Writers in the Dark

On episode 13 I chat to the wonderful Katie Huttlestone, debut author of A Healthy Appetite, a story about illness, hunger and the lengths we’ll go to to survive.

Katie and I talked about her own cancer story, how she combines a chronic illness with teaching and writing, some of her favourite authors, and so much more.

Let me know what you think!

Guest

Katie Huttlestone

Novel: A Healthy Appetite

Instagram: katiehauthor

Host

Malika

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Instagram: malikanwrites; writersinthedarkpod

Also mentioned

BPA Pitch Prize

Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

Claire Fuller

Sophie Mackintosh

They say you should never meet your heroes? Well, they are wrong. I had the best time chatting to romcom queen Mhairi McFarlane. I’m not a big romance reader, but I will buy whatever she writes, no questions asked.

We talk about her deep love of writing, the complex themes she explores in her writing and her excellent meme game on Instagram.

And if that wasn’t enough: Mhairi announces that two of her books are being adapted for the screen! Listen to the episode to find out which ones!

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.

xx

PS: this episodes contains spoilers for some of Mhairi's older novels, and a spoiler for my own novel (Hold on to Your Heart)

Guest

Mhairi McFarlane

Instagram: @mhairimcf

Novels

- You had me at hello

- It's not me, it's you

- Who's that girl

- After hello

- Don't you forget about me

- If I never met you

- Last Night

- Mad about you

- Between us

- You belong with me

- Cover Story

- Hopeless Romantics (out Feb 2027)

Host

Malika Nekhla

Instagram: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Guest

Rebecca Taylor McKay

Novel: The Honeymoon Suite

Insta: @rebeccataylormckay

www.rebeccataylormckay.com

Host

Malika Nekhla

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

This episode containts spoilers of David Nicholls' One Day.

Bobby Palmer is the author of Isaac & The Egg, Small Hours and the upcoming Main Characters. He's represented by Millie Hoskins at United Agents, and published by Headline Books.

Guest

Bobby Palmer

Insta: @thebobpalmer

www.bobbypalmer.co.uk

Novels:

Isaac & The Egg

Small Hours

Main Characters

Host

Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel - Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned:

David Nicholls

Kazuo Ishiguro

Yann Martel

Sally Rooney

Zoë Rankin is the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Place. She is represented by Stephanie Glencross at David Higham Associates, and published by Berkley.

Guest

Zoë Rankin

Insta: instagram.com/zoerankinwrites

Novel: The Vanishing Place

Host

Malika Nekhla

malikanwrites.substack.com

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned

David Nicholls

Charlotte McConaghy

Hayley Dunlop is the author of It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, and I'm Dreaming of a New York Christmas, publishing August 2026.

Hayley is represented by Laura Williams at Greene & Heaton, and published by Hera Books.

Guest

Hayley Dunlop

www.hayleyjdunlop.com

substack.com/hayleyjdunlop

Interview with Malika

Insta: @hayleyjdunlop

Fake Snow

video Fake Snow

Novels

• It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

• I'm Dreaming of a New York Christmas

Host

Malika Nekhla

malikanwrites.substack.com

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned

The New Yorker

Gilmore Girls

Guest: Kate Greathead

www.kategreathead.com

Novels: The Book of George, Emma & Laura

Host: Malika Nekhla

Substack: The Geriatric Millennial

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Insta: @malikanwrites, @writersinthedarkpod

Also mentioned:

Alison Espach - The Wedding People, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

The Before Trilogy

Samantha Dooey-Miles is the author of Under the Hammer. She is represented by Caro Clarke @ Portobello Literary and published by Verve Books.

Guest: Samantha Dooey-Miles

insta: @samanthadooeymiles

www.samanthadooeymiles.com

Novel: Under the Hammer

Host: Malika Nekhla

insta: @malikanwrites, @writersinthedarkpod

Patreon: patreon.com/writersinthedarkpodcast

malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned:

Jamie Dornan

Bella Mackie - How to Kill Your Family

Guest: Simi Sidhu

Insta: @simisidhu_writes

Substack: simisidhuwrites.substack.com

Represented by Louise Buckley @ HS Literary Agency

Host: Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Substack: malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart