In this episode of the CMR Podcast, Esther Zitterl, a PhD researcher in Black British literature and the Windrush legacy at the University of St Andrews, speaks with novelist Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence about his 2026 novella About to Fall Apart (Faber).

Told in verse across the span of three days, the novella follows Aidy, a man of mixed Irish-Caribbean heritage living in a village on the Irish border. As he struggles to complete a short story, remain present for his children, and search for a mother he has never known, Aidy’s journey unfolds through fragments of memory, movement, and reflection.

Their conversation explores the creative possibilities of writing in verse, the role of rhythm and music in shaping narrative voice, and the emotional textures of migration, identity, and belonging. Moving between Belleek and Grenada, they reflect on the intersections between Black British literature and the landscapes of rural Ireland, tracing how place, history, and form inform both the novel and Hickson-Lovence’s wider work.

Thoughtful and wide-ranging, this episode offers insight into contemporary literary practice while opening up broader questions about heritage, storytelling, and the search for connection across borders.