Kathleen Jones on Catherine Cookson on The Writing Game

Kathleen Jones on Catherine Cookson

Great Working Class Fiction &

commentary by Gillian Wales

on Bishop FM 105.

October 5 7pm on Bishop FM

On Wendy Robertson’s

Writing Game

Join me on The Writing Game at 7pm October 5th when we feature an interview with Kathleen Jones who, as well as writing of the lives of Christina Rosetti and Katherine Mansfield, is the esteemed biographer of our own Catherine Cookson.

’Kathleen Jones biography displays all the Cookson virtues. Her narrative is uncluttered and direct, her analysis complex and sometimes surprising. Most importantly she never condescends to her subject' Kathryn Hughes, Daily Telegraph

"This is such a bravura exercise in biography, I would suggest Kathleen Jones not only wins her case but should be awarded costs."Charlotte Cory, times Literary Supplement

Avril and I talked with Kathleen Jones in her mill home just over the border in Cumbria. You can hear the clatter of knives and forks as we talked over lunch. Kathleen talked about her early commitments as a writer, her vivid experience as a mature student, her views on her own and others’ poetry. These will all feature in later programmes. This month, however, we will focus on her unique views on the art and craft of storyteller Catherine Cookson a very popular and –as will emerge – a much underrated writer whose worldly success is sometimes mistakenly seen as a sign of her lack of artistic virtue.

We will also hear from our own reviewer Chartered Librarian Gillian Wales - who runs Room To Write with Avril and me - as she talks about the impact of the work of Catherine Cookson on the book borrowing public in the 1980s and 90s – and also reflects on the best of Cookson’s novels.

We also feature Avril Joy’s story of publishing her father’s account of his experiences of London during the war, and hear an extract from Sedgefield writer Norma Neil’s emerging novel rooted in her own family memoir.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON BISHOP FM

Tune into 105.9 at 7pm on October 5th

Join me on The Writing Game at http://www.bishopfm.com

and see blog and podcasts at

http://blogs.bishopfm.com/thewritinggame

Wendy R

Further Contacts for you…

• Wendy’s Blog: www.lifetwicetasted.blogspot.com Holy Island and the Advent of Writing/ The Omms and the Aahs/ The Amazing Terry Deary / Glynn's Compelling Case For History

• Kathleen Jones’ Blog http://www.kathleenjones.co.uk/kathy~1.html

• Avril Joy’s Blog http://www.avriljoy.com/
• Room to Write website http://www.roomtowrite.co.uk/