Andy Cash was the winner of the Hysteria 2020 poetry competition with his poem The Poets Meeting published in the Hysteria 7 anthology. Andy writes about love, hope, human insecurities, death, our needs, mental illness and weaknesses, strengths, deep desires to be part of a fellow brethren and the lusts of life in an everyday world. He is anti-post truth and a fighter for freedom of the mind. Each poem he writes is about the truth, real people and real events.
Podcast
In conversation with Jane O’Connor, winner of the Hysteria 2020 short story competition
Jane O’Connor was the winner of the Hysteria 2020 short story competition with her story The Flower Box published in the Hysteria 7 anthology. Jane is a writer of short stories and novels, as well as a researcher and reader in Childhood Studies at Birmingham City University. Her latest novel,’The Trial of Gwen Foley‘ is out now, July 2021 and published by @Bloodhoundbook
In conversation with Gillian Scholey and Michelle Christophorou
Michelle and Gillian are two of the reader team for this year’s Hysteria Writing Competition. In this episode we discuss the finer merits of entering writing competitions, what they are looking for and their own work as award winning writers themselves.
In conversation with Ben Mears
Born in Cornwall, Ben Mears first began writing high fantasy as a hobbyist, later working on a series of early-medieval whodunits before self-publishing the young adult Tyler May series. A Sock Full of Bones is the first of his novels to be traditionally published.
In conversation with Jenny Jaeckel
Jenny Jaeckel is the author of House of Rougeaux, her debut novel, winner of an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Hisorical Fiction and was named one of Bitch Media’s 25 Must Read Books of 2018; and the forthcoming companion book Boy, Falling, to be published by Black Rose Writing in July 2021. In our time together we talked about how the art of being more real is one of Jenny’s core themes in her work and life.
In conversation with Emma K Lea
How does a dyslexic become a writer? Having inspirational teachers at school helps, as does parents who won’t allow it to become an excuse. Emma K Lea talks about her journey from ghostwriter to self-publisher, her work as a tutor for others who are also dyslexic and selling children’s books on Etsy. She reflects on the impact COVID-19 has had on her tutoring business and her love of hens.
In conversation with Wafa Tarnowska
Wafa’ Tarnowska was born in Lebanon and has lived and worked in Australia, India, Cyprus, Poland, the UK and Dubai. She is currently based in the UK dreaming of a hideaway in the land of Dante. In her work, Wafa’ strives to create a valuable bridge between East and West, helping to break down the stereotypical images people have of one another. In our conversation we talk about the shift towards the sacred feminine, corporate social responsibility, what we need versus what we want, and exploring our essential humanity.
In conversation with Lex McKee
Lex McKee and I first met at various networking meetings taking place across Dorset back in early part of the 21st century and even though I dropped out of business networking for several years his posts on LinkedIn have always intrigued, fascinated and amused me, as he’s a very funny guy – as well as being thought-provoking and challenging. We explored the metaphor of farming as sowing the seeds of self-belief, confidence, knowledge and learning. And also the co-creation of communication through our uses of language and words frame our entire existence.
In conversation with Dave Sivers
In this week’s conversation, Dave Sivers and I are chatting about all things character, backstories and senses. Dave first joined me on the Thursday Throng back 2013 with his first book in the Archer and Baines series The Scars Beneath the Soul.