A Pair of Bookends

On today's episode Hannah was joined by author & journalist Marina Gerner to discuss her groundbreaking book The Vagina Business. They delve into the innovative breakthroughs happening in women's health, the lengthy research process for this book, period apps & much more! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the pod and means the world. For extra exclusive content you can find us over on Patreon.
For more from Marina you can follow her Substack, via LinkedIn,her website & Instagram
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Books & other mentions on this episode: 
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
The Vagina Business (UK)
The Vagina Business (US)
The Vagina Business (German Edition)
The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
https://www.wired.com/story/vagina-pitches-vcs-sexism/

Thanks so much for listening, until next time- happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by author Louise Swanson (Beech) to discuss her latest book Lights Out. They discuss Northern representation, the unsung heroes of the NHS, advice for writers facing lots of rejections, complicated families & lots more! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the pod! For less than £3 a month you can access extra exclusive content via our Patreon. 
You can follow Louise & her work via her blog/website, Instagram, & Twitter/X
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books mentioned in this episode: 
Beautiful People by Amanda Jennings
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Eighteen Seconds by Louise Beech
Call Me Star Girl by Louise Beech
How To Be Brave by Louise Beech

Thanks so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading!

On today's Bonus Books episode Hannah is joined by the brilliant poet, novelist & academic C.J. Cooke to discuss her latest book The Book of Witching. They dive into the historic Witch Trial of Allison Balfour, chat about writing for different timelines and the evolution of language and loads more, if you enjoy please do rate, review & subscribe so we can reach more of you! 
To follow Carolyn & her work you can find her via https://carolynjesscooke.com/, Instagram & Facebook 
For exclusive content from us & a recent episode on Intermezzo you can find us over on Patreon
You can also follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books mentioned in this episode: 
Meet Me at the Surface by Jodie Matthews
The Nesting by C.J. Cooke
Audible: Starling House by Alix E.Harrow
Audible: Normal Women by Philippa Gregory
Audible: Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife by Hetta Howes

Thanks so much for listening, until next time- happy reading! x

For our November Book Club episode Hannah was joined by the one & only Eliza Clark to discuss her new short story collection She's Always Hungry. They discuss Body horror, her writing influences, weird takeaway mishaps & more, if you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the pod and means the world! You can also find us over on Patreon. 
You can find Eliza over on Instagram and Twitter/X
You can find us on Instagram, Twitter/X& Tik Tok
For all books mentioned in this episode click here

Recs for writers: 
https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/
https://mslexia.co.uk/
https://newwritingnorth.com/

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
Boy Parts (Play) adapted by Gillian Greer
Penance by Eliza Clark
The Time of The Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
George Saunders
Edgar Allen Poe
Shirley Jackson
Killing for Company by Brian Masters
Guinea Pig 5: Mermaid in the Manhole
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0gd295l/interview-with-the-vampire

Thanks so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading!

For our October Book Club episode Hannah was joined by author Marieke Bigg to discuss her latest novel A Scarab Where the Heart Should Be. They discuss Marieke's career so far and how she always knew she wanted to write fiction, they also talk about cancel culture, complex female characters, book recs and lots more. 
For more of Marieke's work you can find her website here. You can follow her on Instagram & Twitter/X

If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe and for more exclusive content you can find us over on Patreon.
You can also follow us via Instagram, Twitter/x & Tik Tok

Books mentioned in this episode: 
Waiting for Ted by Marieke Bigg
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Gestalt Therapy

Thank you so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading!

It's the FINALE of Season 4 in our Debut Spotlight series and going out with a bang, Hannah was joined by BAFTA nominated screenwriter Moira Buffini to chat about her debut novel, the first in the YA 'Songlight' trilogy. They discuss the differences in writing for screen, stage and the page, why The Chrysalids by John Wyndham stayed with her, why YA books are for everyone and loads more. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, tell a bookish pal etc, it all helps in reaching more of you! You can follow us via Instagram, X/Twitter & Tik Tok
You can buy 'Songlight' here.

Books & other recs mentioned in this episode: 
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne
wonder.land by Moira Buffini (play)
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham
The Outrun (in cinemas right now)

Thanks so much for listening, if you want to get in touch you can contact us via [email protected] or for more content find us on Patreon!

On today's episode Hannah was joined by the author Laura Kay to chat about her latest novel 'Making It' (spoiler free!) They discuss everything from chinchillas to writing sex scenes to the power of creating art, this chat also contains discussion around depression and anxiety so please bear that in mind before listening. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the pod and means the world! For more exclusive content you can support us here: https://www.patreon.com/APairofBookends and you can follow us via Twitter/X, Instagram  & Tik Tok

You can buy Making It here. You can also support Laura via subscribing to her on https://lauraekay.substack.com/
You can also follow her and her work via https://www.laurakayauthor.co.uk/, or on Instagram & Twitter/X

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna
Marian Keyes
David Nicholls
Sarah Waters
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Bethany Rutter
Slow Horses (Apple TV)

For all books mentioned in all our epiodes head here!
Thanks so much for listening, until next time- happy reading!

For today's Bonus episode Hannah is in conversation with Kate Mosse, Novelist and Founder Director of our favourite literary prize, Women's Prize for Fiction and Non-Fiction. We discuss the fourth and final instalment in The Joubert Family Chronicles 'The Map of Bones', her research process and what she has taken from this epic twelve-year-long project. They also discuss her Women's Prize highlights, what screenwriter we could all learn from, why graveyards are a place of inspiration and loads more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the podcast and means the world. 
The Map of Bones by Kate Mosse is published tomorrow by Mantle (Pan Macmillan) and is available as a hardback, ebook and audio recording. Kate’s live one-woman stage show, Labyrinth, will be on tour in 2025. Dates and info can be found here: www.labyrinthlive2025.com
You can follow Kate via Instagram, Facebook & Threads or visit her website: https://www.katemosse.co.uk/
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter & Tik Tok

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Women's Prize
Moederland: Nine Daughters of South Africa by Cato Pedder
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
The Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse
Hercule Poirot
Miss Marple
Madame Bovary
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Grey's Anatomy
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Thanks so much for listening, until next time-happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by author & content creator Lucy Jane Wood, to discuss her new novel Rewitched.
They discuss the positive side of being online & how it led to Lucy's unconventional publishing journey, magic, nostalgia and female friendship. You can subscribe to Lucy on Youtube here.
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe. You can follow Lucy via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok
You can also follow us via Instagram, Twitter & Tik Tok
For extra exclusive content, subscribe to our Patreon

Books mentioned in this episode: 
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
  
You can buy the books mentioned in this episode and in our back catalogue via our bookshop.org page

Thanks so much for listening, until next time- happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by James Roseman, to chat about his debut novel Placeholders. They discuss his unusual tale of being discovered as a writer, the writers that have inspired him, writing about Israel & Palestine, mental health and more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a free way to support the pod & means the world.
You can follow James via X/Twitter and Instagram
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok

Books & authors mentioned in this episode: 
Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
One Day by David Nicholls
The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen
Ben Lerner
Raymond Carver
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Great House by Nicole Krauss
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright
Falling Animals by Sheila Armstrong
The Coast Road by Alan Murrin
I'd Like to Say Sorry, but There's No One to Say Sorry To: Stories by Mikoaj Grynberg

For the full list of books mentioned in this episode or any of our episodes, head here.Thanks so much for listening, until next time- happy reading!