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The Writers‘ Block podcasts feature chats with Cornish and Cornwall-connected writers, exploring themes of creative writing and creativity in a time of change. We also feature audio stories written as part of projects inspired by Cornwall and the people who live here. The Writers‘ Block is the Creative Writing Centre for Cornwall.
Episodes

Mar 5, 2024
Mar 5, 2024
40 min
Angeline Morrison is a singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter living in Cornwall. Having grown up among many styles of music, including soul, wyrd folk, traditional folk and more, her career has spanned multiple genres and projects. She has collaborated as part of folk duo We are Muffy and Rowan:Morrison , and her most recent album, The Sorrow Songs was produced by Eliza Carthy. The Sorrow Songs has been described as 're-storying' the hidden, historic, black presence of Britain. Angeline's voice is unique: beguiling, from the soul, and wholly captivating. We hope you enjoy this podcast.
In this podcast, we discuss how Angeline maintains creative relationships internationally and nationally whilst living in Cornwall. She talks of how songs find her, and her personal experience of song-writing. Angeline chats about working across genres, collaboration, and her shyness around performing.

Sep 12, 2023
Sep 12, 2023
48 min
Misri Dey:
Misri is an international theatre practitioner living in Constantine, Cornwall. She is senior lecturer for Falmouth University in Theatre and Acting. Her current project, Family Tree explores diasporic identities and what she describes as the ‘ridiculousness’ of borders and boundaries. In this conversation we discuss why she came to be a solo performer and whether solo can even exist as an artform. She talks about her multi-disciplinary work and becoming comfortable in not fitting boxes thanks to her mixed-heritage background. We discuss what’s entailed in being a creative practitioner, and so much more. We hope you enjoy what you hear. Sound and music production by South West Sonic
Sound and music production by South West Sonic.

Sep 12, 2023
Sep 12, 2023
1 hr 3 min
Pascale is a French and Welsh poet now living in Cornwall. She has written eight poetry collections, four of which have been shortlisted for the TS Eliot prize. Her recent collections have been shortlisted for the Forward Prize and won the inaugural Laurel Prize 2020, and the Royal Society of Literature’s Ondaatje Prize. Pascale’s work often merges rich natural landscapes with personal stories, weaving psychological exploration with political through gorgeous poetry. We chat about the therapeutic quality of writing, visiting her mixed heritage through landscape, and what it means to expose your stories through writing.
Sound and music production by South West Sonic.

Oct 12, 2022
Oct 12, 2022
52 min
Natasha is a working class writer and poet and author of nine books, her latest being Undercurrent – A Cornish Memoir of Poverty, Nature and Resilience. She is the founder of the Nature Writing Prize for Working Class Writers, and Artistic Director of the Working Class Writers Festival. In this conversation she speaks passionately about the freedom and inspiration that nature brought her growing up in rural poverty, her endless drive to advocate on nature and socio economic issues, and how she has avoided ever having writer's block. We hope you enjoy this episode.
Sound and music production by Southwestsonic.

Jul 14, 2022
Jul 14, 2022
1 hr 6 sec
The Writers' Block podcasts are conversations between writer Polly Roberts and other Cornwall based writers looking at why we write, the writing process, and the part Cornwall plays in our work.
In this episode, writer and director Brett Harvey talks about the thrill and challenges of screenwriting, why none of his Cornwall-based films include imagery of the coast or sea, and how he considers his short film Hand, a documentation of his diagnoses of early set Parkinson's disease, as a form of therapy writing.

May 9, 2022
May 9, 2022
48 min
The Writers' Block podcasts are conversations between writer Polly Roberts and other Cornwall based writers looking at why we write, the writing process, and the part Cornwall plays in our work.
In this episode, novelist Patrick Gale talks about the intricacies of his writing process; research and use of notebooks, the composting element and his longhand first drafts. Patrick's generosity gives us an insight into the life and work of a writer, who, in his own words, has never had a grown up job. Patrick's latest novel, Mother's Boy, is based on Charles Causley's early life and is available now.
Music, sound production and editing by South West Sonic https://a-m-p.co.uk/

Mar 16, 2022
Mar 16, 2022
49 min
The Writers' Block podcasts are conversations between writer Polly Roberts and other Cornwall based writers looking at why we write, the writing process, and the part Cornwall plays in our work.
In this first episode of a new series, Polly talks to Rebecca Tantony. Rebecca's work ranges from poetry to spoken word and memoire. She is a creative writing mentor and facilitator, leading workshops for retreats, community projects and most recently, for The Writers' Block work with schools. She is running a Creative Writing & Yoga Retreat in Cornwall on 14 & 15 May. Find out more here https://www.rebecca-tantony.com/retreat

Mar 3, 2022
Mar 3, 2022
13 min
Four weekly audio stories in February & March from The Writers’ Block, Writers Room.
Things You Should Know About Grandad by Gareth Rees.
This is a dark tale with echoes of Roald Dahl...
Gareth is a writer living in Cornwall. Currently on the MFA creative writing programme at Manchester Metropolitan University's Manchester Writing School, he is working on an historical novel set in his native Wales. www.gdlrees.co.uk
Read by Aidan Nightingale, Keith Sparrow & Nina Hills.
Directed by Connie Crosby
Audio recording & production by Phil Innes.
Funded by Arts Council England and Amazon Literary Partnership.

Feb 24, 2022
Feb 24, 2022
9 min
Four weekly audio stories in February & March from The Writers’ Block, Writers Room.
Pencarrow Suit by Kate Wilson
Kate Wilson writes short stories and flash fiction. Her favourite writers are 1) Kevin Barry 2) Lucia Berlin and 3) Deborah Eisenberg although this order changes regularly depending whose work she's reading. She also loves George Saunders. Kate completed an MA in Creative Writing at Exeter University in 2021.
Read by Nina Hills, Olivia Lowry, Aidan Nightingale & Keith Sparrow.
Directed by Connie Crosby
Audio recording & production by Phil Innes.
Funded by Arts Council England and Amazon Literary Partnership.

Feb 17, 2022
Feb 17, 2022
7 min
Four weekly audio stories in February & March from The Writers’ Block, Writers Room.
Fallen Anchor by Sonny Arifien.
I'm an Australian freelance writer and arts journalist who now resides by the sea in Margate, Kent. I'm also the founder and creative director of Privilege of Legends: a film news site dedicated for cinephiles like myself with a passion for cinema classics, yet share little in common with the white academic males that typically dominate the discussion. In my spare time I'm working on a collection of short stories, and a novel, 'Roadside Zombies in Calais'.
Read by Keith Sparrow & Aidan Nightingale
Directed by Connie Crosby
Audio recording & production by Phil Innes.
Funded by Arts Council England and Amazon Literary Partnership.
