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Featuring conversations with the authors and narrators of your favourite books, as well as reading round-ups, and the odd light-hearted literary game.

Listening Books is a UK charity that provides audiobooks to anyone who struggles to read or hold a book due to an illness, disability, learning difficulty or mental health issue. To find out more go to www.listening-books.org.uk.

Dec 1, 2022

Emilie Pine, author of the personal essay collection Notes to Self and her recently published novel Ruth and Pen, tells us what it was like to narrate her emotionally difficult first book, what factored into the casting of Ruth and Pen’s audiobook narrator, and the sometimes surprising responses she’s received from readers. There is also wisdom here for the aspiring writer, or anyone attempting something that feels too enormous to begin.

Mentioned in this episode:

  • Notes to Self, a collection of personal essays written and narrated by Emilie, published by Tramp Press
  • Ruth and Pen, a novel written by Emilie and narrated by Jody O’Neill, published by Hamish Hamilton
  • Good Sex, a play written by Emilie, produced by Dead Centre, and directed by Ben Kidd
  • Small: On motherhoods, a memoir written by Claire Lynch, published by Octopus Publishing Group
  • Ulysses by James Joyce
  • Virginia Woolf

Who Are We? 

The Listening Books Podcast is hosted by audio producer Jessica Stone and is a production of Listening Books, a UK charity that provides an audiobook lending service for over 115,000 members who find that an illness, mental health condition, physical or learning disability affects their ability to read the printed word or hold a book. It’s simple to join. For more information, head to www.listening-books.org.uk. To purchase a gift membership, go directly to https://www.listening-books.org.uk/gift-membership 

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