A Thread of One's Own with Theo Clarke

S1, E9: Author Theo Clarke on Writing Memoir, Motherhood & Breaking the Taboo

This week our regular host Theo Clarke is interviewed by broadcaster and journalist Belle Donati about Theo’s bestselling book Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma, and her journey as a writer and campaigner for women’s health. Topics discussed on the show include: writing memoir; championing women’s stories; balancing writing with parenting and a day job; motherhood and creativity; creative writing courses; the importance of writing buddies and accountability; and her writing routine. BIOGRAPHY Belle Donati is a broadcaster and journalist. She has anchored international breaking news for Sky News, NBC-Euronews and France 24, and has a background at the BBC, ITV and Al Jazeera English. She has interviewed guests from Nigel Farage and Humza Yousaf to Brian Cox and Isabel Allende. She hosts podcasts and discussions with The How To Academy on culture and politics. After the birth of her second child, she became an advocate for early intervention in at-risk babies. She is a part of the Ei SMART Foundation team and sits on the Lived Experience Advisory Panel for charity RareMinds. She is chair of the board of trustees of The Lovington Foundation. Theo Clarke hosts the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health. She has also published the memoir Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo was the Member of Parliament for Stafford. She chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and previously set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma in the House of Commons. Theo has served as parliamentary private secretary at the Departments for Education, Business and Trade and HM Treasury, in addition to being trade envoy for the Prime Minister. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. She sits on the Board of the United Nations Association UK as their Vice Chair. RESOURCESBreaking the Taboo by Theo Clarkehttps://www.waterstones.com/book/breaking-the-taboo/theo-clarke//9781785909351 [https://www.waterstones.com/book/breaking-the-taboo/theo-clarke//9781785909351] Global Birth Trauma Alliancehttps://www.globalbirthtraumaalliance.com/ [https://www.globalbirthtraumaalliance.com/] Birth Trauma Associationhttps://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/ [https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/] MASIChttps://masic.org.uk/ [https://masic.org.uk/] Website: http://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast [http://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast] Instagram: @theoclarkemp [https://www.instagram.com/theoclarkemp/] A Thread of One’s Own production team: Producer: Adam Woodward Designer: Emily Ryder Social media: Bella Carter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

S1, E8: Wainwright Prize Shortlisted Author Paul Lamb on Writing, Nature and A Life in the Countryside

In this month’s episode, our host and bestselling author Theo Clarke speaks to writer and hedgelayer Paul Lamb about his book Of Thorn & Briar, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Wainwright Prize in 2025 and was an instant Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller. They discuss: the origins of the book; his writing process; the craft of hedgelaying; supporting wildlife and climate resilience; rural life, tradition and modern agriculture; the rhythm of seasonal work; writing memoir and nature writing; balancing practical craft with reflective storytelling; and how writing has influenced his relationship with the landscape. Paul also shares his top tips for writing a book and his literary influences. OF THORN & BRIAR Of Thorn & Briar explores the craft of hedgelaying and a life lived close to the land. Following the rhythm of the seasons, the book reflects on the relationship between people, place and tradition, and considers the environmental and cultural significance of hedgerows in the British countryside. Buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thorn-Briar-Year-Country-Hedgelayer/dp/1398535036 [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thorn-Briar-Year-Country-Hedgelayer/dp/1398535036] BIOGRAPHY Paul Lamb was born in 1976. Four years later, he emigrated with his parents to New Zealand. It was here he first developed a love for the outdoors, spending much time in the wild places of the North Island. He returned to Britain in his teens and found employment as an itinerant farm labourer. In his early twenties, Paul took an apprenticeship with a Dorset woodsman in an isolated coppice and began his journey into woodsmanship. Paul has earned his living from the woodlands and hedgerows of the West Country ever since. This enthralling book celebrates the benefits of hedgerows and a way of living that has all but disappeared in recent decades. Following the rhythm of the seasons, Of Thorn & Briar describes Paul Lamb’s life on the road and the practical aspects of his craft, as he travels the South-West caring for an important but often forgotten part of the British countryside. Follow @westcountry_hedgelayer [https://www.instagram.com/westcountry_hedgelayer/] ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts ‘A Thread of One’s Own’ and the hit podcast ‘Breaking the Taboo’ which is in the Top 5% most listened to podcasts globally. She is the bestselling author of ‘Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breaking-Taboo-about-birth-trauma/dp/1785909355]‘ which was shortlisted for the Westminster Book Awards. Theo was formerly the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won ‘Speech of the Year’ at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. She has been included multiple times in the Top 100 Women in Westminster list. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

S1, E7: Author Helen Chandler-White on Lost & Found and Why We Hold Onto Things

In this month’s book club, our host and bestselling author Theo Clarke, speaks to journalist Helen Chandler-Wilde about her latest book ‘Lost & Found’. They also discuss advice on writing non-fiction, blending memoir with journalism and share top tips for writing, including the Pomodoro technique, and how to balance being an author with a day job too. LOST & FOUND Why do we buy and keep the things we do, and how can we live a less cluttered life? Journalist Helen Chandler-Wilde dives deep to explore, explain, and guide us on the path to liberation from the tyranny of “too much.” On New Year’s Eve of 2018, journalist Helen Chandler-Wilde lost everything she owned in a storage unit fire in Croydon, where she had stowed all her possessions after a big break-up. She was left devastated, and forced to re-evaluate her relationship with owning material things. A mix of memoir, self-help and journalism, Lost & Found explores the psychological reasons for why we buy and keep the things we do, and explains how we can liberate ourselves from the tyranny of ‘too much’. Helen interviews people from all walks of life, including behavioural psychologists on the science of nostalgia, a nun on what it’s like to own almost nothing and consumer psychologists on why we spend impulsively, to help us better understand why we’re surrounded by clutter and what we can do to change it. This smart-thinking book explains the sociological quirks of human nature and the fascinating science behind why we buy and hold onto things. By the end of it, your relationship with your belongings will be changed forever. Read here: Lost & Found [https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/helen-chandler-wilde/happy-with-less/9781783255603/] BIOGRAPHY Helen Chandler-Wilde is a news and features journalist at Bloomberg and formerly for The Telegraph, where she writes stories about the real people behind the headlines. She covers a range of topics, from celebrity interviews to in-depth stories about housing in the UK. She studied economics and languages at university, before completing a master’s degree in journalism. Follow Helen Chandler-Wilde on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/helenchandlerwilde/] ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts A Thread of One’s Own and the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo which is in the Top 5% most listened to podcasts globally. She is the bestselling author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo was formerly the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won ‘Speech of the Year’ at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. She has twice been listed among the Top 100 Women in Westminster (2024 & 2025). Follow Theo Clarke: @theoclarkemp [https://www.instagram.com/theoclarkemp/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

S1, E6: Author Caroline Sanderson on Writing, Music and Memory

In this month’s episode of A Thread of One’s Own - a book club-style podcast on creativity, writing, and living - our host and bestselling author Theo Clarke speaks to non-fiction writer, editor, and books journalist Caroline Sanderson about her recent memoir Listen With Father: How I Learned to Love Classical Music, published by Unbound in 2025. The episode explores memoir writing, creative nonfiction, music, and memory, and how books help us understand family, loss, and identity. They discuss what it means to write a memoir; how music can act as a channel for remembrance; questions of art versus artist; the place of classical music in contemporary culture; Caroline’s nonfiction writing process and research methods; and book recommendations for readers interested in memoir, music writing, and literary nonfiction. LISTEN WITH FATHER Listen With Father: How I Learned to Love Classical Music [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Listen-Father-Learned-Classical-Music/dp/1789652057] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Listen-Father-Learned-Classical-Music/dp/1789652057explores memory, loss and inheritance through music. Moving between childhood listening, adult reflection and travel, Caroline Sanderson traces her evolving relationship with her father and the composers he loved. The book considers how music can hold memory, shape identity and offer connection across time. BIOGRAPHY Caroline Sanderson [https://www.instagram.com/carosandersonwriter/?hl=en]is a non-fiction writer, editor, and books journalist. Caroline is well-known in the book trade and beyond for her author profiles and her non-fiction previews for The Bookseller which she has compiled each month for over 20 years. She has been among the earliest champions during this time of such stellar non-fiction debuts as H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald; East West Street by Philippe Sands; and Educated by Tara Westover. She also writes reviews, features and interviews for a wide variety of other publications including The Express, Mslexia, The Observer and The Mail on Sunday. Caroline has written six non-fiction books of her own, including A Rambling Fancy: In the Footsteps of Jane Austen and Someone Like Adele, a biography of the superstar singer. Programme Director of Stroud Book Festival, Caroline regularly chairs events at book festivals and in bookshops, most recently for Hay Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, and Cheltenham Literature Festival; and for Waterstones, Daunts and Toppings. Caroline has judged many book prizes, including categories at the British Book Awards. She has served as chair of the 2022 Judges for the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize, the UK’s premier prize for non-fiction. Caroline is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund. Read her Substack ‘What to Read Now’ here [https://carosanderson.substack.com/]. ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts A Thread of One’s Own and the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com/s/breaking-the-taboo], which is in the Top 5% of most listened-to podcasts globally. She is the bestselling author of Breaking the Taboo [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breaking-Taboo-about-birth-trauma/dp/1785909355]: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo previously served as the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won “Speech of the Year” at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. She has twice been listed among the Top 100 Women in Westminster (2024 & 2025). Follow @theoclarkemp [https://www.instagram.com/theoclarkemp/?hl=en] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

S1, E5: Author Robin de Rosario on Race, Belonging & Writing Historical Fiction

In this month’s episode, our host and bestselling author Theo Clarke speaks to novelist and award-winning poet Robin de Rosario about his new book Coyote, published by Lucent Dreaming. They discuss the current relevance of race, belonging and sovereignty in his new novel; the craft of writing fiction; advice and writing tips for new authors; the importance of mentoring and peer support; the role of creative writing courses; and the emotional threads at the heart of Coyote, including identity, otherness and inherited loss. COYOTE Coyote explores racial identity in the context of colonialism in early America. Through the story of a mixed-race protagonist navigating competing histories, cultures and expectations, the novel follows his search for belonging as the world around him shifts. Drawing on themes of identity, otherness and the legacies of the past, Coyote examines how people find their place within — and against — the forces that try to define them. Buy the book: https://lucentdreaming.com/product/coyote-by-robin-de-rosario-paperback-2024/ [https://lucentdreaming.com/product/coyote-by-robin-de-rosario-paperback-2024/] https://www.waterstones.com/book/coyote/robin-de-rosario/9781916632066 [https://www.waterstones.com/book/coyote/robin-de-rosario/9781916632066] BIOGRAPHY Robin de Rosario is a novelist and award-winning poet whose work has appeared in The North, Poetry Wales, The American Journal of Poetry, The Bangalore Review and other journals worldwide. His writing touches on themes of race, identity and neurodivergence. He lives on the Sussex coast with his wife — author and performance storyteller Xanthe Gresham Knight. https://www.robinknightwriter.com/robin-de-rosario [https://www.robinknightwriter.com/robin-de-rosario] ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts A Thread of One’s Own and the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo, which is in the Top 5% of most listened-to podcasts globally. She is the bestselling author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo previously served as the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won “Speech of the Year” at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. She has twice been listed among the Top 100 Women in Westminster (2024 & 2025). Follow @theoclarkemp [https://www.google.com/search?q=instagram+theo+clarke&sca_esv=d44b221d688bac1f&rlz=1C5MACD_enGB1112GB1112&sxsrf=AE3TifNKwwuZr0M8ZKYqLjATjjCMcvSlOw%3A1765387987000&ei=0q45aYLlPPCohbIPxMekmQ8&ved=0ahUKEwiCluzexrORAxVwVEEAHcQjKfMQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=instagram+theo+clarke&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFWluc3RhZ3JhbSB0aGVvIGNsYXJrZTIGEAAYFhgeMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiiBBiJBUiQGlCjDFi3GXABeAKQAQCYAcwBoAGjCKoBBTkuMS4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAINoALqCMICBBAAGEfCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgINEAAYgAQYsAMYQxiKBcICExAuGIAEGLADGEMYyAMYigXYAQHCAhkQLhiABBiwAxjRAxhDGMcBGMgDGIoF2AEBwgIQEAAYgAQYsQMYQxiDARiKBcICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgUQABiABMICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIIEAAYFhgKGB6YAwCIBgGQBg26BgQIARgIkgcGMTEuMS4xoAfvMbIHBTkuMS4xuAfiCMIHBTEuMy45yAcygAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#:~:text=Theodora%20Clarke%20(%40theoclarkemp,3.6k%2B%20followers] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com [https://theodoraclarke.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]