"The smotheringly neutral voice" Claire Carroll is here to talk about her new and debut collection of short stories THE UNRELIABLE NATURE WRITER. A truly candid insight into the workings of craft and being a writer from one of the most exciting and upcoming fiction writers today. THE UNRELIABLE NATURE WRITER is published by Scratch Books - more her…

"The garden is a co-author" Marchelle Farrell is here to talk about her essay in a new anthology from Daunt Books, BY THE RIVER: ESSAYS FROM THE WATER'S EDGE. I've wanted to talk to Marchelle since the publication of UPROOTING: FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO THE COUNTRYSIDE - Canongate Books), so it was great to have her here when she's part of an anthology…

"I wanted to be talking choice in a way that was routed in a social context, and that was true to the particularity and intimacy that I shared with my mum at the end of her life." Marianne Brooker is here to talk about her Women's Prize for Non-Fiction shortlisted essay, INTERVALS, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Marianne talks about her life a…

"That whole question of the invisible life...that there's something going on we cannot see that determines our health and the future of the planet." Dawn Garisch, one of South Africa's most pre-eminent writers, joins the Rippling Pages to talk about Breaking Milk, published in the UK by Heloise Press. Shortlisted for the prestigious Sunday Times So…

"Wounds, whilst they open us to the world...they can be points of infection." Welcome to 2024 and a new episode of the Rippling Pages. Rachel Mann is a poet, scholar, novelist and Anglican priest. She is Rachel Mann is here to talk about her new collection, Eleanor Among the Saints (Carcanet), which takes inspiration from the life of Eleanor 'John'…

"Kathy had a documentary impulse that is teaching us now." Jo Scott-Coe returns to the Rippling Pages to talk about her latest book, UNHEARD WITNESS: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KATHY LEISSNER WHITMAN (University of Texas Press) Jo is a previous guest of the podcast, joining us in Series 2 to discuss MASS (Pelekinesis), an account of Charles Whitman, the…

"It's not confessional...but it's absolutely full of concrete details of things that I've observed or really happened." Charlotte Eichler joins the Rippling Pages to discuss her new collection, SWIMMING BETWEEN ISLANDS, published by Carcanet Tickets to Tom Branfoot launch that I'm hosting here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/boar-book-launch-ticket…

"There was a lot of solitude quiet and silence, and I believe poetry exists in relation to silence." Baron Wormser, a former National Endowment for the Arts and Guggenheim Fellow, is here to talk about his eleventh collection of poetry, THE HISTORY HOTEL, and THE ROAD WASHES OUT IN SPRING , an account of a poet living life off the grid. Tickets to …

"it took a lot of courage to keep going and channel that sadness and melancholy into pictures of such joy and exuberance " Leslie Smolan, widow and creative partner of the photographer Rodney Smith is here to talk about a new book celebrating his life and work. A LEAP OF FAITH, with essays from Paul Martineau, Rebecca Senf, and Graydon Carter, is a…

"We live in a world where we increasingly want to control everything...I hope that in fictional spaces, the effort of trying to keep up becomes so much you eventually say, hey, let's go." Nii Ayikwei Parkes is here to discuss his second novel, Azúcar, published by Peepal Tree Press. How do we grow in... Fictional spaces: understanding when we're no…

"I hate judging characters - you have to have respect for people's origins." James Clarke is here to talk about his new novel, Sanderson's Isle, published by Serpent's Tail (buy here) Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank you! - https://ko-fi.com/liambishop Rippling Points Ebullient characters…

'I wanted to write a queer love story, Blackpool is crying out for literary renditions and I'm obsessed by Ulysses.' Helen Palmer is here to talk about her Ulysses inspired queer love story, Pleasure Beach which is published by Prototype (more info here!) Enjoyed today's episode? Leave a tip!: https://ko-fi.com/liambishop Rippling Points Corrie and…

"There is a genuine search for something - much of the time it turns out to be distraction." Duncan Wiese joins me from Denmark to discuss his new collection of poetry based on Virgil's Eclogues, Tityrus: A Pastoral. Published by Lolli Editions (more info here!), the poems were translated by Max Minden Ribeiro (Pelle Hvenegaard’s Dear Zoe Ukhona an…

"I was interested in stories with stories and how the family used folklore to approach conflict" Soraya Palmer joins me from Brooklyn to discuss her debut novel, recently released in the UK, The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts, published by Serpent's Tail (more info here!). We speak about hauntings, family narratives, an…

It's a Catalan Literature in Translation Special! I'm delighted to welcome Mara Faye Lethem and Tiago Miller to discuss two recently released books from Catalonia Irene Solà's When I Sing, Mountains Dance has has been re-released in paperback translated by Mara for Granta Josep Maria Argemí's The Angel of Santa Sofia has been newly released and tra…

"I was fascinated by the idea of what is real and what isn't real what people perceive to be real and not real" Welcome back to Series 4 of the Rippling Pages. And Seraphina Madsen is here to talk witches, the occult and different realities! Aurora is Seraphina's second novel and is published by Dodo Ink Read an extract here Enjoyed this episode - …

"I don't think poetry should be giving a lesson to anyone" Caitlin Stobie is here to talk about THIN SLICES, her new collection from Verve Press (Pre-order here ) Caitlin examines culture's need for 'origin' myths, as well as asking what is a language for the pre-lingual? We recorded this episode in the run-up to Caitlin's appearance at Ilkley Lite…

Both writer and translator of SALT CRYSTALS, Cristina Bendek and Robin Myers, are here to discuss this shape-shifting and history-searching novel. A book about a woman, Victoria, who explores her own and the island she's from, San Andrés's, history. Find out more about the book here Rippling Points: A momentaneous piece or peace? How can we write a…

"It's a quest to try to collect all of the Picadors..." Nicholas Royle is here to talk about White Spines: Confessions of a Book Collector, and his journey to find Picador books. You can buy the book here Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank you! - https://ko-fi.com/liambishop Rippling Points…

"All this wouldn't have happened without that experience of cancer..." Caroline Clark is here with one of the most tender and moving books due to be released this year: Own Sweet Time. Caroline's book is about the "hardest thing she's been through physically" and the "hardest things she's found mentally. Find out more book here: Enjoyed this episod…

"As humans, we're really scared of forgetting..." Welcome back for another episode of the Rippling Pages – I’m delighted to speaking to Sarah Schofield, author of the short story collection, SAFELY GATHERED IN (Comma Press - you can find here) Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank you! - https…

"Song is very powerful...it's not a truth teller, it's a state-changer." Richard Price joins today's show to discuss his collection of 'Three Inuit Stories Retold.' Published by Carcanet, the book was a Scotsman Book of the Year in 2021, and Richard joined me to discuss the challenges of retelling these tales. You can buy the book here: https://www…

"The first thing that came to me? A woman, alone with the sea, and in charge of her own destiny?" Welcome back to the Rippling Pages and Series Three: Beneath the Surface. We have Erica Mou and Clarissa Botsford here to discuss Thirsty Sea. Erica is a successful musician with six albums to her name. Her novel is translated by Clarissa and published…

"It's nice to see my imagination dressed with my words...It's very interesting to see a universe in other words." What a pleasure have both Emilio Fraia and Zoë Perry to discuss with me the writing and translating of Emilio's novel Sevastopol (Lolli Editions - buy here) Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the runnin…

'You can't just have a greatest hits collection, there has to be a flow of ideas.' Charlie Baylis, poet, critic, and editor joined me to talk about his latest collection, Santa Lucía, published by Invisible Hand Press - available here Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank you! - https://ko-fi.…

"It seemed to be a flashpoint moment, it was saying more than we thought it was saying." Jo Scott-Coe joins me to talk about Charles Whitman, the man known as the 'Texas Tower Sniper'. In this discussion which touches on some challenging subjects, Jo discusses her book and the journey behind the writing of the book MASS: A Sniper, a Father, and a P…

'All the way through the book, it should feel like there's going to be some kind of ending which will enable a potential future' What a pleasure to welcome Jessie Greengrass to talk about the High House! (Buy here). We talk about the climate crisis and writing about the end times. Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with…

"The thing I learned last year is that the product is sometimes the problem" Jeff Chon joins me to discuss his novel, Hashtag Good Guy with a Gun, published by the exciting Sagging Meniscus press (buy here) Please be advised we recorded this conversation earlier this year and discuss issues of a sensitive nature with some instances of strong langua…

'The south is a living breathing thing in this book. it's a personality.' Really excited to have American poet, Khalisa Rae, join me for series two, episode two! Khalisa is here to talk about Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat, published by Red Hen Press (buy here) Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! …

Welcome Back! Series Two: Horizons is here with Polly Barton. "I wanted to give people tools they could then forget about for the rest of the book." Polly Barton is here to talk about Fifty Sounds, winner of the Fitzcarraldo Essay Prize 2019. (BUY HERE!) Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank y…

"The sense we don't have to trample on each other, to amplify each other, we can heal and nurture each other." Jacqueline Bishop is here to talk about her collection of interviews, The Gift of Music and Song: Interviews with Jamaican Women Writers (Buy here!) It's a perfect way to conclude the 'Finding Room' series - promoting the voices of some fa…

"I knew from the age of 13, 14, I needed to write poetry, I just didn't fully understand why." It's part two of our Flipped Eye 20th birthday special, and I'm joined by Samatar Elmi talking about his debut collection, Portrait of Colossus. Thank you Katherine and Samatar for joining me. Two exciting, upcoming poets. Buy Portrait of Colossus here. E…

'[Poetry] is the beginning to accepting, the beginning to processing emotion.' It's a Flipped Eye anniversary special as I'm joined buy two of their poets. First up - Katherine Lockton talking about Paper Doll. Enjoyed this episode - why not send a small donation to support with the running costs! Thank you! - https://ko-fi.com/liambishop Buy Paper…

By ripplingpages

"I was wrestling with what certain states of being feel like as negatives." Novelist and publisher, Neil Griffiths, joined me to discuss his essay, 'Madness as Such', which is featured in Trauma: Writing About Art and Mental Health (Dodo Ink). Neil talks candidly about his essay which reflects on his experiences of depression. Indeed, if you are af…

'Where there is conflict, there is always a path to literature...Freedom is an important topic for me.' What a pleasure to talk to the Montenegrin writer, Olja Knežević about her trans-generational novel, Catherine the Great and the Small (Istros Books). The novel is translated by Paula Gordon and Ellen Elias-Bursać Enjoyed this episode - why not s…

'I want the story the story to be as disorientating for the reader as it is for me...I'm not trying to offer an answer or a safe and complete world...' The incredibly talented Jen Calleja joins the RP Pod to talk about her short story collection, I'm Afraid That's All We've Got Time For (Prototype Publishing), and Goblins (Rough Trade Books), a per…

'It felt liberating to find that voice and put it on paper...Some restrictions can be creative.' Hello! Katharina Volckmer talks about her debut novel, The Appointment (Fitzcarraldo Editions), a TLS 'Book of the Year 2020', and one critics have called 'a darkly funny untangling of national and sexual identity' (The Guardian). And what a great way t…

‘I do believe that we’re all travellers of a fashion. For the poetic process I personally need a sense of freedom in order to write, and I like to feel free.’ These are some Rippling Pages Pilot episodes published in Summer 2020 Katherine Horrex talks about her debut collection of poetry, GROWLERY (Carcanet). Rippling Points: How 'Growlery', a term…

'I did feel like I wasn't living my own life. I was in the world of Newbury and trees.' These are some Rippling Pages Pilot episodes published in Summer 2020. Gaia Holmes talks about her story, '198 Methods of NVDA', which features in Comma Press's Resist Anthology. Rippling Points: Researching the environment to create your story's environment. 'T…

‘Things don’t always turn out how you intended them to, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.’ These are some Rippling Pages Pilot episodes published in Summer 2020. Thomas Chadwick on his short story collection ABOVE THE FAT (Splice). Rippling Points: Using the ‘byproducts’ of our lives and writing in writing How a concept like 'haunting' can be…