I chatted with Selina MacKenzie on her Lifestyles show, TRE Talk Radio Europe, about the women who inspired Queens of the Underworld. Listen here, begins 22 minutes into the show. Continue reading
I chatted with Selina MacKenzie on her Lifestyles show, TRE Talk Radio Europe, about the women who inspired Queens of the Underworld. Listen here, begins 22 minutes into the show. Continue reading
How do writers deal with rejection? Vox is a series of bite-size audio recordings in which Royal Literary Fund Fellows explore topics around writing. In this episode, we were asked to discuss rejection. Listen here. Continue reading
Nottingham Evening Post, November 1923 The Crime Readers’ Association has run a piece on one of the women from Queens of the Underworld, Diamond Dolly, in their October newsletter. Continue reading
‘Who owns the legacy of a women’s prison?’ The New Yorker has run a feature on the history and future of the site of Holloway Prison, and the need for a proper Women’s Building. Full article here. Continue reading
Vox is a series of bite-size audio recordings in which Royal Literary Fund Fellows explore topics around writing. In this episode, we were asked to discuss the best writing advice we have ever received. Listen here. Continue reading
I’ll be talking about Queens of the Underworld at Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival on Sunday October 3rd – Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, CA3 8TP, 10.30-11.30am. Tickets available here. Continue reading
Queens of the Underworld is a ‘season highlight’ in the Bookseller Non-Fiction Buyer’s Guide for autumn. Continue reading
I’m excited to be returning to the Hurst to tutor on a residential Tutored Retreat: Fiction course, with Jacob Ross, on November 8th-13th. Working on a novel or a collection of short stories? Fire up your Fiction will provide support and feedback for whatever issues you’re facing with your writing – whether you need to… Continue reading
The winners of the Make Space for Women competition have been announced – a stunning selection of bold and inspiring artwork. It took the judges hours of discussion to decide on the final winners – with 90 entries, ranging from paintings, photography, drawings, crochet and multimedia, to poetry and prose. The competition was run by… Continue reading
I’m looking forward to teaching an Autobiography into Fiction course for City Lit on April 24th, where we will be learning how to turn real life experiences into fiction. What are the problems – and benefits – of using personal material in fiction? Where should we start, what techniques can we use, and how… Continue reading
I’m excited to be launching a new mentoring service with author and journalist Caroline Brothers. We’re offering support, guidance and manuscript feedback for every stage of the writing process, and to writers of all levels. If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel or a family history, or if you need a fresh perspective on… Continue reading
I’m delighted to be joining City Academy, and look forward to teaching Online Blogging (July 8-Aug 12), Online Creative Writing for Beginners (Sept 1-Oct 6), and a one day Blogging for Beginners in June. Course details here Continue reading
Author and poet Leslie Tate runs weekly interviews on the creative life, this week I chat about Bad Girls and Queens of the Underworld. Continue reading
Holloway Prison, the most infamous jail for women in Europe, closed in 2016. Campaigners have been working tirelessly ever since to make sure the site is developed for the community, and that includes a proper Women’s Building. BUT there is not enough space allocated to the building at the moment – there needs to be… Continue reading
Singer Katy Carr is about to release her new album Providence, which includes a wonderful song on the Hampstead Ladies’ Bathing Pond – capturing the adventure, joy and freedom of swimming. The album can be pre ordered here and the official release date is October 30th. Katy Carr, The Ladies’ Pond The CD features… Continue reading
Photographer Ruth Corney has published a book celebrating 20 years of photographing the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath in London. All proceeds go to the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation, and the book can be bought via their website. Ruth has been capturing scenes at the pond since 2000, and some of the photos… Continue reading
Harry Gurr, champion swimmer of England in the 1860s, was also known as the Man Fish and was famous for his underwater acts, often performed in glass tanks. Born in Bethnal Green, London, in 1847 he was described as a ‘pocket Hercules’, five foot tall with well developed muscles, a ruddy complexion and fair hair.… Continue reading
Warwick Globalist has run a review of Bad Girls, by Arts & Culture editor Isaac Little. ‘A compelling and easy to read narrative that raises uncomfortable questions for how the justice system has treated women…As a social history, Bad Girls makes a criminally understudied part of our past accessible to all.’ Continue reading
A lockdown project on museums and heritage focused on Swimming: Images and Places, including two features on Thames swimming, drawn from Downstream. Continue reading
Reclaim Holloway is a coalition fighting for a Women’s Building to be built on the site of the former Holloway Prison. It has a revamped website, with more information on the building, as well as designs by artist Niki Gibbs. A new exhibition, The End of the Sentence, by artist and filmmaker Judy Price,… Continue reading
Vox is a series of bite-size audio recordings in which Royal Literary Fund Fellows explore topics around writing. Here I attempt to respond to the issue of ‘Marketing and Me’… Continue reading
The Ponds has been nominated for Best Documentary at the annual National Film Awards UK. The awards will be broadcast on March 20th. See the full list of nominations here and vote for the winner here. Continue reading
The Hornsey Road Baths in Islington were once famed for hosting swimming superstars, including the Beckwith family who inspired Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion of the World. Read the Islington Gazette feature here Continue reading
The Guardian has run a feature on the rise of chemical-free pools, with a mention of Downstream and the Victorian love of natural water. All sorts of new swimming spots were created in the late 1800s, using filtered river water to create floating baths and pontoons in cities such as London and Liverpool. Continue reading
The Ponds has been shortlisted as Documentary Film Release of the Year in this year’s Screen Awards. Congratulations to the directors and to all the swimmers! See the full list of nominees here Continue reading
The Bookseller has just announced that Queens of the Underworld will be published by The History Press in October 2021. For the next year I’m going to be on the hunt for forgotten criminal women – who were they, what made them so successful, and why don’t we know about them today?’ Continue reading
I’m thrilled to have received a grant from the Authors’ Foundation, administrated by the Society of Authors. The grants are for ‘works in progress’ and will allow me to properly research Queens of the Underworld! This is an amazing piece of news, at a time when earning a living as a writer is harder than… Continue reading
A large print edition of Bad Girls has been published by W.F Howes, under the Clipper Large Print imprint. Continue reading
I’m thrilled that an extract from Place of Reeds has been included in Botswana Women Write, an anthology of writing by and about Batswana women. The 55 writers include the legendary Bessie Head and the poet Tjawangwa Dema, as well as many women being published for the first time. The book will be launched at… Continue reading
It’s twenty years since Roger Deakin’s Waterlog was published, here Ashley Norris writes about the book’s legacy for iNews Continue reading