“Remember to enjoy the process.”

What a treat to share this special bonus episode with you, and on the final day of Manchester Pride!. I had the joy of speaking with acclaimed author and founder of The Polari Prize, Paul Burston. 

Paul was made an Honourary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in June, and at the RSL Summer Party we crossed paths and I asked him to come on the podcast. As the saying goes, “if you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

We talk about being refreshed by the seaside, the joy of dogs, and how routines can bolster our mental health and creative work. Paul advocates for protecting your space and peace to help avoid burnout and keep kind to others. Through small acts of kindness we can nurture social cohesion and combat division. 

Also, shout out to Michelle Hodgson, Director of the Huddersfield Literature Festival. She programmes amazing work each year - including Polari, where I first met Paul. 

Please check out links to what we discussed:

Info about my work:

“Give love to the things you can’t control, and peace to the things you can.”

What a brilliant chat for the final episode of Season Two! Keisha Thompson is a multifaceted artist and creative leader, whose work includes roles with The Guardian, the Independent Theatre Council and Olympia’s Music Foundation and Contact Manchester. We chat about her love of beetroot, and the multitudes of ways that we can find inspiration -- particularly through discovery and collaboration.

Links to what we discussed are below. Hope you enjoy this episode!

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“I dream that kindness becomes as common as a handshake.”

Today’s episode is with actor and musician Josh Ranville, a Métis actor from Winnipeg, Manitoba. We discuss kindness, self-care and creativity and Josh’s recent role in ‘Rattle’ with Root Sky and Incarnate Theatre companies.

Despite kindness sometimes feeling rare in today’s world, Josh believes in radical self-care to help us be better equipped to extend kindness to others.

As a heads up, we talk through some health hurdles and we discuss the Sixties Scoop era in Canada. These issues might be tough for some folks to listen to, so please take care when listening.

Links to what we discussed are below. Hope you enjoy this episode!

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“It doesn’t take much to be kind.” 

I had a beautiful chat with Zara Sehar, a Muslim British-Pakistani Poet based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. We chat through her journey in poetry - from placing third in the Roundhouse Slam to featuring on BBC Women’s Hour. Zara shares her inspiration from her grandmothers, and the value of laughter in cultivating connections.

A quick note that we touch on bereavement in our chat, and discuss a bit about honour based violence, so please take care when listening.

Links to what we discussed are below. Hope you enjoy this episode!

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“Intention really matters.” 

I’m overjoyed to share my chat with Victoria Perrie, a Two-Spirit Métis Cree lawyer and artist based in Winnipeg. She has won awards, been recognised for her incredible legal and community work, and she makes a huge impact through a vast range of projects. We discuss her work in Nunavut, the access to justice advocacy she does via her TikTok channel "@arcticlawyer," and her creative writing projects, including a play on Louis Riel. We delve into patience, space, and intention as important parts of kindness, both personally and professionally. Tune in for a deeply insightful discussion!

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“When you’ve got no one else to talk to, paper is a good listener.”

This week I speak with the incredible writer, Mohamed Saloo. The words above make up title of one of his poems … and these words leapt out for me in our discussion. 

Among his many accolades, he is the co-founder of Batley Poets, and has published several poetry collections. In this wonderfully insightful chat, Mohamed also discusses writing process, the impact of poetry on his life, and his dreams for a kinder, more inclusive society. He advocates for the transformative power of a smile and - for all poets out there - he advises letting poems lead you!

@saloomohamed   

@batleypoets

Mohamed Saloo: https://mohamedsaloo.co.uk/ 

Batley Poets: https://batleypoets.co.uk/ 

Young Poet Laureate: https://nationalpoetrycentre.org.uk/projects/young-poet-laureate/ 

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“The world needs more Canada right now.”

This week I chat with fellow Winnipeg creative – and CBC content marketing producer – Justin Deeley. It’s a six hour time difference between Winnipeg and Manchester, so Justin had his Tim Horton’s coffee nearby for this chat! We talk about his background in theatre and comedy, and how storytelling, community, and kindness are meaningful components of his role in producing work across Canada. Justin celebrates music, food, and stories as key parts of human connection and the need for kindness in a divided world. We also touched on the political landscape in Manitoba, particularly the leadership of Wab Kinew, and the importance of Canada’s presence in the global landscape.

Justin Deeley: www.linkedin.com/in/justin-deeley-40704684/ 

The Rheostatics: https://rheostatics.ca/band.htm 

Chixdiggit: https://chixdiggit.com/ 

Theatre Projects Manitoba: https://theatreprojectsmanitoba.ca/ 

CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/ 

Lascaux caves: https://archeologie.culture.gouv.fr/lascaux/en 

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“Books have always been these magical things to me.”

This was a truly uplifting chat with author Sairish Hussain. We talk about finding inspiration in everyday life, and the huge importance of self-compassion, curiosity, solitude, and rest. We share a huge love of books and how, as Sairish says, “You have to be a reader to be a writer.”

Instagram: @sairish.hussain

Books: https://harpercollins.co.uk/blogs/authors/sairish-hussain 

Benjamin Zephaniah Poem 'Naked': https://lacuna.org.uk/equality/naked-benjamin-zephaniah-poem-text/

Benjamin Zephaniah Documentary ‘A Picture of Birmingham’:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6SJDa4KkWU 

Elizabeth Day Podcast with Benjamin Zephaniah: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nURxPg3jHaR5ZCSrhhf1v

James Baldwin and Maya Angelou interview: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut-ZQMzEkpg&t=458s

How to Write a Novel course with Sairish:

https://brontewritingcentre.uk/how-to-write-a-novel-and-get-it-published/ 

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca 

“Notice when people are being kind and they're acknowledging the importance of other creatives.”

Football somehow keeps getting mentioned! But in this chat with acclaimed poet Culain Wood, it totally works. I speak with Culain about connections, community, and variety in his creative work. We talk about bigging up other artists (see the giant list of links below!) and celebrating those who have influenced us. Plus, we hear about upcoming projects, including a book collaboration with his sister Niamh and a house EP with Manchester producer, Blem. Also, be sure to check out Rhyming Words on the second Monday of every other month at the Rat & Pigeon in Manchester. 

Culain Wood: www.instagram.com/culainwoodthepoet

Dominic Berry: https://dominicberry.net

Dave Viney: www.instagram.com/vineypoet

Kieren King: www.instagram.com/kierenjking 

Biz Bond: www.instagram.com/bizm.s

Paul Robb: www.instagram.com/paulospictures

Mike Garry: www.mikegarry.co.uk

Stephen Bundy: www.instagram.com/twistedillustration

Poets Palace:  www.instagram.com/poets_palace

Verbose: www.verbosemcr.co.uk 

Becky May: www.beckymaywriter.com 

Ilaria the Storyteller: https://ilariathestoryteller.com/ 

Blem: www.instagram.com/p/DXb5YF9ikn_ 

Which Way The Words Grow: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6hVVNrtjZI   

Eric Cantona’s speech at Together for Palestine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMaFTik59NE 

The Man Who Planted Trees: www.puppetstate.com/shows/the-man-who-planted-trees 

Nuts and Bolts: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/2025/10/31/throwback-festive-snack 

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca

“Do the thing that’s instinctive to you.”

I chat with TS Eliot Prize winning poet and author Joelle Taylor. Our discussion goes on the most brilliant tangents and tributaries about analog creativity, empathy, lesbian representation - particularly on her current tour of her stunning collection “Maryville” - and the deep, lasting value of friendships. There is some mature language in our chat, so a heads up in case there are sensitive ears nearby.

Joelle Taylor: https://joelletaylor.co.uk/ 

Maryville:  https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/maryville-9781526680495/ 

Poetry Pharmacy: https://poetrypharmacy.co.uk/ 

Slambassadors: https://slam.poetrysociety.org.uk/ 

Book Slam: https://bookslam.com/ 

“The Feed is Fake” - Vulture article by Lane Brown https://www.vulture.com/article/social-media-feeds-chaotic-good-projects-clipping.html 

Rose’s website: www.rosecondo.net 

Rose’s website artwork is by Niamh Wood: www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBadgerArts 

Have A Kind Word With Yourself podcast music was composed and recorded by Eleonora Rosca: www.instagram.com/eleonorarosca