The People Will Talk Podcast

Today, we speak with Vanessa Fabiano, who is an East Asian Studies graduate who lived and worked in China during the 1990s transformative period—including through the SARS outbreak. She is also an organizer of literary festivals and has co-founded The Write Salon. You can find Chinese on the Beach, her debut short story collection, in all good bookshops, on Amazon and here (https://www.yberni...

As Esteban begins a journey of self-awareness, he also discovers the charms of an enchanting city alive in summer. This is the background to Us Human Towers, a debut novel penned by Stephen Rossiter. He joins us on the pod to talk about the book, travelling, and all things writing. You can buy it here (https://www.ybernia.com/shop/p/us-human-towers) . Photo Credit: Stephen Rossiter. Music C...

David Looby has travelled extensively, worked as a journalist and has a perspective that straddles both sides of the Atlantic. He talks about all this, as well as his debut novel. A Billion Sharp Pieces asks how far someone can be pushed before they crack and what does it take for Todd, the novel's protagonist, to realise there are only two choices: living or dying. Buy the book here (https:/...

Originally from the UK, Jayne now calls Madrid home. She is a regular columnist for The Madrid Review, a writer, editor, and the brains behind one of the best writing groups in the Spanish capital. Quite simply, she has a lot of strings to her bow, and she joined us for a fascinating chat. Buy her excellent debut book, (https://www.modernodysseybooks.com/a-line-drawn) and check out her websit...

John Dapolito has spent twenty-five years in Madrid and more than thirty living in Spain. He is an English language teaching professional, photographer and a regular of the open-mic scene in the city. A collection of five-minute tales, A Hundred-Year-Old Bitch, is currently in the works. His color photos are featured in the book A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District / Guía Literaria Del Barrio ...

A Thousand Lives is about love (and heartbreak), art (and how it makes and breaks us) and the strength and endurance that come from life’s most challenging times. After riding each storm and coming out the other side – scars and all – we learn that life is so much more than existence: it is a relentless teacher and a sacred companion. We owe so much to our mistakes. Parisa Salahshourian was b...

Roy Lotz, author of Don Bigote, was interviewed on Radio Exterior, a show on national Spanish radio that broadcasts in many languages, including English. He was able to discuss conspiracy theories, the USA and the inspiration for his story! Launched in 1942, REE serves as a bridge between Spain and Spanish-speaking communities around the globe, including Latin America, North Africa, and expatr...

Wells Jones is a modern-day adventurer, writer, kayaker and, well, the list is endless. He is a passionate and inspiring man, and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing his thoughts on what it means to travel, as well as his admiration for T.E. Lawrence and all the cultures he has encountered along the way. He also spoke about his book A Line in the Sand, which he co-wrote with Miles Spencer, and his e...

**This episode is in Spanish** En este episodio tenemos la suerte de charlar un rato con Rafael Carpintero, profesor universitario de traducción y artífice de la traducción al español de la mayoría de libros de Orhan Pamuk hasta la fecha. Nos cuenta las palabras que más detesta, las dificultades y las bonanzas del idioma turco, y los proyectos que aún tiene por completar. Leed el blog (https...

Roy Lotz hails from New York, and in this video, he shows us his favourite spots around his adopted home. Get his book here (https://www.ybernia.com/shop/p/don-bigote) . Photo credit: Ybernia Editorial. Music credit: Carpe Diem, by Dee Yan Key (Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC).

La autora Keka Dilano habla con María sobre su libro Igoli. La vida de la joven Angie cambia con la repentina muerte de sus padres. Tras esta tragedia aparentemente inesperada, descubre cosas que le hacen preguntarse si su familia oculta un profundo secreto. Con la ayuda del apuesto William, propietario de un extenso rancho en Kenia, y del igualmente atractivo Raffaele, uno de los mejores ami...

Laura has written an amazing book about the environment for children. Called The Invisible Gift/El Regalo Invisible, this bilingual book - which is illustrated and there is an audio version as well - teaches kids that we all can play a role in protecting the planet. We chat about bilingualism, writing and the art of telling a story. Find her book here (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D15VWNDJ/rea...

Wayne Kehoe joins us on the pod today to discuss his globe-trotting adventures, terrible Irish summers, working in London's Natural History Museum and about the art of design. Enjoy! Photo credit: Wayne Kehoe. Music credit: Arcade, by Artur Aravidi (Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC) and Got To Get Funky, by Juqboxmusic (Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC).

We really enjoyed our time at the Majadahonda Book Fair. Sharing a stall with our writers, meeting avid readers and a cast of interesting people made for a fantastic 4 days. Find out who we met by having a listen! Photo Credit: Ybernia. Music: Up, Up and Away by Blue Dot Sessions (Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC).

** This episode is in Spanish ** Un episodio muy especial con Rosario LLorens, profesora durante cuarenta años. Rosario cursó tres carreras universitarias, conoció al Rey Emérito en curiosas circunstancias y tiene una memoria prodigiosa. Nos cuenta cosas, recita de memoria poemas que aprendió hace ochenta años y nos da un consejo final precioso sobre la vida. Photo credit: ABC. Music credit:...

**This episode is in Spanish** Eva Galindo, K. Dilano y Tessa Rodríguez son Las 3 Mosqueteras, tres mujeres de armas tomar con una gran pasión por escribir, editar y publicar. Charlamos con ellas sobre las prioridades del escritor, sus géneros literarios favoritos y cómo les gustaría que fuera el panorama editorial. Síguelas en Instagram @eva_galindoesteban, @k.dilano y @editorial_chocolate,...

This week we interview British radio and TV presenter Hannah Murray, who now calls Spain her home. She's a successful communicator with an extensive career and she tells us about how she decided to settle in Spain, her listeners and her love of radio and theatre. Listen to Hannah here: Talk Radio Europe (https://tre.radio) Good Morning Spain TV (https://goodmorningspain.com) Marbella with Him...

Jonathan Teuma is a poet from Gibraltar, and he has written a book of haikus that focuses on a dialect used in Gibraltar, one influenced by both English and Spanish. Unused for many years, it is now gaining prominence as many poets and artists are starting to use it again. You can buy the book here (https://www.ybernia.com/shop/p/yaniku) . The book's launch can be seen here (https://www.yout...

In today's podcast, we talk about several books, with Until August by Gabriel García Márquez, Life for Sale by Yukio Mishima and Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry dominating the proceedings. All three are excellent books, created in peculiar circumstances and with their particular foibles. Enjoy! Photo Credit: Rakicevic Nenad (Pexels.com) Music Credit: 1st Contact by Deimos Ri...

James Hartley is a writer, teacher and editor of two amazing journals. He talks to us about his love of Shakespeare, the power of people writing in their second language and the famous people he has interviewed. You can check the Tint Journal here (https://tintjournal.com/about/our-mission) , and his new project The Madrid Review here (https://themadridreview.com/) . You can buy The Madrid Re...

Catalina Aranguren is a wonderful photographer with an international background. We chat with her about travelling across many countries, artistic sensibilities and what it's like being bilingual. Check out her work here (https://www.argia.photos/) ; you can also find her on social media. Photo Credit: Catalin Aranguren Music credit: 1st Contact by Deimos Rising, Free Music Archive CC BY-SA ...

Written by the Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago, Journey to Portugal is a fascinating account of his homeland in the first few years of democracy. He discovers amazing legends, good food, friendly locals, abundant churches, as well as his own philosophical meditation on what it means to be a traveler. The text version of the review can be read here (https://www.goodreads.com/review/sh...

***This episode is in Spanish*** Entrevistamos a Clara Ministral, traductora literaria y creadora del proyecto Wheeker Books (https://wheekerbooks.com/) sobre literatura norirlandesa. Charlamos sobre su interés por Irlanda del Norte, sobre el presente y futuro de Wheeker Books y sobre la importancia del lenguaje como elemento identitario. Visita su web y síguela en Twitter (https://twitter.c...

It was Book Week in Spain, and we had quite the literary seven days. Starting with a roundtable discussion on Monday, we read a magical Irish tale on Friday before manning a stall at the Moratalaz Book Fair. We sold a few books, made some interesting contacts and had a grand old time. Photo Credit: Pepe Añón Music Credit: Got To Get Funky, by Juqboxmusic (Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC) and Ar...

Anthony Piovesan is a journalist who hails from Australia but now calls Spain his home. A passionate writer, he tells us about his love of Spanish culture, what it's like being a freelancer, and what makes a good journalist. Photo Credit: Anthony Piovesan Music Credit: Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke for Free, Free Music Archive, CC BY and Look Inside by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive, CC BY-SA

Dani joins us on the podcast to tell us about why she moved to Spain, how she helps other foreigners adapt and about her writing career. Check out her super useful blog (https://www.sincerelyspain.com/) and learn more about Spain. And you can read her novella Grandad here (https://www.danijnorwell.com/free-novella/) . We talk about the book it comes from a lot in the episode, a wonderful coll...

We interview successful Scottish writer Joan Fallon, who now calls southern Spain her home. She has written many fiction books, including the famous crime series around detective Jacaranda Dunne, and she gives some wonderful insights into what motivates her writing and the historical backdrop in her books. Check out her website (https://joanfallon.co.uk/) , where you can buy her books and fol...

This epic book of a few hundred pages deals with a lot of themes. And at its heart, is the enduring connection between Ireland and Spain. You can buy the book from our website (https://www.ybernia.com/shop/p/the-way) or from Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/Way-Dermot-C-Miller/dp/8412801326/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Y8Q7T6RDRBD6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KMcScmkMQsh5ePQb_S7aOQ.0IG3J_A63ElMa3LP1ml_30XxEzhYNnV8K48lQ...

**This episode is in Spanish** Entrevistamos a Marta Espinós, directora adjunta de la Fundación Cultura en Vena, que tiene como objetivo mejorar la vida de las personas en entornos aislados a través de la cultura. Hablamos de su extraordinaria labor en los hospitales con pacientes, familiares y personal sanitario, y especialmente de sus proyectos literarios Érase una voz y Pequeños pacientes,...

Maria Reid, President of the Spanish Irish Business Network, joins us on the pod to talk about the important work that her organization does in developing business in Ireland and Spain. We also chat about the forthcoming St. Patrick's Day celebrations. As one of the organizers, she offers great insight into the exciting events that are planned. Don't miss the Family Party in Madrid on Sat 16t...

Christer Strömholm was born 1918. As a youth, he joined the Nordic Nazi Youth where he carried the Swastika. As an adult his political attitude changed, and he gravitated towards the arts, experimental photography and documenting people on the margins of society. We popped along to see his pictures of French graffiti, atmospheric snow and a post-Civil War Spain. Follow this link to see the ex...

Katharine Cannings is a bilingual family coach and educational consultant with an amazing trajectory in Spain and beyond. She tells us about the original activities she has developed through the years, her experience teaching English in popular children's TV channel Clan and Roadmap to your bilingual home (https://bilingualroadmap.com/) , one of her latest projects. Katharine is also a PEaCH (...

Padraic Ryan has lived many lives, from charity shop manager to man in Madrid, via stints as a musician. How did he end up in the Spanish capital? Why was he mistaken for a robber? What's the best thing about Spain and the worst thing about Ireland? Find out in this scintillating episode. Photo Credit: Padraic Ryan. Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke For Free, Archive, CC BY & Down by the Sall...

Amy has been in Madrid for 19 years. In that time, she has forged a brilliant music career. With Amy Jo Doherty and the Spangles, she plays punk, while as a solo artist, she likes to play more comedic songs. She performs as part of the Shakey Doodle Time through her music education project. She has played across Europe and has appeared on Radio 3 and in the iconic Independence Club. Find her...

Entrevistamos a la periodista Maribel Orgaz, creadora de multitud de iniciativas culturales en Madrid en torno a la literatura. Hablamos de sus múltiples libros y de su interés por la naturaleza, y analizamos los factores decisivos para que un club de lectura tenga éxito. ¡No os perdáis esta clase magistral sobre la difusión de la literatura! Aquí puedes visitar su blog Leer en Madrid (https...

Colin Murphy tells us about his time in Madrid, playing rugby with some Irish greats, and his thriving beard oil business. Find his website here (https://westcorkbeardcompany.ie/) , and he's also on social media. Read an interview (https://irishsliceofmadrid.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/colin-murphy-personal-trainer-entrepreneur/) we did with him a while back. Photo Credit: Colin Murphy. Music Cr...

Nobody is from Madrid. Photo Credit: Charry Jin @ Pexels. Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke For Free, Free Music Archive, CC BY

Life in cities is not a spring but a river ... it progresses like a novel. - Patrick Kavanagh Barry hails from Limerick and has travelled the world, from the rites of passage that were the J1 in the USA and Erasmus in France, to dragons in the Balkans and the Trans-Siberian railway. Why does he have so much wanderlust? What makes him devour travel literature and tales from across the globe on...

¡Un nuevo episodio en español de The People Will Talk Podcast! Tras su presentación física en la librería La Independiente de Madrid, hablamos del primer libro de la editorial Ybernia en español, La vida en el cráter, una reflexión ligera llena de humor y filosofía donde la historia y la imaginación se unen para celebrar los éxitos, las coincidencias y el resto de rarezas que nos hacen humanos...

Art O'Donnell has written a wonderful book about birds, taking in the travails of moving country, being sick in a foreign land, the weight of the past, what it means to be a teacher and the karma that can befall a person who takes shortcuts on El Camino. Praised for its humour and insight, we are proud that this is one of our first publications. Buy the book on Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/W...

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them - Ernest Hemingway. Joe Rossiter hails from Wexford, where is now teaching. He joins us on the pod to talk about experiencing Madrid in the 1990s, being on the Olympic B Development Squad, running into Seamus Heaney and his love of Hemingway and cycling. Enjoy! Ph...

** This episode is in Spanish. You can find a subtitled English version here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlsdMfDjUL4&t=962s) ** Hablamos con el periodista Fede Cardelús, presentador de Callejeros Viajeros y La aventura del saber entre otros. Charlamos con él de lo que significa ser reportero de viajes, de su premiado documental Kalipay, de sus fuentes de inspiración literarias y de sus pr...

We discovered that the great Cary Grant was in a movie that shared its name with our podcast. With that flimsy premise, we went on a voyage of discovery, encountering German theatre, McCarthyism, flops, LSD and a romantic comedy that still holds up today. Oh, and one of us mentions that Grant was in Guns of Navarone. In fact, it was Gregory Peck! Photo Credit: Herbert Dorfman via Getty Image...

We tried out an AI software that converts your PDF into an audiobook. The voice is completely synthetic and... surprisingly good. The software in question comes from a company called Quares (https://books.quares.es/) . Check out this bonus episode of the pod to hear for yourself. Photo Credit: JJ Jordan @ Pexels. Music Credit: Flute Street by Poddington Bear & Circles Around the Sun by Mr. S...

Alejandra Espinosa joins us on the pod, talking about the rich tradition of storytelling in Colombia, which is both oral and literary. Why is Gabriel García Márquez so popular around the world? Who are the best female authors in Colombia? What's it like opening up a town's first bookshop? And how did she end up working with Disney on the smash hit Encanto? Find out in today's episode! Check h...

Roy hails from Sleepy Hollow, and he now calls Madrid home after a stint living in Manhattan. He is a keen reader and writer, with a book to his name as well as a successful blog and a huge following on Goodreads. We talk about modern-day mummies, philosophy, culture, and eating sand! Read his excellent blog (https://lotzintranslation.com/) and find his book on Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/T...

***This episode is in Spanish, check our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH4QdIU-jDo&t=508s&ab_channel=ElArpa-Writing%2CTranslation%2CHistory) for a version with English subtitles*** Eugenio Monesma is an award-winning ethnographic cinema producer and director with 40 years of experience recording the traditional trades, food, festivals and customs of the Iberian Peninsula. Th...

This podcast was recorded at the fantastic Secret Kingdoms bookshop, as part of our bookshop/podcast series. We got our chat on with Carlos, who gave us insights into a coach's winning mentality and the ethos underpinning his basketball teams. Off the court, he is a budding journalist who shared his thoughts on Tik Tok and press freedom. Check out the basketball website here (https://singerba...

Yes, yes, we jumped on the bandwagon and did what everybody else is doing. We asked Chat GPT to give us three ideas for a podcast, and it was duly delivered. So, we are talking about the future, hidden stories, and architecture. As a result, we get to talk about wickedly bad design, war, and the inevitable end of our species. As an antidote to cold machinery, we recorded this episode in a par...

Abel joins us on the pod today to talk about canines. He is a celebrated dog trainer with many titles to his name. We hear about travelling the world, the best dogs, and the powerful effects of dog therapy. Music: Flute Fleet by Poddington Bear and Hope by Life Saturation. Photo Credit: Abel Hounkara.