The Author Archive Podcast

Truddi Chase - When Rabbit Howls : A memoir of living with multiple personalities.

Truddi Chase lived with dissociative identity disorder a condition that used to be called multiple personality disorder.

On the cover of her book the author was named as 'The Troops' - the name she gave to her 90 plus identities.

When I interviewed her she was with her therapist Robert Phillips. The whole story was very difficult to assimilate as you can probably hear.

Truddi died in 2010 but there is a website dedicated to her and her autobiography is still in demand.

It seems that her condition was a result of abuse in her childhood.

A story like no other!

David Wilson - A Plot to Kill

It's Bafta time again.

The winner of the BAFTA for best actor went to Timothy Spall for his performance in 'The Sixth Commandment'.

Timothy played Peter Farquar, a gay Christian teacher who was murdered by a student, Ben Field.

The horrific murder actually happened in the normally peaceful  village of Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire.

The true story is told by David Wilson who lives in the village in his book 'A Plot to Kill'.

He told David Freeman about it.

 

 

Ashley Mullinger - My Fishing Life

Ashley Mullinger is a commercial fisherman.

She used to work in an office but found it dull and stressful. She  decided to go on a half day fishing trip with a couple of her friends just to make a change.

The friends sort of liked it but Ashley REALLY liked it and now does it as a full time job. She is so good at it she was awarded the title of 'Fisherman of the Year'.

In this conversation she explains her passion for the life and her fears for the future of the whole commercial fishing industry.

 

Rebecca Frayn - Lost in Ibiza

There is an article in the Culture section of The Sunday Times about father and daughter Michael and Rebecca Frayn.

Rebecca is a farmer and environmental activist and writer who lives in the north of Ibiza.

Her new novel 'Lost in Ibiza' is coincidentally, about  a young environmental activist who travels to Ibiza to meet her biological father for the very first time.

It's a story of family drama, but it is also the story of a paradise island under threat.

A great holiday read!

Eric Bibb talks about his life in music

Eric Bibb remembers his introduction into music via his dad Leon and the musical luminaries who visited the family home.

Paul Robeson was his Godather, and a very young Bob Dylan gave him some sound advice.

Now 72 Eric is still touring, playing, and writing songs. He is one of lifes gentlemen!

Gareth E. Rees - Sunken Lands

Sunken Lands is about a journey through flooded kingdoms and lost worlds.

Gareth tells of places he has visited to see history and extrapolates forward to imagine the world we are leaving for future generations.

There is anger, poetry, myth .... and David Bowie.

Robin Eggar - biography of Tom Jones

This conversation was recorded in 2000 when Robin Eggar's biography of Tom Jones was first published.

At this time Tom's wife, Linda, was still alive and Tom himself was a mere 60 years old.

It emerges from this interview that the man born Thomas Woodward was driven by two passions. What they are is revealed in this Author Archive episode.

Lisa St Aubin De Teran - Memory Maps

Lisa has written a new memoir 'Better Broken Than New'

She has ploughed this furrow before  and I interviewed her when 'Memory Maps' was published.

Lisa has lived life to the full.

She is a very beguiling woman and many men have fallen for her charms and married her.

On the day I interviewed her she was in the mood for remembering her life and loves in wonderful detail.

Maeve Binchy - Scarlet Feather

This conversation was recorded when the very last Maeve Binchy novel was published in paperback.

Maeve was always an entertaining interviewee - getting her to talk was never a problem!

Unsurprisingly her books continue to sell.  

Chris Grey : Brexit Unfolded - How no one got what they wanted (and why they were never going to)

As more Brexit checks and red tape come into action it is illuminating to remember how we get to be in this sorry situation. 

Many of the leading players are only where they are because they are Brexiteers.

Professor Grey has made it a personal mission to chronicle the drama and effects of Brexit.

He writes a blog and now the latest edition of his book "Brexit Unfolded" is published bringing the story up to date.

Does this mean that the Brexit story has reached a conclusion?

Maybe not!!!