The Brit Lit Podcast

Our guest on episode 78 is poet Blake Auden, who has almost 300,000 Instagram followers and is known for speaking openly about mental health. He also has four collections of poems out in the world, and the most recent is Murmuration, which came out in October. He and I talked about what therapy and writing have in common, how he approaches social media so that it helps rather than hinders his mental health, and lots more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned in this episode: Murmuration, by Blake Auden On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong Weather, by Jenny Offill Dept of Speculation, by Jenny Offill Girl, Unstrung, by Claire Handscombe This Time Next Year, by Sophie Cousens Just Haven't Met You Yet, by Sophie Cousens The Twelve Dates of Christmas, by Jenny Bayliss The Winter of Second Chances (UK)/The Season of Second Chances (US), by Jenny Bayliss On a Night Like This, by Lindsey Kelk Gifts, by Laura Barnett Black British Lives Matter, ed. Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** Register for Claire's online book launch for Girl, Unstrung on 5th December here. In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Help fund the podcast through this PayPal link! Buy Claire’s novels, Unscripted and Girl, Unstrung. Sign up for Claire’s mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Blake Auden Website / Instagram Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

My guest in this special bonus episode is Robinne Lee, the author of my favourite read of 2021, The Idea Of You. She's not British, but I loved this book so much that I wanted to bring you this interview anyway! Robinne and I talked about her origin story as a fanfic writer, why she chose to make her main character French, why love stories that don’t end happily can have such a big impact on us both in fiction and in real life, and a whole lot more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned in this episode: The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee Bringing Up Bébé (US)/French Children Don't Throw Food (UK), by Pamela Druckerman Bonjour Tristesse, by Françoise Sagan (French version) Bonjour Tristesse, by Françoise Sagan (in English) My Oxford Year, by Julia Whelan Girl, Unstrung, by Claire Handscombe Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Help fund the podcast through this PayPal link! Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Pre-order Claire’s YA novel, Girl, Unstrung. Sign up for Claire’s mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Robinne Lee Website / Instagram / Twitter Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

I’m so excited to bring you an interview with none other than Sophie Kinsella, who’s known to many as the queen of British chick lit and the author of the mega-bestselling Shopaholic series. We talked about her new book The Party Crasher, how being a musician and being a writer are interconnected, what it’s been like to be a comedy writer over the last year and a half, what her favourite biscuit is, and a whole lot more! ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned in this episode: The Party Crasher, by Sophie Kinsella Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella The Tennis Party, by Madeline Wickham An Island Wedding, by Jenny Colgan The Beloved Girls, by Harriet Evans Sorrow and Bliss, by Meg Mason Transcendent Kingdom, by Yaa Gyasi Murmuration, by Blake Auden The Christmas Bookshop, by Jenny Colgan Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe Girl, Unstrung, by Claire Handscombe ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Help fund the podcast through this PayPal link! Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Pre-order Claire’s YA novel, Girl, Unstrung. Sign up for Claire’s mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Sophie Kinsella Website / Instagram / Twitter Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

This month’s guest is Kirsty Capes, author of the novel Careless. We talked about why she wanted to write about female friendship, what it was like to study with Bernadine Evaristo, why it's especially important for kids in the foster care system to see themselves reflected in books, and a whole lot more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned in this episode: Careless, by Kirsty Capes The Tracey Beaker series, by Jacqueline Wilson No One Is Talking About This, by Patricia Lockwood All the Fun of the Fair, by Caroline Hulse The Adults, by Caroline Hulse Complicit, by Winnie M Li Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke The Bookshop of Second Chances, by Jackie Fraser The Hidden Child, by Louise Fein Endgame, by Malorie Blackman The Literary Almanac, by Francesca Beauman Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe Girl, Unstrung, by Claire Handscombe ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Help fund the podcast through this PayPal link! Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Pre-order Claire’s YA novel, Girl, Unstrung. Sign up for Claire’s mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Kirsty Capes Instagram / Twitter Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

This month’s guest is Mary Pauline Lowry, who wrote The Roxy Letters. Mary is married to a Brit, and she had lots of fascinating insights about the cultural differences between the countries, and I loved talking to her back about Bridget Jones and Jane Austen too. The Roxy Letters was one of my favourite reads of 2020. It was really fun and just what I needed. It’s out now in paperback. Mary and I talked about why we love epistolary novels, took a bit of an accidental deep dive into books about Hollywood, chatted about the difference between British humour and American humour, and lots more! ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: The Roxy Letters, by Mary Pauline Lowry Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding Where D'you Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple Dear Committee Members, by Julie Schumacher A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy O'Toole The Color Purple, by Alice Walker Emma, by Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen Persuasion, by Jane Austen The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler Eligible, by Curtis Sittenfeld Men Are From Mars, Woman Are From Venus, by John Gray Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe Girl, Unstrung, by Claire Handscombe Damnation Spring, by Ash Davidson Grown Ups, by Emma Jane Unsworth Breast and Eggs, by Mieko Kawakami, transl. Sam Bett and David Boyd He Will Be Mine, by Kristy Greenwood The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee Mona at Sea, by Elizabeth Gonzalez James Rosaline Palmer Take the Cake, by Alexis Hall Boyfriend Material, by Alexis Hall Perfect Timing, by Owen Nicholls Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins A Slow Fire Burning (signed edition!), by Paula Hawkins They: What Muslims and Non-Muslims Get Wrong About Each Other, by Sarfraz Manzoo ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Pre-order Claire's YA novel, Girl, Unstrung. Sign up for Claire's mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Mary Pauline Lowry Instagram / Twitter / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

Our guest on episode 74 of the Brit Lit Podcast, is Lizzy Dent, who wrote The Summer Job, and who’s also a YA author -- as Rebecca Denton, she wrote This Beats Perfect, among other books. She and I talked about her favourite food writing, what it’s like to have a novel come out during a pandemic, why we love the book Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books available in the UK from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books available in the US from Bookshop US here ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. The Brit Lit Podct has recently been named as one of the top 10 British literature podcasts! Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Lizzy Dent Instagram / Twitter / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

Our guest on episode 73 of the Brit Lit Podcast is Danielle Wood who, as Minnie Darke, wrote one of Claire's very favourite books of recent years, called Star Crossed. Among other things, she discussed what makes One Day by David Nicholls such an amazing novel, and gave some recommendations for books by Tasmanian authors. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books available in the UK from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books available in the US from Bookshop US here ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel / TikTok

Our guest today is Sareeta Domingo, who’s the author of both adult and young adult fiction, and most recently the editor of the collection called Who's Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour. She talks about romantic reads she loves, the process of putting together an anthology, why books by British authors of colour are important, and more. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books available in the US from Bookshop US here ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Sareeta Domingo Twitter/ Instagram

Today, we hear from Naoise Dolan, who’s an Irish author and the writer of the Women’s Prize longlisted novel Exciting Times. She and I talked about cultural and literary differences between the UK, the US, and Ireland, what we both think about the idea of “likeable” characters, some great Irish authors, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books available in the US from Bookshop US here Exciting Times, by Naoise Dolan Grown Ups, by Marian Keyes Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling, by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen A Room Called Earth, by Madeline Ryan Aftershocks, by Nadia Owusu A Lonely Girl Is a Dangerous Thing, by Jessie Yu The Road Trip, by Beth O'Leary I Belong Here, by Anita Sethi The Adventure of Miss Barbara Pym, by Paul Byrne Last Night, by Mhairi McFarlane A Trip of One's Own, by Kate Wills The End of Men, by Christina Sweeney-Baird The Wife Who Got a Life, by Tracy Bloom Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Naoise Dolan Twitter/ Instagram

Happy Independent Bookstore Day! I work part-time in a lovely bookshop on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, and in this bonus episode, I interview my boss, Laurie Gillman, who founded the shop five years ago, to talk about what goes into starting and running a bookshop. Laurie and I talked about what makes East City Bookshop special, some fun stories she has of hanging out with a few British authors, the challenges of the last year, her advice for anyone wanting to start a bookshop, and a whole lot more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books available in the UK from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books from Bookshop US here Tin Man, by Sarah Winman (US / UK & Worldwide) How to Stop Time, by Matt Haig (US / UK & Worldwide) Little, by Edward Carey (US / UK & Worldwide) A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, by Hanif Abdurraqib (US / UK & Worldwide) Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau (US / UK & Worldwide) Creatures of Passage, by Morowa Yejidé (US / UK & Worldwide) Revival Season, by Monica West (US / UK & Worldwide) The Other Black Girl, by Zakiya Dalila Harris (US / UK & Worldwide) Once There Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConaghy (US / UK & Worldwide) Migrations, by Charlotte McConaghy (US / UK & Worldwide) Children Under Fire: An American Crisis, by John Woodrow Cox (US) A Place Like Mississippi: A Journey Through a Real and Imagined Literary Landscape, by W Ralph Eubanks (US / UK & Worldwide) Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe (US / UK & Worldwide) ***** Buy your books from East City Bookshop here! In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel East City Bookshop Twitter/ Instagram / Website

Our guest on episode 70 is Sophie Cousens, the author of the romantic novel This Time Next Year. She and I talked working in TV taught her about storytelling, what she misses about London, the special island where she lives now, her next book, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Buy all the books from Bookshop UK here Buy all the books available in the US from Bookshop US here This Time Next Year, by Sophie Cousens Just Haven't Met You Yet, by Sophie Cousens The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab Writers and Lovers, by Lily King The Summer Job, by Lizzy Dent Uncoupled / The Paris Connection, by Lorraine Brown The Mismatch, by Sara Jafari Beach Read, by Emily Henry The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett He Will Be Mine, by Kristy Greenwood Common Ground, by Naomi Ishiguro Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro Who's Loving You, by Sareeta Domingo The Littlest Library, by Poppy Alexander Act Your Age, Eve Brown, by Talia Hibbert Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Sophie Cousens Twitter/ Instagram / Website

Our guest today is Lorraine Brown, whose debut novel Uncoupling came out a couple of weeks ago in the UK, and will be out in the US as The Paris Connection this summer. It’s a delightful love story which made for a great start to my reading year. Lorraine spoke to me just before her novel was published, and we had a meandering chat about all kinds of things from our love of trains, our experiences of LA, why authors should stay away from their Goodreads reviews, and more. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: (All available in the UK here and most available in the US here) Uncoupling/The Paris Connection, by Lorraine Brown The Note, by Zoe Folbigg Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe The Chalet, by Catherine Cooper The Hunting Party, by Lucy Foley The Guest List, by Lucy Foley The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett Girl A, by Abigail Dean The Submission, by Amy Waldman Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling, by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen The Crow Folk, by Mark Stay The Divines, by Ellie Eaton Insatiable, by Daisy Buchanan Raceless, by Georgina Lawton ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Lorraine Brown Twitter/ Instagram / Website

Our guest today is Cherie Jones, whose Barbados-set novel How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House is hot off the press and has won praise from all quarters. Cosmopolitan calls it “visceral and haunting” and Bernadine Evaristo says that it’s “a hard-hitting and unflinching novel from a bold new writer who tackles head-on the brutal extremes of patriarchal abuse”. Cherie and I talked about what it’s like to study writing far from home, where to start if you want to read short stories, what it’s like to live in Barbados, and more. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: (All available in the UK here and most available in the US here) How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, by Cherie Jones UK / US / Worldwide In Praise of Love and Children, by Beryl Gilroy UK / US / Worldwide The Girl with the Louding Voice, by Abi Daré UK / US / Worldwide Augustown, by Kai Miller UK / US / Worldwide The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead UK / US / Worldwide Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, by Leanne Shapton UK / US / Worldwide Ms Hempel Chronicles, by Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum UK / US / Worldwide Summer Lightning & Other Stories, by Olive Senior UK / US / Worldwide Miguel Street, by V. S. Naipaul UK / US / Worldwide People Like Her, by Ellery Lloyd UK / US / Worldwide Rescue Me, by Sarra Manning UK / US / Worldwide The Lonely Fajita, by Abigail Mann UK / US / Worldwide Alexa, What Is There to Know About Love, by Brian Bilston UK / US / Worldwide (signed!) Little Scratch, by Rebecca Watson UK / US / Worldwide The Humiliations of Welton Blake, by Alex Wheatle UK / US / Worldwide Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe UK / US / Worldwide ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Cherie Jones Twitter/ Instagram / Website

Our guest today is bestselling novelist Milly Johnson, who’s the author of many books of romantic fiction, most recently I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. Milly has had a fascinating career, including as a greetings card joke writer, and I hope you’ll enjoy learning about that as much as I did! She talks to us about Christmas themed-book recommendations, why her latest book is her favourite of hers, her time ghost writing for Purple Ronnie, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: (All availalble in the UK here) I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, by Milly Johnson UK / US / Worldwide Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe UK / US / Worldwide The Yorkshire Pudding Club, by Milly Johnson UK / US / Worldwide The Birds and the Bees, by Milly Johnson UK / US / Worldwide The Queen of Wishful Thinking, by Milly Johnson UK / US / Worldwide For My Best Friend Forever, by Purple Ronnie UK / US / Worldwide Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper, by Debbie Johnson UK / US / Worldwide The World at My Feet, by Catherine Isaac UK / US / Worldwide Christmas For Beginners, by Carole Matthews UK / US / Worldwide Let's Meet on Platform 8, by Carole Matthews UK / US / Worldwide I Heart Christmas, by Lindsey Kelk UK / US / Worldwide Seven Days of Us, by Francesca Hornak UK / US / Worldwide The Adults, by Caroline Hulse UK / US / Worldwide The Little Library Christmas, by Kate Young UK / US / Worldwide Seven Kinds of People You Meet in Bookshops, by Shaun Blythell UK / US / Worldwide The Flip Side, by James Bailey UK / US / Worldwide Black History Walks, by Tony Warner UK / US / Worldwide Erin's Diary, by Lisa McGee UK / US / Worldwide ***** Find gift ideas for bookworms here in the UK, here in the US, and more here. Buy a Libro.fm audiobook gift subscription and support the podcast here. Lots of Christmas themed books collected for your reading pleasure here! In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Milly Johnson Twitter/ Instagram / Website / Newsletter

Our guest on episode 66 is Lucy Farfort, who’s the illustrator of the gorgeous new picture book Afraid of the Dark, written by Isabel Otter and Sarah Shaffi. It’s a lovely book about moving house, new beginnings, friendship and finding ways to cope with fear. Lucy and I talked about the process of illustrating books, advice for anyone who’d like to get into the field, the importance of diversity in publishing, and more. You can see Lucy Farfort talking about and showing us her book here. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Afraid of the Dark, by Isabel Otter, Sarah Shaffi, and Lucy Farfort UK / US / Worldwide Islandborn, by Junot Diaz and Leo Espinosa UK / US / Worldwide Billy and the Beast, by Nadia Shireen UK / US / Worldwide The Bear and the Piano, by David Litchfield UK / US / Worldwide Holes, by Louis Sachar UK / US / Worldwide When Life Gives You Mangos, by Kereen Getten UK / US /Wordwide Failosophy, by Elizabeth Day UK / US / Worldwide Ghosts, by Dolly Alderton UK / US / Worldwide The Little Library Year, by Kate Young UK / US / Worldwide The Little Library Christmas, by Kate Young UK / US / Worldwide Freshers, by Lucy Ivison and Tom Ellen UK / US / Worldwide All About Us, by Tom Ellen UK / US / Worldwide I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, by Milly Johnson UK / US / Worldwide Mantel Pieces, by Hilary Mantel UK / US / Worldwide A Song for the Dark Times, by Ian Rankin UK / US / Worldwide Symona's Still Single, by Lisa Bent UK / US / Worldwide Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams UK / US / Worldwide Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe UK / US / Worldwide ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted, here in the UK, here in the US, and here worldwide. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Lucy Farfort Twitter/ Instagram / Website

Our guest on episode 65 is Annie Lyons, who, among other books, is the author of the lovely, heart-warming novel Eudora Honeysett Is Quite Well, Thank You, known in the US as The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett. It’s about an older woman who grew up in the Second World War and is now at the end of her life, and kind of over the whole thing, and ready to be done. But then a new family moves in next door, and she makes a new friend. I read it this spring, when reading had been a struggle for weeks –it was just the book I needed. Among other things, Annie talked to me about her recent favourite reads, her love of Mary Berry, and about her fascinating career in publishing – she worked as a bookseller on Charing Cross Road for a while, and I guarantee you will never be able to guess who her most famous customer was. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeysett The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, by Ruth Hogan Bridget Jones’s Diary, by Helen Fielding Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres The Alice Network by Kate Quinn The Book of Echoes by Rosanna Amaka Mary Berry's Christmas Collection, by Mary Berry Mary Berry's Baking Bible, by Mary Berry Once Upon a Tyne, by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly Byker Grove, by Adele Parks The Diary of an MP’s Wife, by Sasha Swire The Baby Group, by Caroline Corcoran Everything I Know About Love, by Dolly Alderton The High Moments, by Sara-Ella Ozbek Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In the UK, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Annie Lyons Twitter / Website

Our guest today is Gillian Harvey, the author of Everything Is Fine. She and I talked about how she ended up living in France, how social media can affect our self-worth, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Everything is Fine, by Gillian Harvey A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle A Year in the Merde, by Stephen Clark The Neighbour, by Nicola Gill Normal People, by Sally Rooney This Lovely City, by Louise Hare After the End, by Clare Mackintosh Intimations, by Zadie Smith The Fleet Street Girls, by Julie Welch Love in Colour, by Bolu Babalola Diamonds at the Lost and Found, by Sarah Aspinall Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In the UK, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from Blackwells.com, which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Gillian Harvey Twitter / Website

Our guest on episode 63 is Robert Webb, who, as well as being a writer, is an actor, best known for the hit British comedy Peep Show. He’s the author most recently of the novel Come Again. He describes that novel like this: Middle-aged widow time travels back to 1992 and tries to save future dead husband when he is an annoying student. Grief, nostalgia, jokes, car-chase, new love, renewal, joy. He and I talked about 90s nostalgia, the unusual structure of his book, and the emotional toll of time travel. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: Come Again, by Robert Webb The Innocent, by Ian McEwan Feel Free, by Zadie Smith Sweet Sorry, by David Nicholls One Day, by David Nicholls Under the Volcano, by Malcolm Lowry A Star is Bored, by Byron Lane Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher The Golden Rule, by Amanda Craig (UK, 2nd July, literary fiction) Hearts and Minds, by Amanda Craig How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? by Pandora Sykes (UK, 9th July, essays) The Hungover Games, by Sophie Heawood My Best Friend's Girl, by Dorothy Koomson All My Lies Are True by Dorothy Koomson In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk Note to Boy, by Sue Clarke Older and Wider, by Jenny Eclair (UK, 2nd July, non-fiction) Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Sign up for Book of the Month and get your first book for just $9.99 with the code BRITLIT! In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In the UK, and for paperbacks and hardbacks published in the UK and not available elsewhere, head to Blackwells. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. I encourage you, now and always, to buy some of your books from Black-owned bookshops in London and in the UK more generally. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Robert Webb Twitter

Today, we’re revisiting our interview with Diana Evans from a couple of years ago, as well as hearing about new books out this month. Diana Evans is the author of three novels, 26a, The Wonder, and most recently Ordinary People, which came out this spring in the UK to much acclaim and is out this week in the US. She talked to Claire about her favourite London-set books, her own past life as a dancer, why it was important for her to capture the experience of middle class black brits, and more. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: 26a, by Diana Evans The Wonder, by Diana Evans Ordinary People, by Diana Evans After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, by Jean Rhys On Beauty, by Zadie Smith This Is London: Life and Death in the World City, by Ben Judah Heart Berries, by Terese Marie Mailhot Tender Is the Night, by F Scott Fitzgerald Dancer, by Colum McCann Lucia Joyce: To Dance in the Wake, by Lucia Joyce Nijinski, by Richard Buckle The Cranes Dance, by Meg Howrey Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates Get a Life, Chloe Brown, by Talia Hibbert Take a Hint, Dani Brown, by Talia Hibbert To Be Someone, by Ian Stone Out of Love, by Hazel Hayes The Seduction, by Joanna Briscoe Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** I encourage you, now and always, to buy some of your books from Black-owned bookshops in London and in the UK more generally. Here's a list of books by Black British authors. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Sign up for Book of the Month and get your first book for just $9.99 with the code BRITLIT! In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? Here are some painless ways. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at britlitpodcast@gmail.com ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Diana Evans Twitter

On episode 62, we hear from Rachel Winters, the author of the rom com Would Like to Meet. She and I talked about our favourite rom coms in both books and film form, advice for people wanting to get into publishing, books featuring older people, and more. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: (buy them all here) Would Like to Meet, by Rachel Winters You Deserve Each Other, by Sarah Hogle You Had Me At Hello, by Mhairi McFarlane If I Never Met You, by Mhairi McFarlane The Switch, by Beth O'Leary The Flatshare, by Beth O'Leary The Lido/Mornings with Rosemary (US title), by Libby Page Now Let’s Dance, by Karine Lambert The Binding, by Bridget Collins Well Met, by Jen De Luca Heat Stroke, by Hazel Barkworth The High Moments, by Sara-Ella The Cabinet of Calm, by Paul Anthony Jones Unscripted, by Claire Handscombe ***** Get your first book for just $9.99 when you sign up for Book of the Month with the code BRITLIT! In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from Bookshop.org to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! Get 20% off a year’s digital subscription to the writing magazine Mslexia. Just click this link and use the code BRITLIT20 at the checkout. Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on Libro.fm. Buy Claire’s novel, Unscripted. Support Claire on Patreon to get bonus content and personalised book recommendations. ***** The Brit Lit Podcast Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website Claire Twitter / Facebook / Blog / Novel Rachel Winters Twitter