In this episode I chat to Sophie Cousens, author of the New York Times bestseller This Time Next Year, and brand new novel Just Haven't Met You Yet. After loving her first book, and falling even more in love with her writing after her second, in this episode we chat about meet cutes, location inspired writing and how to write characters readers will fall in love with.  Buy Just Haven't Met You Yet (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3rw9qHW Follow Alice on Instagram: https://instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Alice on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8HcKc22/  Follow Sophie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophie_cousens/

In Our Own Words

Sophie Cousens - Meet cutes and location inspired writing.

Telling stories through photos and editing is an art form all on it's own. In this episode, Bee (@frombewithlove) and Alice talk about how an idea becomes a story, and how this can be expressed visually. Follow Alice on Instagram: https://instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Alice on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8HcKc22/ Follow Bee on Instagram: https://instagram.com/frombeewithlove

Bee (@frombeewithlove) - Creative storytelling through photos and video.

In this episode I chat to New York Times Best-Selling author Emily Henry, about her book You and Me on Vacation (or The People We Meet on Vacation). After seeing this book everywhere on BookTok, I read it several months ago and instantly fell in love with Emily's writing. In this episode we chat about strong female characters, fan-girl over Brooklyn 99, and general talk about our united love for words and storytelling. Buy You and Me on Vacation (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3bALrOD Follow Alice on Instagram: https://instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Alice on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8HcKc22/ Follow Emily on Instagram: https://instagram.com/emilyhenrywrites

Emily Henry - Writing romance, strong female characters and Brooklyn 99.

Series 5 of In Our Own Words begins with a chat with the wonderful author, Lorraine Brown author of Uncoupling (or to my American listeners - The Paris Connection). In this episode we chat about inspiration, romance, and independence. Lorainne is a brilliant writer, and I really recommend her writing and cannot wait to read her next book. Buy Uncoupling (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3CHg94J Follow Alice on Instagram: https://instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Alice on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8HcKc22/ Follow Lorraine on Instagram: https://instagram.com/lorrainebrownauthor

Lorraine Brown - Writing romance and independence.

In this season finale, bookstagrammers turned podcasters; Alice, Sienna and Shan, share their stories surrounding their podcasts, their Instagram accounts and awkward encounters interviewing authors. Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Listen to the All Things Bookish Podcast here: www.allthingsbookishpodcast.com.au Follow Shan here: instagram.com/allshereads Follow Sienna here: instagram.com/readingwithcake

Shan and Sienna (All Things Bookish Podcast) - From bookstagram to podcasting, how did we get here?

Songwriters Alice Ashcroft and Joe Knowles grew up together, and have written many songs over the years - some terrible, and some rather moving. In this episode they discuss their musical journey, Joe's band VALA's latest single, and Graham Norton. Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Joe's band here: instagram.com/valamanchester

Joe Knowles (VALA) - From a high school band to independent solo careers, this is two friends catching up in a public forum.

Bookstagrammers Alice Ashcroft (@themusicofalice) and Zubs Malik (@zubscovered) talk about why they started their accounts, what books they share, how they share reviews and the corners of the internet they've carved out for themselves. Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Zubs here: instagram.com/zubscovered

Zubs Malik (@zubscovered) - How bookstagram can become an escape.

Songwriters Alice Ashcroft and Phoebe Green talk all about their experiences in writing brutal lyrics, and how much they miss playing live. They talk all about Phoebe's lyrics in her latest EP, 'I Can't Cry For You' and what exciting plans she has in store... Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Phoebe here: instagram.com/ph0ebegreen Listen to Phoebe Green: https://phoebe-green.ffm.to/icantcryforyou

Phoebe Green - Writing emotional and open lyrics.

Author, Nydia Hetherington, and songwriter, Alice Ashcroft, talk all about her debut novel 'A Girl Made of Air', what drives a narrative and how to write a fantasy book that doesn't actually have any magic. Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Nydia here: instagram.com/nydiamadeofair Buy 'A Girl Made of Air' here (affiliate link): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1732/9781529408874

Nydia Hetherington - Writing a fantastical magic free book and weaving stories together.

Songwriter, Alice Ashcroft, and author, Laura Kay, talk all about her debut queer rom-com novel, The Split. They talk all about their experiences of growing up queer, the books and tv programmes they consumed, and how this led Laura to write this amazing book. Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Laura here: instagram.com/lauraekay Buy 'The Split' here (affiliate link): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1732/9781529409819

Laura Kay - Writing the queer rom-com, 'The Split' and representation in the media.

Songwriter, Alice Ashcroft, and debut author, Caleb Azumah Nelson, talk all about his brand new novel Open Water. It's a beautiful love story filled with poetic language, heartbreaking truths and an array of relatable characters. Alice and Caleb talk about how he went about writing the book, the language he chose to use and creating a beautiful trailer to launch the book during the Covis-19 pandemic.  Follow Alice here: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Caleb here: instagram.com/caleb_anelson Buy 'Open Water' here (affiliate link): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1732/9780241448779

Caleb Azumah Nelson - Writing 'Open Water' and poetic language.

Songwriter, Alice Ashcroft and author, Amelia Mandeville discuss Alice's new single 'dungarees', as well as the differences and mainly similarities in writing for books and writing songs.  Listen to the indie-pop song, 'dungarees': aliceashcroft.com/music Follow Alice on Instagram: instagram.com/themusicofalice Follow Amelia on Instagram: instagram.com/ameliamandev Buy Amelia's first book: Every Colour of You (aff link) Buy Amelia's second book: The Missing Pieces of Me (aff link)

dungarees - Collaborative episode with Amelia Mandeville and a discussion on the similarities in writing music and books.

Author, Amelia Mandeville, and songwriter, Alice Ashcroft discuss her second novel 'The Missing Pieces of Me'.

Amelia Mandeville - Writing 'The Missing Pieces of Me' and working out two storylines.

Writer Deborah Olatunji, and songwriter Alice Ashcroft, talking about innovation, writing and how Deborah has achieved so much so young.

Deborah Olatunji - Innovation, writing and changing the world.

Alice and Abbie discuss the world of bookstagram and its ups and downs.

Abbie (@BritishBookReader) - Starting a bookstagram account and using this to launch a small art business.

Alice Ashcroft discusses songwriting and writing techniques used by a range of musicians and authors.