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 …

Red squirrels are our native species and have lived in the UK for around 10,000 years. They are facing a population decline, primarily due to competition from the invasive grey squirrel. With thanks to David Mills who really does make a charming red squirrel. Some of the experts in Messages from the Wild suit their animal down to the ground and Dav…

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 Michel…

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 menti…

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 retr…

Bumblebees are at their peak right now and this Buff Tailed is fairly easy to spot. Keep a look out. This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens of Heligan, called Voices from the Lost Gardens. Jimmy Docherty really makes me laugh and he knows his stuff too - farmer, entomologist, television presenter and I would add comedian. Vi…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

It’s World Ocean Week, an important yearly event for the future of all marine life. Ocean animals need our attention. They need to be heard. Please spread their messages far and wide. This series, Voices from the Ocean, was commissioned by Gallifrey Foundation in collaboration with Mission Blue, with special thanks to Antoinette Vermilye for her un…

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!By RadioReverb

The Bittern is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB. With many thanks to Jarrod Sneyd, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Bittern. "For me, they just bring joy, particularly when the atmospherics are right. You can be in Leighton Moss, or nearby in Silverdale, for…

The European Eel is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB. With many thanks to Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this European Eel. "Eels are just fantastic. They've been around for hundreds of years but, we still don't really know much about them. It's onl…

The Reed Warbler is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB. With many thanks to Beth Fox, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Reed Warbler. "For these little birds, the reed bed can be a challenging place to raise chicks, there are quite a lot of predators. But they'…

The Caddis Fly is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB. With many thanks to Kath Smith, RSPB Leighton Moss for embodying this Caddis Fly. "I've spent years river dipping and pond dipping, and you come across these creatures that still get me so excited, and because th…

The Marsh Harrier is part of a series commissioned by Future Places Centre at Lancaster University in collaboration with Leighton Moss RSPB. With many thanks to Joseph Klein, RSPB Leighton Moss, for embodying this Marsh Harrier. "I really enjoy just watching them over the nature reserve. I think Marsh Harriers have a kind of slow pace to them. They…

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.By RadioReverb

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…

Today's show includes Ditching based Annabel Thorpe talking about her historical fiction set in Italy and how her work as a travel journalist has informed her writing. Judy Upton discusses her Sussex based mystery Series. Tom Johnstone talks about how he uses Brighton's unseen history to write short fiction. Sam at Brighton Waterstones talks about …

In this month's jam-packed show, we talk to Brighton-based Fran Quinn about her new book THE LOST PASSENGER; to D.E. White about her crime-writing workshop in Horsham on March 27th; to Anna and Sam from Forthwrite Festival which takes place in Brighton and Crawley in March; to Brighton-based graphic novelists Myf and Corinne from the First Graphic …

Always smaller than we think but incredibly strong and so vital to the health of our soils. These little creatures need a lot more respect than we give them. It's their lawn, not ours. With many thanks to Sam Corfield, author, horticulturist and wildlife expert @the_hairy_horticulturist This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens…

This Cinnabar Moth is part of an installation, Voices from the Meadow, commissioned by Wakehurst (wild sister of Kew Gardens) for their Meadowland exhibition last year. It has a slightly different feel to the usual recordings with Alice Boyd, composer and sound designer, providing the beautiful music and field sounds. These interviews with meadow a…

This Scissor Bee is part of an installation, Voices from the Meadow, commissioned by Wakehurst (wild sister of Kew Gardens) for their Meadowland exhibition last year. It has a slightly different feel to the usual recordings with Alice Boyd, composer and sound designer, providing the beautiful music and field sounds. These interviews with meadow ani…

This Grasshopper is part of an installation, Voices from the Meadow, commissioned by Wakehurst (wild sister of Kew Gardens) for their Meadowland exhibition last year. It has a slightly different feel to the usual recordings with Alice Boyd, composer and sound designer, providing the beautiful music and field sounds. These interviews with meadow ani…

On this jam-packed episode, we talk to Brighton-based writer Laura Wilkinson about her new book That Night in New York; to Charlie Ross AKA The Roaming Reader about Chichester's new poetry Slam; to Simon Maddrell about his forthcoming pamphlet Jonathan Blake, L1, and the launch in Brighton on February 19th at 7om at Lunch Positive, and to Hannah Do…

We speak to Alan Edwards and Holly Bourne about their forthcoming events in Brighton and Sussex and the books they’ll be discussing. See Holly on Jan 16th at Chapter 34 https://www.chapter34.co.uk/event/book-launch-of-so-thrilled-for-you-by-holly-bourne/ See Alan on Feb 7th at The Old Market https://www.theoldmarket.com/shows/i-was-there-in-convers…

On our Christmas special we speak to Cathy Hayward from Kemptown Books about her Holiday Recommendations, and Brighton based writer Fran Swaine reads her Christmas short story, The Lost Dog.By RadioReverb

This Dipper is part of a series commissioned by University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group for The River Derwent. With many thanks to Mark Cocker, author and naturalist. "I think it’s a fantastic quiet bit of politics because the central challenge of our entire species and our civilisation is to understand our dependence on the rest …

This Mayfly is part of a series commissioned by University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group for The River Derwent. With many thanks to Charles Foster, author and academic. Producer, Presenter [email protected] Illustrations by Annabazyl www.fiverr.com/annabazylBy Annabel Ross

This Water Vole is part of a series commissioned by University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group for The River Derwent. With many thanks to Christine Gregory, writer, photographer and painter. The Water Vole: The Story of One of Britain's Most Endangered Mammals Producer, Presenter [email protected] Illustrations by Annabazyl www…

This episode is especially made to accompany the work of the painter and print maker, Frances Gynn, for her exhibition on Fairy Shrimps as part of her Public Erasures series. It's powerful stuff so please go along if you can. Public Erasures at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) Bristol. Featuring the Fairy Shrimp (Chirocephalus diaphanous) En…

This month we're joined by Anna Lucia, Jacquie Bloese and Ciar Byrne to talk about their historical novels. If you have an idea for the show, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram!By RadioReverb

In the fifth of our five-part series in collaboration with The Coast is Queer Festival, we revisit the event Queer Ukraine from 2023's festival with DViJKA Collective, Yelena Moskovich and Tanya G, hosted by Maria Jastrzębska GET TICKETS TO THE COAST IS QUEER 2024 Find out more about The Coast is Queer and sign up to their mailing. You can follow t…

Go and see AFLO. at Status Flo! Books discussed with Elizabeth: Hazadorous Spirits, Anbara Salam After She Wrote Him, Sulari Gentill Margo's Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe My Good Bright Wolf: A Memoir, Sarah Moss The Hypocrite, Jo Hamya Rodham Curtis Sittenfeld You Can't Catch Death: A Daughter's Memoir, Ianthe Brautigan Total Recall: A V. I. War…

In the fourth of our five-part series in collaboration with The Coast is Queer Festival, we revisit the event Genre Bending and Queering Words from 2023's festival with three Brighton based authors and poets Janet Sutherland, Maria Jastrzębska and Robert Hamberger. GET TICKETS TO THE COAST IS QUEER 2024 GET TICKETS FOR MARIA'S MEMOIR WRITING WORKSH…

Earthworms are arguably our most vital animal. They're quite funny too. (This one has been added to the podcast for a second time to be used in Derby City as part of their Wildlife Festival.) With many thanks to Nicky Scott, aka Dr Compost, Food Waste Educator, Community Compost Expert Dr Compost | Growing Devon Schools "I may have trained as an ag…

Our largest ant species explains how vital ants are to our survival, despite his seemingly lazy life, he manages to make the effort. With many thanks to Professor Adam Hart, Entomologist & Professor of Science Communication, University of Gloucestershire Adam Hart And thank you to Gregory Ovenden for his ant recordings in this episode: http://www.t…

Vital to our existence and yet maggots have never been a very popular creature but, Dr Erica McAlister makes this particular maggot seem almost adorable. With many thanks to Dr Erica McAlister, Entomologist, Senior Curator at the Natural History Museum, Author, Presenter @ericamcalister This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens…

In the third of the five-part series in collaboration with The Coast is Queer Festival, we revisit Juno Dawson's Lovely Trans Literary Salon with Harry Nicholas from 2023's festival. GET TICKETS TO JUNO'S LOVELY TRANS LITERARY SALON AT 2024'S FESTIVAL Find out more about The Coast is Queer and sign up to their mailing list to hear first about the f…

We speak to local writers Jane Crittenden and Jill Johnson and to AFLO. the Poet about this year's The Coast is Queer FestivalBy RadioReverb

In the second of the five-part series in collaboration with The Coast is Queer Festival, we revisit an enlightening conversation from 2023's festival exploring the undercurrent of class on queer literature featuring Joelle Taylor and Abi Fellows SUPER EARLY BIRD TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! Find out more about The Coast is Queer and sign up to their ma…

In the first of the five-part series in collaboration with The Coast is Queer Festival, we revisit an enlightening conversation from 2023's festival exploring queer representation in commercial fiction featuring Tanya Byrne, Tasha Suri and Laura Kay. SUPER EARLY BIRD TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! Find out more about The Coast is Queer and sign up to the…

On this episode of The Brighton Book Club, we talk to two Brighton-based writers – Kristin Burniston and Duncan Illing – who have teamed up to transform Kristin's wonderful short story, Anne, into a radio drama. We discuss everything from the publishing industry, to special effects, writing Brighton and Brighton's writing community.…

Curious creatures woodlice, well I think so. I'm so happy I finally got to talk to one, I'd always wondered if they actually did eat their own poo. This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens of Heligan. With many thanks to Lucy Lapwing, Wildlife Presenter and Campaigner @lucy_lapwing Producer, Presenter annabel@messagesfromthewi…

After listening to this badger I think you'll realise that they don't deserve the bad press they seem to get. This one comes from the collection I made for The Lost Gardens of Heligan. With many thanks to Steve Backshall, Naturalist, Presenter, Author, Campaigner www.stevebackshall.com Producer, Presenter [email protected] Illustratio…