This Writing Life

Rosa Rankin-Gee was one of the first guests on This Writing Life when the podcast was still a glint in its host's eye. We spoke ostensibly about her excellent debut novel The Last Kings of Sark but quickly widened the focus to the challenges of being a first-time and very young novelist, to sitting in large publishing boardrooms and sucking strange sweets.

As a trailer for the next writer to face the onslaught that is This Writing Life podcast, Rosa Rankin-Gee reads from her debut novel, The Last Kings of Sark (Virago).
This was one of the first This Writing Life podcasts recorded, and remains a favourite of your host.
Part one to follow. You can learn more about Rosa at her website: here.

Bill Clegg ends his marathon appearance on This Writing Life podcast by talking about his (then) recent Man Booker longlisting for his first novel, Did You Ever Have a Family? Alternating between his twin literary hats - writer and agent - he talks the pros of literary prizes and literary culture in general.

Part four of Bill Clegg's This Writing Life podcast, begins with a discussion about paying attention to the workings of our own consciousness. After a critique of Alan Ball's Six Feet Under (Clegg's working out box set of choice) we moved to:

Part 3 of Bill Clegg's chat with This Writing Life podcast about his debut novel, Did You Ever Have a Family?, begins with the personal: 'There are some people born restless. I certainly was.'

In part two of Bill Clegg's chat with This Writing Life's podcast, we begin with the trauma (a house fire on the night before a wedding) that propels his debut novel, Did You Ever Have a Family?

This Writing Life podcast talked to Bill Clegg shortly after the publication of his first novel, Did You Ever Have a Family? Just longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, it was one of the year's most intriguing debuts.

In this prologue to our next guest on This Writing Life podcast, Bill Clegg answers my pilfered Paris Review question: is there one writer that inspired you to write? Find out by clicking play. In the next episode, we start our lengthy conversation about Bill's Man Booker longlisted debut novel, Did You Ever Have a Family?

In the final part of Laura Lippman's This Writing Life podcast, we begin by discussing trigger warnings: the fine line between offensiveness and individual sensitivities.

Part two of Laura Lippman's chat with Writing Life Podcast about her new novel Wilde Lake begins with the real-life district of Columbia, where Lippman grew up.

Laura Lippman is the author of 22 crime novels. In addition to her series featuring private investigator Tess Monaghan, she has written nine standalones. Lippman's new book Wilde Lake falls into the latter category. As often is the case with her one-offs, the context is deeply personal. Lippman herself grew up near the actual Wilde Lake in the Maryland district of Columbia.

As a trailer for the next guest on This Writing Life Podcast, the wonderful American crime writer Laura Lippman reads from her new novel, Wilde Lake.
Parental advisory notice: there is a gratuitous mention of a de-trousered Bill Clinton.
Part one of three to follow.

In this second Writing Life Podcast Extra, Vendela Vida offers some TV recommendations and asks the questions for a change. Your host blethers on...

In this first of two Writing Life Podcast extras, Vendela Vida recalls meeting the real rock star Patti Smith - who appears as herself in The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty. Vida also discusses how Dave Egger's A Hologram for a King changed her last novel.

The final part of ThisWriting Life's cheerful conversation with Vendela Vida begins with wondering whether writing is a form of narcissism and ends with a discussion of parenthood.