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Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter  or Bluesky for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcast.Competition ends on 22nd January 2025. The winner will be contacted via Twitter or Bluesky.  Show references:https://litlablondon.wixsite.com/lit-laboratoryhttps://www.instagram.com/litlablondon/https://www.threads.net/@litlablondonhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/litlablondon/https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Lit-Lab/100090991921959/ Abi Fafolu has a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College, and over 7 years' experience in public engagement with science. She spent her early career in science engagement, including on the Science Desk of The Guardian Observer and promoting open-access publishing at the European Medical Journal and Springer Nature.Since joining the UK government in 2015, she's worked in strategy, policy and programmes across four government departments including the Office of the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor, Lord Patrick Valance, upholding the role of science and evidence in decision making, and promoting developments in science as a Press Officer to the UK Science Minister. Abi is currently a government policy and strategy maker, and runs the Lit Laboratory (Lab), a "Science and Sip” experience reconnecting underrepresented audiences aged 21 to 40 with science. Transcription:  Paul Marden:  Welcome to Skip the Queue. A podcast for people working in and working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Paul Marden. Paul Marden:  In today's episode I'm joined by Abi Fafolu, Founder of The Lit Lab. Abi has a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College, and over 7 years' experience in public engagement with science.Since joining the UK government in 2015, she's worked in strategy, policy and programmes across four government departments. She currently a government policy and strategy maker, and runs the Lit Laboratory, a "Science and Sip” experience reconnecting underrepresented audiences aged 21 to 40 with science.Unfortunately the internet wasn't kind to us when we recorded this conversation, and so the audio quality isn't great, but the conversation definitely was.Paul Marden:Welcome, Abi. Welcome to Skip the Queue.Abi Fafolu: Thanks, Paul. Thanks for having me. Paul Marden: Lovely to have you. Today's a little bit weird because we're recording this just before Christmas, but it's not actually going to go out until the new year. So what I'm going to say is happy New Year to you. I hope you've had a lovely Christmas, but the reality is we haven't had it yet. So strange. Abi Fafolu: Thank you and likewise. Paul Marden:So we always start our interviews with some icebreaker questions which you're never prepared for. So here goes nothing. I've got a couple for you. I think they're quite nice ones actually. What's your go to coffee order when you go to a coffee shop of your choice? Abi Fafolu: Embarrassingly, I saw a skit about this recently where I thought that I had a unique choice, but clearly I've been very moth by the Internet. It is a skinny flat white and the skit that I saw actually was people ordering hot chocolate, which has gone extinct in coffee shops. I think there were a few people doing kind of hot chocolate watching. They were seeing where the people would order hot chocolates and have the binoculars out to watch those people as they made that rare order in the shop. But no, mine is very common. It's a skinny flat white. Paul Marden: Yeah. So mine is just a normal straight up flat white. No nonsense, no fuss, just give me coffee. I just want a nice coffee. My daughter, her order, she's only 11, but she's taken to iced hot chocolate. But what do you call it? Is it iced chocolate like an iced coffee or is it iced hot chocolate? I always stumble over the order and it's never up on the menu. So I always feel a bit awkward asking for whatever it is that she wants. Abi Fafolu: I like that. Paul Marden: Yeah. Okay, next one. What animal do you think best represents your personality? Abi Fafolu: Oh, gosh, I'm probably like a reliable owl or something like that. Yeah. Kind of cosy in my tree when I feel like it, being a bit nosy and flying out to have a look at what's going on. Paul Marden: And every now and again savage on little animals. Abi Fafolu: Oh. I mean, maybe a bit of that, probably. But yeah, I think something like that. Paul Marden: Okay. I think mine would have to be one of those, one of those dogs that is really annoying and full of energy because I'm just, I'm always at like full power. I'm one of two extremes. I'm going full at it. Yeah, I'm just zonked out, shattered at the end. Yeah. Abi Fafolu: Okay. Paul Marden: So I'd probably be like a springer spaniel where loads of walking is necessary to get rid of all the energy. Otherwise I'll be really annoyed.Abi Fafolu: Got you. A little dog who doesn't know that they're little and springs out into the world. Paul Marden:I'm sure there's something Freudian about that. I'm not sure. So we are talking a little bit about your project called the Lit Lab today which as listeners will know I always have a little chat with people before we do the interview and you know, I'm really interested in this concept, the tagline that you talked about which was the idea of getting adults to drink in a Science lab. We first met at the Association of Science and Discovery Centres and you know, we had a lovely conversation whilst were at the ASDC conference and I found out a little bit more about Lit Lab. But I think before we get to that point let's just talk a little bit about you and your background. So tell us about you. Tell us about your background and maybe a little bit about day job. Abi Fafolu: Yes, of course. So I am a Scientist by training. I have a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College and about 7 years experience in public engagement with Science. So that has looked like working on the Science desk of the observer newspaper, publishing medical research at Spring and Nature, working with the Chief Scientific Advisor and in government and with the Science Minister as well doing kind of comms and press releases. At the moment I work in strategies by working thinking about where my organisation wants to get to and how we do that. And for me I think it probably brings together a lot of the skills and interests I have. Abi Fafolu: It's really about kind of seeing that bigger picture and wondering how things come together and wondering what things will be different and kind of looking at the evidence and friends and things that are going on that help to paint a picture actually of kind of what the options are and gives you a sense of what's possible. So I think there's a thread really through my kind of career history which is a lot about being nosy and having that kind of owl sand view of the world. And yeah, I think my kind of interest and passion in and Science has also kind of given me a lot as well in the subject and things that have piqued my interest. Paul Marden: I think it's such an interesting opportunity for you to being in public policy and Science within government over the last few years. It's a really interesting perspective and it's the kind of career that no kid at school would ever dream is a career. Yeah. You know, kids at school can imagine being a chemist or a biologist, they can relate to that. But the idea that Science exists at the heart of government and influences everything the government does is not something that your average kid would think about doing. So how do you end up falling into a role like that? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, well, I mean, I suppose my reflection on what you've just said is sort of. So I think for me, you know, I'm currently the only person in my network who has a background in Science, so I didn't really have a clear picture of what it would look like to be a Lab Scientist. You know, you do those practicals at school, you meet teachers and, you know, lab assistants who are, you know, models of that for you. But I didn't know anyone that did that sort of work and I wasn't sure if I was good at it. I just knew that I enjoyed it. Abi Fafolu: And I think when I stumbled across the idea that actually there's a whole strand of Science that's about communicating with people, what's going on, about bridging that gap, really, between the doing and the using of Science, that, for me, opened up a whole new world. And a lot of the kind of journey I suppose I've been on in my career is thinking about how to really help people see the impact of the Science in their everyday life. So I think, you know, in publishing, you're at the forefront of all the developments, you see everything that's going on and it's really interesting. But the average person on the street, you know, has no idea how to apply bioengineering techniques that are, you know, novel and coming out of the lab for their everyday life. Abi Fafolu: But then when we have a situation like Covid, where we're starting to look for novel ways to make vaccines, you know, that's the sort of application, I suppose, of the work that people are doing and the interest that drives them. So for me, I think following that curiosity into this kind of world of Science engagement has been a bit of a journey. Paul Marden: So that leads nicely to the association of Science and Discovery Centres, how we met at their conference. There was a lot of talk at the conference, wasn't there, about public engagement? How do we enrich people's lives with Science and help people to feel that Science is part of their them and that they can influence the Science decision making and the direction that Science takes over the next decades. You're a trustee of ASDC, so what does that involve? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, you've said it really. But ASDC's mission is absolutely that, to make Science accessible and inclusive for more people and to be seen as a valuable part of everyday life. So their role broadly is to kind of bring together and support Science engagement centres, discovery centres and other spaces like that together. And I know you've had probably doing a wonderful job of explaining what ASDC does and the value it brings. I won't go too much into that, but as a trustee, I suppose the core of that role is to give support and challenge to the CEO. I suppose you think of it as, you know, a CEO doesn't really have colleagues or peers and so, you know, we're head trusted advisors in her, in this case. Shaaron ASDC. Abi Fafolu: We are the people that help the sense tech decisions and make sure the organisation is living up to its purpose. Paul Marden: Absolutely. So that's a little bit of background. Let's talk about the Lit Lab. Explain to our listeners who know nothing about the Lit Lab. What is it? Let's start with the broad picture of what it does. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, yeah, sure. So the Lit Lab is the UK's first Science and bit. It is a laboratory or Science themed social event where people do fun homestyle Science experiments, make drinks and take part in kind of friendly challenges. It's a social event that is something I do alongside my day job, as I mentioned. And so it runs quarterly at the moment. But essentially people arrive or kind of pop up Science lab, usually in the basement of a bar or a pub. We've done bigger venues like box parking spaces like that as well. But when they arrive they will find kind of their own lab coat and goggles waiting for them. They might get a drink at the bar while they settle in and then we have a host and lab assistant who will walk them through three experiments and two games. Abi Fafolu: So we always start with a drink, we make a drink. We call that our kind of molecular mythology series. So anything from kind of dry ice cocktails, cool kind of layered drinks and then we end with an explosion. So yeah, some of our more popular ones tend to be ones that involve a bit of cleanup at the end. So that's kind of the model for the event and it's really about helping adults to reconnect with Science and have a good time doing it. Paul Marden: Excellent. So you're taking this out into pubs and bars. It sounds like a Science centre in the back of a van or something. So what sort of kit are you taking with you into the event spaces? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I mean you're not far off with the kind of back of a van analogy. I have a garage full of labware.  But my neighbours always look at me a bit suspiciously when I start to pile up my pipettes and bits of lab coats and that sort of thing. Paul Marden: Awkward conversations with the neighbours as they're watching what you're taking out the garage. Abi Fafolu: I mean, if I suddenly see flashing lights at my door, I'll probably have a sense and someone's got the wrong end of the stick. But no, we, as I said, you know, kind of a small pop up and so really it's a startup and it's got all of the kind of all that comes with that. So, you know, storing lots of kit in my garage means that the event is intimate because there's only so much, you know, test tubes and beepers and chronicle class I can fit in one space. And then we're on the day, kind of a group of lab assistants and me who will set up the stations for guests. So, you know, for different experiments where we're really trying to replicate, you know, the type of materials and tools that you would use to explore the same sort of things. Abi Fafolu: So one of the things that we do in the lab is DNA extraction with home style ingredients, things that you can find in your skin do with skids. But we're using, you know, conical glass and pipettes and syringes so that we're really being accurate with our measurements and people have that chance to get stuck in. Abi Fafolu: But we don't do any tutorials. It's not, it's not a lesson. It's really for people to get hands on and try things out for themselves. So we give them a QR code that they scan for instructions and it will tell them kind of what the stats are. But you can take that all either, you know, you've got all this in front of you and if you want to mix some things together and see how it goes, then that's the, you know, that's the spirit of Science. They're more than happy for people to do that too. Paul Marden: Excellent. So where did the idea come from? How did, how did you come up with the idea for the lit lab? Abi Fafolu: So it's like a lot of people thinking about kind of, you know, what they want to do with themselves and kind of what skills they have and things they're passionate about. Particularly kind of post lockdown where, you know, you had a lot of time to reflect and think about whether you were making the most of, you know, your skills and abilities. I was seeing a lot of kind of social events come out that were particularly focused around sort of activities. People, I think, wanting a bit more purpose as well when they do leave the house, because that was a luxury. We didn't take for granted that when we step out, we're spending time and that means so much. So a lot of activities that people were doing were things like pains and sips. Abi Fafolu: So this is the model, really, that I've reprised, where people buy tickets to an event and they create art and have drinks and really, it's a model that's really growing globally. So I think that the market in America is in the millions, if not billions, as a kind of global event concept, and definitely picking up here as well, but you see it kind of taking off in different formats. So there are pottery and sips and D Day and sips and all sorts of things like this. And so for me, I kind of. I looked at that and I thought, I think I should do something like this, too. And so I spoke to kind of friends and family and I said, I kind of wanted to try out this thing. I think I could make something similar here. Abi Fafolu: And so I got together a group of friends at my mum's church hall, bought some lab coats from Amazon and spent absolutely ages writing loads of Excel sheets about the experiments that we could do and what I need to buy to kind of get that together, and had them for far too long for an evening after work, doing all sorts of great experiments. And they loved it. Abi Fafolu: They thought it was. It was great and really fun. And so, yeah, it kind of took off from there. I thought, you know, this maybe might be something that we can bring to more people. And so since then, with, I think, about 300 guests, we've got, I think, sort of a thousand or so followers on social media. We've been in timeout London and Secret London magazines and that sort of thing. So, yeah, I think it's reaching some of the right people, but I think you could do more. Paul Marden: So for me, I think there's something about it that really attracts me. I'm an extroverted introvert, so I like to be around other people, but it can be challenging going into a new social situation. For me, I might not feel comfortable. What makes me feel comfortable is being in the context of having a shared mission with people. Paul Marden: So the idea of, you know, having these experiments to conduct with people, there's something to focus on rather than just the people that are around you. And you know, I need to speak to everybody. I need to be the life and soul of the party. No, no, I'm focusing on this thing. And the social element of just being with other people happens around you when it's done at its best because it's not taking all your conscious effort. Your conscious effort is focused on this thing that's in front of you. You and the rest of it is just blossoming around you. Abi Fafolu: So yeah, no, absolutely. I think the other part of that is that you're in a room with people with similar interests. Right. You're creating community. There are people there that are really excited and curious about kind of rekindling that passion that they had for Science or that interest that they had. And so there's a real energy of people kind of wanting to get stuck in and being excited kind of for every thing that we bring out. And yeah, it absolutely is, you know, part of my plan for it to be able to build a bigger community around it. And we have some of that online. Abi Fafolu: So there's a lab Patreon site where we share Science news, blogs about kind of running a pop up Science lab, you know, behind the scenes and really helping people to reconnect with Science, even if they're not in that space with people, but also just to find that community with that said interest. Paul Marden: So you come up with these spreadsheets at the beginning. You tracked all your mates in a church hall for the first evening. Was there a lot of experimentation involved in. I'm a meta level here. Yeah, experimentation around the experiments that you want to run. Were there some that you did that just weren't successful? Abi Fafolu: Oh yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So I do have a mega spreadsheet of kind of experiments like I could do a lot of the ones with fior. I've had to rule out the various disappointingly. But we'll see how we can get around that in future. But no, absolutely, there's the constraints of, you know, the idea of this is that a lot of the Science is home style and you could absolutely kind of go home and replicate that. One of the things that we do online is created tutorial videos used to try some of the experiments from the lab. And so what I don't want is to have to find kind of lab grade chemicals because that's not homestyle Science. Paul Marden: No. Abi Fafolu: And so I really want it to be accessible in the truest sense. And so that's a, you know, a philtre for me when it comes to thinking about what sorts of things we could do as much as possible as well. You know, having experiments that have real world kind of application or implication. I talked about the kind of DNA one, you know, the method that we use for that at home is really similar to what we do in the lab. It just has, you know, different types of reagents, you know, more specialised or more tailored to doing that. But yeah, I think being able to really kind of illustrate kind of core concepts in Science as well as do them with materials and things like that are accessible is a strong philtre for me. Abi Fafolu: But thinking about some of the ones, I suppose that haven't made the cut. And as I say that actually I should say that we do have a kind of core set of experiments as well as seasonal ones. So the most recent event was Halloween and we started by making blood transfusion cocktails. So we had blood bags with grenadine in them. We did a kind of gruesome DNA extraction with picking livers, we made potions that are wrapped to finish off the session, that sort of thing. But yeah, a lot of the ones that are kind of more temperamental, I guess, and not so resilient for people who are not going to read the instructions are the types that don't quite make it in. And they can be things like, you know, dry ice doesn't last forever, it eliminates, it evaporates quite quickly. Abi Fafolu: And so there are things like that where, you know, over the course of the kind of two hour event maybe is not the best type of experiment to try and do because by the end of it some people will still have dry ice and some people won't. And I'm not, you know, I'm not in a degree where I can, you know, just turn the corner and get some more. So yeah, some of them are just kind of practical, why they don't quite make the part. But yeah, definitely a longer list of things I try with more opportunities to do. Paul Marden: I talked a little bit about why it piques my interest. But who is the audience that you're seeing coming along to events? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, so I think both from kind of attendance at events and you know, the feedback that we get and the kind of data from that, but also our insights from social media and things like that. We can see that the audience is largely women. So about 70% women age between 21, maybe 45. Interest really in Science culture, trying new things, meeting new people. And I'm especially interested actually as well in targeting minority audiences. So the women, but also black and ethnic minority people who are underrepresented in Science, who maybe, you know, don't have access to Science and that sort of discourse and really just to change perceptions about who Science is for. So I think the idea that you can do Science outside of a classic setting, outside of a lab, outside of research, outside of academia is really important to me. Abi Fafolu: So, yeah, I think it's a broad audience and I think Science is absolutely for everyone. But part of my mission is also to make sure we're reaching some audiences who aren't really. Paul Marden: That's the audience. Are you doing, is this a solo effort for you or have you got teams of lab rats that come along and help you? Abi Fafolu: And so I'm a solo entrepreneur, I am the founder, one of those hats. But on the day of the event I do have a team, we call them lab assistants rather than lab rats. But I do have a team of people who are amazing at preparing the experiments. People so they can get stuck right in troubleshooting any kind of niggling issues, you know, with the experiments on the day and making sure that people kind of know what they're doing. And for me, actually it's been really important to open those opportunities up to up and coming Science communicators. So, you know, people who want that experience really in practising and engaging the public directly with Science. Abi Fafolu: And again, you know, there's nothing quite like this at the moment, so I'm hoping, you know, that's a good opportunity for them as well to kind of pick off those sorts of careers. Paul Marden: Yeah, it's quite nerve wracking, isn't it, doing what you're doing, stepping into a sector where. Or creating your own segment. Yes, you're taking inspiration from things that already exist, but nobody else is doing this. And you've got. It's at the core of being entrepreneurial, isn't it? You've got to test the market and experiment to see where it goes. But that can be quite nerve wracking. So having that team of lab assistants, those people that are helping you on the day, you know, it's invaluable because you can't have eyes in the back of your head when you're at the event, it's really, you know, it's really hard, I guess, to be able to run one of these events, keep it all flowing, solve the problems and be a gracious host at the same time. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, absolutely. And I should say, actually I'm not the host, so I am very much kind of in the background for the events themselves, they are hosted by. I have a few different people that kind of tap into this role, but essentially they're presenters and people whose job it is that have that sort of MC role to keep the crowd engaged and enthused. And again, like I said, they don't teach, they don't set out. Kind of made the story of what we're going to do, but they encourage and, you know, prod and make jokes with the group and that sort of thing. One of the elements of it that I think works well as well is that we try to introduce kind of competition. Abi Fafolu: So if we have, you know, two or three tables, depending where we're doing it, you know, each table is a group that competes and they choose a table name which is made up of a range of things that might be for that month, elements in the periodic table, their favourite horror movie and their favourite brand of alcohol. So they get kind of wacky table names and earn points as they go along. And we actually, for most events, compete for spots or fleets. So if you're a winning table, you'll find a rap of spots coming your way. So, yeah, it's definitely a social event I think we major on as well as Science in our event. Paul Marden: Of course, it does sound a little bit like a kind of classic Science communicator role at the Science Centre, doesn't it? You know, that job to engage people in Science. But you're hiding. You're hiding the vegetables, aren't you? They're learning a little bit about Science, but at the same time they're enjoying themselves and you've got to major on the enjoyment and engagement, otherwise they're never going to learn something. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, no, I absolutely agree with that. And we provide some of that background to people that want it. So, you know, in the same way that you can scan the QR and find out what the instructions are, you can also scan and find out kind of what the Science is behind what you're doing. Because I think, you know, if people are particularly curious, you want to make sure that they have the opportunity to follow up. Paul Marden: Yeah. So you're taking this out to pubs and bars. Have you got future plans to try other types of spaces or to take this to other places? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, so I know that you we're alluding to as well, the kind of theme of this. So, you know, absolutely, we're doing Science, but this is. This is culture, this is creativity, this is all of the things that, you know, make Science real and enjoyable for people as well. So Absolutely. I see it as a kind of creative cultural endeavour. I've done a few events in sort of different contexts. I, for example, was just running a winter fair event called University of East London. And that, I think, gives us the opportunity to have people kind of zip in and out from what we're doing and see it in the context of other things as well. And I think this brings to the forefront even more that, you know, this is something that's for entertainment. Abi Fafolu: You know, like, there's education here, that this is an entertainment concept. So, yeah, I think it really has a place in lots of different spaces and I think there's lots of opportunity, really, to see where it can go. Yeah, absolutely. Would love to work with different types of venues, so universities. But also there are these other cultural institutes, talking museums and places like that, where I think there could be a really nice partnership opportunities there. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. There's an element of. And it was something that somebody said at the ASDC conference. It was one of the questions that got asked at the Skip the Queue episode was all about getting the A into STEAM. So getting. Getting the Art into STEAM. Subjects. There's an element of if you could take this into a bar and a pub, you can take this into art institutions, to galleries, to museums, other cultural institutions. All these sorts of institutions are looking for ways in which they can extend their reach, that they can. Can serve different audiences, generate revenue for themselves at times when the institution is quiet. And this is just a lovely concept to be able to pop the things in the back of the van and take it to institutions and help them to do those things. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, thank you. And I think, just to add to that, I think we're definitely seeing a rise of that with the kind of museum lakes. It's a theme across lots of different venues completely. And. And it's absolutely that. It's about the kind of adult market and recognising, I think that, you know, just because you're an adult doesn't mean that you can't still have fun with the things that you were interested in as a younger person or, you know, hobbies that you don't have the opportunity to do. So, yeah, Science is a hobby, definitely something I'm all the way behind. And I think the kind of adult space is a really good opportunity for that. Yeah. Paul Marden: Oh, completely. I get to masquerade behind my daughter. I'm taking her to Science centres for her benefit. But the reality is I have a whale of a time and I love going to the Science central, Science museum And I'd feel a bit odd going as a single bloke wandering around some of these institutions on your own during the daytime. It might not feel quite right. But a Science late event, I could totally, you know, I've done enough ASDC events at Science centres where we've had the evening meal in a Science centre in the evening and it's been delightful to wander around these places in the evenings. There's a huge amount of opportunity at your local Science centre to find things that engage adults as well as kids. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, absolutely. Paul Marden: What are your goals? Where do you want to take the Lit Lab for the future? Abi Fafolu: Yeah. So, I mean, again, this concept of kind of popping things in the van and kind of rocking up wherever is definitely a perk of the current model, but it still sort of means that at the moment, you know, the little ad is in London big as I am, you know, I don't want that to be a kind of barrier for it and I definitely don't want it to stop the right people from reaching it. So for me it would absolutely be that to be able to reach more parts of the country and particularly, you know, like the cities of culture. I'm thinking that, you know, the Bristols and the Manchesters and the Bradfords next year as the 2025 or this year. Paul Marden: That was slickly done. Well done. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I think, you know, being able to meet people where they're already exploring these interests and then hopefully see that Philtre out as well would be wonderful. Paul Marden: Okay, so is that partnership model or is that a kind of a franchise model or are you open to conversations with people about how you could deliver this? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, no, absolutely open. I think that's, you know, a perk of being. Being the first, isn't it? But, yeah, all things are on the table and I think that's a wonderful thing. You know, I'm probably still in the. It's my baby face. I can imagine. I can imagine that there's probably a bit of hand holding that would. Would come before any. But yes, I think absolutely open. Paul Marden: Yeah, that's interesting. Well, look, it's been lovely talking to you, finding out a little bit more about you and finding out more about The Lit Lab. I think it's such a wonderful concept. I feel a team rubber cheese evening event coming along soon where I think we bring the team and we do a little bit of Science together. I think that might be a nice idea. Abi Fafolu: Idea more than welcome. I'd love that. Paul Marden: So we always ask our guests to give us a book recommendation. So Abi, what's your recommendation for the listeners today? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I had a good think about this and you know, in all that I've talked about, I think there's probably also something about reclaiming this kind of nerd label. I think my recommendation is probably going to fall in that space, but I'm happy with that and I own it. But mine is in the genre of sort of mythology, magical realism, fantasy, and I really love Greek mythology. But I'm actually also getting into African mythology, of which there are loads of kind of classic but also kind of up and coming writers. And one that I'm really enjoying now is called She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore. And it's a story of basically the kind of creation of a new space in Liberia during the kind of transatlantic slave trade. Abi Fafolu: And it basically imagines the stories of the three different people in a sort of anthology way, who get powers as they go through the real horrible and inhumane kind of trials of, you know, being part of that. So from America to Jamaica to West Africa, you know, these three people go through different experiences of that and they all get powers that help them to cope with that. And it draws on the types of powers that you might see in African mythology. So it's a really beautiful book and a really inspiring and kind of educational one too. I think there's a lot of, you know, factor accuracy in terms of, you know, what happened and the types of experiences that people accounted. Yeah, that's one of my definite recommendations and I'm actually rereading it at the moment. Paul Marden: Wowzers, listeners. So if you'd like a copy of the book that Abi recommends, normally I'd say get over to X and repost the show announcement on X, but you can do that on bluesky now. So go find us. We are @skipthequeue.fm on Bluesky and do whatever you do to repost a notice on bluesky and say I want Abby's book. And the first person that does that will get a copy of Abi's book sent to them as a gift from us. And I'll be very excited because we'll have more followers on Bluesky. X is a bit of a dumpster fire now, so we are moving rapidly to Bluesky. Abi, it has been delightful to meet you. Paul Marden: If listeners would like to find out more about the Lit Lab, all of your links and your socials and the website will all be posted in the show notes. So listeners, you'll be able to go and find out about where the next Lit Lab events are all on Abi's website. It's been lovely to meet you. Thank you ever so much for coming on the podcast. Happy New Year. Abi Fafolu: Thank you so much. Paul. Thanks so much for having me. And Happy New Year to you too. Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, SkiptheQueue.fm. The 2024 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsDownload the 2024 Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

In Ep. 167, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I are circling back to 2018 in the book world with a special retrospective episode!  We share big bookish highlights for that year, including book news, award winners, and what was going on in the world outside of reading. We also talk about our own 2018 reading and our favorite 2018 releases.  Plus, you'll hear listener-submitted favorites!  This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR!   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights The big news going on outside the book world. Book stories and trends that dominated 2018. Looking back at 2018, we couldn't help but say, “If only we knew what was coming!” The books that have had staying power.⁠ Titles that now are comps for SO MANY books!⁠ We explore the early days of this new wave of celebrity book clubs. Our personal 2018 reading stats.⁠ Listener-submitted favorites from 2018.⁠ Circling Back to 2018 in Books [2:05] The World Beyond Books Spare by Prince Harry | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:12] A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R. R. Martin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:45] The Walking Dead (Compendium One) by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:54] The Book Industry Becoming by Michelle Obama | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:55] Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:46] The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:50] Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:54] Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:56] Wonder by R. J. Palacio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:12] Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:16] The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:42] Book Trends Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:30] Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:34] Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:36] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:38] Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:27] Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:34] You Are a Badass® by Jen Sincero | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:59] 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:08] The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson | Amazon | Bookshop.org[18:14] Big Books of 2018 Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:46] The Reckoning by John Grisham | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:58] The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:05] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:56] There There by Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:25] The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:27] Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:16] Normal People by Sally Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:20] Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:21] Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:33] Verity by Colleen Hoover | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:30] Circe by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:08] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:32] The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:36] The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:07] I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:19] Becoming by Michelle Obama | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:36] Spare by Prince Harry | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:11] Educated by Tara Westover | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:31] Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:18] Atomic Habits by James Clear | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:11] I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara | Amazon | Bookshop.org[31:51] Wandering Stars Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:53] The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:12] The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:37] Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (expected publication: August 15, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:50] Less by Andrew Sean Greer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:54] The Friend by Sigrid Nunez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:02] Milkman by Anna Burns | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:09] Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:22] The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth Book 3) by N. K. Jemisin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:04] Our Top Books of 2018 Circe by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:46] An American Marriage by Tayari Jones | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:55] The Line that Held Us by David Joy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:30] The Pasha of Cuisine by Saygin Ersin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:55] Only Child by Rhiannon Navin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:32] Anatomy of a Miracle by Jonathan Miles | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:54] Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:00] There There by Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:04] She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:06] Tin Man by Sarah Winman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:09] Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:42] A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:33] I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:46] Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:23] The Ensemble by Aja Gabel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:36] The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:46] The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:55] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:00] You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:31] Listeners' Top Books of 2018 The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:09] A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:29] Educated by Tara Westover | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:46] The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:54] An American Marriage by Tayari Jones | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:58] Circe by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:01] The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:04] Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:26] Other Links Time Magazine | What to Know About the Controversy Surrounding Where the Crawdads Sing by Annabel Gutterman, July 2022

Greetings Glocal Citizens! My guest this week is Ghanaian-Briton, DJ, lecturer, cultural writer and researcher Kobina “Kobby” Ankomah Graham. Raised between the alternate realities of Ghana and Britain, he is passionately curious about music, African culture, and counterculture. Through almost two decades of lecturing, researching (https://kobbygraham.com/teaching-academia/), public speaking, developing creative projects, curating music (https://kobbygraham.com/selected-creative-and-cultural-activities/) and freelance writing (https://kobbygraham.com/freelance-writing/), he has championed arts and culture. He has explored this idea in settings ranging from classrooms to international conferences, and in numerous workshops, panels, podcasts, publications, and dance floors. Along the way, he has been profiled by platforms like the BBC, written for others like The Guardian (https://kobbygraham.com/freelance-writing/), received a Miles Morland African Writers Scholarship (https://milesmorlandfoundation.com/entry-requirements) and DANIDA (https://ghana.um.dk/en/danida-en) funding for Ph.D. research on Ghana's alternative music scene. In doing these things, he is creating pathways for young African creatives, cultural practitioners and journalists to follow. These sentiments come through poetically in this two-part conversation offering wonder-filled insight into a life lived in Accra in view of an evolving arts and culture scene impacting both the local and global creative landscapes. Where to find Kobby? kobbygraham.com (https://kobbygraham.com/) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kobina-ankomah-graham/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kobbygram/?hl=en) What's Kobby reading? A Quick Ting on Afrobeats (https://a.co/d/3cApixE) by Christian Adofo (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=Christian+Adofo&text=Christian+Adofo&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books) [The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time](https://a.co/d/6ADA3tL](https://a.co/d/6ADA3tL) by Arianna Huffington Harmattan Rain (https://harmattanrain.com/) What's Kobby watching? The Power (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B8NXFLNH/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) Citadel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B8TRQ4FG/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Strange_New_Worlds) African Queens on Netflix (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi2g8fksvf-AhXpV6QEHf3VAZsQFnoECEQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netflix.com%2Ftitle%2F81650731&usg=AOvVaw27ILqJgI9Aon9w4RcZuoyT) Cleopatra on Netflix (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiiqu6Us_f-AhX3UqQEHRl0CuUQFnoECBsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netflix.com%2Ftitle%2F81230204&usg=AOvVaw1n1rFGtt4FGmnLLI-g6yTm) What's Kobby listening to? TedEd (https://www.youtube.com/@TEDEd) Big Think (https://bigthink.com/) Soulection Radio (https://soulection.com/tracklists/t/soulection-radio) Oroko Radio (https://oroko.live/) Other topics of interest: Koforidua, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koforidua) Mmofra Channel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08KP29LR2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) JDilla (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Dilla) Kweku Ananse (https://www.discogs.com/artist/1580148-Kweku-Ananse) Ovation Magazine (https://www.ovationinternational.com/) About Dust Magazine (https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/111378/DUST-magazine-launched) PinkPanthress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PinkPantheress) Ashesi University (https://www.ashesi.edu.gh) Webster University (https://www.webster.edu.gh/) JoyFM (http://beta.myjoyonline.com) What happened to Damilola Taylor? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Damilola_Taylor) About the murder of Stephen Lawrence (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Stephen_Lawrence) Buduburam Refugee Camp (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buduburam) Professor John Anarfi (https://cms.ug.edu.gh/content/prof-john-k-anarfi) University of Ghana's Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) (https://isser.ug.edu.gh/about-us) Kasapreko Company, Ltd Ghana (https://kasapreko.com/home) Some notes on Pidgin English (https://slangsbyghanaians.wordpress.com/tag/ghanaian-slangs-meaning/) What is Detty December (https://gmaworld.com/detty-december-in-ghana-brands-that-got-it-right/) Ebo Taylor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebo_Taylor) Asakaa Boys (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbBHGVfWTsA) Black Sherif (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sherif) Amaarae (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaarae) Efua Sutherland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efua_Sutherland) Esi Sutherland-Abby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esi_Sutherland-Addy) KiDi's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KiDi) latest release, I lied (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXmoNDuFDHU) Worlasi (https://www.facebook.com/worlasi/) Gabriel Myers Hanson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/myers-hansen-712379108) Pigeons & Planes (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzHcC_PfVKid0BITeTkZMjQ) Special Guest: Kobina Ankomah Graham.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! My guest this week is Ghanaian-Briton, DJ, lecturer, cultural writer and researcher Kobina “Kobby” Ankomah Graham. Raised between the alternate realities of Ghana and Britain, he is passionately curious about music, African culture, and counterculture. Through almost two decades of lecturing, researching (https://kobbygraham.com/teaching-academia/), public speaking, developing creative projects, curating music (https://kobbygraham.com/selected-creative-and-cultural-activities/) and freelance writing (https://kobbygraham.com/freelance-writing/), he has championed arts and culture. He has explored this idea in settings ranging from classrooms to international conferences, and in numerous workshops, panels, podcasts, publications, and dance floors. Along the way, he has been profiled by platforms like the BBC, written for others like The Guardian (https://kobbygraham.com/freelance-writing/), received a Miles Morland African Writers Scholarship (https://milesmorlandfoundation.com/entry-requirements) and DANIDA (https://ghana.um.dk/en/danida-en) funding for Ph.D. research on Ghana's alternative music scene. In doing these things, he is creating pathways for young African creatives, cultural practitioners and journalists to follow. These sentiments come through poetically in this two-part conversation offering wonder-filled insight into a life lived in Accra in view of an evolving arts and culture scene impacting both the local and global creative landscapes. Where to find Kobby? kobbygraham.com (https://kobbygraham.com/) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kobina-ankomah-graham/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kobbygram/?hl=en) What's Kobby reading? A Quick Ting on Afrobeats (https://a.co/d/3cApixE) by Christian Adofo (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=Christian+Adofo&text=Christian+Adofo&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books) [The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time](https://a.co/d/6ADA3tL](https://a.co/d/6ADA3tL) by Arianna Huffington Harmattan Rain (https://harmattanrain.com/) What's Kobby watching? The Power (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B8NXFLNH/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) Citadel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B8TRQ4FG/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Strange_New_Worlds) African Queens on Netflix (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi2g8fksvf-AhXpV6QEHf3VAZsQFnoECEQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netflix.com%2Ftitle%2F81650731&usg=AOvVaw27ILqJgI9Aon9w4RcZuoyT) Cleopatra on Netflix (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiiqu6Us_f-AhX3UqQEHRl0CuUQFnoECBsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netflix.com%2Ftitle%2F81230204&usg=AOvVaw1n1rFGtt4FGmnLLI-g6yTm) What's Kobby listening to? TedEd (https://www.youtube.com/@TEDEd) Big Think (https://bigthink.com/) Soulection Radio (https://soulection.com/tracklists/t/soulection-radio) Oroko Radio (https://oroko.live/) Other topics of interest: Koforidua, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koforidua) Mmofra Channel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08KP29LR2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) JDilla (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Dilla) Kweku Ananse (https://www.discogs.com/artist/1580148-Kweku-Ananse) Ovation Magazine (https://www.ovationinternational.com/) About Dust Magazine (https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/111378/DUST-magazine-launched) PinkPanthress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PinkPantheress) Ashesi University (https://www.ashesi.edu.gh) Webster University (https://www.webster.edu.gh/) JoyFM (http://beta.myjoyonline.com) What happened to Damilola Taylor? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Damilola_Taylor) About the murder of Stephen Lawrence (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Stephen_Lawrence) Buduburam Refugee Camp (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buduburam) Professor John Anarfi (https://cms.ug.edu.gh/content/prof-john-k-anarfi) University of Ghana's Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) (https://isser.ug.edu.gh/about-us) Kasapreko Company, Ltd Ghana (https://kasapreko.com/home) Some notes on Pidgin English (https://slangsbyghanaians.wordpress.com/tag/ghanaian-slangs-meaning/) What is Detty December (https://gmaworld.com/detty-december-in-ghana-brands-that-got-it-right/) Ebo Taylor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebo_Taylor) Asakaa Boys (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbBHGVfWTsA) Black Sherif (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sherif) Amaarae (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaarae) Efua Sutherland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efua_Sutherland) Esi Sutherland-Abby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esi_Sutherland-Addy) KiDi's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KiDi) latest release, I lied (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXmoNDuFDHU) Worlasi (https://www.facebook.com/worlasi/) Gabriel Myers Hanson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/myers-hansen-712379108) Pigeons & Planes (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzHcC_PfVKid0BITeTkZMjQ) Special Guest: Kobina Ankomah Graham.

In this episode, we talk to Chase Rhys about their recent collection, 'Misfit: Stories vannie anne kant'. A lot of the stories in this collection are about being an outsider, about not quite belonging in any space one enters into, about intersections of identity, about being more than one thing at once – in other words, in hybrid identities, and the in-between spaces. We asked Ann-Maree Tippoo for recommendations around the theme of hybridity. She recommends 'Mother to Mother' by Sindiwa Magona, She Would Be King by Wayetu Moore, and She Down There by Lynton Francois Burger. Vasti recommends A Hibiscus Coast by Nick Mulgrew and Mermaid Fillet by Mia Arderne. See Vasti's interview with Mia about Mermaid Fillet here. Find these books at The Book Lounge. This season was made possible by a grant from the National Arts Council. Vasti Calitz is the host and executive producer of A Readers' Community. Also on our team is our producer and editor, Andri Burnett, and our assistant producer and research assistant, Kelly-Eve Koopman, and assistant editor Simone Rademeyer.

Episode 109. Wayétu Moore discusses her journey as a writer, influences as a mother, and new discoveries in her writing process. Wayétu Moore is the author of She Would Be King, released by Graywolf Press in September, 2018. Her memoir, The Dragons, The Giant, The Women was also released with Graywolf on June 2, 2020. She is the recipient of the 2019 Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction.   She Would Be King was named a best book of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Entertainment Weekly & BuzzFeed. The novel was a Sarah Jessica Parker Book Club selection, a BEA Buzz Panel Book, a #1 Indie Next Pick and a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Award. The Dragons, The Giant, The Women was a 2020 New York Times Notable Book, Time Magazine 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2020, Publishers Weekly Top 5 Nonfiction Books of 2020, was longlisted for the ALA Andrew Carnegie medal for excellence in nonfiction, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.   She's a graduate of Howard University, University of Southern California and Columbia University. She lives in New York. https://www.wayetu.com/

I'm Jim McKeown , welcome to Likely Stories, a weekly review of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Few things excite me more than a new author with an inspiring novel. Wayétu Moore is the founder of One Moore Book and is a graduate of Howard University, Columbia University, and the University of Southern California. She teaches at the City University of New York's John Jay College and lives in Brooklyn. She Would Be King is her first novel.

I was telling a story, and as an actor, as an artist, that’s the central love.  Actor and audiobook narrator Kobna Holdbrook-Smith talks about what it was like to voice Rivers of London as his very first audiobook, what he had to unlearn to do voice work, how Frank Sinatra inspired his mic technique, and even his first experience of snow. He also offers a heap of recommendations for your reading list:  Books Slough House series by Mick Herron, narrated by Sean Barrett  The Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak, narrated by Grant Cartwright  The Terrible: A Storyteller’s Memoir, by Yrsa Daley-Ward, narrated by the author and Howard Daley-Ward  She Would Be King by Weyétu Moore, narrated by the author  The Milkman by Anna Burns, narrated by Bríd Brennan  Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo, narrated by James Goode  Circe by Madeline Miller, narrated by Perdita Weeks  The Rosewater books (The Wormwood Trilogy) by Tade Thompson, narrated by Bayo Gbadamosi  Authors Anne Carson, Roxane Gay, Toni Morrison  Narrators Imogen Church, Anna Bentinck, Nicole Davis, Raj Ghatak, Tania Rodrigues, Adjoa Andoh, Bayo Gbadamosi  Links Jess promised to include! The 2021 Audiobook Listening Challenge  Where to leave a review Twitter & Instagram: @ListeningBooks  Facebook YouTube www.listening-books.org.uk 

We consider imagination as an evolutionary practice. We critique capitalism and its impact on imagination and the creative process. Hana explains intentional adaptation and how to break patterns. Eliana emphasizes choice. Books mentioned: She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi --- Hosts: Hana Kostis and Eliana Yoneda --- Find more from about our music at https://7layeroscillator.org --- Cover art by monica canilao. Check our her website at monicacanilao.com, or find her on Instagram at @__moreferalthan__ --- Sound mixing/mastering by De’Ron at @groovindaily productions

Wayétu Moore is the author of The Dragons, The Giant, The Women, which was released in June 2020. Her debut novel, She Would Be King, was released in 2018 and named a best book of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Entertainment Weekly & BuzzFeed. The novel was a Sarah Jessica Parker Book Club selection, a BEA Buzz Panel Book, a #1 Indie Next Pick and a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Award. She is the recipient of the 2019 Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction. Moore is also the founder of One Moore Book, a non-profit organization that creates and distributes culturally relevant books for underrepresented readers. Her first bookstore opened in Monrovia, Liberia in 2015. Her writing can be found in The New York Times, The Paris Review, Frieze Magazine, Guernica, The Atlantic Magazine and other publications. She has been featured in The Economist Magazine, NPR and Vogue Magazine, among others, for her work in advocacy for diverse children’s literature. She’s a graduate of Howard University, University of Southern California and Columbia University.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wayétu Moore joins Dr. Ebony Lumumba in conversation about her new memoir, THE DRAGONS, THE GIANT, THE WOMENWayétu Moore is the author of the novel She Would Be King, named a best book of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Entertainment Weekly, and BuzzFeed. She is the founder of One Moore Book, a nonprofit organization that creates and distributes culturally relevant books for underrepresented readers. Her writing can be found in the Paris Review, Guernica, and the Atlantic, among other publications. Moore is a graduate of Howard University, Columbia university, and the University of Southern California. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Volume — In episode 5 of Read This! Jen engages with Wayetu Moore's book She Would Be King. Plus, we want to hear about your book clubs: where are they, can people join and what are you reading?

Wayétu Moore is the founder of One Moore Book and is a graduate of Howard University, Columbia University, and the University of Southern California. She teaches at the City University of New York's John Jay College and lives in Brooklyn. She Would Be King is her debut novel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Amy Baker chats to Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be King about writing flawed characters, finding the balance between writing as an art and writing as a craft and how vital it is to get away from your desk in pursuit of inspiration. Music: www.bensound.com

This month’s SHELF TALKING blends the fantastic, the speculative, and the literary with a trio of genre-defying writers! Recorded live at Literati: –Julia Fine shares an excerpt from her debut novel What Should Be Wild. –Franny Choi performs poems from her latest collection Soft Science. – Wayétu Moore discusses magical realism and her novel She Would Be King. Plus Literati’s Inventory Manager Kelsey O’Rourke discusses some of her favorite genre-bending reads! Shelf Talking is produced by Mike and Hilary Gustafson with John Ganiard, Bennet Johnson, and Sam Krowchenko Our theme songs are “Orange and Red” and "Bonhomie" by Pity Sex (2016, Run for Cover Records)

Today's episode is an interview Jill did with Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be King, which was a Sarah Jessica Parker Book Club Central Pick. Wayétu shares the impact of storytelling in Liberia's cultural history and the importance of African voices in literature. She also discusses her non-profit One Moore Book.  Interview was recorded at Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA during ALA Midwinter 2019  Music: Theme song provided royalty free from www.bensound.com Podcast Overview: We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter.

Wayétu Moore is the author of She Would Be King, released by Graywolf Press in September, 2018. Her memoir is also forthcoming with Graywolf. Moore is the founder of One Moore Book. One Moore Book is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that encourages reading among children of countries with low literacy rates and underrepresented cultures by publishing culturally relevant books that speak to their truths, and by creating bookstores and reading corners that serve their communities. Her first bookstore opened in Monrovia, Liberia in 2015. Her writing can be found in The Paris Review, Frieze Magazine, Guernica, The Atlantic Magazine and other publications. She has been featured in The Economist Magazine, NPR, NBC, BET and ABC, among others, for her work in advocacy for diversity in children’s literature. She’s a graduate of Howard University and the University of Southern California, and is currently a Margaret Mead Fellow at Columbia University Teachers College, where she’s researching the impact of culturally relevant curriculum and learning aids in elementary classrooms of underrepresented groups. Moore is an Africana Studies lecturer at City University of New York’s John Jay College and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Wayetu Moore speaks with host Eric Newman about her debut novel She Would Be King, which interweaves history with magical realism to re-tell Liberia's founding in the 19th century. The Allegorical tale revolves around three characters: an immortal woman Vai, exiled from her indigenous community; an African-American man June Dey, who possesses super-human strength; and Norman Aragon, half-white from Jamaica, with the magical power to vanish. As the three stories merge, Liberia is born. Wayetu tells Eric about her family's history in Liberia, their move to America when Wayetu was five years old during a civil war, her subsequent relationship to Liberia, and what motivated her to write its foundation myth in such a beautiful and mystical form.

Wayetu Moore speaks with host Eric Newman about her debut novel She Would Be King, which interweaves history with magical realism to re-tell Liberia's founding in the 19th century. The Allegorical tale revolves around three characters: an immortal woman Vai, exiled from her indigenous community; an African-American man June Dey, who possesses super-human strength; and Norman Aragon, half-white from Jamaica, with the magical power to vanish. As the three stories merge, Liberia is born. Wayetu tells Eric about her family's history in Liberia, their move to America when Wayetu was five years old during a civil war, her subsequent relationship to Liberia, and what motivated her to write its foundation myth in such a beautiful and mystical form.

Wayétu Moore's debut novel explores African diasporic identity through historical fiction and magical realism. In a conversation with Buzzfeed writer, Isaac Fitzgerald, Moore talks about the stories behind her new book "She Would Be King":  the history of her native Liberia and the childhood stories her family used to tell her. Moore says, "I grew up hearing stories that always included someone disappearing or shapeshifting or casting a spell...when I moved to America these things were relegated to Disney, but back home, that just wasn't the case."

Comment la religion est-elle entrée dans votre vie ? Cette question déclenche des réactions bien différentes selon les expériences de chacun. Dans ce nouvel épisode de Piment, Chris, Rhoda, Célia et leur invité : Julien du podcast The Why @lepoukwa mettent notre rapport à la religion dans la sauce. Peut-t-on reprocher à un noir d’appartenir à une religion révélée ? En quoi votre condition noire (ou autre) vous a permis de prendre du recul sur votre pratique de la religion ? Ou la religion en général ? Puis en deuxième partie, la tablée discute de la surproduction musicale et de son impact sur l’industrie et bien évidemment sur nous autres auditeurs. Vous ressentez aussi cette lassitude ? En quoi votre façon de consommer la musique aujourd’hui, diffère d’avant ? En bonus DJ set de @K-neutron Sel & Poivre : 3’26 Jésus t’aime : 27’50 T’as pas encore écouté ?! : 1’13’33 Cube Maggi : 1’44’10 Dans cette émission nous avons évoqué : Barack Obama est un homme blanc de 45 ans : La passivité de Barack Obama face à Donald Trump et ses provocations durant la campagne des mid-terms : https://bit.ly/2QhCTjj Le dossier du Monde sur les femmes noires Le Niggerfishing : https://bit.ly/2QzV0RX L’inconstitutionnalité de la loi Taubira et les actions du MIR (Mouvement International des Réparations, basé en Martinique) pour faire avancer la question de la réparation du crime contre l’humanité qu’est la traite transatlantique. - https://bit.ly/2Pi0Afa - Chinua Achebe "Tout s'effondre" (1958): https://bit.ly/2z5Gc6L Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie "Purple Hibiscus" (2003) : https://bit.ly/2OEuLYv Cube Maggi : Chris : Nouvel arrivage de T-shirt contactez Célia via emissionpiment@gmail.com Celia : Toute la bibliographie de Maryse Condé - En particulier Moi Tituba Sorcière : https://bit.ly/2zGgu8m Rhoda : "She Would Be King" de Wayétu Moore : https://bit.ly/2MGK6qH Julien : Condamnation à mort de Dylan Roof : https://bit.ly/2iCzqej Tracklist : Mike Abdul - Jesus Party M’Shell Ndegeocello - Leviticus : Faggot Kalash - Can’t Live Without You Noname - Don’t Forget About Me Drake feat. Nicki Minaj : Best I Ever Had (remix)

This week we discuss Instagram stan accounts, the beginning of the Christmas season, and joyful movement. We also chat with Bevin of Fat Kid Dance Party and Amber Karnes of Body Positive Yoga!   We are an independent production. If you’d like to support the work we do,  you can join our Patreon by visiting patreon.com/shesallfatpod.  When you pledge to be a supporter, you’ll get all sorts of goodies like our Patreon-only Facebook Group and extra content.   If you are interested in the perks available to our Patrons but you are not able to afford the monthly contribution, apply for our Patreon Scholarship! If you are a member of the Fatmily interested in becoming a sponsor, contact us here.   Need advice? Email/send voice memo to fyi@shesallfatpod.com.   Follow us! Twitter / Instagram / Get updates!   You can find us on: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher / Google Play / Pocket Cast / PlayerFM / CastBox   Want to send us some snail mail? 137 N. Larchmont Blvd #709, Los Angeles, CA, 90004   Need something else? Check out our site: shesallfatpod.com   Download an SAF Wallpaper here!   Mentioned in this episode:   I’m Obsessed: Normani Performance. Shay Mitchell on You. Paris Hilton Stan Account. More on The Terms “Latinx” and “Hispanic.” She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore.   The Meat of It: Last Season’s Exercise Episode. Bevin. Amber Karnes.   Ask a Fattie: Marco Polo App.   The links above may contain affiliate links. Using affiliate links helps us earn a percentage of any purchase you may make on that website, and those earnings will be used to improve our production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Moore is the founder of One Moore Book. One Moore Book is a nonprofit organization that encourages reading among children of countries with low literacy rates and underrepresented cultures by publishing culturally relevant books that speak to their truths, and by creating bookstores and reading corners that serve their communities. Her first bookstore opened in Monrovia, Liberia in 2015. Her writing can be found in Guernica Magazine, The Rumpus, The Atlantic Magazine and other publications.  She has been featured in The Economist Magazine, NPR, NBC, BET and ABC, among others, for her work in advocacy for diversity in children’s literature. Her novel, She Would Be King, will be released by Graywolf Press in September, 2018. Her memoir is also forthcoming with Graywolf. In the interview, Wayetu shares her story of escaping Liberia during its civil war and moving to the United States. We talk about how reading books helped her rehabilitation during this difficult time period and inspired her to start a publishing company of her own, One Moore Book, dedicating to celebrating multicultural stories that are largely missing in the larger industry. She shares with us the failures she encountered along the way and the lessons she learned from them. You can follow Wayetu on Instagram and pre-order her upcoming novel at this link. - Get your FREE copy of my e-book. Text OZAN to 345345 or navigate to weeklycontrarian.com to download a free copy of my e-book, The Contrarian Handbook: 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, you’ll get the Weekly Contrarian — a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only). Don’t want to miss future episodes? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on iTunes or Google Play. As always, thanks for listening.