Media
Here are some recent discussions and interviews you might be interested in:
BBC Radio 4 A Good Read June 2015 – actress Helen Baxendale and I joined Harriett Gilbert to recommend favourite books. Our selection included a treatise on re-wilding Britain by George Monbiot (‘Feral’), a novel about the culture clash between two women from very different backgrounds, ‘The God of Chance’ by Kirsten Thorup, and an award-winning memoir, ‘The Three of Us’ by Julia Blackburn.
BBC Radio 4 Word of Mouth April 2014 – a panel discussion with Michael Rosen around the theme of Creating Characters
BBC Writersroom blog post about the writing of my radio play, Blue-Eyed Boy
A February 2012 article about the writing of my first novel – and the one before it – in the Birmingham Post.
Interview on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.
Hi Helen, I’m looking for a private creative writing teacher who can work with me in Birmingham. I have a partly written novel in draft stage at 75,000 words. Professionally I’m a graduate marketing director who occasionally writes copy so I hope I have a reasonable standard of English. I also interestingly have education funding with a local Birmingham College and they could hire you on my behalf. Would you be interested in initially a 121 intense day? Perhaps you could talk to me about characters, dialogue, autobiographical writing, structure and editing and ultimately publishing. Feel free to look at me on LinkedIn. We are of the same age and I think we’d get on well. Kind Regards Liz
Helen, I think we have put in a bid for interview ahead of your visit to Beverley, spurred on by the fact that you are from Newbald in East Yorkshire. Can we do an interview one evening or weekend about the creative writing masterclass?
Hi Tony
Thanks for your message. Yes, sure, that’s fine by me. If you contact Dorcas at the Festival Office she can give you my number. I’m around all next week. I’ll look forward to speaking to you.
Hello Helen,
I am here to write you a long overdue `Thank You´ note. I took the Starting to Write course with you at Arvon a few years ago and at that time you suggested that a short story I had written, “Checkout Girl Harassed by Love Struck Customer” could be developed into a novel. At that time I did not see myself capable of writing a novel but with time I did as you suggested and I have just one first prize in the Good Read Novel contest of A Woman´s Write. Thank you so much for your encouragement. If you check out A woman´s Write on the Internet you will see the announcement. Once again, thank you very, very much. All the best. God bless, Warmest regards, Carmen
Well, that’s completely made my day! How marvellous. Many thanks for letting me know. I remember your story – it has a super memorable title and I’m so pleased and impressed to know you were able to expand it into a novel. This is a really terrific achievement and I will tell all my future students your inspiring story, and I’ll look out for more news of you and your book. Good luck with everything.