The Write Way

Hannah Bent On 'When Things Are Alive They Hum'


Listen Later

Writer Hannah Bent, appeared on the program to discuss her debut novel, ‘When Things Are Alive They Hum’.
Topics discussed include:
- The ten-year writing and gestation process of the novel, balancing real-life with fiction – the difficulties and freedoms this can and did impose on Hannah.
- In a novel called ‘A gift’ by Trent Dalton – how Hannah went about passing on the gifts given her by her real-life sister, Camilla, into the book. An appreciation of life, of beauty and so much more.
- How she went about making the literary voice of the character of Harper, authentic.
- The sibling bond at the core of the story between Marlow and Harper. Its complexities. A Ying and Yang dynamic.
- Another main component – a love-story between the two down (up) syndrome characters featured. How real-life institutions have discouraged such loving relationships before and how that both informed and compelled Hannah to write such a one.
- A central theme of - respecting the wishes of a loved one, but wanting to do what (one thinks) is best for them, even if that goes against said wishes.
- How in a novel full of love, everything is traced back to love. How it endures us through a lifetime and its hardships.
- Plus, a whole bunch more!
Thanks so much to Hannah for appearing on the program, you can pick up your copy of ‘When Things Are Alive They Hum’ from Ultimo Press here:
https://www.ultimopress.com.au/
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Write WayBy Samuel Elliott