Episodes

  • In this S2 Finale episode, we are delighted to bring you an interview with an author who, we feel, wholly embodies the Storyshaped ethos - the brilliant SF Said. SF's writing is immersive, absorbing, mind-expanding, and thrilling, crafted with care and passion; truly, the best sort of writing, which also happens to be for children (though, as SF says, 'children's literature includes children, but excludes no-one'). We're delighted to get a chance to sit down with SF, whose thoughts on the power and value of children's literature, the importance of making stories available to all children, and the profound impact that stories have on the minds, hearts, and lives of those who consume them, are truly worth hearing - so come and spend an hour with us!


    And a quick housekeeping announcement from your hosts:


    We'll return in a wee while with a special bonus Q&A episode, where we'll answer some brilliant questions sent in by listeners, and after that we'll be taking a hiatus from Storyshaped while we sort out one or two pesky things (like life, family, and work!) But rest assured, Storyshapers: we, like the Terminator, will be back. Thank you all for listening, rating, reviewing, sharing, and sitting down with us over the past two seasons, while we've asked a variety of excellent people: Are you Storyshaped? We can't wait to get back to it, just as soon as we can. While you're waiting for our return: please help yourselves to our back catalogue and any bonus episodes we release, and do continue sharing, rating, and reviewing the show, as it really does help us to keep producing it for you.


    But for now: have some fantastic Storyshaped chat with the brilliant SF Said.


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include SF's own:


    Varjak Paw

    The Outlaw Varjak Paw

    Phoenix

    Tyger (all published by David Fickling Books)


    And the stories which shaped him include:


    The Cat in the Hat, by Dr Seuss


    The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


    On Liberty, by John Stuart Mill


    The work of William Blake


    Comics, including:


    Marvel

    Asterix

    Tintin

    Peanuts

    Mad Magazine

    Calvin & Hobbes


    Watership Down, by Richard Adams


    The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (incl. Dave McKean)


    Cages, written and illustrated by Dave McKean


    A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K Le Guin


    His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman


    Noughts and Crosses, by Malorie Blackman


    Skellig, by David Almond


    Journey Back to Freedom, by Catherine Johnson


    The Essays of C.S. Lewis


    The Letters of JRR Tolkien


    The work of George MacDonald, including The Princess and the Goblin


    The work of William Morris


    The work of Lord Dunsany (1878-1957)


    Film and TV:


    Star Wars

    Star Trek


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • We had a fascinating chat with the amazing Ann Sei Lin this week on the podcast, where we got an insight into the stories that have been shaping her since her earliest days. Ann's fantastic debut, Rebel Skies, is an amazing story about what makes a human, all told through the fabulous surrounds of a Japanese-folklore inspired fantasy world complete with skyships, dragons, and living origami. It's a truly memorable debut and we were so pleased to get a chance to discuss it with Ann, and to find out more about the stories that helped her to become an author and create such a rich, immersive story world. We hope you're not afraid of heights...


    Books mentioned this week include Ann's own:


    Rebel Skies (Walker Books)

    Rebel Fire (Walker Books)


    And the stories which have shaped her include:


    The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd


    The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux


    The work of JRR Tolkien


    The work of Terry Pratchett


    The work of Robin Hobb


    The work of Robert Jordan


    The work of Julie Kagawa


    The Twelve Kingdoms (manga), by Fuyumi Ono


    His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman


    Orihima and Hikoboshi - a Japanese folktale


    The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater


    Immortal Rain (manga), by Kaori Ozaki


    The Shadow Skye trilogy, by Joseph Elliott


    Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura


    Yellowface, by RF Kuang


    Babel, by RF Kuang


    Sixteen Souls, by Rosie Talbot


    Catfish Rolling, by Clara Kumagai


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • Susan had the chance to sit down with brilliant debut author Alice Ross this week, where they discussed Alice's novel The Nowhere Thief and Alice's journey to becoming an author, as well as SO MANY wonderful books and stories which shaped her into the author she is today. Alice is as big a fan of Diana Wynne Jones as we are here on the podcast, but as well as the work of the incomparable DWJ, there are loads of other fantastic stories mentioned here - each one a portal to an amazing world of story. Strap in, and join us as we get Storyshaped!


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Alice's own:


    The Nowhere Thief (Nosy Crow)


    And the books and stories which shaped her include:


    The Mr Men books, by Roger Hargreaves


    The work of CS Lewis


    The work of Roald Dahl


    The work of Laura Ingalls Wilder


    Ramona and Beezus, by Beverly Cleary


    Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton


    Gobbolino the Witch's Cat, by Ursula Moray Williams


    Charmed Life, by Diana Wynne Jones


    The Lives of Christopher Chant, by Diana Wynne Jones


    The Magician's Nephew, by CS Lewis


    The Homeward Bounders, by Diana Wynne Jones


    Hidden Turnings, ed. Diana Wynne Jones

    (inc. The Walled Garden, by Lisa Tuttle)


    Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce


    Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones


    Reflections: On the Magic of Writing, by Diana Wynne Jones


    Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones


    The work of Holly Jackson


    One of Us Is Lying, by Karen McManus


    This Book Kills, by Ravena Guron


    The Thief of Farrowfell, by Ravena Guron


    The work of Anne Rice


    Lockwood and Co., by Jonathan Stroud


    The work of Stephen King


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • We had the *most* fun this week sitting down with one of the Queens of Children's Historical Fiction (that's her official title, right), Ally Sherrick! We chat all things writing and story, including how much research Ally's rich, immersive novels take; where her love of history came from; what historical period she hasn't written about (yet), and what might be coming next from her talented pen. This episode was a wonder. Ally is a generous, inspirational, fascinating and truly wonderful podcast guest, and we hope you'll enjoy listening to our chat as much as we enjoyed recording it. Now! Let's get Storyshaped.


    Find Ally online at her website


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Ally's own (all published by Chicken House):


    Black Powder

    The Buried Crown

    The Queen's Fool

    Vita and the Gladiators


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard


    My Naughty Little Sister, by Dorothy Edwards and Shirley Hughes


    Charlie and Fred - stories made up by Ally's (wonderful) dad!


    Just-So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling, especially The Elephant's Child


    The Highwayman, by Alfred Noyes


    Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


    The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken


    Black Hearts in Battersea, by Joan Aiken


    Nightbirds on Nantucket, by Joan Aiken


    A Small Pinch of Weather, by Joan Aiken


    A Necklace of Raindrops, by Joan Aiken


    A Traveller in Time, by Alison Uttley


    The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, by Penelope Lively


    Carrie's War, by Nina Bawden


    The Wake, by Paul Kingsnorth


    The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week we're talking to Alan Titley - emeritus professor, scholar, author, dramaturg, teacher, folklorist, journalist, seanchaí (storyteller) - about the stories that shaped him. This discussion was fascinating; we could have listened to Alan all day! Come with us and hear him talk about his earliest days of being told stories by a pipe-smoking teacher, right up to the scholarly work that went into creating his edition of the ancient Irish battle epic. Táin Bó Cuailgne (published as 'The Táin', illustrated by Eoin Coveney, published by Little Island, 2023). Alan's Storyshaped life has a unique depth and breadth, and it was a privilege to get a window into it. Come and join us!


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include some of Alan's own:


    Amach (An Gúm, 2004)

    The Táin, ill. Eoin Coveney (Little Island, 2023)

    Leabhar Nóra Ní Anluain (Cló Iar-Chonnacht)


    And the stories that shaped him include:


    The New Testament of the Bible


    Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes


    Comics including The Beano, The Dandy, Topper, Rupert the Bear


    Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell


    The work of Jack Kerouac


    The work of DH Lawrence


    The short stories of Frank O'Connor


    The Touch/An Teagmháil, by Liam O'Flaherty


    The Majesty of the Law, by Frank O'Connor


    The work of Seosamh MacGrianna


    The work of W.M. Thackeray


    The work of Jane Austen


    The work of Pádraic Ó Conaire


    The work of Seamus Delargy and the Irish Folklore Commission, including:

    Leabhair Seán Uí Chonaill/Seán O'Connell's Book


    The work of W. Somerset Maugham


    The work of Thomas Kenneally


    Cré na Cille, by Máirtín Ó Cadhain

    (Alan's translation: The Dirty Dust, Yale University Press, 2015)


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Spend an hour with Sinéad and our guest, Victoria Williamson, as we take a stroll through the stories that have shaped one of the most prolific and imaginative children's authors writing today. Victoria's work ranges from emotionally charged stories for older children and young teens, right down to fantastical adventures for younger readers, never failing to enthral and captivate, and it was a pleasure to sit down with her and chat all things story. We talk about the 'hero's journey', her career as a teacher, the many far-flung places her work has brought her to, her commitment to social justice and other causes close to her heart, and what authorly ambitions she has yet to achieve. Come and join us, and find out how Victoria is Storyshaped.


    Find Victoria online via her website


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Victoria's own:


    The Boy With the Butterfly Mind

    The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle

    Hagstorm

    War of the Wind

    The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien


    Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien


    The work of Stephen King


    The work of Monica Dickens


    The Tripods, by John Christopher


    The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 3/4, by Sue Townsend


    The Hardy Boys (and later iterations), originally created and written by Franklin W. Dixon


    Maps, atlases, and books about travel


    The work of Jane Austen, the Brontes, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens


    Harry Potter, by JK Rowling (these books set Victoria on the road to becoming a children's writer)


    Treasures of the Snow, by Patricia St John


    The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham


    The work of MR James


    Victorian Gothic Stories and Ghost stories (in general)


    Rivet Boy, by Barbara Henderson


    Euro Spies, by Lindsay Littleton


    Haarville, by Justin Davies


    Into the Faerie Hill, by HS Norup


    The Silver Road, by Sinéad O'Hart


    TV influences include:


    Star Trek


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Join us this week for an absolutely nerd-licious chat with the BRILLIANT Louie Stowell, whose writerly output is too great to be enumerated. She has written an abundance of non-fiction titles, created a treasure trove of tales about Kit and her friends (in the library, in the lake, and in the wood, among other spots), placed the glittering Otherland in its proper place in the pommel of her sword, and gifted us the marvellous LOKI series - truly the crowning jewel in her hoard. This was one of the most fun chats we've had on Storyshaped - you don't want to miss it!


    Find Louie online at her website


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Louie's own:


    The Dragon in the Library

    The Monster in the Lake

    The Wizard in the Wood

    Otherland

    Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good

    Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Taking the Blame

    Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Ruling the World


    And the stories which shaped her include:


    Norse Myths that Shaped the Way We Think, by Carolyne Larrington


    The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, by Alan Moore


    Comics including:

    Superman and Batman

    The Dark Knight Returns

    2000 AD

    Oink

    Halo Jones

    Bumble and Snug, by Mark Bradley


    The Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch


    Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman


    The City and the City, by China Miéville


    The Books of Magic, by Neil Gaiman and various artists


    The Expanse (series), by James S.A. Corey


    Chutzpah, by Jan Mark


    Hairs on the Palm of the Hand, by Jan Mark


    Just William, by Richmal Crompton


    The Tripods, by John Christopher


    Space Hostages, by Nicholas Fisk


    The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien


    Paradise Lost, by John Milton


    The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis


    The Light Between Worlds, by Laura E. Weymouth


    Other media:


    A BBC Radio Play of The Lord of the Rings


    The Ring Cycle by Wagner (TV Production)


    Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)


    Hannibal (TV series)


    The Walking Dead (TV series)


    Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (book and TV series)


    Classic KitKat advertisement from the 1980s - No Rest for the Wicked


    The best version of LOTR ever (according to Louie)


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • A slightly different vibe for today's Storyshaped! We're sitting down with Rebecca Schiller - smallholder, parent, memoirist, creative writing teacher, neurodivergent person, and author, for a wonderful chat about her recent ADHD diagnosis, creativity (and permission to enter into creativity), parenthood, the art of writing a memoir, the beauty of children's literature, and how vital it is for children to feel empowered by the things they read. We also make some pit-stops along the way, where Rebecca traces the influence of some very important books, ones that shaped and affected the course of her life and career. We'd love you to come with us on this bookish ramble, where we'll find out how Rebecca is Storyshaped.


    Find Rebecca online at her website


    Follow Rebecca on Instagram


    Rebecca founded the Mothers Who Write community


    More information on the courses Rebecca runs for writers and creatives


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Rebecca's own:


    Earthed: A Memoir (published as A Thousand Ways to Pay Attention in the United States)

    Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan

    Amazing Activists Who Are Changing Our World, illustrated by Sophie Beer


    And the stories which have shaped her include:


    The Peter and Jane books, published by Ladybird


    Stories from the Bible


    The Wild Other, by Clover Stroud


    Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery


    Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte


    A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett


    The Railway Children, by E. Nesbit


    The Regeneration Trilogy, by Pat Barker


    Life Class, by Pat Barker


    The Skylarks' War, by Hilary McKay


    This Must Be the Place, by Maggie O'Farrell


    Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell


    Shopaholic Ties the Knot, by Sophie Kinsella


    Also mentioned: Five Children on the Western Front, by Kate Saunders


    The Passion, by Jeanette Winterson


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Well, this was a hoot - as you'd expect from a guest like Jenny McLachlan, author of the BRILLIANT, bestselling ROAR books, as well as Dead Good Detectives, Stink (Worst. Fairy. Ever) and a whole load more. Jenny began her writing career with amazing YA books, before graduating into equally amazing Middle Grade novels and early readers - so, she has written across the ages, and with equal aplomb in all. She's funny, her characters are memorable, her stories are equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, and this chat was exactly the same. Come with us as we get to know the powerhouse that is Jenny McLachlan, and find out her answer to our perennial question: Are You Storyshaped?


    Find Jenny online:

    www.jennymclachlan.com


    Her Twitter


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Jenny's own:


    Flirty Dancing

    Love Bomb

    Star Struck

    Stargazing for Beginners

    Sunkissed

    Truly, Wildly, Deeply


    The Land of Roar

    Return to Roar

    The Battle for Roar

    Dead Good Detectives


    Pet Quest

    The Jumpy Bumpy Feeling

    The Quack in the Kitchen

    There's a Chicken in my Bookbag

    Zoom to the Moon,

    Stink: Worst. Fairy. Ever.


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad


    Topsy and Tim, by Jean and Gareth Anderson


    Helpers, Alfie, Moving Molly, and Dogger by Shirley Hughes


    The work of Jackie Collins


    The work of Jilly Cooper


    Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte


    The work of Jane Austen


    The work of Charles Dickens


    The Beano comic


    Pippin in Playland comic


    Annuals: Twinkle, Bunty, Mandy


    Bella magazine


    Just Seventeen magazine


    Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison


    The work of Jacqueline Wilson


    Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte


    Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare


    Circe, by Madeleine Miller


    The Silence of the Girls, by Pat Barker


    Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep, by Philip Reeve


    The work of M.G. Leonard (check out our podcast chat with M.G. here)


    TV influences:


    Succession


    Game of Thrones


    Saving Lives at Sea (TV documentary)


    Print Media:


    Joseph Coelho: I set out to find the happiness I felt as a child, and it worked


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • We had great fun this week sitting down with award-winning author Jasbinder Bilan on the podcast! We discussed her formation in India and Britain, the importance of oral storytelling and family stories, and the stories that helped her to grow up to write beautiful, immersive, richly textured books which celebrate all facets of her heritage and culture. Come with us as we walk with Jasbinder through the landscapes of her life, and find out how she's Storyshaped.


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Jasbinder's own:


    Asha and the Spirit Bird

    Tamarind and the Star of Ishta

    Aarti and the Blue Gods

    Xanthe and the Ruby Crown

    India Incredible India (illustrated by Nina Chakrabarti)


    And the stories which shaped her include:


    The wonderful stories told to her by her grandma, and the real-life stories experienced by her family - including the story of Oma the Wild Monkey, who took Jasbinder's brother up a tree!


    Skyhawk, by Gill Lewis


    The work of Emma Carroll


    The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien


    The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis


    From Spare Oom to Ward Robe by Katherine Langrish


    A collection of Greek myths, with Pegasus on the cover!


    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, particularly an edition translated by Simon Armitage and illustrated by Clive Hickes-Jenkins


    A wide range of mythology, and also stories told through songs


    Journey to Jo'burg, by Beverley Naidoo


    Wild Song, by Candy Gourlay


    Stolen History: The Truth about the British Empire and How it Shaped Us, by Sathnam Sanghera


    The Last Whale, by Chris Vick


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Sinéad had the great privilege of sitting down with Leona Forde this week! Leona's the author of the brilliant Milly McCarthy series (Gill Books), including Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe (2023) and the forthcoming Milly McCarthy and the Irish Dancing Disaster. Leona is a teacher, a mam, and a very busy author, and we had a great chat about music, storytelling, her teaching philosophies, her writing process, and how she does it all. Settle in and let's find out together how Leona is Storyshaped!


    Books mentioned in this episode include Leona's own:


    Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    The folktales and mythology she learned from her grandmother, Mrs Maureen Herbert

    The music, traditional ballads and songs played by her father and her family members


    The song Leona mentions is this one:

    Dublin in the Rare Oul Times by the Dubliners


    The Famous Five, by Enid Blyton


    The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton


    Revolting Rhymes, by Roald Dahl


    The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert W. Service


    Under the Hawthorn Tree, by Marita Conlon McKenna


    Across the Barricades, by Joan Lingard


    The Herbalist, by Niamh Boyce


    On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong


    The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne


    The Secret Scripture, by Sebastian Barry


    Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan


    Foster, by Claire Keegan


    The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton


    Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley, by Timothy White


    Oi Puppies, by Kes Grey


    Be Wild, Little One, by Olivia Hope and Daniel Egnéus


    Fidget the Wonder Dog, by Patricia Forde and Rachel Saunders


    The Little Bee Charmer of Henrietta Street, by Sarah Webb


    A Game of Life or Death, by Triona Campbell


    The Time Tider, by Sinéad O'Hart


    Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus


    All the Broken Places, by John Boyne


    The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan


    Trespasses, by Louise Kennedy


    Short Stories by Frank O'Connor


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week, we had the joy of sitting down with Vashti Hardy, author of some of our *favourite* books of all time, to discuss the stories that have shaped her life and her prolific career to date. This episode turned into a masterclass, as Vashti generously shared some of the tips, tricks and techniques that help her to create her wonderful work, and the love for books and stories just fizzes out of every word of this interview. Enjoy this wonderful, warm, and (we hope) inspiring chat with one of the most talented authors around and - if you enjoy it! - do please share it, and spread the word. Let's grow the Storyshaped community!


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Vashti's own:


    The Brightstorm Chronicles (Brightstorm, Darkwhispers, Firesong, and Serpent of the Sands)

    Wildspark

    Crowfall

    The Harley Hitch Series

    The Griffin Gate Series


    And the stories which have shaped her include:


    My Naughty Little Sister, by Dorothy Edwards, ill. Shirley Hughes


    The Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle


    Rebecca's World, by Terry Nation


    Mold and the Poison Plot, by Lorraine Gregory


    Ghost Stories, by Pamela Oldfield


    Chocky, and Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham


    Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier


    I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith


    Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte


    The work of Marcus Sedgwick


    The Cone Gatherers, by Robin Jenkins


    Z for Zachariah, by Robert C. O'Brien


    The Sisterhood, by Katherine Bradley


    Her Dark Wings, by Melinda Salisbury


    The Girl Who Broke the Sea, by A Connors


    Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain, by Amy Jeffs


    Movie influences include: Star Wars


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week, we're speaking with the lovely H.S. (Helle) Norup about the stories which shaped her, and it's a stroll through folklore, faerie hills, and fantastical worlds. Come with us as we talk about the differences between modern children's books and classic books from our childhoods, the intersections between languages and how one would go about translating 'lashings of ginger beer' into Danish, and a children's book so influential (and controversial) that it was discussed in parliament! Settle in, grab your hat, and get Storyshaped with us.


    Find Helle online:


    www.hsnorup.com


    Twitter: H.S. Norup


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Helle's own:


    The Missing Barbegazi (Pushkin Children's)

    The Hungry Ghost (Pushkin Children's)

    Into the Faerie Hill (Pushkin Children's)


    And the books which shaped her include:


    The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis


    The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende


    The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren


    Ronja the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren


    Emil and the Detectives by Eric Kastner


    Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren


    The Famous Five by Enid Blyton


    The work of Agatha Christie


    A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula le Guin


    Dune by Frank Herbert


    His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman


    Unraveller by Frances Hardinge


    "Fairy tales are more than true - not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten." Neil Gaiman, misquoting G.K. Chesterton


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week we're sitting down with Julie Pike, the author of the fantastical, magical, exciting (and slightly gruesome-but-great!) MG novel The Last Spell Breather (OUP, 2019). We talk stories, spaces, the landscape of Wales, the far-flung destinations that Julie has ventured to, how she once possibly helped to save a life (!), the impact of social class on authors' self-perceptions, and how important it is to show children that there are no limits to what they can achieve. Please join us as we get to know Julie and her book, and discover how Storyshaped she is.


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include Julie's own:


    The Last Spell Breather (OUP, 2019)


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    Chris Addison's blog 'Two Ways into a Theatre'


    Brandon Sanderson's blogs on how to write magic systems:


    Sanderson's First Law

    Sanderson's Second Law

    Sanderson's Third Law


    An episode of Dr Who (with Tom Baker as the Doctor) which featured fish monsters:


    Dr Who: Full Circle


    The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton


    Lirael by Garth Nix

    Sabriel by Garth Nix

    Abhorsen by Garth Nix


    The books of Barbara Cartland, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer


    A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis

    A Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie Burgis

    A Reckless Magick by Stephanie Burgis


    Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne


    The Cadfael Chronicles (series) by Ellis Peters


    Star Trek


    Mixed Magics by Diana Wynne Jones


    Mysteries of the Unknown: Monsters, Ghosts and UFOs by Carey Miller, Christopher Maynard, Ted Wilding-White


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.





    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • For this episode, get ready to giggle! We had so much fun talking to Sabine Adeyinka, where we discuss boarding school stories from Nigeria to the UK, the brilliance of comics, the vital importance of curiosity, and the direct inspiration Sabine can draw between the stories that shaped her as a young reader and the creative work she has gone on to make. Settle down and join us for an hour of pure bookish happiness, and find out how Sabine is Storyshaped.


    Books mentioned in this episode include Sabine's own:


    Jummy at the River School


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe


    Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton


    St. Clare's, by Enid Blyton


    Aké: The Years of Childhood, by Wole Soyinka


    The Beano comic


    Tin Tin, by Hergé


    Archie and Veronica (comic), created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater


    The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame; ill. Ernest Shepard, Arthur Ransome, Charles van Sandwyck


    Becoming, by Michelle Obama


    To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee


    Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee


    The books of Efua Traoré


    Half of a Yellow Sun, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


    The Bible


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week, we lose the run of ourselves (verrrry slightly) as we sit down with an undisputed legend - Frances Hardinge. Frances is the author of ten acclaimed and brilliant novels for young adults, the winner of the Costa Book Award (only the second children's author to do so, besides Philip Pullman), and the wearer of an assortment of extremely excellent hats. We wish to put it on record that she wore her hat throughout our conversation - as is only right and proper! Come with us as we take a walk through the absolutely amazing literary landscape that has shaped and formed Frances and her books, and forgive our (alright, Sinéad's) excited fangirling. (She regrets nothing.)


    Books mentioned in this episode include Frances's own:


    Fly By Night

    Twilight Robbery

    Gullstruck Island

    Verdigris Deep

    A Face Like Glass

    Cuckoo Song

    The Lie Tree

    A Skinful of Shadows

    Deeplight

    Unraveller


    The stories that have shaped Frances include:


    The Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle


    James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl


    Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll


    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams


    The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchett


    The Time of the Ghost, by Diana Wynne Jones


    The Thirteen Clocks, by James Thurber


    The Moomintroll series of stories, by Tove Jansson


    Watership Down, by Richard Adams


    The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden


    The Girl in the Tower, by Katherine Arden


    Her Dark Wings, by Melinda Salisbury


    Leila and the Blue Fox, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston


    And the collected work of H. Mills West (listen to the episode to find the touching reason why this writer's work is included.)


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • WELCOME TO SEASON 2!


    Storyshaped is back - and we're landing with a bang. We open Season 2 with a Deep Dive into one of the most significant books in the lives of your fearless co-hosts - Pat O'Shea's The Hounds of the Morrigan. Fifteen years in the writing, this masterpiece of Irish children's literature was utterly formative for both Susan and Sinéad, and in this episode they rejoice in the opportunity to discuss it with one another. You'll hear about natural magic, talking donkeys, triple-aspect goddesses, beleaguered Garda Sergeants, mysterious bookshops, scrying glasses, Swapping Day, and so much more. Join us and be swept away by the magic of this wonderful book (which we do our best not to spoil - fingers crossed!) and get settled in for a new season of your favourite children's literature podcast.


    Welcome back! We're so glad to be here.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • This week - the final episode of Season 1, Storyshaped fans! - Susan and Sinéad are indulging themselves with a Deep Dive into one of the books that profoundly shaped both of them. We're discussing Susan Cooper's 1973 classic The Dark Is Rising, which is a book that Susan describes as being part of her soul. It's an incredible story about a boy named Will Stanton, who steps into his power as an Old One on his eleventh birthday - and it involves such a wealth of mythology, folklore, allusions to medieval texts, and other stuff that pleases our nerdy hearts, that this episode was the MOST fun to record. Please do come with us as we dive deep into this beautiful book, which has Storyshaped us both, and get ready to whisper with us:


    When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back,

    Three from the circle, three from the track;

    Wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, stone;

    Five will return, and one go alone...


    Many different editions of Susan Cooper's classic book exist, but this is a recent edition which might be easily accessible: The Dark Is Rising


    Biographical details about Cooper's life and work are drawn from her website: The Lost Land of Susan Cooper


    We draw on Heritage Artefacts of County Cork by Denis Power and Mary Sleeman (2022) for some of our insights into the mandala symbol


    Referenced in the episode is this blog post: https://consolationofreading.wordpress.com/tag/piers-plowman/


    We also make reference to A Guidebook to Piers Plowman by Anna Baldwin, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007


    Susan draws on Britannic Myths by Steven O'Brien and Joe Machine (ill.) in our discussion of Herne the Hunter and Wayland Smith


    The podcast dramatisation of The Dark is Rising can be found on Spotify here: BBC Sounds Robert MacFarlane The Dark is Rising Adaptation


    And the brilliant Backlisted Podcast episode with Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris is here: Backlisted Podcast


    Thank you all so much for listening to Season 1 of Storyshaped! We're delighted to have reached so many ears, and we hope to reach many more in Season 2 - we'll be back in 2023 with more guest interviews and lots more bookish joy. Until then: all our best wishes for the Festive Season to everyone who celebrates, however you celebrate, and whatever you're doing: make sure to find a nice quiet corner to curl up in with a good book.


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • We have the splendid pleasure of speaking with Sharon Gosling this week on the podcast - yes, only the author of one of our absolute favourite books of 2022, The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott! The stories that shaped Sharon are wide-ranging and exciting, and our chat with her was fun, informative, and full of brilliant books. Come along with us as we take a walk through Sharon's Storyshaped life, and who knows? You might find she's Storyshaped in just the same way as you.


    Books mentioned in this episode include some of Sharon's own:


    The Diamond Thief, winner of the Redbridge Children’s Book Award 2014

    The Ruby Airship

    The Sapphire Cutlass

    The Golden Butterfly

    House of Hidden Wonders

    The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott.

    Her adult books have included The House Beneath the Cliffs and The Lighthouse Bookshop


    And the stories that shaped her include:


    Little Grey Rabbit, by Alison Uttley


    Meg and Mog, by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski


    Boys' Best Adventures (any books that helped you to survive in the wild)


    The Circus of Adventure, by Enid Blyton


    Amazon Adventure, by Willard Price


    Beaver Towers, by Nigel Hinton


    When Marnie Was There, by Joan Robinson


    The Girl Who Ran Away, by Joan Robinson


    The Flight of the Doves, by Walter Macken


    Trixie Belden series, by Julie Campbell Tathem and others


    The Hardy Boys, by Franklin W. Dixon (collective pen-name)


    Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott


    The Animals of Farthing Wood, by Colin Dann


    Twenty-Five Years in the Word Mines, by Graham Joyce


    Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson


    The novels of Terry Pratchett


    Babel, by R.F. Kuang


    The British Library collections of short stories


    The novels and short stories of Shirley Jackson


    The work of Kelly Link


    Hag, edited by Carolyne Larrington


    Folk, by Zoe Gilbert


    Parnassus on Wheels, by Christopher Morley


    A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories, by Joan Aiken


    The Faithless Lollybird, by Joan Aiken


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Today's guest is the BRILLIANT M.G. Leonard, author of some of the best books for young children available today. Her books have been personally inspirational to us, and M.G. herself is such a fount of inspiration, wisdom, and compassion - her insights into writing, the importance of stories, and how she used her own story to reshape her own life, is a must-listen. Come and join us, and find out how M.G. Leonard is Storyshaped.


    Books mentioned in this week's episode include M.G.'s own:


    Beetle Boy

    Beetle Queen

    The Battle of the Beetles

    The Beetle Collectors' Handbook (non-fiction)

    The Tale of a Toothbrush

    The Highland Falcon Thief (with Sam Sedgman)

    Kidnap on the California Comet (with Sam Sedgman)

    Murder on the Safari Star (with Sam Sedgman)

    Danger at Dead Man's Pass (with Sam Sedgman)

    Sabotage on the Solar Express (with Sam Sedgman)

    The Arctic Railway Assassin (with Sam Sedgman)

    Twitch

    Spark

    The Ice Children


    The stories which shaped her include:


    Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden


    Roald Dahl, The Twits


    The Work of Enid Blyton


    Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking


    William Shakespeare, Macbeth


    E.L. Grant Watson, What to Look for in Autumn (Ladybird Book)


    Elise Rousseau and Phillipe J. Dubois, A Short Philosophy of Birds


    Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie


    In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.