Behind The Spine

“It felt so powerful a moment of realisation to me, that the sum of who I am may be, in some significant way, measured in dollars.” ~Rumaan Alam Money controls us all, whether we have a lot of it, or not enough. And exposure to money can force people to do questionable things - and even stray from their morals and beliefs. Rumaan Alam is the New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind, which was adapted for the screen by Netflix. His new book ‘Entitlement’ follows protagonist Brooke, a middle-class woman who finds herself transformed by her new job and proximity to extreme wealth. Tasked with dishing out the fortune of one billionaire philanthropist, Brooke’s story takes us on a journey through many themes - of race, privilege, legacy, entitlement, morality and class. In this episode Rumaan explains why money became the central point of this novel, how he used dramatic irony and sensory writing to enhance the reader’s experience, and what it was like to achieve such success with his previous book. In this episode you will learn: * Why the parallels you want to draw through your narrative aren’t always obvious. * A helpful way of coming up with an ending for your book. * Why you need to throw perfectionism out of the window! Find out more about Rumaan here [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumaan_Alam]. Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/about/]. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/] production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/c6SF65]. You can buy copies of our anthology series here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FQDMN9N?binding=paperback&qid=1670334672&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk].  You can view the full transcript here. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine [https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine] Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine [https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine] Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk [http://www.behindthespine.co.uk]

“It looked like the club was going to just disappear completely. And then luckily, it was rescued by a tech millionaire, basically. It sounds like something that would happen far, far higher up the food chain.” ~Graham Sibley Worldwide cancellations and small clubs on the brink of extinction—COVID-19 turned the football world upside down. Though life is back to normal, there’s plenty about football that has been changed forever. Graham Sibley, host of the Sound of Football podcast, explores how the game has evolved post-COVID. From the fate of small non-league clubs to the European Super League, TV revenue drying up and the ongoing trials and tribulations of VAR. Returning to Behind The Spine after appearing in the first-ever series of the podcast, Graham fills us in on the many trials faced by his favourite non-league team, Whyteleafe FC. He shares his thoughts on the rise of the Lionesses and the mainstreaming of women’s football. He discusses much more, including England’s brand new interim manager and the ongoing success of his podcast. In this episode you will learn: * How there are compelling stories to tell about even the smallest players in football, or any industry. * Not to fear AI - why people will always crave a human touch * Why you should consider expanding your personal brand by selling merch. Find out more about Graham here. [https://www.sofpodcast.com/] Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/about/]. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/] production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/c6SF65]. You can buy copies of our anthology series here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FQDMN9N?binding=paperback&qid=1670334672&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk].  You can view the full transcript here. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine [https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine] Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine [https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine] Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk [http://www.behindthespine.co.uk]

“I love finding out people’s back stories. It’s the grittier, it’s the weirder, it’s the bits where people’s lives go wrong that shines a light on their glories later on.” ~Alice Loxton History’s most famous figures are remembered only for their great deeds and achievements, but rarely for their lives before. What were the likes of Empress Matilda, Richard Burton or Chaucer like when they were teenagers - when they were just 18? Alice Loxton, one of Britain’s most exciting young historians, explores this in her new book Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives. You may have spotted Alice on social media where she has more than 2 million followers. She’s also the author of Uproar: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London. Alice explores how, despite narrow curriculums and stuffy history shows on TV, social media is changing how we perceive history, making it more compelling for a wider and younger audience. She explains why she felt it would be so powerful to tell the stories of the 18 year old versions of history’s greatest names. And she shares fascinating insights into their lives, highlighting the strange paths many walked before finding fame. In this episode you will learn: * How some figures from history are still waiting for their stories to be told. * The importance of giving your characters histories and backstories of their own. * Why it might be worth your while starting a social media channel. Find out more about Alice here. [https://www.instagram.com/history_alice/?hl=en] Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/about/]. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/] production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/c6SF65]. You can buy copies of our anthology series here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FQDMN9N?binding=paperback&qid=1670334672&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk].  You can view the full transcript here [https://app.podscribe.ai/episode/115303305]. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine [https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine] Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine [https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine] Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk [http://www.behindthespine.co.uk]

“I had a friend who read an early version of the book, and she just said, well, I mean, it's a bit far fetched though, isn't it? And I was like, no, no, no, this did happen.” ~Josie Ferguson Being separated from a loved one, never sure when you might be reunited again - a familiar feeling for many of us, having lived through the COVID lockdowns. But for Berlin residents alive in 1961, when the Berlin Wall was put up almost overnight, this happened on a devastating scale. Josie Ferguson is the debut novelist of The Silence in Between, a dual-timeline historical story that follows Lisette, a mother separated from her newborn baby when the wall slices the city in two. The book follows her journey to escape East Berlin to be reunited with her child - but it also takes us back to Lisette’s childhood, during World War 2. Josie explores the genesis of the book - her experience of being separated from her own family during covid, shortly after the birth of her child. She explores the connection between the atrocities of World War 2 and Russia’s war on Ukraine that still rages on. And she explores the long road as an unpublished author that led her to this moment. In this episode you will learn: * How familiar events of the past still have new stories to tell  * Why it is vital we continue to write about the tragedies of wartime * Why determination in the face of failure is essential as a writer Find out more about Josie here [https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/298787/josie-ferguson]. Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/about/]. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/] production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/c6SF65]. You can buy copies of our anthology series here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FQDMN9N?binding=paperback&qid=1670334672&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk].  You can view the full transcript here. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine [https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine] Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine [https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine] Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk [http://www.behindthespine.co.uk]

💬 “When I’ve been really unwell, I lose the ability to understand spoken language. But what happens is I hear music with crystal clarity in my mind.” Did you know that bipolar disorder can fuel intense creativity? We often fear complex mental health issues - words like psychotic and mental are regularly used to describe villains across TV and film. But this stigma and prejudice is not just inaccurate, it also fails to account for the wide range of lived experiences of people with these conditions. Capturing what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder, Matt Ottley has done the seemingly impossible. His multimodal work The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness explores his own experiences with the condition through a book, poem, orchestral arrangement and film. And it’s stunning. In this episode, you will learn: ➡︎ The link between mental health disorders and creativity - and why we shouldn’t romanticise this connection. ➡︎ Why exactly Hollywood and media portrayals of mental health can be so damaging. ➡︎ How Matt came to create his stunning masterpiece following a series of severe psychotic episodes. ➡︎ How Matt hopes his journey will inspire and help others like him. Find out more about Matt and his project here. [https://mattottley.com/product/tree-of-e/]  Copies of Matt’s book, The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness, are available at all good bookstores in the UK.   Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/about/]. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey [https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/] production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/c6SF65]. You can buy copies of our anthology series here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FQDMN9N?binding=paperback&qid=1670334672&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk].  You can view the full transcript here [https://app.podscribe.ai/episode/108121113]. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine [https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine] Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine [https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine] Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk [http://www.behindthespine.co.uk]