Behind The Spine

“ I put that memoir out  and my mum in particular was really upset and she came to me and was like, that's not how I remember that happening.” ~Kate Fagan Writing a memoir is a tricky business - you may think writing about your own life is a straightforward process of telling fact after fact. The trouble is, very rarely do the people in your life recall events the same way you do. There are discrepancies in memory and emotion that are often impossible to unravel. That’s the challenge Kate Fagan ran into when she released her memoir, The Reappearing Act. And it’s a real-life conversation with her parents that served as the inspiration for her first foray into fiction writing. Kate has been a non-fiction writer for a long time, so this is a big pivot for her. The Three Lives of Cate Kay is the fictional memoir of a mysterious author, who’s lived under three different names in her life. There are several layers to the narrative, as the memoir is interwoven with chapters narrated by people who knew her in her different “lives”. During this conversation, Kate explains why she chose this complex - and highly effective - narrative strategy. In this episode, you will learn: * How to play to your strengths when making a big pivot in your writing career * How to get comfortable ditching old projects and starting from scratch * Why liminal space is so important - and how audiences love working stuff out for themselves! Find out more about Kate here. [https://www.instagram.com/katefagan3/?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]. Follow inkjockey on Substack here. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NyGb5y7GWEVVCAsnBHp6N3FnmQ_vO7Z&usp=drive_copy] 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/137399274]. 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]

“ If you write about real situations, real names and real people, there's always somebody else's blood on the floor at the end of it.  Well this is me and my family's blood on the floor in this book.” ~Eoin McNamee Taking place in the shadow of The Troubles, The Bureau is a story of corruption, death, love and violence. Based on the real events of a murder-suicide between two lovers - the book also takes inspiration from its authors own life. Eoin McNamee has been tackling The Troubles in various ways since the release of his 1994 book Resurrection Man. Many years and many books later, he’s still exploring its aftershocks. His back catalogue typically explores Ireland’s violent history - from murders, to hangings to miscarriages of justice. And this is no different. During this conversation, Eoin explains why he’s still telling grisly stories about the past - and what draws him to them. And he explores his family connection to this story - and the horror of what really happened to his father and brother. In this episode, you will learn: * Why you shouldn’t fear retelling stories more than once. * Why you should focus on your characters above all else when writing about the past. * How we all have an exceptional story to tell Find out more about Eoin here [https://www.faber.co.uk/author/eoin-mcnamee/?srsltid=AfmBOoohNzeTuEoTWFd8XX1GVBfT8qZvhRo-oQKxQuHC1gLdbiK93oAG]. 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]. Follow inkjockey on Substack here. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NyGb5y7GWEVVCAsnBHp6N3FnmQ_vO7Z&usp=drive_copy] 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/137170242]. 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]

“All my publishers, my agents, my film agents, they have all rejected me multiple times in the past - and now I work with them!” ~Alex Aster Summer in the City is the new romance novel from internationally acclaimed author Alex Aster - known for her Lightlark series and massive social media following. Alex began writing at the age of 12, when she penned a 400-page novel and tenaciously approached every publisher imaginable. After a decade of rejections, she took matters into her own hands and amassed a 2M+ following across TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alex.aster?lang=en] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alexaster/?hl=en]. She then shot to fame with her 4-part fantasy series Lightlark. Now, with her romance book Summer in the City, she’s making a huge pivot in genre. During this conversation, Alex explains why she’s made the swap from fantasy to romance, how she was able to find success after so many years of trying, and how she used social media to kick-start her writing career. In this episode, you will learn: * Why you shouldn’t be afraid to swap genres or change your niche. * That no rejection is ever final - great authors are years in the making. * Why traditional publishing isn’t the only route to success. Find out more about Alex here [https://www.asterverse.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]. Follow inkjockey on Substack here. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NyGb5y7GWEVVCAsnBHp6N3FnmQ_vO7Z&usp=drive_copy] 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/136967849] 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]

“ That's why I write books. I want to see those characters tear their way out of the page and just come to life.” ~Tess Gerritsen The town of ‘Purity’ may be fiction, but its secrets are very much based on real life. It may be hard to believe, but in the American state of Maine, there’s a town where former spies go to retire. It’s this strange reality that sets the stage for Tess Gerritsen’s Martini Club book series. Following on from her incredibly popular ‘The Spy Coast’, Tess has released another tantalising entry in the series titled ‘The Summer Guests’. The new novel focuses on an uneasy partnership formed between young police chief Jo Thibodeau and a group of former CIA spies, as they attempt to solve a deadly mystery. During this conversation, Tess explains what it was like first discovering the town she had moved to was full of retired spies. She offers sage advice from a lifetime of writing - taking us back to her early days. And she discusses the exciting news that the series could be coming to your TV soon. In this episode, you will learn: * Why writing advice is not all created equal * The importance of championing older people in your writing * Why you should consider telling the story of your life through fiction Find out more about Tess here [https://www.tessgerritsen.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]. Follow inkjockey on Substack here. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NyGb5y7GWEVVCAsnBHp6N3FnmQ_vO7Z&usp=drive_copy] 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/136750071]. 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]

“ In my head, it's not a departure from the writer that I think I am.” ~James Rebanks You probably know him for his wildly successful books exploring his long family history farming in the Lake District - but James Rebanks has decided to turn his hand to something different this time. The Place of Tides is a departure from the work that has made him famous, namely bestsellers The Shepherd’s Life and English Pastoral. But to James, this is just an evolution of the writer he knows himself to be. This new book charts James’ journey to a remote Norwegian island, where he takes part in a centuries old trade that’s being kept alive by a single woman. During this conversation, James explains what first brought him to the island - and why he decided to make a return visit to write the book. He explores his unorthodox - but incredibly effective - writing style. And he explains his obsession with finding “the perfect metaphor”. In this episode, you will learn: * Why you should immerse yourself in the location that you’re writing about * The passage readers most love from James’ work * What it means to fully committing to your craft Find out more about James here [https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/120316/james-rebanks]. 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]. Follow inkjockey on Substack here. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NyGb5y7GWEVVCAsnBHp6N3FnmQ_vO7Z&usp=drive_copy] 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/136496941]. 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]