By the fireside

Ranger Hamza is in the house! Or would be if we had one. Frank and Nadia are all aflutter as Hamza comes in to land on the Island in the clutches of Assassin, the might Golden Eagle who lives round the corner from him in his Scottish home. Never takes the bins out but nobody dares mention it. With tales of pine marten poo, the superpower that is his dyslexia, and of course serious snack chat hamza offers  something for everyone, and such is the enormity of his charm, intelligence and wit that two landlubbers who go by the names of Annabel and Lydia swim all the way out to the island to ask him some questions. Nadia and Frank might learn some proper interviewing techniques from them if they weren't too busy with their peurile Pogue pranks.   

It's the one, it's the only... Charlie Higson!! Nadia's got a bit of a face on when she realises who's come to join her and Frank on the island, given that they've just created a book together, as this means breaking one of the island's golden rules - but soon she's ripping up said rule book (it's very thin) and eating it with glee as Charlie charms one and all with tales from his glorious career as a children's writer. If that's not enough, there are reflections on music and (semi?) quavers, and a race to the best James Bond dog pun, though all involved have to hang their heads in shame for missing Octopuppy. 

Well we're all delighted that the plague that beset the island last month has now vanished thanks to the diligent isolating from Nadia and Frank - though perhaps they were just not talking, it's hard to tell sometimes. The island is once again open to visitors and what a treat to see Her Highness of Horror Jennifer Killick emerging from the earth's crust to marvel at Frank's Deadwood puns and chat about why she's so drawn to filling her readers with fear. In geo-political news Frank and Nadia rebuff President Trump's recent declaration of interest in the island and its chocolate reserves. The island is NOT up for grabs, Donny boy.  

She’s won the prizes as well as the love of her adoring readers for her brilliant books - including 'Orangeboy', 'Eight Pieces of Silva' and 'Rat' - but the wonder that is Patrice Lawrence has never, until now, been able to show off her true skill… the ability to freeze large bodies of water. And aren’t we the lucky ones, as it means she’s been able to pay a visit and tell Nadia and Frank all about her writing, her rage and her tip top taste in doughnuts. Now that Patrice’s new book, ‘People Like Stars’ is set to hit the shelves, she’s glad of the chance of just a little bit of peace beside the fire before the tidal wave of adulation surely coming her way hits the shore. 

Our two reluctant beachcombers have retired from the chilly sands to the cosy warmth of their makeshift hut for a wintery fireside chat about the hither, whither and thither of the Island of Brilliant's past, present and future. Expect insight, illumination, Count Duckula impressions and literary pyjama anecdotes as Nadia and Frank set their tiny island corner of the world to rights. And relax....

The King of illustration Axel Scheffler arrives on the island with a sackful of Lebkukchen, for December is upon us and even Frank has allowed a degree of festive cheer onto the Brilliant shores. Nadia's so excited about the prospect of Axel's arrival she's even prepared some absolute zinger questions - unfortunately she did so in collaboration with Terry the famously duplicitous crab, who just might have sold her a pup or two. Oh well, ende gut alles gut, as they say in Germany; when you have the man responsible for the look of that monster with the terrible teeth and terrible claws - as well as countless other characters in too many books to count - you know you're in for a fabulous episode.  

We will never, not ever, have a more splendid visitor to the island than the  genius and former children's laureate Lauren Child - though the word 'visitor' might not necessarily be the most accurate in her case. Lauren is of course the creator of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean, Ruby Redford - a cast of characters the like of which any writer would give their left nib to have come up with. Nadia and Frank are so engrossed in what she has to say about her relationship with the people in her books that they almost forget (almost) that they manage to win a prize for previous island musings - many thanks to to the Independent Podcast Awards for making their jabberings the best indie books podcast of the year! Toot toot!!

Frank has been desperate to start up a whole new mythology for the island with stories featuring various characters he's modelled out of seaweed and goggly eyes, so Nadia's relief was positively palpable when Louie Stowell turned up, courtesy of a feathery Loki, with enough Norse tales to sate Frank's ravenous appetite, at least for a little while. They chat about the wild success of Louie's Loki books, the brilliant ways myths can be retold (cue Frank's Elmer Fudd impression) and roll the Sisyphean rock of Katherine Rundell's snackaggedon back up the hill. 

A very special, dare we say unmissable, episode in lots of ways. Not only does Chris Haughton, the genius behind such books as 'Shh!', 'A Bit Lost' and 'Don't Worry, Little Crab' join us on the island and prove himself to be the most charming and brilliant of guests, Frank also shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on  Liverpool's Spellow Library during the riots. It's a letter that is both the story of a life and a testament to the enormous power of public spaces and their capacity to offer a beacon of light in the darkness. We also hear from Alex McCormick, the woman who set up the Go Fund Me page that she hoped would raise £500.00 to help restore Spellow Lane. At the time of writing it has already raised £250,000.  And in case that's not enough, Frank and Nadia get into it over which Simpsons character they most closely resemble. They've been on the island too long, some might say...

How do you turn an island into a festival?  This month's episode is recorded partly on the island and partly at the magical location that is Biddulph Old Hall in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which played host and provided a magnificent backdrop to the inaugural Festival of Brilliant, staged by the mighty Outside Arts organisation. Moorlands lad Steven Lenton came along with vital local patisserie expertise and charmed the audience with his Swanee whistle playing and tip-top question answering. The Ukelele Uff Trio were even persuaded to come ashore for the first time in years to play along live. If you weren't able to come along in person, here's the next best thing (though you really did miss out on some excellent chips).