Episode 8 – The Unseen

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In this episode, Rob talks to Tania Hershman and Jo Bell about things that can’t be seen and things that erm.. perhaps shouldn’t (i.e. children). They also discuss their latest collections, the benefits of mentoring, how to make a buck in this racket, Anarchy, buttless chaps and everyone’s favourite: Ovid.

Music by Michael Brailey

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Namechecks: The Poetry School, The Soanes Museum, The Old Operating Theatre, Radio 4, David Morley, Kathryn Maris, Cork Poetry Festival, Luke Kennard, David Hartley, Ben Judge, Michael Brailey

Episode 7 – The perils of live performance

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In this episode, Rob talks to David Hartley and Ben Judge, two seasoned literature performers about the ups and downs of performing your work live. We talk about Dave’s new night Speak Easy, Ben’s stint as a Not the booker prize judge and evil evil coffee machines. Ben was (sadly) not available for the photo sesh so we did the best we could. Recorded live on Pomona island.

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Namechecks: Paul McVeigh, Tania Hershman, Jo Bell (again), Ambit magazine, Unsung, Not the booker, Sam Jordison, Adam Marek (again), Claire Dean, Nightjar (again), Socrates Adams, Trish Starbrook, Didsbury Arts Festival, Chorley Arts Festival, Joy France, Fat Roland, Lancaster Lit Fest, Bad Language (again), Verbose, First Draft, National Flash Fiction Day, Sarah-Clare Conlon (again) and Tom Mason… phew

Episode 5 – The Kevin Bacon of the NW writing scene

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In the Christmas episode, Rob talks to Publisher/editor/writer/MA tutor/fine hat wearer, Nicholas Royle, about short stories, getting published, Doppelgangers, Bad sex and (weirdly) The Smiths.

Special appearance by shit Parkour artists.

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Namechecks: Michael Marshall Smith, Tom Fletcher, Alison Moore, Stephen King, Comma Press, Salt Publishing, Keiren Devaney, Stephen McGeogh, Ron Butlin, Kerry Hadley-Price, Ian Parkinson, John Oakey, Joe Stretch, Literary Review

Episode 4 – The P Word

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Rob gets poetry schooled by Ella Gainsborough and Kieren King, the people behind Evidently aka Salford’s best poetry night. They, along with poet Jack Dixon talk Prison poetry, tapping that sweet poetry coin and math rock. Photo credit: Guy Garvey.

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Namechecks: Monkeypoet, John Cooper Clarke, Guy Garvey, Big Charlie Poet, Trevor Meaney, The Eagle Inn and MacGuffin.

Episode 3 – David Gaffney and Clare Conlon

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In this podcast, Rob talks to the nicest (and certainly most well turned out) couple in the Manchester Literature scene, David Gaffney and Sarah-Clare Conlon. They discuss Les Malheureux, Clare’s literature night Verbose, David’s latest projects (including a trio of novels… exciting!) and using music and graphic art in your on stage reading. They also get into what makes a good short story, what it’s like having your partner critique your work, and… oh yeah, coffee tables.

Listen to it immediately. And why dontcha subscribe while you’re at it? See that little musical note thingie up by my horrid face? That’s the itunes logo. CLICK IT.

 

At the end I talk about an article the author, Adrian Barnes has written on the Daily Beast entitled My Cancer is as Strange as my Fiction.

If you are a writer in the North West of Engerland and want to be on it, email me endofallpodcasts@gmail.com or tweet me @endofallpodcast

 

Episode 2 – Nija Dalal-Small and Fat Roland

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What makes for a good performance? Is the Manchester literature scene too cliquey? Is it too white and mannish? But most importantly, Is blogging dead?

Fat Roland (Bad Language, the UK’s best literature night) and Nija Dalal-Small (The Real Story and In the Dark) weigh in.

Listen to it immediately. Oh yeah, and subscribe why dontcha? See that little musical note thingie up by my face? That’s the itunes logo. CLICK IT.

 

If you want to be on it, email me endofallpodcasts@gmail.com or tweet me @endofallpodcast

 

Rob Cutforth, Kate Feld and Abi Hynes

Episode 1 – Kate Feld and Abi Hynes

Kate Feld and Abi Hynes (I call her “Abi Faro” in the podcast because that’s what her twitter handle is) are Manchester writers who host the popular Live Literature nights The Real Story and First Draft in Manchester, UK. They talk to Rob about Feminism, Sex, Performance and trying to eke out a living as a writer in the 21st century.

This podcast was recorded on the roof of the Manchester Literature Festival the 17th of October 2015. It’s the first one, so all comments or questions are welcome.

Here, let me get you started:

Question 1: Why does the beginning bit sound like Rob is recording from the inside of a baked bean can?
Answer: Erm… it’s art?

Question 2: Why does Rob sound like an even camper Greg Proops?
Answer: Fuck. You.

Enjoy!

 

Do you want to be in the next podcast? Tweet me @robcutforth

The End of All Things Podcast

Starting in November, The End of All Things will be devoted to podcasting.

I have been quite mean to the six or seven of you who still read this blog by ignoring it completely. You don’t deserve it. We’re really good mates, you and I. Obviously, by “You” I mean “the ether” and by me I mean “My online persona”. Haha, just kidding, I’m not clever enough to maintain an online persona. The crotchety old goat you see writing these actual words is the same one who tortures his wife with angry rants about the awful world that is Great Britain. Jesus H, why do I live here? Just look at it outside.

Basically, I’ve been putting all my funny shit on twitter instead of this blog because I have almost a whole five hundred people reading what I write there where I think my biggest tally here was 146. I totally just made that number up.

Anyway, two things have happened since I spoke to you last… no wait, three.

  1. My book was a terrible failure.
  2. I have joined a proper writing group.
  3. I am, at the age of 40, doing an MA in Creative Writing. “But I thought only cunts did MAs in Creative Writing?” I can hear you say. Well, I can tell you from actual experience, that that it is not the case. I mean some people who do MAs in Creative Writing are cunts but not all. In fact, I’d say the majority are of the non-cunt variety. I will let you decide which one I am.
  4. I have replaced the ability to count with appalling profanity.

So yeah, look forward to a podcast on short fiction, long fiction, creative non-fiction, performance and all other things writery. The first one will include an actual critique of my own writing from some truly mean people and an interview or maybe even two from writers who know what they’re doing.

I have bought a microphone and everything. I promise it won’t suck.

David Mitchell at the Manchester Literature Festival

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Festival Blogger Robert Cutforth takes an unconventional approach to reviewing the David Mitchell event at RNCM: an imagined letter from the author to reviewer

Dear Robert,

Or is it Rob? I know you folksy Canadian types have a penchant for hypocorism (You called me “Dave” in your letter) but I find doing the same gives me indigestion. Oh, what the hell, I’m at the end of my press tour for The Bone Clocks so I’m feeling cheeky. Rob it is.

In your letter, you mentioned that you saw me reading from The Bone Clocks at the RNCM, but because your portable recording device died, you can’t remember a thing I said and thought it might be useful if I wrote you to repeat everything I said during the talk. It was an odd request—not to mention rude—but as I say, you’ve caught me in a good mood.

In particular, you wanted me to go over (for a second time) what makes a good character. As I mentioned last Thursday, I write letters to myself from my characters in order to get to know them better. They tell me about their formative childhood experiences, things they think about, class, ambition, money, all that sort of thing. A writer must do more than simply observe his characters, one must inhabit them. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be a bit meta, does it? I’m asking you a question. You. No, not Robert, you, the person reading this blog post. I am talking directly to you. Hi. Nice shirt.

What other things? Oh yes. Treat your regular readers with a good deal of respect and reward them for their loyalty with little bits of what I call “mental furniture”. I know you’ve only read one of my books (the big one) so this doesn’t apply to you… in fact, why am I writing to you again? Ugh, nevermind, I’ve come this far, I may as well finish… Mental furniture is the stuff crammed into my anti-Tardis-like brain that can’t help but find themselves into all my books. Talking Heads, Alain-Fournier, cats etc. There is nothing wrong with giving a bit of yourself to your readers; you’re an artist after all, not a mechanic.

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Don’t get upset when you’re compared to Murakami or been outed as a massive fan of Dr Who. Embrace the backhanded compliment “storyteller” the snooty types will put on you for writing anything a bit “out there”. Wear your Booker losses like badges of honour.

When doing a reading, leave them on a cliffhanger. Which reminds me… I have a book out. It’s called The Bone Clocks. It’s similar in style to my other books in that it’s a bit epic, but delivered in digestible chunks, it treats time like an infant’s plaything and well, you’ll just have to read it to find out more.

I hope that jogs your memory a bit, next time perhaps instead of attempting to illegally record my talk, you bring a pad and pen.

Yours,

David

PS If you write anything in your piece about Crispin Hershey even remotely resembling Martin Amis, I will kill you.