Podcasts about Saltire Society

Notes and Links to Andrés Ordorica's Work        For Episode 225, Pete welcomes Andrés Ordorica, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship to the written word, formative and transformative writers and writing, wonderful trips to Borders Books, moments and people that shaped his sensibilities, Shakespeare comparisons, and seeds for and salient themes related to How We Named the Stars, including love and loss, the intensity of young love and first love and college, longing and grief.        Andrés N. Ordorica is a queer Latinx writer based in Edinburgh. Drawing on his family's immigrant history and third culture upbringing, his writing maps the journey of diaspora and unpacks what it means to be from ni de aquí, ni de allá (neither here, nor there). He is the author of the poetry collection At Least This I Know and novel How We Named the Stars. He has been shortlisted for the Morley Lit Prize, the Mo Siewcharran Prize and the Saltire Society's Poetry Book of The Year. In 2024, he was selected as one of The Observer's 10 Best Debut Novelists.   Buy How We Named the Stars   Andres' Website   New York Times Review of How We Named the Stars from Maxwell Gilmer   At about 2:15, Andrés talks about the “surreal” experiences he's had since the book has been out in the world At about 3:20, Andrés shouts out Douglas Stuart and advice on dealing with multiple projects At about 5:40, Andrés calls his new project “part of a similar world” as that of How We Named the Stars At about 8:15, Andrés fill Pete in on his childhood relationship with libraries and the written word, including how his mother's storytelling influenced and inspired him At about 11:00, Andrés shouts out NorCal reading spots and how he “fell in love with the idea of books” At about 13:05, Andrés discusses writers and writing that catapulted him into writing and reading even more seriously-Cristina Garcia, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Susan Lori Parks, Sandra Cisneros, and Marquez  At about 19:30, Andrés shouts out Jackie Kay and Griffin Hansbury and other contemporaries he's reading in 2024 At about 22:45, Andrés discusses the stellar work of Jackie Kay's time as Maker of Scotland At about 24:10, GoodReads discourse! At about 25:20, Andrés discusses seeds for the book and its epigraph At about 28:55, Andrés reflects on love and loss as important themes in general and in his book in particular At about 30:00, Andrés shouts out places to buy his book, and mentions that his book is a Barnes and Noble Pick of the Month At about 32:20, Andrés breaks down his “pragmatic” and “poetic” decisions to write the book in the epistolary form and let the trader know very quickly about a shattering death At about 34:35, Pete and Andrés discuss the Prologue and the cosmos and axolotls being referenced  At about 39:40, Andrés gives history on how Elizabeth DeMeo helped him choose his dynamic title At about 41:00, Pete references ideas of light and darkness and tells a story about a mistaken symbol in Reyna Grande's Across a Hundred Mountains At about 43:55, Andrés talks about how even a novelist “doesn't have all of the answers” regarding the letter/book that constitutes the book At about 45:30, Pete makes a controversial comparison, re: Shakespeare  At about 47:15, Andrés gives background on a deleted scene from the book alluding to As You Like It At about 48:45, Pete references Karim new book on Shakespeare by Farah Karim-Cooper At about 51:30, The two discuss the intensity of college and “the transitory” experience that characterizes the beginning of college At about 54:50, Pete asks Andrés about the first interactions between Sam and Daniel in the book and about an early scene as a balancing act At about 1:00:20, Pete lays out early scenes from the book that deal with ignorant and racist comments and the “generous” Sam-Andrés expands upon the former scene's significance At about 1:06:00, The two discuss Andrés' homesickness and family connections and “family” at college At about 1:07:00, Themes of masculinity and genuine selfhood are discussed, and Andrés talks about how he shaped parts of the book as an “homage” to figures in his life  At about 1:09:50, Pete highlights Andrés incredible touch in rendering the immediate aftermath of a crushing death on the page     You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.    I am very excited that starting in February with Episode 220 with Neef Ekpoudom and this episode, I will have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review-I'm looking forward to the partnership!    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!       This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 226 with Priscila Gilman, author of the memoir, The Anti-Romantic Child, and former professor of English literature at Yale University and Vassar College; Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, O, the Oprah Magazine, and elsewhere. Her memoir, A Critic's Daughter, was released to critical acclaim in Feb 2023    The episode will air on March 5.       

Notes and Links to Peter Coviello's Work      For Episode 224, Pete welcomes Peter Coviello, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship with music and bands that led him on a circuitous route to reading and writing, favorite individual and shared writers, the ways in which fandom and passion for books and music and the like grows and cements friendships, and salient topics from the book like The Sopranos as comfort watching and bringing Peter closer to his Covid-isolated family, the tonic and “jolt” that is passionate and talented artist, Prince as of this world and totally otherworldly somehow, and the visceral pleasures that come with love of the arts and love for the people who make and enjoy these arts.      Peter Coviello is a scholar of American literature and queer theory, whose work addresses the entangled histories of sex, devotion, and intimate life in imperial modernity.    A writer of criticism, scholarship, and literary nonfiction, he is the author of six books, including Make Yourselves Gods: Mormonism and the Unfinished Business of American Secularism (Chicago), a finalist for the 2020 John Whitmer Historical Association Best Book Prize; Long Players (Penguin), a memoir selected as one of ARTFORUM's Ten Best Books of 2018; and Tomorrow's Parties: Sex and the Untimely in Nineteenth-Century America (NYU), a 2013 finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in LGBT Studies.     His book, Vineland Reread (Columbia), was listed among the New York Times's “New and Noteworthy” titles for January of 2021. He taught for sixteen years at Bowdoin College, where he was Chair of the departments of Gay and Lesbian Studies, Africana Studies, and English, and since 2014 has been at UIC, where he is Professor and Head of English. His newest book Is There God After Prince?: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things (Chicago), was selected for The Millions' “Most Anticipated” list for 2023.    He advises work on 19th- and 20th-century American literatures and queer studies, as well as literary theory, religion and secularism, the history of sexuality, gender studies, poetry and poetics, modernism, and creative nonfiction.   Buy Is There God After Prince: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things   Peter's Website with University of Chicago   New City Lit Review of Is There God After Prince At about 3:00, Cavatelli! Italian last names! Goodfellas references! At about 5:00, Peter Coviello talks about his early relationship with the written word, and particularly how “worlds of music and imagination” got him into Rolling Stone and William Faulkner and other wonderful and catchy writing   At about 9:10, Peter highlights the “jolt” and “discovery” of young people/students and coins (?) the term “quotidian miraculousness” that comes with teaching literature  At about 10:50, Pete references the liner notes of Rage Against the Machine albums, as he and Peter discuss talking about great books and other artistic appraisals  At about 12:20, Peter responds to Pete's question about which writers have influenced him over the years, including more recent writers like Jessica Hopper and Helen Macdonald At about 15:20, Peter talks about tangential connections to David Foster Wallace At about 16:20, Peter talks about who he is reading in 2024, including Anna Burns and Sam Lipsyte At about 19:00, Peter talks about seeds for his essay collections At about 21:10, Pete and Peter nerd out about a favorite writer of Peter's and a favorite professor of Pete's At about 24:15, Peter discusses love and sorrow and the ways in which critique is intertwined with love, especially when discussing art of all types At about 25:55, The two discuss contrasts in love of art, and little victories in reading and fandom At about 28:10, Pete highlights “not nothing” and “and yet” as so crucial and telling in the book At about 29:20, Pete shouts out the book's Introduction and he and Peter fanboy again over the Wussy song mentioned in the Intro, “Teenage Wasteland” At about 31:10, The two talk about fandom and sharing great art, including Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance At about 33:20, Peter sees grief in some well-known art and talks  At about 34:30, Peter explains what he sees as so beneficial and magic about discussions and “fights” about art At about 39:00, The two discuss the collection's title essay and the freedom and camaraderie and joy that came with Prince dance parties from 1999 Maine At about 41:00, Peter speaks to the “otherworldliness” of Prince and gives background on his greatness and iconic status and how he was also of “carnality” At about 42:30-Prince and Chappelle Show reference! At about 43:30, The two discuss lively writing that comes off as funny and/or electrifying, like that of Paul Beatty At about 46:00, The discussion revolves around the book's second essay and Pavement , especially their song “Unfair” At about 47:30, Peter connects the above song with a telling and profound and prophetic quote from Paul Beatty's Slumberland At about 48:50, Peter and Pete discuss algorithms and a chapter on a fun discussion/argument over Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia" At about 50:00, Pete highlights Peter's complimentary writing about current songwriters and the two discuss Steely Dan as treated in the book, and the ways in which strong feelings on either side is mostly a healthy thing At about 52:50, Peter gives background on how much of the book deals with his relationship with his stepdaughters and the “adjacency” of love and sorrow and how much art At about 54:45, The two reflect on a meaningful essay about Derek Jeter's “moment in time” At about 56:15, The two discuss the three “John's” of an important chapter and the “terrible double discovery of adolescence”   At about 58:00-Third Eye Blind and Justin Bieber and Chance the Rapper and other music is discussed for aesthetic qualities and connections to Peter's relationships with his daughters At about 1:00:05, My So-Called Life is referenced in connection with father-daughter conversations At about 1:01:50, Chicago is highlighted and Anthony Wa Gwendolyn Brooks At about 1:02:40, Peter reflects on how The Sopranos' and its treatment in the book kept him close to his family in Covid lockdown At about 1:05:10, Peter gives book information and ordering information        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.    I am very excited that starting in February with Episode 220 with Neef Ekpoudom and this episode, I will have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review-I'm looking forward to the partnership!    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!       This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 225 with Andrés N. Ordorica, author of the poetry collection At Least This I Know; his writing has been shortlisted for the Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour and the Saltire Society's Poetry Book of The Year. How We Named the Stars, his first novel, was published on January 30.    The episode will air on February 27.

Elissa Soave is both an avid reader and an author. Her brilliant debut novel Ginger and Me is a coming-of-age mystery that is also a love-letter to her hometown of Uddingston.The novel was shortlisted for the Saltire Society's Scottish First Book of the Year Award 2023, and film rights of the book have been sold to Mother Pictures. We discuss her journey to landing her first agent and publishing deal, books which she loves and the ones which have shaped her life.The authors and books we mention include:The Change by Kirsten MillerThe Magic Faraway Tree by Enid BlytonOctavia Bright's memoir This Ragged GraceBriony Gordon's Glorious Rock BottomSusannah Constantine's Ready for Absolutely NothingColin Walsh's KalaComplicit by Winnie LeeYellowface by R.F. Kuang

Books and Ither Bits It's affa wither ootside, bit fit aboot jist bidin aside the fire wi a good book.  An wiv got a few books in this episode tae recommend.  Tae fit in wi the Scottish Book Trust's  book week an the Saltire Society's Literary Awards this month, wiv pit the gither a special […]

Vicki Husband is one of the most interesting Scottish poets to have emerged in the past year. 2016 saw the publication of her debut This Far Back Everything Shimmers (Vagabond Voices), which was shortlisted for the Saltire Society's Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award, where she found herself shortlisted alongside Kathleen Jamie and Don Paterson. Her poems mix science and the everyday, finding the cosmic in the quotidian and vice versa. She talks to the SPL about using bees to diagnose illness, her mentor, the late Alexander Hutchison, and why there are so many animals in her poems. Buy This Far Back Everything Shimmers from the SPL shop.

Pages 171 - 178 │Aeolus, part IV │ Read by Ryan Van WinkleRyan Van Winkle is an author, artist and producer based in Edinburgh. His second collection, The Good Dark, won the Saltire Society's 2015 Poetry Book of the Year award. He is currently Writer in Residence at the University of Edinburgh and the Schools Writer in Residence for the Citizen project at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. He is also the Creative Director of Golden Hour Productions which has been producing innovative live literature experiences since 2006. His poems have appeared in The American Poetry Review, Modern Poetry in Translation and New Writing Scotland.www.ryanvanwinkle.com Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rvwable*Looking for our author interview podcast? Listen here: https://podfollow.com/shakespeare-and-companySUBSCRIBE NOW FOR EARLY EPISODES AND BONUS FEATURESAll episodes of our Ulysses podcast are free and available to everyone. However, if you want to be the first to hear the recordings, by subscribing, you can now get early access to recordings of complete sections.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/channel/shakespeare-and-company/id6442697026Subscribe on Spotify here: https://anchor.fm/sandcoSubscribe on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/sandcoIn addition a subscription gets you access to regular bonus episodes of our author interview podcast. All money raised goes to supporting “Friends of Shakespeare and Company” the bookshop's non-profit.*Discover more about Shakespeare and Company here: https://shakespeareandcompany.comBuy the Penguin Classics official partner edition of Ulysses here: https://shakespeareandcompany.com/d/9780241552636/ulyssesFind out more about Hay Festival here: https://www.hayfestival.com/homeAdam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company. Find out more about him here: https://www.adambiles.netBuy a signed copy of his novel FEEDING TIME here: https://shakespeareandcompany.com/S/9781910296684/feeding-timeDr. Lex Paulson is Executive Director of the School of Collective Intelligence at Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique in Morocco.Original music & sound design by Alex Freiman.Hear more from Alex Freiman here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4gfkDcG32HYlXnBqI0xgQX?si=mf0Vw-kuRS-ai15aL9kLNA&dl_branch=1Follow Alex Freiman on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/alex.guitarfreiman/Featuring Flora Hibberd on vocals.Hear more of Flora Hibberd here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5EFG7rqfVfdyaXiRZbRkpSVisit Flora Hibberd's website: This is my website:florahibberd.com and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/florahibberd/ Music production by Adrien Chicot.Hear more from Adrien Chicot here: https://bbact.lnk.to/utco90/Follow Adrien Chicot on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/adrienchicot/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paula Hawkins's novel The Girl on the Train sold 23 million copies and was made into a film starring Emily Blunt. Now she has written A Slow Fire Burning, a who-and-why-dunnit about damaged people trying to move on with their lives, set along the Regent's Canal in London. She talks to Front Row about starting with character, creating suspense, and how she reflects on the success of The Girl on the Train. Alan Warner's 1998 novel, The Sopranos, won the Saltire Society's Scottish Book of the Year Award when it came out. It has gone on to be adapted for the stage where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2017. Now it's been adapted for the cinema with a new title – Our Ladies. Critic David Benedict assesses whether the film adaption will also be in the running for prize. And he also talks to Kirsty about whether theatre critics are being too kind to productions in a post-lockdown world. As defending British champion Natasha Baker wins a Silver medal in the Paralympic Dressage freestyle event in Tokyo today, composer Tom Hunt explains the art of creating original music for some of the world's leading dressage freestyle riders with Natasha Baker and Singaporean rider Laurentia Tan. Nia Dacosta is only 31 but has already directed two blockbusters. Today she talks to Kirsty about her horror film, Candyman, a direct sequel to the 1992 film of the same name. Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Harry Parker

[English version below] Thit an long i dtreo an phláinéid dheirg, í ag luasghéarú i gcónaí. Bhí na cúrsóirí á leanúint agus, mar a shíl A-Hiom, bhí siad ag teacht suas leo, beagán ar bheagán. Líon Na Hasta an radharc ar fad a bhí rompu agus chonaic Sál na sraitheanna de scamaill agus stoirmeacha ina nguairneáin, iad oráiste agus bán, ag casadh leo in atmaisféar meirgeach an phláinéid. Ar a dTeitheadh i Spás-Long Lastais Beirt ar a dteitheadh ó Roghail, gealach bheag amach ón bpláinéad dearg Na Hasta, is ea Sál agus Ríosa. Éalaíonn siad i spáslong lastais — agus an crogall daonna, an Sáirsint Raithdead, ar a dtóir. Ach amach rompu tá namhaid níos mó agus níos measa — agus gan fhios di féin, tá rún á cheilt ag Ríosa a tharraingeoidh fórsaí uile an Oilc sa mhullach orthu. Buaiteoir Ghradam an Saltire Society Úrscéal ficsean eolaíochta a scríobhadh i nGaeilge na hAlban is ea Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach. In 2013 a foilsíodh é agus is é an chéad úrscéal ficsean eolaíochta lánfhada a scríobhadh do dhaoine fásta i nGaeilge é. Ghnóthaigh an leabhar seo gradam an ‘First Book of the Year' do Tim Armstrong ón Saltire Society in 2013. Is é Eoin P. Ó Murchú a d'aistrigh. Scríbhneoir agus ceoltóir as Seattle Mheiriceá é Tim Armstrong, agus is léachtóir i Sabhal Mòr Ostaig é. Tá sé ag obair faoi láthair ar an dara húrscéal leis, An Luingeas Dorcha air Fàire. Láithreoir: Seán Ó Catháin Aíonna: Bríd-Treasa Ní Ghaoithín agus Aonghus Ó Lochlainn [Leagan Gaeilge thuas] Escape on a Cargo Space-Ship Sál and Ríosa are on the run from Roghail, a small moon off Neasg, They escape on a cargo ship — with the human-crocadile Sergeant Rathaid hot on their heels. But out there waiting for them is a greater menace — and, unknown to her, Ríona hides a secret that will bring the forces of destruction upon them. Winner of the Saltire Society Award Tinte na Farraige Duibhe (Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach) is a science fiction novel written in Scottish Gaelic by Tim Armstrong and published by CLÀR in 2013. It is the first hard science-fiction novel in Gaelic written for adults. This book won the Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award in 2013. Translated by Eoin P. Ó Murchú. Tim Armstrong is a writer and musician from Seattle in the United States. He lives in Scotland and works as a lecturer in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. He is currently working on his second novel, An Luingeas Dorcha air Faire. Presenter: Seán Ó Catháin Guests: Bríd-Treasa Ní Ghaoithín and Aonghus Ó Lochlainn

RYAN VAN WINKLE is a poet, live artist, podcaster and critic living in Edinburgh. His second collection, The Good Dark, won the Saltire Society’s 2015 Poetry Book of the Year award. His poems have appeared in New Writing Scotland, The Prairie Schooner, The American Poetry Review, AGNI and Best Scottish Poems 2015. As a member of Highlight Arts he has organized festivals and translation workshops in Syria, Pakistan and Iraq. He is always happy to hear from you, you can contact Ryan here.

Sara Sheridan is a bestselling writer and author most famous for the Mirabelle Bevan series, cosy crime noir mysteries set in 1950s Brighton, as well as a series of historical novels based on the real-life stories of late Georgian and early Victorian explorers. Her first book, Truth or Dare, featured in the Sunday Times Top 50, was nominated for the Saltire Prize and was listed in the Scottish Libraries Top 100 Books, and in 2015 she was named one of The Saltire Society’s 365 most influential Scottish women, past and present. In 2016, with her daughter, she founded REEK Perfume - a fragrance company that speaks out against the lack of female memorialisation throughout history and challenges beauty industry norms. She's an active campaigner and feminist, a twitter evangelist and a self-confessed swot. She's appeared as a commenter on TV and radio, and has sat on a variety of committees in writing organisations as well as taking part in a plethora of writing exhibitions. Sara is also a patron of It's Good 2 Give!, a charity run by our previous inspirational guest Lynne McNicoll OBE, which provides support for critically ill children and their families.   00.00 Trailer 00.18 Introduction 02.00 Sara’s early life 06.40 Sara’s education 08.50 Sara’s passion becoming her career 11.10 How did Sara’s career unfold? 13.40 Why did Sara decide to write her first book? 16.50 Writing a book 20 years ago vs now 18.00 What is Sara’s creative process? 21.30 What is Sara’s writing process? 25.05 What inspired Sara to write the Mirabelle Bevan series? 32.00 How does Sara research her novels? 36.20 Was the Mirabelle series planned out in full from the outset? 39.00 Does Sara prefer reading fiction or non-fiction? 40.00 REEK perfume and how it began 49.20 What does feminism mean to Sara? 51.50 Creating a more equal society 54.40 Sara on her purpose 55.50 Sara on her legacy 58.00 How does Sara define success? 59.40 Money and impact 1.00.10 Best advice received 1.01.40 Advice to 20 year old self 1.03.20 Where does Sara sit on the political spectrum? 1.04.50 Scottish independence 1.07.00 Changing the world   You can find Sara at: http://www.sarasheridan.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sarasheridanwriter/ https://twitter.com/sarasheridan https://www.pinterest.co.uk/sarasheridan1/   Find Inspired Edinburgh here: http://www.inspiredinburgh.com https://www.facebook.com/INSPIREDINBURGH https://www.twitter.com/INSPIREDINBURGH https://www.instagram.com/INSPIREDINBURGH

Mirabelle Bevan swept into the office of McGuigan & McGuigan Debt Recovery at nine on the dot. She removed her jacket and popped the gold aviator sunglasses she'd been wearing into her handbag, which she closed with a decisive click. The musky scent of expensive perfume spiced the air -- the kind that only a sleek, middle-aged woman could hope to carry off. Bill Turpin arrived in her wake. Like Mirabelle, Bill was always punctual. He was a sandy-haired, reliable kind of fellow. At his heel was the black spaniel the office had acquired the year before. Panther nuzzled Mirabelle's knees, his tail wagging.  "Nasty business on Oxford Street," Bill commented, picking up a list of the day's calls from his in-tray and casting an eye down the addresses. "That new barber's." "Tea, Bill?" Mirabelle offered without looking up. "Nah. Always puts me off, does a murder..." -- England Expects, Sara Sheridan What a delight to chat with author Sara Sheridan! I can't possibly keep up with all of her accomplishments, but I'll do my best. Here are a few ways you might connect with her work: -- Like historical mysteries? Her Mirabelle Bevan series features a woman who has suffered tremendous loss -- as has her country. Together, she and England are coming out of the despair of the Second World War. Oh, and Mirabelle is solving murders along the way. -- Prefer contemporary fiction? From Hong Kong call girls to a mysterious inheritance, road trips and revenge, Sara writes it all. -- Historical epics? From China to Antarctica, Brazil, England, and the Arabian desert, Sara sweeps you across the world. -- Nonfiction your thing? She wrote the companion guide to the ITV series, Victoria, and is currently writing about Scottish women in history. As she herself has been inducted into the Saltire Society's community of Outstanding Women, I think that's highly appropriate.  -- Let's not forget blog posts. Here is one of my favorite of hers, on the anniversary of UK women getting the right to vote. It's on the site of Sara's own Reek Perfume, a company she runs with her daughter, so if you have a weakness for fabulous scent, well, you can thank me later.  Sara is so busy writing, she mentions that she needs to deliberately carve out specific times to read. Go-to favorites are Scottish novelist and screenwriter, Lorna Moon, TC Boyle, Jeremy Levin, Susan Ferrier, and of course Agatha Christie. We also talk about the Windrush generation and the problems they're currently facing; anyone interested in learning more can check out this BBC overview.  Sara and I chat about her most recent novel, The Ice Maiden, and if you're in the UK, you're in luck! Today is the launch date! Yay! Go read. Alas, American listeners will have to be a little more patient; we don't get The Ice Maiden until November, 2018, but you can preorder here.  As always, if you'd prefer to read our chat rather than listen, the transcript is below. Enjoy! -- Laura     ********************************************************************** Laura Brennan: Author Sara Sheridan brings history to life in novels such as On Starlit Seas and her upcoming historical epic set in Antarctica, The Ice Maiden, which will be out in the US this July. It’s a romance and an adventure -- but where there’s life there’s also murder… Her Mirabelle Bevan mysteries, set in post-WWII Brighton, feature a woman whose skills were honed during the war and who finds herself at loose ends now that there's peace. Lucky for us, evil lurks everywhere -- even in Brighton. Sara, thank you for joining me. Sara Sheridan: It's nice to chat to you. LB: So you write the wonderful Mirabelle Bevan historical mystery series, which we're going to talk about, but you also write prolifically in other genres. SS: Yes, I do. I find it really stimulating, actually, to write in other genres. I know some writers find it really confusing, but for me,

Episode 44 – Repeat In Episode 44 o Scots Radio there’s nae time tae dither. We hear aboot a new paintin bi Sandy Moffat, featurin folklorist an poet Hamish Henderson,is unveiled at the Saltire Society. Dolina Maclennan steps oot o the paintin tae tell us mair aboot Hamish’s life an work. We sit in the […]

In Episode 44 o Scots Radio there’s nae time tae dither. We hear aboot a new paintin bi Sandy Moffat, featurin folklorist an poet Hamish Henderson,is unveiled at the Saltire Society. Dolina Maclennan steps oot o the paintin tae tell us mair aboot Hamish’s life an work. We sit in the favourite howff o Robert […]

Suzannah V. Evans met with Robert Crawford after his Centre Stage reading for StAnza poetry festival. They talked about the nature of place in poetry, the importance of writing economically, and the challenges of combining a day job with creative writing. Robert also read his poems St Andrews (at 15m38s) and Chorus (at 16m47s). Robert Crawford’s seventh full-length collection of poems is Testament (Cape, 2014), and his most recent biography is Young Eliot (Vintage, 2016). Co-editor of The Penguin Book of Scottish Verse, he has worked on several collaborative projects with the Edinburgh-based photographer Norman McBeath, including Chinese Makars (Easel Press, 2016). He has also collaborated with the Hamburg-based artist Caroline Saltzwedel, with whom he is due to launch Fire (Hirundo Press) in 2017. His awards include the Saltire Society’s Scottish Book of the Year Award. He is Professor of Modern Scottish Literature and Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Poetry at the University of St Andrews. Suzannah V. Evans was born in London and studied at the universities of St Andrews and York. She has worked in publishing and recently as a sound technician, translator, and interpreter for StAnza poetry festival in St Andrews. Her poetry and reviews have appeared or are forthcoming in Eborakon, The North, New Welsh Review, Tears in the Fence, and RAUM. Photo Credit: Eliana Berger

Two  big themes today are the role of honours and what do we mean when we say 'local' ? We also manage to include  David Cameron, the Saltire Society, marching in Leith and a warning about spam texts.

In Episode 30 or Scots Radio, wir keeping up wi seasonal – ivints past, present and future. We hear foo the Saltire Society is celebratin it’s 80th birthday, Mary Blance is spikkin aboot the Shetland Wool Wik – oor new reporter Tracy Harvey reports fae Ayrshire, an we jine writer James Robertson at a gaitherin […]

Pope Francis has said that he is open to the possibility of ordaining women as deacons. Are the ranks of the Catholic Church's all-male clergy really going to open up to female members? Next week, two ministers battle it out in the annual Sermon of the Year Competition. They talk to Edward Stourton about their ministry and go head to head in Sunday's very own battle of the sermons. Hazel Southam reports from Jordan on a trauma healing programme that is being offered to tens of thousands of people who have fled the wars in Syria and Iraq. On Thursday, Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan is giving a speech to the Saltire Society in Glasgow in which he will argue that 20th and 21st century composers have never given up their search for the sacred in an increasingly secular society. He explains to Edward his reasons for this belief. Last February, Charles Maung Bo became Myanmar's first-ever cardinal. For many years he has spoken out against the persecution of religious minorities in his country and now that there is a new civilian government, he is carving out a role for himself as peacemaker between different ethnic groups and the Buddhist majority. On the 1st May, the residents of the Canadian city of Fort McMurray became aware of a wildfire on the outskirts of their city. Two days later they had to evacuate. Rev Donalee Williams is the minister of Fort McMurray's First United Church she explains how she is supporting her dispersed congregation. As the Archbishop of York's six month Pilgrimage across the Diocese of York is about to finish, Bob Walker caught up with John Sentamu to discover what he has learnt from his time on the road. Producers: Helen Lee David Cook Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.