This week's episode is something a little different, because as well as YA author Susan (S.J.) Baker, I'm also joined by six of her students – Betsy, Imogen, Madi, Lily, Bella and Zofia. We discuss how they're contributing to Susan's novels through editorial feedback, the lack of opportunities for young Northern writers and why they feel the school curriculum is stunting their creative output.

Find out more:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/calm-s-j-baker/7690812?ean=9781911107934

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/sjbakerauthor.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/author_s.j.baker

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In a special Tuesday episode this week, Executive Publisher at Canelo Books, Louise Cullen, joins me to discuss publishing, bias, diversity and the North. We chat about the changes in the publishing industry in recent years, her path to her current role, and unpack some of the details in my Publishing Research Quarterly article, 'Publishing the North: Bias, Diversity and the North–South Divide in the UK Book Industry'.

Find out more:

https://www.canelo.co/books/

https://www.canelo.co/the-team/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12109-025-10035-7

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/canelobooks.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/_louise_canelo

https://www.instagram.com/canelo_co

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In Episode 91, writer Robert Welbourn joins us to discuss his latest novel, Great Romances of the 20th Century. We also delve into gender inequity in writing, understanding the world through literature and how social media is destroying our happiness.

Find out more:

https://srlpublishing.co.uk/product/great-romances

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/robertwelbourn.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/srlpublishing.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/robert_welbourn

https://www.instagram.com/srlpublishing

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In this week's episode, novelist and educator Ken Powell joins us to talk about his writing process, the similarities between theatre and publishing and why online networking is the way to go for aspiring writers.

Find out more:

https://linktr.ee/kendkpowell

https://www.amazon.com.au/Pukur-D-K-POWELL/dp/1592111440

https://histriabooks.com/

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In Episode 89, writer, poet and access worker Quinn Clark joins us to talk about their book 365 Days of Healing. We also delve into the vibrant Newcastle writing scene, the lack of information available about publishing and why their work in progress has more tentacles than your average novel.

Find out more:

https://quinnclark.co.uk

https://www.waterstones.com/book/365-days-of-healing/quinn-clark/9781837993734

https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/kat-brown/no-one-talks-about-this-stuff/9781408783566/

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/adashofseaglass.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/summersdalebooks.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/adashofseaglass/

https://www.instagram.com/summersdalebooks

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In Episode 88, HarperNorth author Naomi Kelsey comes on to talk about her novels The Darkening Globe and The Burnings. We also chat about the importance of creative writing in schools, giving female characters more agency in gothic fiction and leading by example when it comes to getting young people into publishing careers.

Find out more:

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/cr-164976/naomi-kelsey/

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008534813/the-darkening-globe/

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-darkening-globe-naomi-kelsey/7778520?ean=9780008534806

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-burnings-naomi-kelsey/7442845?ean=9780008534790

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/naomikelsey.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/naomikelseybooks

https://www.instagram.com/harpernorthuk

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In this episode, historical thriller writer Nicholas Graham discusses his novel The Judas Case. We also delve into writing authentic historical fiction, biases against partnership publishing and the limitations of a celebrity-obsessed publishing industry.

Find out more:

https://bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/historical/the-judas-case

https://nicholasgraham.net

https://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/showcase/nicholas-graham/

X:

https://x.com/ThatNickGraham

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thebookguildpublishing

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In Episode 86, novelist Jack Byrne discusses his latest title Burning Down the House which has just been released. We also delve into class and community, Ireland and Liverpool, and how he became the first author to be published by Northodox Press.

Find out more:

https://www.northodox.co.uk/product-page/burning-down-the-house-paperback

https://jackbyrnewriter.com/aboutme/

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/northodoxpress.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/liverpool-lit.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jack.byrne.writer

https://www.instagram.com/northodoxpressofficial

https://www.instagram.com/liverpool_literary_agency

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

This week Professor of Creative Writing at York St John University Abi Curtis joins us to talk about her new novel, The Headland. We dip into everything from writing the other and speculative fiction, to becoming a professor and the joy of helping other develop their writing.

Find out more:

https://www.gold.ac.uk/goldsmiths-press/publications/the-headland/

https://abicurtis.com/

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/abicurtiswriter.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/goldsmithspress.bsky.social

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/abicurtisbooks

https://www.instagram.com/goldsmithspress

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.

In Episode 84 we highlight emerging writer Sharon Tyers as she talks about writing her memoir, The Wrong Socks. As well as her published novel, Linen & Rooks, we delve into the difficulties of writing real life, the history of Leicester and giving voice to working-class women.

Find out more:

https://sharontyers.wordpress.com/

https://substack.com/@toobusyworld

https://www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/9781838248734/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sharontyerswrites

Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass Band by David Dye. Used with kind permission of the publisher, arranger and performers.