Confessions of a Book Collector

From London trader to bestselling author, Chris Whitaker shares the dramatic twists and turns of his life and how a violent experience led him to embrace writing. Chris, the acclaimed author of novels like Tall Oaks and We Begin At The End, discusses his unique creative process and his highly anticipated upcoming book, All The Colours Of The Dark.

David interviews bestselling author Joanne Harris, discussing her highly anticipated novel, The Moonlight Market.

Joanne, who has penned over 19 novels and is known for huge literary hits such as Chocolat, which was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film, gives us a glimpse into her early life as an author, sharing the inspiration behind some of her most complex characters and writing. 

She also reflects on her journey from teacher to published novelist. This episode is not one to miss - listen now.

In the final episode of our Pride Month series, David talks to former BBC journalist and award-winning author AJ West, who shares an open and heartfelt account of his journey to becoming a published novelist. Go behind the scenes of his critically acclaimed debut and uncover the inspiration behind his latest eagerly awaited release, The Betrayal of Thomas True. This episode promises laughter, deep insights, and truly touching moments.

David interviews Dr Layla McCay, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation, psychiatrist, and author of the recent non fiction hit 'Breaking The Rainbow Ceiling'. Layla shares the challenges facing LGBTQ+ professionals as they navigate their careers and we explore some of her most treasured reads. This is the third episode in our Pride Month series.

Join us in our Pride Month series as David sits down with Stefan, one half of the dynamic duo behind the celebrated travel blog, The Nomadic Boys. Since quitting their jobs and leaving behind their London lives in 2014, Stefan and his partner Sebastien have been on a global journey, sharing their adventures and invaluable insights through their popular blog.

In this episode, Stefan discusses their upcoming debut book, "The Gay Guide to Travelling with Pride: Out In The World." Discover the inspiration behind the book and listen to Stefan's stories about navigating travel in countries where being gay is still taboo or even illegal. 

Join us as we launch our Pride Month series with an insightful interview featuring the brilliant Abi Fellows. Recently shortlisted for Agent of the Year at the Bookseller Awards, Abi is dedicated to championing minority voices in the publishing world. Tune in to hear her inspiring journey and invaluable insights into the industry.

Ahead of her appearance at the Capital Crime Festival, David sits down with acclaimed author Kellye Garrett, a US-based expert in crafting compulsive thriller page-turners. Tune in to discover the book that sparked her passion for thriller fiction at the tender age of five, explore her favourite thriller reads, and hear her insightful views on diversity within the genre.

In this interview, David speaks to one of the most important people in books in the UK, the incredible Amanda Ross. 

Amanda is the co-founder of Cactus TV,  and is behind major book-based campaigns such as Richard & Judy’s Book Club, and the televising of The Galaxy National Book Awards and the Crime Thriller Awards.

Amanda has a true passion for books, and has helped to start the career of so many brilliant authors, it was a joy to have her on the show to discuss her experience.

Sam Burr is no stranger to creating a good story. He’s produced some of TV’s most memorable documentaries, such as the BAFTA nominated The Secret Life Of 4 Year Olds. In this delightful interview, we explore Sam’s foray into fiction writing, discovering where the inspiration for his very clever debut novel, The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers, originated, and of course, we dive into his love of reading and his most treasured books.

We speak to dynamic duo Chris and Jen Sugden, authors of the recent Sunday Times bestselling book, High Voltage, and masterminds behind the critically acclaimed audio drama podcast, Victoriocity.

The duo explain what it takes to create a bestselling book and successful drama podcast, how to create gripping characters and stories that resonate, and share their top underrated authors.