Louisa Bello’s sheer determination to get published and being inspired by a friend

What company Louisa Bello is! A story about an agent, a publisher and a pub and sheer determination to get published, and taking a friend’s experience to inspire your first novel. 

Louisa Bello is here to talk about WHERE THE SHADOW’S END (époque Press)  What I loved about Louisa’s novel, however, is its commitment to, indeed, presenting a panoply of voices and identities in its inner city suburbs. But also it’s fierce commitment to exploring the mental health of a man trying to negotiate his way through this community. 

Louisa herself is a British-Nigerian who was raised in south-London, but has lived all over the world. She’s led creative workshops for Africa Writers at the British Library, and served as a trustee for the Pelican Post. This novel is her first and was longlisted for the Pat Kavanagh Prize for Writing Excellence, and supported by an Arts Council Grant.

Please note that today’s episode features discussions of schizophrenia and mental health

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Chapters 1.30 Living in Ecuador  2.27 - leave a five star review 2.58 - A story based on a friend’  6.10 - Diverse London community 8.35 - an agent, a publisher, and a pub 13.50 - Sam’s trauma and loneliness  22.30 - How Louisa researched the novel  29.15 - Other London writers and trauma 34.45 - Louisa’s next novel

Reference Points

Films - Crazywise (2016: Phil Borges and Kevin Tomlinson)

Books - Bernadine Evaristo  - Carl Jung - Mel Robbins - Zadie Smith - White Teeth