eastern roots western branches

Today I’m talking to the wonderful author of Eastern Roots, Western Branches, Lucinda Nettleton

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[©L.Nettelton]

Tell us a little bit about your stories and how you came to take part in that project?

The writing opportunity came through The Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. Senior Lecturer Dr Amna Khan advertised for a writer to fictionalize oral histories of gift-giving traditions spanning three generations of Pakistan, Bengal and Gujarat. Initially, I only completed the Pakistani account but Dr Khan and the Gift of Togetherness team enjoyed my work so commissioned me to complete the Gujarati and Bengali accounts too. Continue reading

Interview with Neil Alexander

Today, I am talking to poet and novelist

Neil Alexander,

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You are a freelance writer. Tells us a little bit how you go about finding work?

Well, as a poet, I wouldn’t really call myself a ‘freelance writer’. Most poets have day jobs too (poetry doesn’t generally pay enough to cover the mortgage!) But as someone who has been published in magazines and journals, I find most of my ‘work’ through researching the publications in question and then submitting to those who I think might be interested in my poems. It’s usually a long, painstaking process and you need to be able to put up with a lot of rejection and not take it personally. This is obviously very difficult for poets, who are reputedly very sensitive souls, with very fragile egos!

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