Storyshaped

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.comHer TwitterBooks mentioned in this week's episode include Jenny's own:Flirty DancingLove BombStar StruckStargazing for BeginnersSunkissedTruly, Wildly, DeeplyThe Land of RoarReturn to RoarThe Battle for RoarDead Good DetectivesPet QuestThe Jumpy Bumpy FeelingThe Quack in the KitchenThere's a Chicken in my BookbagZoom to the Moon,Stink: Worst. Fairy. Ever.And the stories that shaped her include:Heart of Darkness, by Joseph ConradTopsy and Tim, by Jean and Gareth AndersonHelpers, Alfie, Moving Molly, and Dogger by Shirley HughesThe work of Jackie CollinsThe work of Jilly CooperJane Eyre, by Charlotte BronteThe work of Jane AustenThe work of Charles DickensThe Beano comicPippin in Playland comicAnnuals: Twinkle, Bunty, MandyBella magazineJust Seventeen magazineAngus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise RennisonThe work of Jacqueline WilsonWuthering Heights, by Emily BronteRomeo and Juliet, by William ShakespeareCirce, by Madeleine MillerThe Silence of the Girls, by Pat BarkerUtterly Dark and the Face of the Deep, by Philip ReeveThe work of M.G. Leonard (check out our podcast chat with M.G. here)TV influences:SuccessionGame of ThronesSaving Lives at Sea (TV documentary)Print Media:Joseph Coelho: I set out to find the happiness I felt as a child, and it workedOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.

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 BirdTamarind and the Star of IshtaAarti and the Blue GodsXanthe and the Ruby CrownIndia 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 LewisThe work of Emma CarrollThe Hobbit, by JRR TolkienThe Chronicles of Narnia, by CS LewisFrom Spare Oom to Ward Robe by Katherine LangrishA 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-JenkinsA wide range of mythology, and also stories told through songsJourney to Jo'burg, by Beverley NaidooWild Song, by Candy GourlayStolen History: The Truth about the British Empire and How it Shaped Us, by Sathnam SangheraThe Last Whale, by Chris VickOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.

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 CatastropheAnd the stories that shaped her include:The folktales and mythology she learned from her grandmother, Mrs Maureen HerbertThe music, traditional ballads and songs played by her father and her family membersThe song Leona mentions is this one:Dublin in the Rare Oul Times by the DublinersThe Famous Five, by Enid BlytonThe Secret Seven, by Enid BlytonRevolting Rhymes, by Roald DahlThe Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert W. ServiceUnder the Hawthorn Tree, by Marita Conlon McKennaAcross the Barricades, by Joan LingardThe Herbalist, by Niamh BoyceOn Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean VuongThe Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel HawthorneThe Secret Scripture, by Sebastian BarrySmall Things Like These, by Claire KeeganFoster, by Claire KeeganThe Outsiders, by S.E. HintonCatch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley, by Timothy WhiteOi Puppies, by Kes GreyBe Wild, Little One, by Olivia Hope and Daniel EgnéusFidget the Wonder Dog, by Patricia Forde and Rachel SaundersThe Little Bee Charmer of Henrietta Street, by Sarah WebbA Game of Life or Death, by Triona CampbellThe Time Tider, by Sinéad O'HartLessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie GarmusAll the Broken Places, by John BoyneThe Queen of Dirt Island by Donal RyanTrespasses, by Louise KennedyShort Stories by Frank O'ConnorOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.

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)WildsparkCrowfallThe Harley Hitch SeriesThe Griffin Gate SeriesAnd the stories which have shaped her include:My Naughty Little Sister, by Dorothy Edwards, ill. Shirley HughesThe Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric CarleRebecca's World, by Terry NationMold and the Poison Plot, by Lorraine GregoryGhost Stories, by Pamela OldfieldChocky, and Day of the Triffids, by John WyndhamRebecca, by Daphne du MaurierI Capture the Castle, by Dodie SmithJane Eyre, by Charlotte BronteThe work of Marcus SedgwickThe Cone Gatherers, by Robin JenkinsZ for Zachariah, by Robert C. O'BrienThe Sisterhood, by Katherine BradleyHer Dark Wings, by Melinda SalisburyThe Girl Who Broke the Sea, by A ConnorsWild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain, by Amy JeffsMovie influences include: Star WarsOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.

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.comTwitter: H.S. NorupBooks 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. LewisThe Never Ending Story by Michael EndeThe Brothers Lionheart by Astrid LindgrenRonja the Robber's Daughter by Astrid LindgrenEmil and the Detectives by Eric KastnerPippi Longstocking by Astrid LindgrenThe Famous Five by Enid BlytonThe work of Agatha ChristieA Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula le GuinDune by Frank HerbertHis Dark Materials by Philip PullmanUnraveller 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. ChestertonOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.

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 LawSanderson's Second LawSanderson's Third LawAn episode of Dr Who (with Tom Baker as the Doctor) which featured fish monsters:Dr Who: Full CircleThe Magic Faraway Tree by Enid BlytonLirael by Garth NixSabriel by Garth NixAbhorsen by Garth NixThe books of Barbara Cartland, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette HeyerA Most Improper Magick by Stephanie BurgisA Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie BurgisA Reckless Magick by Stephanie BurgisJourney to the Centre of the Earth by Jules VerneThe Cadfael Chronicles (series) by Ellis PetersStar TrekMixed Magics by Diana Wynne JonesMysteries of the Unknown: Monsters, Ghosts and UFOs by Carey Miller, Christopher Maynard, Ted Wilding-WhiteOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn 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.