APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe, the award-winning podcast named Best Children and Young Adults' Show by the Independent Podcast Awards and current FINALIST in the 2025 British Podcast Awards and 2025 Independent Podcast Awards!

This brilliant episode features Emily Varga, writer of For She Is Wrath, in conversation with Rosie and Nicole.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How Emily balances her creative life a s writer with her professional role as a family lawyer
• Her approach to writing without being stuck to a plan
• Why fantasy is her favourite genre

PLUS: Isla and Niamh present the SpotLit featurette with a mini-interview with actor Safiyya Ingar, star of The Witcher and Brides, whose remarkable voice brings the audiobook of the novel to life. Emily’s enlightening, deep and thought-provoking interview appears in full in this episode, and Safiyya is our SpotLit guest, appearing in a 10 minute segment halfway through. Be sure to listen to the full Safiyya Ingar interview next week when it is published as a bonus SpotLit episode - it is worth hearing all the way through, especially if you’ve ever dreamed of being an actor as Safiyya is proof that ambition is more than a dream!

To learn more:

Emily Varga - https://emilyvargabooks.com

Safiyya Ingar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safiyya_Ingar

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

Welcome to Season 5 of The Reading Cafe, the award-winning podcast named Best Children and Young Adults' Show by the Independent Podcast Awards and current FINALIST in the 2025 British Podcast Awards!

This special Reading Cafe LIVE episode was recorded with an enthusiastic audience at the Edinburgh International Book Festival where we were joined by Waterstones Children's Book Prize winner, Nathanael Lessore.

Our tremendous presenters Sophia and Namatai had a fantastic chat with Nathanael and the audience were thoroughly entertained - laughing, applauding and no doubt making their way to pick up his excellent books (Steady For This, King of Nothing and What Happens Online) straight after the event...

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Nathanael's approach to ensuring his use of language chimes with his audience
• His process to addressing issues around toxic masculinity and the potential problems of online anonymity
• How his life has changed since winning the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Readers

PLUS: Alice and Daisy present an Ed Book Fest featurette including a mini-interview with Carnegie Medal winner, Margaret McDonald (Glasgow Boys) and excerpts from the YA Book Prize award ceremony, co-hosted by The Reading Cafe's Elsa and Grace alongside Laura Bates (Non-fiction: Everyday Sexism/YA Fiction: Sisters of Fire and Fury)

To learn more:

Nathanael Lessore - https://www.darleyandersonchildrens.com/book/king-of-nothing/

Margaret McDonald - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8e4k4zxwwlo

Laura Bates - https://www.laurabates.co.uk/

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!

APPROX AGE RATING: 9–12

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe, the award-winning podcast named Best Children and Young Adults' Show by the Independent Podcast Awards!

This episode is a double delight! We’re joined by award-winning author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, along with his long-time collaborator, the brilliant illustrator Steven Lenton, for an inspiring and laughter-filled conversation all about stories, screenplays, and storytelling magic.

Frank is the celebrated author of Millions, Cosmic, and The Wonder Brothers, and he’s also the screenwriter behind Kensuke’s Kingdom and the unforgettable 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. His latest novel, The Blockbusters, brings his love of cinema and literature together in an exciting new adventure that celebrates friendship, creativity, and the power of stories.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

🎬 How Hollywood and screenwriting inspired The Blockbusters 🎙 Why hosting The Island of Brilliant podcast has changed how Frank thinks about children's books ✨ How magical elements help tell real-life stories in The Wonder Brothers 🎆 What it was like to help create the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony 📚 Frank's thoughts on the "happiness recession" and why access to books matters now more than ever 🎞 The challenges—and joys—of adapting Kensuke’s Kingdom for the big screen

PLUS: Illustrator Steven Lenton gives us a peek behind the scenes at how he brings Frank’s stories to life with colour, energy, and humour—and why pictures matter just as much as words.

To learn more: 📘 Frank Cottrell Boyce – https://www.stevenlenton.com

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!