FEATURE:
Kindred Spirits
IN THIS PHOTO: Poet Arch Hades photographed in 2021 (she spoke for The Trouble Club on 14th November at Kindred, Hammersmith)/PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Arch Hades
Ending the Year in Style with The Trouble Club
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THERE are a few constant reminders…
IN THIS PHOTO: The Trouble Club Director Eleanor Newton (left) alongside journalist and writer Marina Hyde (who appeared for The Trouble Club at The Ned, London on 21st November/PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Lubbock
of The Trouble Club that I keep in my head and possession. A poetry book from Aija Mayrock, Dear Girl, that I got (signed) when I saw her speak for The Trouble Club earlier in the year. That is in my rucksack. Almost like a guide or sacred text. I do love it so. I also have various lines and memories that are with me that I bring to mind and have in my heart. I would suggest anyone that has not heard of The Trouble Club to check them out on their TikTok, Twitter, Instagram. Also, go and check out their YouTube channel. This is my third and final feature about them this year. I will reexplore next year, of course. Similar to the first and second features, I am going to discuss the events that I attended and why they were so impactful. I will finish off with a look ahead to events yet to come this year; why I feel 2024 is going to be a big year for The Trouble Club. I will also, as I intend to do through this feature, make a real push for membership – in terms of anyone who is not a member is tempted to become one. You can see how to become a member. As someone who is a regular at events, there is no doubt how much I love The Trouble Club. How much it means to me! Sometimes, as the only man in the room (or borderline in a lot of cases), I do feel that there are a lot of men I know would fit right in. One of the big and great things about The Trouble Club – among many other things! – is that they are inclusive and open. Rather than it strictly being a women-only club, it is a one comprised mostly of female members…through it is open to all. In addition to the events that are held regularly, there are social and networking benefits too. Truly, something for anyone and everyone! Its absolutely incredible Director, Eleanor (Ellie) Newton conducts most of the interviews with the speakers who are the focal point of events. Francesca Edmondson, their amazing Marketing & Events Coordinator, has also interviewed some guests. In fact, she interviewed the aforementioned Aija Mayrock. They are a formidable duo who have huge passion and dedication to The Trouble Club (as she can see in this video of Ellie working 9-5!). Always working hard to bring new and interesting events to a range of locations throughout central London (there are a couple of venues further afield in London and plans for wider representation in the future, though most are around this area), they embrace all new members and ensure that everything they host is memorable and inclusive! A very warm and bonded space where this is this kindness and kindred spirit running through the air.
So many of the features I have written for my music website are inspired by The Trouble Club (including my deeper love and appreciation of my favourite film of 2023, Barbie). I am going to end by writing how The Trouble Club has impacted me through this year. Why it has made such a difference. I am looking forward to seeing what next year holds. Given the fact the most recent feature about The Trouble Club I published was out on 23rd September, that took us to the Trouble In Business: Triumphs & Challenges from the FTSE Women Leaders Review event (which occurred on Tuesday, 19th September at The Ned). I will go from there and work my way to everything else to come in 2023. There some bits announced for next year. I am going to write about them in a few moments. Before getting to that first event, I would say there are events and gatherings I have not attending this year in terms of the book clubs and drinks. I am going to rectify that in 2024. Just a matter of being double booked in lots of cases. From the Trouble Book Club: Unaccustomed Earth on 28th September to Members Picnic in support of Women's Aid from 19th August, there are so many ways in which members can connect. I love the fact that there are book clubs, coffee mornings, Friday Night News Roundup (on 6th October, The Trouble Club welcomed Naomi Smith). There are also outings, private screenings, members trips - and, in March, there will be a '70s/'80s Disco (for which I have a Harry Styles-type green jacket ready to pair with something period-appropriate). It is testament to Eleanor Newton and Francesca Edmondson that they have such a variety of events and speakers across some incredible venues in London. Great spaces for amazing faces…
IN THIS PHOTO: Author Kate Mosse/PHOTO CREDIT: Hannah Harley Young Photography
On Tuesday, 3rd October at Kindred Hammersmith, The Trouble Club welcomed acclaimed author Kate Mosse. At an extraordinary and beautiful venue, an author whose work I was aware of – but not huge acquainted with – spoke about the Women's Prize for Fiction and why it is so important (“The Women's Prize for Fiction has grown into one of the most prestigious literary awards in the UK and it was co-founded by none other than bestselling author, Kate Mosse. As the prize enters its 29th year, we're thrilled that Kate will be joining us to talk about the impact of the prize and how it’s increased recognition for women’s writing across every genre”). Mosse’s excellent new book, The Ghost Ship, was/is out. In addition to talking about her work, we got to learn about this incredible cause. In terms of women represented at literary awards and the acknowledgement of their work, there are still gulfs and gaps. Like so many areas of the creative industries, we have gender imbalance and a real lack of appreciation of women’s work – though, with the likes of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and what they do impactging, steps are being made. It was thrilling hearing Kate Mosse talk about her experiences. The advice she would give to young women entering literature. It was inspiring for the women in the audience. For me – I might have been the only chap in attendance that evening I think?! -, it made me think more widely about the music industry and how there are the same barriers for women here. How there maybe needs to be a Women’s Prize for Fiction for music. There are award events that honour women though, with some shocking statics coming each year about representation and imbalance, much more can be done! Like every event with The Trouble Club, I come away more motivated, illuminated and amazed. Hearing Kate Mosse speak was a real treat!
PHOTO CREDIT: Sabrina @ InTact Creatives
A couple of nights later – on 5th October at Mortimer House (completed with unwanted ‘ambience’ from the venue) -, there was The Trouble Club STORY SLAM. Thanks to Founder & CEO of InTact Creatives, the awe-inspiring Ciara Charteris. She is the Creator and Host of Story Slam Series. It is, as they say: “A safe stage to share your truth”. That is what it felt like! Even though I did not have a story to share (‘slam)’' myself, I was determined to be there so I could witness something very intimate and raw. From poetry to storytelling, these brave and amazing women took to the stage (essentially, the microphone in a small and safe space) and opened up. Revealing some harrowing recollections and funny memories, it was almost this sanctuary and confessional booth. Maybe they had not said these words in public before. Things that were private or had not extended beyond their family and close friend circle. It was a privilege and very special evening where I came away quite emotional myself! I do hope that there are many more collaborations between STORY SLAM and The Trouble Club. I would be very interested – and I know other people who would be too – attending again. The bravery it took for the women there to share their words in front of people who are largely strangers was very humbling! Until that point, I had not done too much personal sharing or interviews for my music website. Partly because of this event, I took steps and have rectified that. Taking leaps and using my voice in a different way. Like I said earlier: every event I attend teaches me something or changes me (positively) in some form.
On 12th October, there was Sharing is Caring: Eleanor Tucker on the Sharing Economy. Held at Bloomsbury Tavern, Tucker spoke about her book, Thanks for Sharing. It is a book I have just finished reading and got so much from. At such a hard time for all of us, there are huge benefits when it comes to the sharing economy. Whether that is using food or clothes-sharing apps, you can cut costs, bond with people you have never met, and also help the environment. Incredible money-saving tips together with warm and witty personal insights. Eleanor Tucker’s experiences of using various apps and how she has embraced a sharing economy were motivating to say the least. A way of cutting costs and sharing rather than buying. As Waterstones say: “What is the Sharing Economy? How can it help us live more affordable, more sustainable, and ultimately more fulfilling lives? What would happen if for one year a family pledged to share as much as they possibly can? Instead of owning more and more stuff, what it’s like to stop owning things and borrow, lend, rent and swap instead? These are big questions, but features writer Eleanor Tucker sets out to answer them in this thoroughly absorbing and entertaining guide to sustainable sharing, or as it is also known, 'collaborative consumption'. In this engrossing study, Eleanor straps us into on her year-long experiment along with her somewhat reluctant family. Over the course of the year, with the aid of various sharing apps, they will pledge to buy as few new things as possible, instead relying on the power of sharing, lending, renting and borrowing to supply their needs”. A brilliant book that I would recommend everyone owns. It provides so much value and worth in terms of how we can all be more cost-effective and conscious of the environment. It also made me question various things. Like how I am buying and wasting too much food and don’t need to. How I am buying new clothes and items and barely using them when, in reality, I can using sharing apps and save money, space and waste. Another terrific event that I am very glad that I attended!
IN THIS PHOTO: Camilla Nord/PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Lubbock
In terms of books I have bought at Trouble Club events and have either just read or are reading now, that takes me to a book I am actually in the middle of. The Balanced Brain with Camilla Nord took place on Thursday, 26th October at Mortimer House. The brilliant Camilla Nord is a neuroscientist at Cambridge University. She leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab there. Her book, The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health, is extraordinary! I am reading it with huge fascination at the moment. I am someone who is neurodivergence and has several psychological disorders. I am aware my brain works differently from many other people. It is very revealing and revelatory. A terrific book that, again, everyone needs to own. (You can get it for £20 on Amazon). This is what Waterstones say: “In The Balanced Brain, Nord reframes mental health as an intricate, self-regulating process, one which is different for all of us. She examines a huge diversity of treatments, from therapy and medication to recreational drugs and electrical brain stimulation, to show how they work, and why they sometimes don't. In doing so, she reveals how the small things we do to lift our mood during the course of a day - a piece of chocolate, a coffee, chatting to a friend - often work on the same pathways in our brain as the latest pharmacological treatments for mental health disorders. Whether they help us to manage pain, learn from experience or expend energy on the things that are important for our survival, these conscious actions are part of a complex process that is unique to each individual and the constant backdrop to our everyday lives”. This was an event where I came away amazed and blown away (and a little bit heartbroken. A story for another blog. Bit of a moment I wish I could rewind to and do differently in terms of talking with someone and us getting separated!). Nord was such a compelling, funny and fascinating speaker. I think everyone in the room at Mortimer House came away enriched – and with a deeper knowledge of the ‘science of mental health’. In terms of my music journalism, the book has given me new perspective and depth when it comes to artists and the brain. In terms of its make-up and psychology. A deeper insight into the human mind and the brain’s working pretty much covers everything I write about. So it was a very valuable trip out!
IN THIS PHOTO: Alex O’Brien (far right) in her element/PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Lubbock
Okay. There are still a few events to cover off. I was gutted I could not get to Culture Club Dinner: Escapism with Mollie Goodfellow on 30th October. I am a massive fan of Goodfellow and I would have loved to have been there (other commitments etc.). I did get to go to How To Think Like a Poker Player with Alex O'Brien. Another book I am currently reading, the brilliant queen Alex O’Brien was part of this unique evening at SPACES in Finsbury Park. Talking about her incredible book, The Truth Detective: A Poker Player's Guide to a Complex World, O’Brien discussed the essential skills and disciplines you use as a poker player. This was applied to everyday life and how her toolkit can help in everyday life. This is what Waterstones explore: “At the poker table you need certain skills to win. The more Alex O'Brien played competitively, the more she realised those skills are essential in everyday life too. From reading body language to calculating risk, dealing with uncertainty and separating emotion from facts, her toolkit will help you make better decisions and understand what's happening around you. Offering insights from the latest psychology, neuroscience, game theory and more, you'll encounter new ideas and ways of thinking from pioneering researchers and experts in their field. With O'Brien as your guide, you'll learn to see clearly, think carefully and cut through the noise of a complex world”. Those in attendance also got to play a few hands of poker. Being on the novice/beginners table, there was a mix of more experienced players and newbies. O’Brien taught us and she was sat at my table. We each got to learn the rules and saw how the game worked. Even though I fumbled my first hand and folded too soon, I got the hang of it and actually become really invested! Maybe not for money (I’d be on the streets in days!), poker is a game I would like to get more into. I think it is, as O’Brien writes in her essential book, not about luck at all. It is a very skilful game that requires a lot of discipline, patience and intelligence – yet it is something everyone can learn. Body language and the whole persona and physique of a poker player is vital. I really love and admire the book. I would recommend this to everyone. A real pleasure to meet and chat with Alex O’Brien too!
There have been some hugely emotional events I have witnessed at The Trouble Club. In addition to STORY SLAM, Reckoning with V and Sandi Toksvig was another one. V (formerly Eve Ensler) was interviewed by her dear friend, Sandi Toksvig. On Thursday, 2nd November at Soho’s Century Club, this incredibly emotional and often hilarious event unfolded. At such a gorgeous and distinct location – Toksvig explained how she had to pick up our special guest owing to a problem with the taxi driver and his sense of direction (“Rent-a-Dyke”, as Toksvig brilliant put!). There were a lot of laughs alongside literal tears. V was discussing her past and recalling traumatic events (incest and abuse at the hands of her father among them). It was so phenomenally moving! You could almost hear a pin drop at times. She was also discussing her new book, Reckoning. Hearing these two friends who love each other speak in front of an enraptured audience was something I will never forget. Reckoning is described by Bloomsbury thus: “The work of a lifetime from the Tony Award-winning, bestselling author of The Vagina Monologues-political, personal, profound, and more than forty years in the making. The newest book from V (formerly Eve Ensler), Reckoning invites you to travel the journey of a writer's and activist's life and process over forty years, representing both the core of ideas that have become global movements and the methods through which V survived abuse and self-hatred. Seamlessly moving from the internal to the external, the personal to the political, Reckoning is a moving and inspiring work of prose, poetry, dreams, letters, and essays drawn from V's lifelong journals that takes readers from Berlin to Oklahoma to the Congo, from climate disaster, homelessness, and activism to family Unflinching, intimate, introspective, courageous, Reckoning explores ways to create an unstoppable force for change, to love and survive love, to hold people and states accountable, to reckon with demons and honor the dead, to reclaim the body, and to see oneself as connected to a greater purpose. It reimagines what seems fixed and intractable, providing a path to understand one's unique experience as deeply rooted in the world, to break through one's own boundaries, and to write oneself into freedom”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Iona Marinca
In terms of the antepenultimate event I have attended, that would be Divided with Dr Annabel Sowemimo. It went down on Thursday, 9th November at the wonderful and always-beautiful AllBright. At a very popular event space for The Trouble Club, Dr. Annabel Sowemimo discussed Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare. I have not read the book yet – quite a pile to get through! – but, when she spoke about it and her experiences as a doctor, her words elicited real reaction and, at times, shock. You should order this book: “In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all too aware of the urgent health inequalities that plague our world. But these inequalities have always been urgent: modern medicine has a colonial and racist history. Here, in an essential and searingly truthful account, Annabel Sowemimo unravels the colonial roots of modern medicine. Tackling systemic racism, hidden histories and healthcare myths, Sowemimo recounts her own experiences as a doctor, patient and activist. Divided exposes the racial biases of medicine that affect our everyday lives and provides an illuminating - and incredibly necessary - insight into how our world works, and who it works for. This book will reshape how we see health and medicine – forever”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Lubbock
Taking us to the human being you see at the very top of this feature. Even though she had a cold on the day, Arches Hades was tremendous, captivating and brilliant during An Evening with Bestselling poet, Arch Hades on Tuesday, 14th November at Kindred. She was being questioned about her career and what it was like being the highest-paid poet ever (as she said, she was a big fish in a small pond). Hades also discussed her current volume of poetry, 21C Human. A simply brilliant and eye-opening collection of poetry. I am currently immersed and addicted to this book: ‘21C Human’ is a collection of poetry and essays detailing the millennial perspective in three parts. Part 1 reflects on western political culture, including how social media is affecting democracy, on climate anxiety, on our disillusionment with populist politicians, and many others. Part 2 delves into a woman’s experience of navigating constantly contradicting expectations in the public and private sphere, including verse about domestic and emotional labour. Part 3 journeys through the depths of a pandemic-induced depression culminating in a turn towards existentialism and rebellion”. I am a big poetry fan - and so I got a lot from the event. It was amazing and moving hearing her read from the book. Someone who is so inspiring and important in the modern age and at these difficult and divisive times, I do hope there are more published interviews with Arch Hades soon. I really loved being in her company at Kindred. There was a lot of respect, appreciation and love for her in the building on 14th November!
PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Lubbock
The most-recent event I have attended for The Trouble Club was Marina Hyde: What Just Happened?! It occurred on Tuesday 21st November at The Ned. Marina Hyde writes for The Guardian/The Observer, and she is noted for her funny and hugely popular features and columns about political unfolding(s) and events. At the divine and grand The Ned, it was an evening filled with energy, electricity and laughter! One of the biggest events The Trouble Club has ever hosted. It was a packed and really excited audience who welcomed Marina Hyde to the stage. She was typically hilarious throughout! Asked about her favourite moments and columns, it was a real treat to hear one of this country’s most respected and brilliant journalists discuss her career and work. Talking about her writing routine and past, it was especially intriguing for me as a journalist. A lot to take away and apply to my own writing. If you have not got her book, What Just Happened?!: Dispatches from Turbulent Times, then Waterstones give some details about a must-own/read: “No other writer is more suited to chronicling the absurd times in which we live. In What Just Happened?! Marina Hyde slashes her way through the hellscape of post-referendum politics, where the chaos never stops. Clamber aboard as we relive every inspirational moment of magic, from David Cameron to Theresa May to Boris Johnson. Marvel at the sights, from Trumpian WTF-ery to celebrity twattery. And boggle at the cast of characters: Hollywood sex offenders, populists, sporting heroes (and villains), dastardly dukes, media barons, movie stars, reality TV monsters, billionaires, police officers, various princes and princesses, wicked advisers, philanthropists, fauxlanthropists, telly chefs, and (naturally) Gwyneth Paltrow. It's the full state banquet of crazy - and you're most cordially invited. Drawn from her spectacularly funny Guardian columns, What Just Happened?! is a welcome blast of humour and sanity in a world where reality has become stranger than fiction”.
That takes me up to date. I am going to see the brilliant Think Like a Tree with Arit Anderson. You can check out the schedule if you fancy attending an event. Applying for membership is definitely recommended if you like what you have heard here. On Wednesday (6th December), Arit Anderson (the British garden designer, writer, and television presenter (Gardeners’ World), this event will take place at The Hearth. I am looking forward to being back there – I saw Dr. Julia Grace Patterson earlier in the year – and hearing what Anderson has to say. It is an event that is billed like this: “We've all heard that trees can combat much of the climate damage humans have wreaked on our ecosystem, but only if we plant the right ones. Arit Anderson is a garden designer, writer and presenter on BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World and she'll be joining us to talk about her passion for gardening, the environment and the huge importance of tree planting”.
She is co-author of The Essential Tree Selection Guide: For Climate Resilience, Carbon Storage, Species Diversity and Other Ecosystem Benefits. I am really interested in it, as “At the heart of the book is a unique A-Z Tree Directory representing more than 550 trees chosen for their ecosystem benefits, resilience and a host of other criteria that will ensure their continuing contribution to our future gardens and landscapes. A further quick-reference Tree Selection Table provides key attributes for each species at a glance”. I think the book and the themes that it explores are very relevant - not just in terms of the environment and climate change; also in aiding and highlighting gardens and landscapes as beneficial to our mental health. This will be a really interesting interview and evening. If this is something that may interest you, then I am sure there are a few tickets left!
Two events in two days for me1 First is Fixing France with Nabila Ramdani on Monday, 11th December at The House of St Barnabas. That venue in Soho is gorgeous. Nabila Ramdani is going to be wonderful: “Nabila Ramdani is not from the establishment elite: she is a marginalised insider, born and raised in a neglected Paris suburb. With unflinching clarity, she probes the fault lines of her struggling country, exposing the Fifth Republic as an archaic system which emerged from Algeria’s cataclysmic War of Independence”. Her book, Fixing France: How to Repair a Broken Republic, is really engrossing and compelling. I have not got it yet – I will get a copy at the event -, though it does sound like it is an essential buy: “Nabila Ramdani is not from the establishment elite: she is a marginalised insider, born and raised in a neglected Paris suburb. With unflinching clarity, she probes the fault lines of her struggling country, exposing the Fifth Republic as an archaic system which emerged from Algeria’s cataclysmic War of Independence. Today, a monarchical President Macron shows little interest in democracy, while a far-right party founded by Nazi collaborators threatens to replace him. Segregation, institutionalised rioting, economic injustice, the debasement of women, a monolithic education system, deep-seated racial and religious discrimination, paramilitary policing, terrorism and extremism, and a duplicitous foreign policy all fuel the growing crisis”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Wellness professional, international TEDx speaker and acclaimed author, Adrienne Herbert/PHOTO CREDIT: Adrienne Herbert (via Marie Claire)
The following evening, Trouble In Business: Leaders in Tech is going to be another massive one. Featuring three hugely important and inspiring women in business, it will be an event to remember at Dartmouth House (on 12th December). I have never been to Dartmouth House. So this is a brand-new venue I am looking forward to seeing and exploring. It is going to be simply incredible: “Join us for an evening with three leading tech entrepreneurs. Our three panelists: Georgia Stewart - CEO and co-founder of Tumelo, Deirdre O’Neill - Co-Founder and Chief Commercial & Legal Officer at Hertility Health and Juanita Morgan - Co-Founder and CEO of Value Adders World – will discuss what drove them to start their own businesses”. I am really looking forward to seeing Georgia Stewart, Deirdre O’Neill and Juanita Morgan. Before the much-anticipated Christmas event, Networking Drinks Evening: Power Hour with Adrienne Herbert happens on Thursday, 14th December at DIAGEO. Herbert is a fantastic author who you can find out more about here and here (“Adrienne is a leading wellness professional, international TEDx speaker, Author and mother. Adrienne is the epitome of the modern digital entrepreneur, and former Director of Innovation at the UK's leading fitness app Fiit. Adrienne has delivered talks and workshops for brands such as Apple, Microsoft & WeWork to motivate and empower their employees to perform at their best in work and life”). This will be an amazing event that is also a networking evening. Preceded by drinks, it is going to be a pre-Christmas relaxation where new and established members of The Trouble Club can get together and chat!
IN THIS PHOTO: Caroline Criado Perez/PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Simpson/Penguin Books
I shall finish with a brief nod to 2024 at The Trouble Club and thoughts on this year. One of the biggest events on the calendar is Trouble's Big Night Out: Featuring Caroline Criado Perez & Kelechi Okafor. You can follow Caroline Criado Perez and Kelechi Okafor. Taking place on Monday, 18th December at the splendid Conway Hall, this is going to be the centrepiece of an amazing evening! One that will combine cheer, emotion, inspiration and celebration. Caroline Criado Perez is author of Invisible Women. Here are some more details about this wonderful author: “Caroline Criado Perez is the author of the #1 international best-seller, INVISIBLE WOMEN: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (Chatto & Windus, Abrams, 2019), highlighting the systematic biases behind the data and assumptions impacting our everyday lives. It is the winner of Financial Times Book of the Year Award 2019 and the 2019 Royal Society Science Book prize. Caroline is currently working on a new book, as well as an updated version of Invisible Women. She writes a regular newsletter that goes out to over 35,000 subscribers. Her first book, Do it Like a Woman (Portobello, 2015), introduces pioneering women from around the world and what it means to be female in a culture where power and basic freedoms are too often equated with being male”.
Kelechi Okafor is a Black-British actress, director and public speaker born in Nigeria and raised in London. Edge of Here: Stories from Near to Now is her latest book. Before moving on, I want to bring in parts of a recent interview from Afreada:
“NA: You chose to start your collection with an introduction, a sort of author’s note, where you said you never considered yourself as a writer — an actor and director, yes, but never a writer. I would love to know why this was, and when this changed?
KO: I guess I hadn't considered myself to be a writer because writing always looked so grueling. It just seemed horrid. Anybody that I knew who was a writer would tell me that they were in the pits and it was really hard, so it was never something I planned to do even though I loved writing, and I loved deconstructing texts. I studied English literature, then I went on to study Drama and Theater Studies with Law at university. I'm really into words but, in my mind, the kind of person who was a writer wasn't me. I love to take other people's words and act them out, or direct them because I really understand what is happening, subtext and all of that. Obviously, I have my own specific way with words on social media but I didn't think that all of those things could come together and I would be an actual writer. I just thought that was somebody else's job and then I would do my job of deconstructing the text and conveying what I found during that exploration.
I started to think more seriously about writing a few years ago when I wrote a particular thread and Daniellé Dash sent me a DM, asking me to stop sharing my words for free. I just thought, what do you mean? She told me to write articles or something but to stop giving out all of this knowledge online for free. Of course, I believe that we should still have a way to share knowledge online, but the point she was making was that there are people who would come on to my page to get an idea of something that they didn't know about, and then they would pitch it to publications and they would get paid to write that thing. So she thought that I should know that it's important that I write these things for myself. When I was ready to write my first piece, she introduced me to the editor of a platform and that's how I started writing in that regard. It really just started from another Black woman, seeing me and saying, try doing this instead. I fell in line after that.
NA: I love that answer. I'm curious to know when you transitioned from writing articles online to wanting to become a published author of a book, because you could have easily stuck to writing online and found success that way. Why was a book something you wanted to pursue?
KO: Funnily enough, it started with a viral thread I wrote at the end of 2017 where I said I was going to move into the home of white people and colonise it. I basically used the infrastructure of how Nigeria came to be, really. I used that framework to write this thread about what I will do in this home, how I'd stop them from speaking their language, and they could only speak this, and they could only do that. People were just so fascinated by the thread. They were like, this should be a book, and I thought, oh, maybe it should be.
NA: Lol I’d definitely read that!
KO: I spoke to my friend Dapo Adeola about it and he said, maybe I should introduce you to my agent, Sallyanne Sweeney. He introduced me to Sallyanne and I presented her with this idea. I wanted to call the story Ara Ile, which means ‘person of the house’ in Yoruba, translating to ‘family member’. I proposed the idea to her, and said I needed an advance to write it, but she told me that that’s not really how it works with fiction - you have to finish writing the whole thing before pitching to publishers. While all of this was happening, I'd had three different people who worked with publishing houses approach me and ask if I’d ever considered writing a book. Then a friend of mine was explaining to me that when editors are approaching you directly, it's a really good sign but I shouldn’t go with the editors directly. I needed to play it well and get an agent. I shared this with Sallyanne and I told her that there was some interest. She thought that was interesting and she said, you know when it comes to fiction, you're gonna have to write the whole thing first, but I was like I need money. So we talked about it and then it was suggested that I write nonfiction first, and then use that as a way in. Of course, there are a multitude of things that I like to talk about and feel that we need to have more public discourse about. Initially, I wanted to write about anger, and how anger can be a liberating force for Black women. When that was taken out as a proposal to publishers, just before 2020, they said, oh, but how do we make this universal? Essentially, if you're not talking about white women, that topic is not commercially viable. Offers were made, but I wasn't happy with any of the offers, because I felt like I deserved more for what I was about to write. Then 2020 happened.
Suddenly, the interest was back again. The publishers were asking if I still wanted to write that book and I just said no, I don't want to write it now. I'm seeing way too much happening in the world that I think I need to soak in, so when I do finally write that nonfiction book, it will be what I want it to be because there's still a lot to learn there. It was during that time that Sareeta Domingo approached me on Twitter, DMs again. She asked me if I wanted to write a short story for an anthology she was putting together, love stories by women of color. Immediately, I knew what I wanted to write. I just knew that I wanted to write The Watchers. That's how The Watchers came to be.
From the moment the idea of writing was presented to me when people read that thread and they said, this is extremely creative, you should do something with it, I think it was almost like I was waiting for permission, or for somebody to turn the light bulb or light switch on, for me to know that I could do something with all of the words that I was using on social media.
NA: I hear it and I love it. Picking up on the Sareeta piece, she came to you and presented you with the idea of writing a short story, and instantly your spirit resonated with that idea. When we first met at the Caine Prize award ceremony, Ben Okri said something about the unique beauty and power of short stories and I remember you resonating with his words then too. So my question is, when you think about fiction, or when you think about writing a book, what is it specifically about the short story form that calls you? Why does it feel like home to you as a writer?
KO: Oh, I love that question. When Ben Okri gave that speech, it was definitely what I needed to hear at a time that I felt like I was contending with people over the validity of the short story form. It kept being presented as if short stories were merely a precursor to writing a novel. It was weird to me, because I love short stories so much. I love that you can delve into a world really briefly and then leave, but you're forever changed by that vignette. I love having the autonomy as a reader that wherever I'm left with that story, I just have to figure out the rest for myself. It really speaks deeply to me because I've always felt like it takes a lot of skill to be able to write short stories that don’t feel unfinished, even if we don't get to see the rest of these people's lives. It's beautiful. One of my favorite short story collections is Alexia Arthurs’ How to Love a Jamaican. I also really love Danzy Senna’s You Are Free and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck. From all the short stories I've read, I just thought, yeah, that's what I want to do. I want to do that.
NA: That's a perfect answer. Now let's focus on this particular collection. The beauty of storytelling is that people can come to a piece of work, a piece of writing, or a collection of writing, and they walk away with their own conclusions about what it's about, but I would love for you to tell me, when we think about Edge of Here as a body of work, how would you describe it? What is it about and what is the intention behind it?
KO: Overall, I feel like the overarching sentiment is yearning.
I don't feel like Black women are given enough space to yearn and to desire, because we're too busy being strong, and too busy being ‘good.’ I wanted a space where the characters that we meet in the stories are yearning for something more. Across womanhood generally but specifically, when we look at Black womanhood, there’s this narrative that to want more or to desire more is uncouth. The constant question that you get is, how do you juggle it all? How do you do it all? There’s an idea that you're wanting too much, and you're not going to have the capacity to hold all that you are yearning for. I feel like we have enough capacity within us to be able to hold the expanse of our desires, so in each of the stories, we meet intelligent women, women who are embodied, yet, each of them is looking for something more.
Yearning needs to be normalized. We should feel okay to say, “I want more than that”. Whether it's money in terms of our work, whether it's our living situations, whether it's our romantic or intimate relationships, or our familial relationships, we should be able to say, I want more, and not be vilified for wanting that. That translates not just in the personal, but in the political as well. We don't have to settle for the way that for instance, the beauty industry is or the fashion industry is. We don't have to settle for things just because we've been told, that's the way that things are. It's time that we start making it clear that we want more”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Emma Dabiri/PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Simpson/PA (via Earwolf)
There are some amazing events already announced for 2024. Including An Evening with Emma Dabiri (5th March). I am looking forward to seeing Emma Dabiri speak at The Conduit in Covent Garden. The Trouble Club are hosting someone very special indeed: “Emma Dabiri is one of the most important writers in the UK today, known for her insightful and thought-provoking discussions on race, gender, colonialism, and cultural issues”. I am looking forward to what else comes in 2024. I have loved being a member. It has been a real pleasure and privilege being in various rooms across London witnessing some amazing women speak to a crowd of terrific and passionate women – and some charming chaps too. So many varied and inspiring creatives and leaders have told their stories and shared their memories and elicited so many emotions and reactions. The events I have attended since the second Trouble Club feature have been truly life-enriching and important in so many ways (in terms of what I have learned and the people I have met). I am looking forward to a few this month. If there was a dream guest list of potential future guests…obviously someone as huge, inspiring and iconic as Greta Gerwig or Margot Robbie would be the stuff of legends (thought, between availability of both and their fees, that may be far-fetched!).
I imagine that the sensational author, broadcaster and journalist Caitlin Moran would be a hugely popular guest. Not sure if she has spoken for The Trouble Club before?! Many would like to hear from actress and writer Michaela Coel. I am coming from at this from an entertainment bent…but there are so many other compelling and vital potential speakers I am sure so many members of The Trouble Club have in their minds (sort of like dream guests on Desert Island Discs!). It has been such a fabulous year where I have bought some wonderful, informative books from terrific women. I have met some great people, heard such powerful and stunning words across some of the most individual and interesting venues in London. Interestingly, literally as I am editing this (1st December, lunchtime), a new event for next year has been announced. The Power of Constraint with Novelist Christine Coulson takes place on Thursday, 18th January at The Groucho. I have never been to that iconic venue, so that will be really interesting! Christine Coulson’s new novel “is written almost entirely in 75-word museum wall labels and demonstrates how constraint need not limit storytelling”. I am really looking forward to hearing her speak. I have also reserved a signed copy of One Woman Show. It is a book that everyone should seek out: “Prized, collected, critiqued. One Woman Show revolves around the life of Kitty Whitaker as she is defined by her potential for display and moved from collection to collection through multiple marriages. Christine Coulson, who has written hundreds of exhibition wall labels for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, precisely distils each stage of Kitty's sprawling life into that distinct format, every brief snapshot in time a wry reflection on womanhood, ownership, value and power. Described with wit, poignancy and humour over the course of the twentieth century, Kitty emerges as an eccentric heroine who disrupts her privileged, porcelain life with both major force and minor transgressions. As human foibles propel each delicately crafted text, Coulson playfully asks: who really gets to tell our stories?”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Christine Coulson/PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Jewell (via Christine Coulson)
One of the hopes of this feature – aside from taking The Trouble Club and looking back at some amazing events – is to get people who have thought about joining The Trouble Club to do so. It s really great value. Give the gift of Trouble. I think that would be a really excellent Christmas present. More of investment than something ephemeral. I joined earlier in the year and I have got so much out of membership in a short space! A lot of lifelong memories and really important evenings that I will cherish. I have learned so much about a lot of the inequalities and injustices women face. So many awesome guests who have brought their books and careers to life. I have become a more committed feminist. This has been applied to my music journalism. Some wonderful fellow members (and those who were not members but attended events) who I look forward to talking to. It is an amazing and close-knit community where everyone is welcomed in. Next year will surely be another busy one for The Trouble Club! There is this social aspect to events. You get to be part of events that are often moving and hugely educational and empowering. Book clubs, screening, drinks and some wonderful get-togethers should mean that, as part of your resolutions for next year, membership with The Trouble Club...
IS right near the top!