Field Ramble with Ali Millar

Explicit content warning

01/01/24 • 28 min

Happy 2024 people! In our first episode of the year we hear from author Ali Millar about her debut novel Ava Anna Ada. Many of you will know Ali from her incredible memoir The Last Days, a courageous and unsparing account of her upbringing in and break from the Jehovah’s Witness Cult. It was an incredible read and is a huge recommend if you’ve yet to get to it

Described by Ali as her 'strange little book,' her much anticipated debut novel braids together themes of climate chaos, social collapse, lust and the almost deific role of the screen in our lives. First written in those strange Covid days it is infused with that period’s sleepless fever. This is haunting, unfixed writing that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.

In discussion Ali talks about the influence of Ted Hughes, using the real to create the unreal, working with memory and the corners where ghosts hide in a story.

Ava Anna Ada is published on the 18.01 by the good people at White Rabbit. It is available for pre-order all over the place now and please, please support your local independent book seller if you can.
Huge thanks as ever go to Ian Hawgood and Huw Marc Bennett for the use of their beautiful music and if you like what you hear please subscribe and leave us a review.

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In discussion Ali talks about the influence of Ted Hughes, using the real to create the unreal, working with memory and the corners where ghosts hide in a story.

@fieldzine
www.fieldzine.com
www.patreon.com/fieldzine

Previous Episode

Field Ramble with Mike McCormack & John Patrick McHugh

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Field sees the year out with Mike McCormack and JP McHugh. John's short story collection was the find of the year at Field HQ a beautiful set of stories about the fragility and cut throat business of friendship. If you're doing some last minute Christmas shopping this is a huge recommend.
Mike McCormack needs little introduction. A multi award winning novelist, whose work is thrilling unconfined by genre. Mike's latest novel This Plague of Souls was published in October by Canongate and is part noir, part metaphysical thriller.
Huge thanks to both Mike and John for taking the time out to talk.
As ever thanks go to Ian Hawgood & Huw Marc Bennett for the kind use of their music. The little dash of Christmas at the end is a reworking of the old John Prine classic Christmas in Prison by Emmy the Great and Light Speed Champion.
Big love and hoping for peace.
Pick up John's book here: https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/9780008490645
Pick up Mike's novel here: https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/9781838859329

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Next Episode

Field Ramble with Lottie Hazell and Andrew McMillan

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January is grim, there’s no two ways about it. So here are two fantastic debuts to keep you tucked up indoors and out of whichever storm has just landed. First off a chat with Lottie Hazell whose novel Piglet is published on 25.01. An unrelenting story of compulsion and unfulfilled hunger, it majors on love, class and the lack at the centre of modern life. (It also has one of the most insane wedding scenes you’ll read this year.) Follow the link below to order a copy.
https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/9780857529565-sf

Then, some time with Andrew McMillan to hear about his incredible debut novel Pity. Many of you will know Andrew from his poetry and Pity has a thread of gorgeous lyricism running through the heart of it. It is the story both of a community and of a couple Simon and Ryan who are in the early stages of their relationship. This is already a huge favourite at Field HQ, there is not a word out of place, it’s written with a poet’s economy & if you’re a fan of Max Porter or Claire Keegan then this is one for you. It also has to be a very early contender for cover of the year.

Piglet is published by Transworld Publishers on 25/01

Pity is published by Canongate on 08/02

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