From the archives, Robert Kirkwood speaks to Eleanor Catton, just before she wins the Booker Prize in 2013

From the archives, Robert Kirkwood speaks to Booker Prize winning author Hilary Mantel.

From the archives, Robert Kirkwood talks to Julian Barnes about 'The Sense of an Ending' before it won the Booker in 2011

This week we're exploring the life, legacy and literature of one of the countries best loved authors – Catherine Cookson.

We explore her extraordinary life with her biographer, Kathleen Jones.

Discover some of the artefacts at the South Shields museum dedicated to preserving her memory.

Narrator Elizabeth Proud reminisces about recording Cookson’s novels for the RNIB Talking Books Library.

And we immerse ourselves in the harsh realities of the ‘The 15 Streets’.

It's Catherine Cookson Week on RNIB Connect Radio and all week we're celebrating one of the UKs best loved authors and thanking the Catherine Cookson Charitable trust for their continued support of RNIB and the Talking Books service.

Today playwright Tom Kelly chats about the musical Tom and Catherine, which charts Catherine Cookson and her husband's 50 year marriage.

This week we’ll be using our little grey cells to investigate some new developments in classic crime...

Sophie Hannah tells us why Hercule Poirot is working with a new partner, and her publisher talks about how the collaboration came about.

Lynn Shepherd discusses adding crime scenes to stories inspired by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.  

And Red finds the book in The Library that made me want to be a crime writer.

Join the conversation by emailing [email protected]

This week we’re going transatlantic with some great contemporary tales from America.

Tessa Fontaine tells us about running away to join the circus, in her memoir ‘The Electric Woman’.

Paul Birchard recounts the remarkable story of ‘The Boy Who Played With Fusion’.

And Deborah Harkness talks about transforming ‘A Discovery of Witches’ from best-selling books to primetime TV.

Join the conversation on [email protected]

Today we’re raising the stakes and opening some books on betting.

Debut author Martin Nathan discusses writing and playing poker with blind friends.

Biographer Anthony Holden delves into the history of poker and its importance in his life.

Victoria Coren-Mitchell shares her confessions of a poker player and what it’s like to win a million.

And racehorse owner Alan Pickering discusses a life spent with sight loss and pensions.