Things Change

In today’s episode I am talking to the phenomenal Chloe Caldwell. She is the author of Women a now queer cult novella, the essay collections I’ll Tell You In Person (2016), The Red Zone (2022), and Legs Get Led Astray (2012) and her latest book Trying, which I am very excited to talk about. I literally finished reading it this week while on the tram to work and people must have thought there was a break up in session because I was gasping and sobbing at points laughing manically. Like it’s a book to experience. And it’s also a book that is inherently about change. Linkshttps://chloecaldwell.substack.com https://www.instagram.com/chloeeeecaldwell/THE SUNDAY ESSAY CLUBA monthly drop-in class for writers to read, dissect, and draw inspiration from iconic essays.We study form and voice in the first hour, then write through guided prompts in the second.More info here. Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠sophiahembeck.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

In today's episode I talk to the fantastic Abigail Bergstrom. Working in publishing for over fifteen years as a novelist, editor and literary agent, she's shepherded almost forty books onto bestseller lists and has built some of today’s biggest book brands.  She was nominated for ‘Literary Agent of the Year’ at the British Book Awards 2020 and was listed in “The Bookseller 150” which names the book trade’s most influential. In 2021 she founded her own 360° publishing consultancy, Bergstrom Studio, which turns good ideas into books and aspiring writers into published authors.Abigail's Links: Instagram:⁠ @abigailbergstrom Substack:⁠ https://abigailbergstrom.substack.comThings that were mentioned: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico-⁠⁠ Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠sophiahembeck.co.uk⁠⁠

In today’s episode I am talking to Kailey Brennan DelloRusso. She is an author, writing coach, and the founder of Write or Die Magazine. A platform that helps writers with drafting, navigating the publishing world, and storytelling. I know Kailey because you’ve invited me about a year ago to your podcast In the Weeds, where you talk to writers and creative people who used to or are still working in the service industry. And I remember our conversation then because you were on the precipices of quitting your job at a country club and pursuing writing and building Write or Die as your business full time. Kailey's Links: Instagram: @kaileydellorussoSubstack: https://kaileydellorusso.substack.comThings that were mentioned: - ⁠Write or Die Magazine- The 90 Day Novel by Alan Watt-⁠ The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron ⁠-⁠ Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Website: ⁠sophiahembeck.co.uk⁠

In today’s episode I am talking to the phenomenal Cat Pierce, who is one of those multi hyphenate people that are quite hard to put a definitive label on: you’re primarily known as a singer &  songwriter and one half of The Pierces a band you started with your sister, but you’re also a painter, entrepreneur in various ways and most recently you have gathered  huge momentum on Instagram. Which is also how I found you. There’s this one reel that went viral, where you say: At 39 I thought I missed the boat, then at 40 I met my husband, at 41 released a tarot deck, at 42 launched a beauty line, at 44 I had my first baby, at 45 bought my first house, at 46 created an oracle deck and at 47 made new music. You’re worth has no expiration date! Honestly this reel found me exactly at that point of feeling I had missed the boat and it was such a blessing to see how yeah of course life isn’t over just because of some obscure life plan that I made when I was 19. Anyway, I am very excited to talk to you about change today and how you got out of this feeling of “missing the boat” and everything that happened in between.Cat Pierce's LinksInstagram: @iamcatdog Website & Shop: https://omenbycatpierce.com Things that were mentioned: - Beauty products by Cat Pierce ⁠- Cat Pierce music - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠ Website: sophiahembeck.co.uk

Today’s guest is the wonderful essayist and poet Amy Key, whose memoir Arrangements in Blue about her life as a single woman for the past 20 years, has touched so many people since it came out in 2023. I remember walking to the bookshop on publication day because I already knew that it was going to be one of those books, that I wouldn’t say: change the way you see the world but rather those books that fill this space inside of you that for such a long time felt misunderstood or unseen perhaps. And it really did that for me. Amy Key's socials: Instagram: @msamykey Substack: amykey.substack.comThings that were mentioned: - Amy Key, Arrangements in Blue - Ann Patchett, This is a story about a happy marriage ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠Write Or Die Whether you’re staring at a blank page, deep in revisions, dreaming up your next big idea, or figuring out how to get published, Write or Die has a workshop for you. They offer live, virtual classes across genres — from fiction and nonfiction to screenwriting and even book series development — all designed to meet you where you are in your writing journey.Taught by working writers and industry pros, our workshops are craft-focused, community-driven, and meant to energize your process — whether you're plotting your first novel or polishing your tenth essay. Plus, they’re also a literary magazine that champions bold, unforgettable voices by publishing creative nonfiction, author interviews and short stories. Their submissions are currently open and they are also running their first ever fiction contest with up to $1000 in prizes. Check out their upcoming classes and join the community at writeordiemag.com.

This is a special solo episode where I talk about the 10 things that radically shifted my life for the better. Featuring the launch of my new book Things That Are Different Now. Which you can order here: https://www.museletterpublishing.com

In today’s episode I am talking to the very very cool Elle Nash. Elle is a writer, editor and lecturer who has published multiple novels over the last decade.  Her debut novel, Animals Eat Each Other was kind of a surprise indie success, in 2018, it was featured in The Oprah Magazine and praised by Publishers Weekly as a “complex, impressive exploration of obsession and desire.”  She’s since then wrote the short story collection Nudes (2021), the novella Gag Reflex (2022), and  her latest novel Deliver Me (2023). Just from reading these titles you can hear that Elle’s work trangresses between body horror, a lingering erotiscims and an almost unsettling vulnerability which is also the vibe that comes across in her substack Fuck Marry Kill and her instagram handle @saderotica. Things that were mentioned: - Find all of Elle's books ⁠here⁠⁠- The Blair Witch Project 1999- Ursula K. Le Guin, Lavinia - Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club & Invisible Monsters- Chloe Caldwell, Women ⁠⁠⁠⁠- Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠⁠REFERRAL CODE FOR OCTOPUS ENERGY: Use this link to sign up to Octopus Energy and get £50 in credit. ⁠https://share.octopus.energy/wind-star-923⁠CONDITIONS: This offer may be revoked at any time.

In today’s episode I am talking to the magical  Morvern Graham. Morvern is a printmaker, illustrator and storyteller, who is currently growing a huge following on social media with her incredible storytelling videos of Scottish and Scandinavian folklore that intertwine mythology, her own visual art building a connection with her surroundings and the seasons. I saw Morvern perform here in Edinburgh at the Typewronger Bookshop a few weeks ago, where she told the story about how the oceans became salty, which centered around two female giants and I was so impressed because, it’s kind of rare I think that people who are online actually have the same kind of presence in reality but she was exactly the same. Follow Morvern on Instagram here. And her website here. Things that were mentioned: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- get Morvern Graham's book The Huldufólk here- Leith, Edinburgh ⁠⁠⁠- Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠⁠⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠⁠REFERRAL CODE FOR OCTOPUS ENERGY: Use this link to sign up to Octopus Energy and get £50 in credit. https://share.octopus.energy/wind-star-923CONDITIONS: This offer may be revoked at any time.

Today’s guest is the marvellous Megan Nolan, a journalist, essayist and author of two novels called Acts Of Desperation and Ordinary Human Failings. I remember reading Acts of Desperation which is a book about a pretty harrowing toxic romantic relationship and the reason why I remember it so well, is because when it came out, I was in a toxic relationship myself and I didn’t want to read it. And then after that ended I finally did and I realised: probably should have done that earlier. Follow Megan Nolan on Instagram here. Things that were mentioned: ⁠⁠⁠- ⁠All of Megan Nolan's books here- Little Women, 1990 ⁠⁠- Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠⁠Writing: ⁠⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠⁠Shop: ⁠⁠museletterpublishing.com ⁠REFERRAL CODE FOR METTLE BUSINESS BANK ACCOUNT: 1. Go to⁠ https://www.mettle.co.uk⁠2. Open a bank account. 3. Within the first 30 days make a card payment and enter the code in the app. 4. CODE: FXVV65. Once the referral is verified you'll receive £50 in your bank account. CONDITIONS: You must have a side hustle, limited company with up to 2 owners, or be a sole trader. You must be based in the UK. This offer will end on 30th June 2025. This offer can be withdrawn at any time.

In today's episode I am talking-to the wonderful Fariha Róisín. Fariha is a multidisciplinary artist born in Canada, raised in Australia and now based in Los Angeles, California. They're a Muslim queer Bangladeshi interested in the margins, liminality, otherness, and the mercurial nature of being. They're the author of the poetry collections, How to Cure a Ghost and Survival Takes A Wild Imagination and the novel Like a Bird. Or so it says in the book jacket of their latest nonfiction hybrid memoir, Who is Wellness For? I've come across Fariha's work five years ago via their substack, which is also called How to Cure a Ghost and named after their first poetry collection. And another thing that actually connects us is that when I was writing my second book, Things I Have Loved, I asked Fariha to quote a line from an essay that she wrote and they so kindly said yes. And so it feels a bit like a full circle moment for me to have you here on the podcast today. Follow Fariha on Instagram here and read her substack How To Cure A Ghost here. Things that were mentioned: ⁠- All of Fariha's books here - Braiding Sweetgrass & The Service Berry by Robin Wall Kimmerer - The podcast episode Fariha mentioned with the philosopher Bayo Akomolafe ⁠- Things That Are Different Now by Sophia Hembeck ⁠Thank you so much for listening, please like & subscribe to get the next episodes! Follow me on : Instagram: ⁠@sophiahembeck ⁠Writing: ⁠themuseletter.substack.com ⁠Shop: ⁠museletterpublishing.com