two fractured souls, 12 year old Rufus Ellerton whose parents have died, and his grandfather Horatio who’s now tasked with raising him.
Diana Janney’s latest novel is a beautiful, musical piece of writing, which weaves poetry and philosophical musings into the prose. A Man of Understanding follows the story of Rufus (Blue) as he moves to a finca in Majorca with his grandfather.
Hear as Diana explores her motivations for writing a novel like this, in this way. How her musical background inspires her writing style - even if she doesn’t realise it. And what kind of writer Diana is, gardener or architect.
In this episode you will learn:
How to weave poetry and philosophy into a novel
Why you should hold onto those characters you abandoned in the past.
The benefits of bringing all parts of yourself to your writing.
Find out more about Diana here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
S9E3 A Tattoo’s Story: Joelle Taylor on the female form, queer futurism and activism
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
“They’re kind of flags mounted in occupied territory. That's the idea of a tattoo on the female form. Because the female form is a political space. It's a space of contention and conflict.” - Joelle Taylor
A tattoo can tell the most profound story. Many have deep meanings to the people who wear them, and all of them serve as time capsules, allowing a person to revisit a moment in time again and again.
Accomplished poet and playwright Joelle Taylor’s debut novel The Night Alphabet introduces us to the heavily tattooed Jones, who regales us with the stories behind the ink that adorns her body. Flitting between past and future, the book takes us on a journey through time, tackling hard subjects like violence against women and generational trauma.
Hear how Joelle navigated the move from poetry to prose, why she chose to tell such important stories through the art form of tattoos and hear the inspirational story of the impact her work has had on marginalised female communities.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you should write stories about the issues you feel enraged by.
How to get creative when choosing how to tell your story.
And how different stories demand different forms.
Find out more about Joelle here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
“She felt she had a duty to protect all these people. And the Villa very much became, for Iris, a refuge for everybody” - Fiona Valpy
In the past, a wartime heroine shelters people from the ravages of war. In the modern era, the villa once used for refuge is up for demolition, and its extraordinary past may be the only thing that can save it.
The Cypress Maze is the latest novel from prolific writer Fiona Valpy. As a dual-timeline novel, we spend time in both 1943 and 2015, at the Villa delle Colombe. Moving from an Italy in the midst of World War II and in the throes of civil war, to a more peaceful point in Italy’s history, but one that is turbulent for the villa’s characters Beatrice and Tess.
Hear how each timeline was inspired by two incredible, real-life stories of determination and bravery. Delve into issues of grief and suffering, in a novel that illuminates how we all experience these emotions differently. And learn how to do dual-timeline narratives the right way.
In this episode, you will learn:
Why you must find an anchor for your story when writing dual-timeline fiction.
The importance of empathy as a writer.
Why your writing should include both the shadow and the light.
Find out more about Fiona here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
S9E5 The Escape Room: L.D. Smithson on the Reality TV Show of Nightmares
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
“What we want is people in extreme situations. We enjoy watching people pushed to their emotional limits.” - L.D. Smithson
Have you ever watched a reality TV show and thought ‘I could do that’? It’s one thing watching the events unfold on-screen. It’s another thing entirely being in the thick of it, watching the essence of your personality unravel under the pressure. Now imagine the stakes were much higher. A game where death is a very real threat.
The Escape Room is the latest novel from Leona Deakin, writing under the pseudonym L.D. Smithson. The novel follows a cast of 8 characters through the eyes of Bonnie, our protagonist, as they compete for cash in a reality TV show of puzzles and games. But when the first contestant winds up dead, they soon realise the only way out alive… is to win.
Hear how L.D. Smithson drew inspiration from our fascination and love of reality shows like The Traitors and Big Brother. Discover how she leans into her background as a psychologist to give us an insight into the human psyche under pressure. And learn how she used a mixed-media narrative to bring this story to life in many unique ways.
In this episode, you will learn:
How to use podcasts as a narrative vehicle within a novel.
The confidence you can gain from a pseudonym.
And the importance of a good editor.
Find out more about L.D. Smithson here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
2 days ago
2 days ago
“There are many, many ways to be a deaf person, but the important thing is to think about the ways in which you embrace it” -Sarah Marsh
The word ‘deaf’ encompasses so many different lived experiences. And by its very nature it’s hard to communicate what it means - what it feels like - to be deaf. But through writing, anything is possible.
Sarah Marsh is the author of A Sign of Her Own: The vivid historical novel of a Deaf woman's role in the invention of the telephone. Through the novel’s protagonist, Ellen Lark, we get a glimpse into what it must be like to be deaf, beautifully put in her shoes as she constantly struggles to both understand and be understood.
This novel also teaches us about deaf history. Hear the lesser known story of telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell, and the role he played in the deaf community, from teaching a method called Visible Speech, to his oppressive views about sign language.
In this episode, you will learn:
About the huge variety in the deaf experience
How history doesn’t remember everything in equal measure
To never stop searching for ways to bring your lived experience to life through writing.
Find out more about Sarah Marsh here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk