#110: Beth Morrey — Writing Funny, Upmarket Fiction

Award-winning cookbook writer, blogger and novelist Kate Young on creating a viral cooking blog, how she turned her blog into a series of cookbooks, and what goes into a pitch for a cookbook. Plus her approach to plotting rom com, adding depth to rom-com characters, her approach to writing sex scenes and what she thinks every rom com should have. *ABOUT KATE YOUNGKate Young is a writer and cook, whose award-winning Little Library Cookbooks feature food inspired by beloved works of literature. After a sunny Australian childhood (spent indoors reading books) she moved to London, which suited her much better. She now lives in a converted mill in a Gloucestershire town. Experienced is her first novel.*RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) ExperiencedThe Little Library CookbookKate’s Food Books Kate’s Substack: The Organised Lesbian For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Practical advice from Irish poet Pádraig Ó Tuama on writing and editing poetry and expanding your world with poetry. Highlights from a previous episode. For the full episode, listen to interview episode #103*ABOUT PÁDRAIG Ó TUAMA​Pádraig Ó Tuama is a theologian, writer, and conflict transformation practitioner. His books include In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World; Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community; Sorry For Your Troubles; Borders & Belonging and Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World. He hosts the On Being Studios podcast Poetry Unbound with Krista Tippett’s studio.*RESOURCES & LINKSThe Butcher Of Eden - Feed The BeastPoet Victoria RedelToni Morrison - ParadiseFollow PádraigPádraig’s Substack, Poetry Unbound  For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

For decades, Rachel Blackmore dreamed of becoming an author. In 2020, she joined Writers’ Hour and began her first novel. Now, her debut, COSTANZA, is being published by Dialogue Books (Hachette) and is hailed as an addictive tale of desire and betrayal. In this special interview, we're joined by Rachel and her literary agent, Juliet Pickering. We discuss Costanza's path to publication, what makes manuscripts stand out to agents, and techniques for crafting 'outrageously evocative' fiction.*ABOUT RACHEL & JULIETRachel Blackmore spent more than a decade working and raising a family, before taking a career break to write historical fiction about marginalised women, as a way of looking at contemporary issues.In 2021 she was a runner-up in Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Competition and won the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair in 2022. Her debut novel, COSTANZA, a historical novel set in Renaissance Rome telling the story of Costanza Piccolomini, the muse of Bernini, was published by Dialogue Books (part of Hachette).Juliet Pickering joined Blake Friedmann in 2013, becoming Vice Head of the Book Department in 2017.  Alongside literary, book club and commercial fiction, Juliet represents non-fiction writers including narrative writing on relationships, pop culture, social history and food, and a small number of cookery and other illustrated books.*RESOURCES & LINKSCostanza by Rachel BlackmoreSigned Copies of CostanzaWriters’ Hour Harper's Bazaar Short Story Competition  Juliet’s Q&A with LWS Irish Writers Centre Novel FairThe Wayward Sisters by Kate Hodges For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

A curation of our favourite questions and poems from our interview with poet David Whyte. We ask him: What we can do when we can’t access our writing? How do we live through fallow periods of writing and what rituals he uses for writing. He shares the poems: A Seeming Stillness, A Song for the Salmon and Start Close In.*ABOUT DAVID WHYTEDavid Whyte is an internationally renowned poet, author, and speaker. His books include The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words, and The Bell and the Blackbird. His latest collections are David Whyte: Essentials and Still Possible. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Lyn Slater on going viral with her blog, Accidental Icon in her 60s, writing memoir How to Be Old and starting a Substack in her 70s and why getting older can be the most invigorating phase of life—full of rebellion, reinvention, connection, and creativity.*ABOUT LYN SLATERLyn Slater is a cultural influencer, model, writer, content creator and former professor. She started Accidental Icon in September of 2014 and has since garnered a loyal fan base of almost a million followers across platforms. Her memoir is How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon *RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) Accidental IconHow To Be OldLyn’s SubstackLyn’s Instagram“Three Iconic Girls”Trick Mirror by Jia TolentinoHow to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell“How Millenials Became the Burnout Generation” by Anne Helen PetersonCassidy Sachs, Lyn’s editor For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Olivia Petter, award-winning journalist & author on breaking into journalism, vulnerability, writing about consent and celebrity (Gold Rush), finding her niche in journalism and landing a book deal.*ABOUT OLIVIA PETTEROlivia Petter is an award-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster based in London. As a journalist, she specialises in violence against women, pop culture, relationships, mental health, sexual health, travel, fashion, and beauty. (The Sunday Times, British Vogue, British GQ, Grazia). She is the author of Millennial Love  and Gold Rush.*RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) Gold RushMillennial LoveOlivia’s Love Lives Podcast Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You Looking for a Man in Finance The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Follow Olivia:Olivia’s SubstackOlivia on InstagramOlivia’s website For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Marketing strategist, editor and author Charlie Hoehn on the key things bestselling authors do to create a successful and shareable books. We talk about:Helping Ramit Sethi and Tim Ferriss launch their booksHow to test and launch a nonfiction ideaCreating a brand around your book, Effective marketing strategies The merits of self-publishing and the minimum he would accept for a traditional publishing dealOvercoming burnout and the importance of play.*ABOUT CHARLIE HOEHNCharlie Hoehn is a 3-time New York Times bestselling editor, 5-time author, and the founder of Author Alliance. For three years, Charlie was Tim Ferriss’ Director of Special Projects and first full-time hire. Together, they launched The 4-Hour Body to #1 New York Times, #1 Barnes & Noble, and #1 Amazon overall. Charlie is also a creative director and video editor. Previously, he was Head of Multimedia for Scribe Media, where he produced over 500 videos and 300 podcast episodes — including two viral sizzle reels for David Goggins, and courses enrolled in by more than 20,000 students. To date, he's created six viral videos, with more than a million views each.*RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) Charlie’s websiteCharlie on InstagramAuthor Alliance Play It AwayRecession Proof GraduatePlay for a LivingThe Power of Play | Charlie Hoehn | TEDxSantoDomingoChimay: The Rainbow Cheetah by Emilia Hoehn The Best Way to Get a Job: The TAG MethodHelp This BookPikfuThe #1 Mistake Authors Make That Kills Book SalesCharlie’s Cover Design tool  For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Sunday Times Bestseller Beth Morrey (Saving Missey, Lucky Day) on her journey as a writer and TV producer and writing humorous upmarket books while exploring darker themes. We talk about her latest book Lucky Day and what it means to stop saying ‘yes’ and start living for yourself.*ABOUT BETH MORREYPreviously Creative Director at RDF Television, Beth Morrey now writes full time. Her debut novel, Saving Missy, was a Sunday Times bestseller and longlisted for the Authors' Club First Novel Award. Beth lives in London with her husband, two sons and two poodles.*RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) Saving MissyBeth’s WebsiteBeth’s latest book, Lucky Day: US/ UKFollow Beth on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Nora Neus, Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and freelance journalist (CNN, Vice News, The Washington Post) and creator of the Long Form Lab on finding a story from the seed of an idea, how writers can discover and use their strengths and how to choose which media to use for a potential story. *ABOUT NORA NEUSNora Neus is an Emmy-nominated journalist whose reporting has appeared in CNN, VICE News, the Washington Post, and more. Neus field-produced Anderson Cooper’s coverage of the 2017 white nationalist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia for CNN. She is the co-author of the YA graphic novel Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria.*RESOURCES & LINKSMuhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria24 Hours in Charlottesville Stunt Girl NotionThe Open Notebook Query Shark Manuscript Wishlist📄 Interview Transcript (unedited)Follow NoraNora’s website Nora on InstagramThe Longform Lab For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

SHOW SUMMARYSpoken word artist and writer Oisín McKenna on Oscar Wilde as inspiration, finding his footing in the spoken word world, turning his hand to writing a book, how he wrote his book in fragments and later added structure, and why you should be kind to yourself and how to trust that your writing will improve and get to where it needs to be.*ABOUT OISÍN MCKENNAOisín McKenna was born in Dublin and lives in London. He was awarded the Next Generation Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland to write Evenings and Weekends and it was developed with further funding from Arts Council England. Evenings and Weekends has been awarded a 2022 London Writers Award and in 2017, Oisín was named in the Irish Times as one of the best-spoken word artists in the country. He has written and performed four theatre shows, including ADMIN, an award-winning production at Dublin Fringe 2019, and has written for outlets including the Irish Times on issues such as gentrification and the alienation of Dublin’s youth.*RESOURCES & LINKS📄 Interview Transcript (unedited)​​Oisín McKennaOisín on InstagramEvenings and WeekendsWRITER / PERFORMER / SALESMAN (2013)ADMIN (2019)PETTYCASH Spoken Word Collective Arts Council England Ursula K. Le Guin’s Conversations on WritingLondon Writers Awards*For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.comFor free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!