Episodios

  • Bonus episode: crafting literary magic, with Alice Winn
    Mar 28 2024

    In this bonus episode of Best Book Forward I was delighted to be joined again by Alice Winn author of In Memoriam. Alice talks about her journey to writing her bestselling debut and shares her experiences as dyslexic child learning to read as well as sharing a fabulous bookish secret with us.

    Other books mentioned:

    Barrington Stokes

    Moby Dick by Herman Melville

    War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy

    I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode as much as I have. I would be so grateful if you could take the time to like, subscribe and share with your friends.


    For more content from me you follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org.


    Best Book Forward is proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative

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    30 m
  • Between the Lines of Love and War: Alice Winn on Her Bestseller 'In Memoriam'
    Mar 14 2024

    In this episode of Best Book Forward I was delighted to be joined by Alice Winn author of In Memoriam. If you know me you will know how much I love this book, I’ve probably tried to force a copy on you, so having the opportunity to chat to Alice was incredible.

    The five books that Sophie picked as the books that have shaped her life are:


    Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

    Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

    Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

    Passing by Nella Larsen

    All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque


    Other books mentioned:


    The Secret History by Donna Tartt

    The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller

    Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves

    Journey’s End by R. C. Sherriff

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

    The Blind Spot & Other Stories by Saki HH Monroe

    The Lord of the Rings by JRRTolkein


    Authors mentioned:


    Vera Brittain

    Rudyard Kipling

    F. Scott Fitzgerald


    If you would like to hear more from Alice Winn, please do keep an eye out as there a bonus episode coming where we discuss more about Alice’s life as a reader and a writer and she shares a bookish secret with us!


    For more content from me you follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org.



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    1 h y 16 m
  • Bonus episode: From vulnerability to vegetable hats, with Sophie Irwin
    Feb 29 2024

    In this bonus episode I am joined again by Sophie Irwin; author of A Lady's Guide to Scandal

    In this episode Sophie, reads a passage from her new book and we went on to talk more about her life as a writer and a reader and shares a bookish secret with us.

    Other books mentioned in this episode are:


    A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

    Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

    Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

    Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

    Game of Thrones by George R R Martin


    Authors mentioned


    Taylor Jenkins-Reid

    Niamh Hargan

    Lindsey Kelk

    Mhairi McFarlane

    Sarra Manning

    Janice Hallett

    Amor Towels


    I hope you have enjoyed this episode. I would be so grateful if you would take the time to like, subscribe and most importantly tell your friends about it.


    I’ll be back next month talking to another author and I really hope you’ll join me for that conversation.


    In the meantime, for more content from me you can follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org



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    27 m
  • Sophie Irwin on the Art of Regency Romance and the Joy of Literary Escapism
    Feb 15 2024

    In this episode of Best Book Forward I was delighted to be joined by Sophie Irwin author of A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin and A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

    Sophie talked about her love of the Regency period and why she feels we are so drawn to it, as well as sharing memories of reading her first chapter book that set her on her journey to be a reader for life. The book that was pivotal in changing her life.

    The five books that Sophie picked as the books that have shaped her life are:


    Sophie's Snail by Dick King Smith

    Arabella by Georgette Heyer

    The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenger

    Midnight Chicken by Ella Risberger

    The Break Up Clause by Niamh Hargan


    Other books mentioned:


    Frederica by Georgette Heyer

    Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

    Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

    Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent

    I Want to Die but I Want To Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee

    Heartburn by Nora Ephron

    Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston


    Authors mentioned:

    Frances Burney

    Barbara Cartland

    Georgette Heyer

    Lex Croucher

    Amita Murray

    Felicity George

    Julia Quinn

    Beth Morrey (in the interview I said Morley, it is Morrey, sorry Beth)

    Kate Sawyer

    Roald Dahl

    Lindsey Kelk

    Sarra Manning


    If you would like to hear more from Sophie Irwin, please do keep an eye out as there a bonus episode coming where we discuss more about Sophie’s life as a reader and a writer and she shares a bookish secret with us!


    For more content from me you follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org. You can you also find my favourite books here Shop my favourite books



    Best Book Forward is produced by Decibelle Creative

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    51 m
  • Bonus episode: Matt Cain on how to come back fighting after rejection and a bookish secret that will leave you wanting more!
    Feb 1 2024

    For this episode of Best Book Forward I was delighted to be joined again by Matt Cain; author of One Love . If you missed the main episode where Matt discusses her Desert Island Book.

    In this episode we talk about how Matt came back fighting after his first novel, The Madonna of Bolton was rejected; using his rage to crowdfund his way to get his book published in just a week! Matt also shares a bookish secret with us that left me feeling really excited !


    Books and authors mentioned in this episode


    David Nicholls

    Lisa Jewell

    David Walliams

    Adele Parks

    Jane Austen

    Kate Atkinson


    The Song of Achilles of Madeleine Miller

    The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

    One Day by David Nicholls

    The Unfinished Business fo Eadie Browne by Freya North

    The Excitements by CJ Wray

    That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn

    Shot Through the Heart by Matt Cain

    Nothing But Trouble by Matt Cain

    Step Sisters by Matt Cain


    I hope you enjoyed this bonus episode. Please do take the time to like, subscribe, review and most importantly tell your friends about it. I’ll be back next month talking to another author and I hope you’ll join me for that conversation. In the meantime, for more content from me you can follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org


    This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative

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    41 m
  • Matt Cain on writing love stories that we can all fall in love with.
    Jan 18 2024

    In today’s episode my guest is the wonderful Matt Cain., I have been chatting to Matt on Instagram for such a long time so to get to speak to him about his books and the books that he loves was such a treat. We talked about all of Matt’s books but especially about his latest novel

    One Love which comes out on 18 January and is an absolutely brilliant read.

    We talked about the five books that have shaped Matt’s life and three of them are also favourites of mine.


    Matt’s Desert Island Book choices are:


    The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis

    Kiss of the Spiderwoman by Manuel Puig

    Thomas Hardy: The Time-Torn Man by Claire Tomalin

    The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

    One Day by David Nicholls


    Throughout our discussion, we talked about lots of other books and these are all listed below.


    Other books mentioned in this episode


    The Madonna of Bolton by Matt Cain

    The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

    The Becoming Ted by Matt Cain

    Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

    The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

    A Stitch in Time by Kathryn Coltrin

    The Stranding by Kate Sawyer

    This Family by Kate Sawyer


    I hope you have enjoyed this episode as much as I did, I loved chatting to Matt. I would be so grateful if you would take the time to like, subscribe and most importantly tell your friends about it.

    Do keep an eye out as there is a bonus episode with Matt coming soon.

    In the meantime, for more content from me you can follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org

    Best Book Forward is produced by Buckers at Decibelle Creative


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    1 h y 5 m
  • Bonus episode: Nina Stibbe on Writing, Reading, and London Living
    Dec 21 2023

    In this bonus episode I am joined again by Nina Stibbe; author of Went to London, Took the Dog.

    In this episode Nina, reads a passage from her new book and we went on to talk more about her life as a writer and a reader.

    Other books mentioned in this episode are:

    Started Early Took the Dog by Kate Atkinson

    Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

    The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach

    The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ by Sue Townsend

    Ducks Newbury Port by Lucy Ellmann

    The Fortnight in September by R.C. SHerriff

    Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

    Vera by Elizabeth Von Arnim

    Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

    Francis Plug - How To Be A Public Author by Paul EwenFrancis Plug: Writer In Residence by Paul Ewen


    Authors mentioned


    Cathy Rentzenbrink

    Lionel Shriver

    Nick Hornby

    Alan Bennett

    Jonathan Miller

    Heather Morris

    Thomas Hardy

    Geoffrey Chaucer

    Elizabeth Strout

    Anne Tyler

    David Sedaris

    Lydia Davis

    Hilary Mantel

    Margaret Atwood


    I hope you have enjoyed this episode. I would be so grateful if you would take the time to like, subscribe and most importantly tell your friends about it.


    I’ll be back next month talking to another author and I really hope you’ll join me for that conversation.


    In the meantime, for more content from me you can follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org

    Best Book Forward is produced by Decibelle Creative

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    30 m
  • The joy of keeping a diary with Nina Stibbe
    Dec 7 2023

    In this episode I was delighted to be joined by Nina Stibbe; who’s latest book Went to London, Took the Dog is out 2 November and is such a brilliant read.

    I loved talking to Nina, and hearing her talk so patiently about her love of diaries has inspired me to try and keep my own diary.

    Nina’s Desert Island Book choices are:


    Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

    My Side of the Mountain by Jean George (currently out of print)

    Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend

    Diary of a Nobody by G&W Grossmith


    Throughout the discussion, various other books and authors were mentioned and these are all listed below.


    Other Books Mentioned


    One Day I Shall Astonish the World by Nina Stibbe

    Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe

    War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

    Jill’s Gymkhana by Ruby Ferguson

    The Snow & Works on the Northern Line by Ruth Thomas

    The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Burn

    A Very Private Eye by Julie Cooper


    Authors mentioned

    David Sedaris

    Deborah McGogach

    Alan Bennett

    Claire Tomlyn

    Michael Frayne

    Jonathan Miller

    Germaine Greer


    If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more from Nina, do keep an eye out as we have recorded a bonus episode which will be coming soon.


    For more content from me you can follow me on Instagram or visit my website www.bestbookforward.org

    Best Book Forward is produced by Decibelle Creative

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    1 h y 15 m