The first instalment of the first season of new podcast series The Writer's Dilemma, in which psychotherapist Susie Orbach sits down for a therapy session with writers. In this episode, Susie hears from Polly Barton. Polly is author of two non-fiction books, Fifty Sounds and Porn: An Oral History. She has also translated Japanese literature and non-fiction. As well as books, her translations are featured in various journals and newspapers. She also writes about art. Full session available from January 11th on Spiracle Audiobooks spiracleaudiobooks.com ..read more

Stephanie Racine is a similar age to Bibbs, the protagonist in Tone Schunnesson's Days & Days & Days, and is struck by the different lives they lead. Alongside her stage, screen and radio drama work, Stephanie is a Carleton Hobbs winner ..read more

Tone Schunnesson, Author of Days&Days&Days, talks to Luca Anderson-Muller about her interests and motivations. https://www.spiracleaudiobooks.com/audiobooks/days-days-days ..read more

We speak to Abi Palmer, author and reader of Sanatorium, about how the book (and subsequent edition audiobook) came to be. She describes the 'piecing together' of the text as 'forensic', after the original research was done as video collection rather than as writing, a lot of the first narration being recorded verbally before it was ever on paper. She talks about her mentors in the process, including Tom Chivers of Penned in the Margins which is now on an indefinite hiatus ..read more

We spoke to Olja Knežević, author of Catherine the Great and the Small, about being the first woman writer to be translated into English, the influence of war on Balkan literature and culture, and the characters in the novel. Catherine the Great and the Small is translated brilliantly into English by Paula Gordon & Ellen Elias-Bursac, and Heather Craney's reading brings Catherine's world to life – but here Olja speaks in her own words about knowing and loving her roots. Listen to Catherine the Great and the Small on Spiracle now. https://www.spiracleaudiobooks.com/audiobooks/catherine-the ..read more

Angelo Paragoso, reader of Venom by Saneh Sangsuk (translated by Mui Poopoksakul), reflects on growing up bilingual, and the simlarities and differences between Thai and Philippine pronunciation ..read more

Mui Poopoksakul, translator of Thai to English, talks with producer Kate Bland about translating Saneh Sangsuk's work, in particular Venom. The relationship between author, translator and reader in this case is strong, with Mui able to discuss the Thai with Saneh Sangsuk and the pronunciation for the audiobook with Angelo Paragoso. She reflects here on her work as a translator and the state of Thai literary culture as perceived by the rest of the world ..read more

Jack Holden and producer Kate Bland reflect in the studio after finishing recording Love, Leda ..read more

We speak to Sam Fisher, bookseller, writer, and publisher at Peninsula Press, bringing Love, Leda to listeners with Spiracle this month. His bookshop Burley Fisher is a champion of independent presses. He speaks about walking the line between bookselling and publishing, creative nonfiction, and discovering the right book at the right time ..read more

Kate Bland speaks to Diane Whitty, the translator of Banzeiro Òkòtó: The Amazon as the Centre of the World from the Portugese by Eliane Brum. Banzeiro Òkòtó is itself a transformative journey – the pull, whirlwind, eddy in the water – with an elusive meaning. Diane channels Eliane, bringing her passion and the lyricism of her writing to an English speaking readership ..read more