Leila Mottley was only 17 years-old when she wrote her debut novel, Nightcrawling … and she was 20 when she became the youngest author ever to make the Booker Prize longlist. After that incredible start, Leila is now back with her second novel, called The Girls Who Grew Big. It’s about a group of young mothers who navigate growing up and raising children in a town that ostracizes them. This week, Leila joins Mattea to talk about the nuances of teen motherhood, why she’s so focused on “home” and how she handles major success at a young age.Check out these prize-winning authors:What happens to fiction in times of war? For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own
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Chris Hadfield — from astronaut to author
You might know Chris Hadfield, decorated astronaut and former Commander of the International Space Station. But do you know Chris Hadfield, the pilot, engineer, musician and author? His latest novel, Final Orbit, is a Cold War-era thriller set against the backdrop of the Space Race of the 1970s. The book draws from Chris’s own experiences in the stars … with a dangerous twist. This week, Chris tells Mattea Roach about going from rocket ships to novels, why his thrillers are based in history and what’s next for him. Check out these prize-winning authors:What happens to fiction in times of war? For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own
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A fictional ad agency — and its very real ghosts
In Aurora Stewart de Peña's debut novel, Julius Julius, ads are inescapable … which isn’t far off from real life. If you ever feel unsettled by the way that marketing influences us, you’ll probably resonate with Julius Julius. It's a satirical look at the advertising industry and a finalist for this year’s Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Aurora herself is a veteran of the advertising world, so her novel is an insider's point of view through an inventive fictional gaze. This week, Aurora joins Mattea to talk about her own career, finding the absurd in advertising and what blonde sausage dogs have to do with it all.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human? Pasha Malla: Parodying a wellness resort with horror and humour
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Kiran Desai’s novel is worth the 20-year wait
Not many people can say that a Booker prize nomination feels like deja vu … but Kiran Desai is one of those rare people. Twenty years after her first win, Kiran is back on the Booker shortlist with her long-awaited new novel, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. It’s an expansive book that traces the paths of two young Indians as they criss-cross the world and each others’ lives. It’s a love story, a family saga, and an exploration of the things that bring us together… and the forces that keep us apart. This week, Kiran joins Mattea to talk about crafting a novel for two decades, being the daughter of a writer and the wonder of loneliness. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s triumphant return to fictionWhat would it take to become the first Cherokee astronaut?
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What is a stag dance?
Torrey Peters was in the woods building her own sauna when she came up with the titular story in her new collection, called Stag Dance. The story is about a lumberjack at the turn of the 20th century … and it’s a sharp turn from her debut novel Detransition, Baby, which was a huge success with both readers and critics. The stories in Stag Dance explore desire, sexuality and the very idea of transformation through some surprising points of view. This week, Torrey joins Mattea to talk about finding the lumberjack voice, defying genre and why transition is more universal than you might think.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear gender What makes Montreal a transgender city?
When the book ends, the conversation begins. Mattea Roach speaks with writers who have something to say about their work, the world and our place in it. You’ll always walk away with big questions to ponder and new books to read.
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