Grab a cuppa and join Holly and Thea on The Creative Life Podcast as we chat to indie author JJ Larkey about all things bookish! From drafting chapters on her phone whilst juggling family life, to applying to a Call for Submissions on a whim, to landing her first book deal, JJ gives us a behind-the-scenes peek at her debut novel, Royally Half Elf. We learn a few secrets of the trade such as how she ensured each of her many characters had a unique voice (plus which of her ‘children’ is her favourite) as well as why she goes by the mysterious title of ‘The Royal Archivist’... Join us in the magical community of the Crossroads (Nashville, but not as you know it) to find out more!  Also featuring: the importance of kindness as a creative, and the enchanting Grymory Piccolo’s insistence that he was NOT the character JJ initially imagined him to be. Let’s dive into it!

JJ’s novel, Royally Half Elf, is available to order directly from Asteria Press, as well as Amazon and Kobo.  

You can follow JJ on Instagram and Threads @jjthewitchywordsmith and TikTok @thefaerielutearchives

Buy JJ a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/jjlarkeywrites

You can read more from The Royal Archivist on Substack at The Benevolently Nosey Society.

​​Holly and Thea are back with less of a bang and more of a gentle fizz… it’s the end of a busy creative year and we’re talking burnout! On this episode of The Creative Life Podcast we discuss what creative burnout looks like for us and offer a variety of helpful tips — whether you want to get straight back to creating or make the most of a full rest, we’ve got you covered! 

It’s been an absolute blast sharing our creative lives with you this year, thank you for tuning in and supporting us as we’ve grown! Here’s to more adventures in the Holly-and-Thea-verse next year!

Oh God, I do not belong on this podcast, I don’t have anything insightful to say, oh God, what am I doing here, oh help, oh… wait, is this thing on? 

On this episode of The Creative Life Podcast, we’re talking all things imposter syndrome. Have you ever had an underlying feeling that you’re not good enough? What about a moment of crisis, where everyone else in the room seems to know what they’re doing, and you feel about as welcome as a carrot in a fruit bowl? Fear not! It turns out Holly and Thea have felt that way too! They’re here to share one or two hair-curling anecdotes from times when they have faced creative imposter syndrome, as well as offering some top tips on how to move past the Big, Scary Crisis Moment. When you look at it this way, could imposter syndrome actually be your friend? Also featuring: girls being fed to wolves, novels being two-thirds finished, and the most important advice of all: give up! (Don’t really...or at least listen to the pod first) Let’s dive into it!

Holly’s creative shoutout: The Woods, new album by Ldia the Bard

Thea’s creative shoutout: Notes on the Sonnets, poetry collection by Luke Kennard

This week, Thea and Holly swap their paintbrushes and word docs for something a little more… movement-based. We’re joined by guest Dance Artist Catherine Sleeman (@inkstainedballerina on Instagram), whose creative journey takes us from a childhood fondness for pink tutus (thanks, Little Pink Ballerina) to the rich, tangled world of contemporary dance, folk traditions, and finding meaning through movement.

We chat about what it means to make art with your body, and how dance circles can be uniquely obsessed with physical technique over storytelling and meaning-making. Catherine shares her refreshingly honest thoughts on being a “professional” dancer (spoiler: it’s complicated), balancing creativity with the realities of earning a living, and rediscovering why dancing for love - not perfection - might just be the point.

Also featuring: jaw-droppingly stunning metaphors, the mysterious loss of dances that disappear the moment they end, and a deep dive into how movement can unlock language itself. Plus, a few classic best-friend tangents, as always.

Keeeeeep dancing! 

Your favourite podcast is back with a special Part 2 on that juicy old chestnut, social media for creatives. Here you can expect to find the quick and simple 5 step formula to millions of social followers… not. This is the podcast where we delve into interesting questions like - is social media replacing physical forms of art such as going to an art gallery? And why does the scroll exacerbate our need to compare ourselves to others? Also featuring: a Master Builder, Holly’s new ebook venture and of course plenty of best friend laughs and deep philosophical meanderings. So, let’s dive into it!

Holly's creative shoutout: Makeup artist, Jake Moran

Thea's creative shoutout: Lego Master Builder Alec

It’s been a minute, but Holly and Thea are back! In this episode of The Creative Life Podcast we begin our treacherous journey through the toxic wasteland that is social media – hold onto your hats and watch out for the gatekeepers! Holly and Thea share anecdotes on how they use today’s overabundance of social media sites as creatives, whilst navigating such perils as short attention spans and disobliging algorithms. Is there a silver lining amongst the fifty shades of morally grey? Join us for the first episode of our social media two-parter to find out! Also featuring: the most intelligent sentence Holly has ever spoken, Thea’s eye opening first experience of burlesque, and exciting news regarding a hotly anticipated fantasy sequel… Let’s dive into it!

Holly’s creative shoutout: Everdell board game

Thea’s creative shoutouts: Swamplesque (Shrek themed burlesque) and Mishra (Indian-Celtic folk fusion band)

Do you have a million creative pursuits and feel the pressure to ‘niche down’? In this episode, Thea and Holly dive headfirst into the gloriously chaotic world of being multi-creative. From novel-writing woes (cue dramatic violins) to mood board mania, we chat about the joys and perils of juggling All The Things. Why settle for one creative identity when you can dabble in ten, burn out in five, and start a clarinet career by Tuesday? (Looking at you, Jonathan Bailey.)

We discuss how our many creative outlets keep our artistic souls buzzing, the difference between ‘main quest’ hobbies and ‘side quest’ hobbies, and why the advice to “niche down” is sometimes just code for “creative straightjacket”. Plus, top tips for staying (semi) sane when your brain wants to do everything at once, and featuring a paper mache horse, which somehow became Very Important to the conversation and we’re not quite sure how. Let’s dive into it! 

Thea's creative shoutout: Ffern perfume

Holly's creative shoutout: As the Season Turns podcast

This week on The Creative Life Podcast Thea interviews Holly and Holly interviews Thea as they get their teeth around the question of entrepreneurship as a creative. In this episode we discuss why the word ‘entrepreneurial’ feels so scary for creatives, how to go about adding business skills to your creative toolkit, and some of the benefits and downsides of using your business head when thinking about your art—and for once, Thea and Holly find themselves on opposite sides of the fence. Is this the end of a beautiful friendship? Well, it is an unlucky episode... Let's dive into it!

Holly's creative shoutout: Nobody Wants This, romcom TV series on Netflix

Thea's creative shoutout: The Phoenician Scheme, new Wes Anderson film, now in cinemas

Jealousy, comparison, and bitterness walk into a bar… and ruin your creative confidence. In this episode, we’re talking about why you want your friend’s book deal, hate your own draft, and feel weirdly competitive with that one random acquaintance from university who is now on Richard Osman’s House of Games.

In this episode of The Creative Life Podcast we unpack the messy emotions creatives face (yes, even the successful ones), share tips on how to deal with those big old pangs in the heat of the moment, and explore why jealousy might actually be useful in leading our creative direction. 

Plus find out Thea’s terrible new tagline, discover which creatives we’re both “jealous” of at the moment, and uncover Holly’s weird opinion on comparison…

Holly’s creative shoutout: Ellie Hooi Illustration (ellie_hooi_illustration on Instagram)

Thea’s creative shoutout: The Luminaries, historical fiction book by Eleanor Catton

SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME! I bet that got your attention, just like a shiny new creative project just begging to be embarked upon. But how do you know when to say yes or no to a creative opportunity? Thea and Holly are back with another episode of The Creative Life Podcast, sharing the best times they’ve said yes, the times they’ve felt creative remorse, and how they decide between saying no or leaping out of their comfort zones.  Also featuring: our eXpEriMeNtaL pHasE, regrets at the Harrogate Flower Show, and a totally unnecessary race to the finish. May the fourth be with you!

Thea’s creative shoutout: Dracula Daily, Substack that emails you Dracula by Bram Stoker in real time

Holly’s creative shoutout: The Flatshare, book by Beth O’Leary