Bookable Space is a reading podcast that introduces readers to books we may have missed the first time around. In this episode of Bookable Space, Yvonne Battle-Felton, author of Curdle Creek, is joined by Victoria Bennett. Victoria reads to us from All My Wild Mothers.

About the book:

 Weaving together memoir and herbal folklore, All My Wild Mothers is a story of motherhood, grief, and growing. At seven months pregnant, Victoria learns that her eldest sister has died in a canoeing accident. In that moment, her life changes. Five years later, and struggling with the demands of motherhood, grief and full-time care, Victoria and her family move to a new social housing estate in rural Cumbria. Here, in the rubble of a former industrial estate, she and her young son begin to grow a wild apothecary garden: daisy, for resilience; dandelion, for strength against adversity; sow thistle, to life melancholy, and borage, to bring hope in dark and difficult times. Stone by stone, seed by see, they discover that sometimes life grows, not in spite of what is broken, but because of it."

Victoria Bennett is a disabled writer, carer and mother. Her writing has received several awards for poetry and narrative non-fiction, including the New Writing North Debut Award. Her debut memoir, All My Wild Mothers: motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden, is published by John Murray Press (2023), and won the Nautilus Award for Memoir 2024, was shortlisted for the Lakeland Book of the Year, and long listed for the inaugural Nan Shepherd Prize. She lives in Orkney. When not juggling writing, care and chronic illness, she can be found where the wild things grow, tending her apothecary garden.

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Bookable Space is a reading podcast that introduces readers to books we may have missed the first time around. In this episode of Bookable Space, Yvonne Battle-Felton, author of Curdle Creek, is joined by Sharon Tyers. Sharon reads to us from Linen and Rooks.

About the book:

Linen and Rooks is set in 1830’s Denbigh, North Wales at the time when cholera visited twice. The Bleachworks where the linen was whitened just outside the town is long gone but rooks still circle the town and in this story a white rook visits and leaves carrying a child.

About the author:

Sharon Tyers is a retired English teacher who self -published her first book, Linen and Rooks, in 2022 and is now working on a memoir of her mum’s life as a sock linker in Leicester. She gives talks on creative writing skills in libraries and galleries.

One of the bookstores where you'll find Linen and Rooks https://www.orielglasfryn.com/

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In this special holiday edition of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton turns the tables as she reads from Curdle Creek. This episode was recorded live at Autumn Book Launch 2024. Curdle Creek was published by Holt/Macmillian in the US and Dialogue Books/Hachette in the UK.

About the book Osira, a forty-five-year-old widow, is an obedient follower of the strict conventions of the remote all-Black town that’s stuck in the past and governed by ominous rituals including a one in, one out population policy. Osira has always been considered blessed, but her luck changes when her grown children run off to parts unknown, escaping Curdle Creek’s harsh traditions, she comes in second to last in the Running of the Widows, and her father flees after his name is called in the annual Moving On ceremony. They say there’s no place like home. Let’s hope they’re right. 

About the author Yvonne Battle-Felton is an author, academic, editor, podcaster, host, creative producer, and writer. Her debut, Remembered, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction (2019) and shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize (2020). Winner of a Northern Writers Award in fiction (2017), Yvonne has six titles in Penguin Random House’s Ladybird series; and writes creative nonfiction essays, short stories, and stories for children. She is Senior Commissioning Editor at John Murray Press (UK) and the academic director of creative writing at Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education. Curdle Creek is her second novel. 

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In this episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Emily Grandy. Emily reads to us from Michikusa House.

About the book

While spending a year on a small farm in rural Japan, a young woman struggling with mental illness finds meaning in learning to grow her own food and cook with the seasons. But transformation is often bittersweet, and she will be forced to choose between the familiarity of old ties and the desire for fulfillment.

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In this episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Francine Pozner Ehrenberg. Francine reads to us from America's Candidate.

About the author

Francine Pozner-Ehrenberg has been an attorney for over 30 years. She was a Supervising Deputy Attorney General who specialized in Financial and Computer Crimes. She also served as a Major in the U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General's Corp. America's Candidate is her first novel.

About America's Candidate

America’s Candidate suspensefully tells the story of Annie and her fiancé Amir who want to produce a television show competition to change the voting and political system. Viewers vote for their favorite candidate in the competition and the tv Network will fund the contest winner to run for President in the next election. This story delves deep into a world of ruthless actions, dilemma, and betrayal while mixing politics with suspense, crime, drama and morally complex characters.

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In this episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Kathy Harms. Kathy reads from Resilience in the Rubble.

About the Book

 As paramedic Kathy Harms navigates the devastation in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2005 Kashmir Earthquake as a first-time medical aid worker, she is confronted by the scale of suffering she observes in the region, and her own lack of experience in the area of humanitarian work.

In the field, she meets Nadeem Malik, a 19 year old student struggling to come to terms with personal loss and the destruction of his home and everything that was once familiar. He must now find a way to support his family, and find them suitable shelter for the cold winter months. His plight mirrors that of the 2.8 million people in the region who were displaced by the earthquake begging the question, is recovery from a disaster of this scale even possible?

“Resilience in the Rubble: A True Tale of Aid and Survival in Kashmir” weaves together the firsthand accounts of both Kathy and Nadeem. Though heartbreaking, their personal stories show the strength of the human spirit, and the resilience of a population in the face of unthinkable adversity.In this episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Kathy Harms. Kathy reads from Resilience in the Rubble.

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In this engaging episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Bryan Thomas Schmidt. Bryan reads to us from his book Shortcut.

About the book:

A mathematical genius. A formula that speeds up space travel called SHORTCUT. His loving wife. When Laura Maxx disappears after an attack that leaves Jason Maxx in the hospital, his only goal is to find her and bring her back. Then he gets a message: Laura is alive. Somewhere in space. To get her back, he’ll do whatever it takes—even taking on government agents who might try to stop him. Racing against the clock to perfect the formula and the system that relies on it and find a suitable craft to take him out there, Jason finds he needs more than math to succeed this time.

An unforgettable near future, hard science fiction thriller from the producer of Donnie Darko and A Time To Kill and the #1 bestselling author and first editor of Andy Weir’s The Martian, SHORTCUT will have you on the edge of your seat!

About the author:

Bryan, Thomas Schmidt is an 11 time #1 bestselling author and editor. As an author, his novels include the SAGA OF DAVI RHII space opera series, the JOHN SIMON THRILLERS, and SHORTCUT, which is his 7th published novel of 11 written.As an editor, he has edited or co-edited 22 anthologies, including official entries in PREDATOR, and ALIENS VS. PREDATORS, Jonathan Maberry's JOE LEDGER, and Larry Correia's MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL series. His most recent anthology is ROBOTS THROUGH THE AGES, co-edited with SFWA Grandmaster Robert Silverberg. He's also written dozens of short fiction pieces including official tie-ins to The X-Files, Predator, Aliens Vs. Predators, Joe Ledger, Monster Hunter International, and Decipher's Wars. He lives in Ottawa, KS with his two dogs, and two cats.

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We're back with Season III. In this episode of Bookable Space Dr Khadijah Z. Ali- Coleman. Kadijah read to us from her book For The Girls Who Do Too Much. In this lively discussion with novelist Yvonne Battle-Felton, Khadijah talks to us  about writing influences, impact, creativity, vulnerability, and more in this engaging and uplifting episode. 

About the writer:

Dr. Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman is a visionary cultural curator with over two decades of experience transforming spaces into vibrant centers of artistic and educational engagement. She is the founding director of Black Writers for Peace and Social Justice (BWPSJ) and is the 2023-2026 Poet Laureate of Prince George's County, Maryland.

A trailblazer in arts and education, Dr. Ali-Coleman founded the multidisciplinary arts group Liberated Muse in 2008 and co-founded the national education research group Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars, LLC (BFHES), during the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020. BFHES has provided vital support to over 3000 families, offering annual teach-ins and workshops. Dr. Ali-Coleman's impact extends beyond the stage and classroom. She has been featured in prominent media outlets such as The Washington Post, USA Today, The Guardian, and The Financial Times for her pioneering work in arts and education. Her expertise as a playwright, performer, presenter, and curator has been sought after by institutions including the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum, DC Public Library System, and The United States Peace Corps.

A recipient of numerous grants and fellowships for her writing, performance, and teaching, Dr. Ali-Coleman is an Associate Professor of English at Coppin State University. Her second poetry collection, For The Girls Who Do Too Much was released on August 2.

About the book:

For the Girls Who Do Too Much is a poignant and powerful collection of poetry that resonates with the experiences of women of all ages. This collection is an ode to the women who wear many hats, work tirelessly, love deeply, and sometimes lose themselves in the process. With unflinching honesty and tender introspection, Ali-Coleman navigates themes of loss, love, aging, work toxicity, mothering, and depression. This book follows Ali-Coleman's debut poetry collection, The Summoning of Black Joy (2023), that features poetry that went on to be showcased at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on the Millennium stage during the 2023 Black History Month presentation, "Voices of Freedom and Resistance," performed by her multidisciplinary arts group, Liberated Muse

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In this engaging episode, we are joined by Michal Spiegelman. Michal reads from Becoming Soulful Six Keys for Profound Transformation in Your Therapy, Coaching, or Healing Practice and talks to us about her writing practice, listening to our souls, and more.

About Michal:

Michal Spiegelman is the visionary behind Beacons of Change, a transformative platform dedicated to guiding women and healing professionals toward a soul-fueled life lived at full power. As the founder and creator of the Soulful Healer Method for Profound Transformation, Michal empowers a diverse community of individuals to find their authentic voice and develop a distinctive identity.

About the book:

Focusing on the six keys that unlock the best version of yourself (Empowerment, Spirituality, Authenticity, Insight, Vitality, and Embodiment), Spiegelman invites you to take a step-by-step journey to become a healer who has embraced your true power and full potential. This powerful book includes thought-provoking questions and practices to help you integrate this method into your life, as well as examples from women and healers like you. Whether you’re a seasoned therapist looking to connect more deeply with your life’s work or someone who wants to add more positivity and meaning to your life, the lessons in Becoming Soulful will light the way for your own healing.

For more information and to buy the book go to: https://amzn.to/3WPai9H

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In this engaging episode of Bookable Space, host Yvonne Battle-Felton is joined by Rosie Wilby. Rosie reads to us from The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy of Heartbreak and talks to us about writing, science of relationships, immersive research, and more.

About the author:

Rosie Wilby is an award-winning comedian, writer and podcaster who has appeared on BBC Radio 4 programmes including Woman's Hour, Saturday Live, Unsafe Space and Four Thought and TV programmes including Good Morning Britain and Sunday Morning Live. Her latest book The Breakup Monologues is based on her acclaimed podcast (a British Podcast Award nominee and recommended by Chortle, The Observer, Psychologies and more) and is published globally by Bloomsbury. You can check it out here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1472982282/

Rosie also regularly contributes to The Guardian, The Independent, Stylist, Cosmo and Perspective and has hosted programmes for Virgin Radio, BBC and Resonance FM. 

Follow her on Twitter / X @rosiewilby or on Instagram / Threads @breakupmonologues 

About the book:

In 2011, comedian and podcaster Rosie Wilby was dumped by email... though she did feel a little better about it after correcting her ex's spelling and punctuation. Obsessing about breakups ever since, she embarked on a quest to investigate, understand and conquer the psychology of heartbreak.

Many years later, this book is a love letter to her breakups, a celebration of what they have taught her peppered with anecdotes from illustrious friends and interviews with relationship therapists, scientists and sociologists about separating in the modern age of ghosting, breadcrumbing and conscious uncoupling.

Mixing humour, memoir and science, she attempts to assimilate their advice and ideas in order to not break up with Girlfriend, her partner of nearly three years. Will this self-confessed serial monogamist, and breakup addict, finally settle down?

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