Rippling Pages: Interviews with Writers

We're going to the bottom of the ocean and to outer space for this near-future literary escapade about when the world is no longer habitable.

Deb Olin Unferth joined me from Austin, Texas, to talk about her latest novel, Earth 7. Deb's novel is inventive in its world-building, taking us into the cosmos, its exploration of human and non-human relationships, and capacity for both fear and wonder for what the future might hold for humans. 

Deb has quite the. C.V. She’s the author of seven books, including novels Barn 8 and Vacation, and the memoir, Revolution, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics’ Circle Award. She’s published graphic novels, story collections, and her writing has also appeared in Harper’s, the New York Times, Paris Review, Granta, and McSweeney’s. She’s also received Guggenheim Fellowships and Pushcart Prizes.

So a good episode if you're wanting to see a writer pushing their boundaries and modes and picking up awards and fellowships along the way

 

If you fancy getting more from the Rippling Pages, including an exclusive Patreon only podcast on what makes the openings of books so good, why not consider suscribing here!
https://patreon.com/RipplingPagesPod?utm_medi
 
And buy all the books mentioned on the show. Buying from this link supports indie bookshops and the Rippling Pages as I get a very small commission from every book sold through this link.

https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/ripplingpagespod

Chapters
0.17 - Introduction to Deb's work.
2.40 - the capacity of Deb's novel
3.30 - Why Deb went to space.
7.20 - the fate of humans
12.20 - the mother daughter relationship
19.20 - How would Deb's dad respond to this book
20.45 - the idea of hope
26.15 - the rippling pages patreon
27:45 - where are the other earths
34.15 - The importance of Deb's research.
39.00 - How does love fit into the novel. 
42.00 - cynicism and feeling hopeful. 

Books and Writers
Samantha Harvey - Orbital
Barn 8 - Deb Olin Unferth
Pascal
Clancy Martin

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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Buy all the books here!:https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/louisa-bello-reading-list?&new-list-page=true&bkshp-astro=t

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

This is some bonus content from the latest Rippling Pages Coffee Conversations. This is as real as it gets - two microphones, two writers getting real about writing!

Here, Deepa is talking about our favourite Rippling Pages bonus segment, and speaks about the importance of Moby Dick. 

You’ll also hear a preview of the Rippling Points podcast, a podcast for those who want to understand the ideas behind books exclusive to Patreon Subscribers.

Get exclusive subscriber benefits from the Rippling Pages Patreon and become a Page Rippler!
https://patreon.com/RipplingPagesPod?utm_medi

 

Books 

Buy all the books here!: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/july-s-reads-2026?&new-list-page=true&bkshp-astro=t

Rudyard Kipling
T.S.Eliot 
Herman Melville - Moby Dick
Alexandra David-Néel
Larissa Pham - Discipline (2026, Serpent’s Tail)
Larissa Pham - Pop Song. (2021, Catapult Books)

Deepa’s Books

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line - (2020, Random House)

Letters to a Writer of Color: An Anthology (2023, Vintage Books) - edited by Deepa Anappara, Taymour Soomro, and Madeleine Thien 

Chapters

0.15 - Introduction
03.50 - Deepa Anappara objects of influence
08.20 - Rippling Points preview

 

It’s time for another special episode where we have another coffee conversation!

As ever with the coffee conversations, this is a real as it gets. Two microphones, two writers getting real about writing!

And this is a book that has a bit of everything.

It’s 1869. Tibet is a forbidden kingdom and closed to foreigners. Tibet is also an unwilling participant in what was called, ‘The Great Game’, a geopolitical rivalry, shall we call it, that didn’t escalate into a full-scale war, but it did see both Russia and the United Kingdom trying to expand their territories.

Deepa takes us on a sweeping journey back into history as she brings to life what was at stake for those explorers who, secretly, conceitedly, and ambitiously, crossed those borders.

But it's also a prescient exploration of boundaries and borders and a hymn to the complicated emotion of grief. And, as well all that, it’s an example of just really good storytelling.

Deepa Anappara is here to talk to me about THE LAST OF EARTH published by Oneworld Publications.

Get exclusive subscriber benefits from the Rippling Pages Patreon and become a Page Rippler!
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Chapters
2.45 - Writing about the mountains 
6.20 - Political dimensions of map-making
8.30 - inspiration from maps 
12.15 - Characters and the captain
15.15 - Moby Dick and naming characters 
21.45 - Rippling Pages Patreon 
23.15 - Who is Catherine? 
28.30 - Women, race, and getting into Tibet 
31.15 - Guilt, death and grief 
35.20 - Finding meaning in loneliness 
37.30 - Deepa’s own grief 

Reading List

Buy all the books here!: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/july-s-reads-2026?&new-list-page=true&bkshp-astro=t

Rudyard Kipling
T.S.Eliot 
Herman Melville - Moby Dick
Alexandra David-Néel

Deepa’s Books

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line - (2020, Random House)

Letters to a Writer of Color: An Anthology (2023, Vintage Books) - edited by Deepa Anappara, Taymour Soomro, and Madeleine Thien 

 

It's a summer of sport, and I am here for it!

Ashton Politanoff is here to talk to me about his novel, DAD HAD A BAD DAY (Daunt Books)

Ashton's novel is an articulate exploration of masculinity, its patiently crafted unraveling narrative, and its loyal homage to the sport of tennis.

Here's some fun facts about Ashton.

Ashton Politanoff is a frequent contributor to NOON, edited by Diane Williams. He is a former Division I tennis player, and his childhood coach was Robert Lansdorp, who is credited with coaching Pete Sampras and Maria Sharapova. Politanoff’s first novel, You’ll Like It Here, was published in 2022 by Dalkey Archive Press. He is an English professor at Cypress College, and lives in Los Angeles.

In the episode, we'll be talking about (im)perfect role models and father figures, the challenges of writing about your passion, how to write narrative tension, and yes, of course, and tennis.

A reading list of books Ashton mentions in this episode are available to buy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/july-s-reads-2026?&new-list-page=true&bkshp-astro=t

Get exclusive subscriber benefits from the Rippling Pages Patreon and become a Page Rippler!
https://patreon.com/RipplingPagesPod?utm_medi

Chapters 
- 1.15 - Pete Sampras and Maria Sharipova?
- 2.10 - watching Wimbledon
- 4.15 - Who is Ned and why tennis?
- 5.45 - setting a novel in a tennis club
- 7.40 - Did Ashton feel like he had to write this novel
- 10.15 - Ned's relationship with his son. 
- 11.50 - Tough challenges of writing sons
- 15.10 - fathers and sons and sports.
- 17.45 - Ashton's own tennis career
- 19.30 - different fraternal and paternal relationships
- 20.30 - Rippling Pages Bookshop
- 21.45 - Writing key smalls scenes
- 27.00 - Writing tension
- 32.25 - Ned's relationship with his wife.
- 37.30 - Writing about tennis!
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I had the absolute pleasure hosting Alice Hattrick up in Leeds for a special edition of the Rippling Pages at Leeds Literature Festival.

I'm a huge fan of Alice's first book, ILL FEELINGS (Fitzcarraldo Editions), so I was obviously really excited to get stuck into their next book, FANCY WORK (Fitzcarraldo Editions), for this special live edition of the Rippling Pages. 

That book indeed weaved (auto)biography, science art history, reportage, and polemic to explore the impact of chronic illness on theirs and their mother’s lives. Alice applied some of these innovative techniques to FANCY WORK.

Alice explores the life and work of the incredibly influential Morris family and the arts and craft movement. Alice finds and traces evidence and ephemerality related to the life and work May Morris and their gender non-conforming partner, M.F. 

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Interested in hosting your own podcast? Follow this link and find out how:
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Chapters

0.15 - Introduction to the event
02.15 - How Alice was enjoying Leeds
03.00 - What is the book about?
05.00 - Who are the Morris Family?
9.00 - How the Morris's went back in history. 
13.10 - Embroidery as labour
14.50 - Alice's reading.
22.45 - Why write history in this way?
26.05 - Making money from embroidery/writing
28.05 - How to uncover history
34.45 - Alice writing about feelings
40.00 - Alice's relationship with their mum. 
43.00 - Alice's mum is an embroider 
47.00 - Love in Alice's novel
47.30 - Rippling Pages Patreon Prize.

 

Reference Points

Walter Benjamin
Judith Butler
Ill Feelings (2021: Fitzcarraldo Books) - Alice Hattrick
Feeling Backward: Loss and the Politics of Queer History - Heather Love  (2007:Harvard University Press)
Queering the Subversive Stich (2020: Bloomsbury Publishing) - Joseph McBrinn
José Esteban Muñoz
The Subversive Stitch (1984:Bloomsbury Publishing) - Rozsika Parker 
The Log Books (2026: Faber) - Tash Walker and Adam Zmith