Shows
Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanSARA JAFARI, AuthorToday's guest is Sara Jafari, British-Iranian author of THE MISMATCH and her latest novel, PEOPLE CHANGE. We speak about second book syndrome: the difference between writing the first book and second book, the lead times and the difference in marketing of the second book. We also speak about the importance of discipline over inspiration and whether we should read our own reviews. Sara is frank and honest about the industry and how attention is spread over debut novelists in comparison to mid-list authors.Sara's work has been longlisted for Spread the Word's Life Writing Prize and...2023-02-0859 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanMICAELA ALCAINO, Cover DesignerToday's guest is award-winning cover designer Micaela Alcaino. Micaela moved to London in 2013. She moved without a job in hand and applied for (200) design jobs before she landed her first role with Transworld Publishing. You would recognise her cover on books such as THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLES IGNATIOUS SANCHO by Paterson Joseph, Jennifer Saint’s ATLANTA, ELEKTRA and ARIADNE, THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS by Pip Williams and the hardcover for BELOW DECK by Sophie Hardcastle. We talk about the importance of sharing knowledge, mentorship and persistence. She herself is wildly persistent and is encouraged by th...2022-12-141h 07Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanEMMA NORRY, Children's AuthorToday's guest is our very first children's author, Emma Norry. We talk about topics that most people in the industry shy away from - M O N E Y. We also speak about the need to stay flexible in order to find out what you love writing about and lastly we speak about Emma's untraditional path to publishing and how slow and steady can work just as well as the splashy debut. We talk about writing craft and share some mutual appreciation for children's stories versus adult fiction. Emma has a wealth of books already to her name and...2022-12-071h 03Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanTALLULAH LYONS, Assistant EditorToday's guest is Tallulah Lyons, Assistant Editor at #Merky Books. We talk about the things I've never asked other editors. What actually goes on in coveted acquisition meetings, what happens to books that are liked but not loved by the team and what does it take for a book to be published.#Merky Books is an award-winning imprint launched in 2018 by Stormzy and PRH UK. It’s a fantastic imprint that already boasts an enviable list of non-fiction and fiction titles with Keisha The Sket by Jade LB, We are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Za...2022-10-1943 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanMARGAUX VIALLERON, Foreign Rights AgentToday's guest is Margaux Vialleron, Foreign Rights Agent at David Higham Associates. She speaks to us about her love for bringing stories to different parts of the world. It's an area of the industry that I don't know much about but was excited to learn from one of the best. We speak about what is required to do well in this role and what interested might give you longevity in this area of the industry as it's quite a varied role from sales, to networking to admin-centred tasks. I hope you enjoy Margaux's infectious attitude to language and the...2022-10-1247 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanCHLOE TIMMS, AuthorWe've switched things up and are going live with weekly episodes. Today we speak to the refreshingly honest, Chloe Timms, author of THE SEAWOMEN, podcast host, disability rights activist and Zoom Writing Club. We speak about impostor syndrome, the importance of identifying yourself as a writer no matter what stage of the process you're in, as well as giving in to things that you can't control. We touch on her views of disability representation and what she hopes to see for the future.Follow us on Twitter @mimspodFollow Chloe on Twitter @clotimms...2022-10-051h 10Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanRHEA KURIEN, Editorial DirectorWe're back and I'm so happy to speak to Rhea Kurien from Orion for our first episode, who is possibly one of the kindest people in publishing I have come across. This episode is filled with lots of her sage advice on entering the industry without any connections yet forging and cementing genuine connections with her peers and colleagues. We talk about all the normal woes of rejection but also the ways in which it can at times, lead you somewhere better. We also talk about building your brand (from a publisher's perspective) and how that can be done...2022-09-2857 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanSEASON 2 TRAILERWe're back and I thought it was worth reminding listeners why this podcast started in the first place! The podcast was always designed for (and will continue to) focus on building transparency within an industry that often feels exclusionary to those from historically underrepresented backgrounds. To that end, I aim to speak to authors who are marginalised within the publishing industry due to their sexual orientation, gender, economic status, geography, ethnicity, religion, displacement, conflict or disability.Additionally, I also aim to speak to publishing professionals within the industry, from all backgrounds to help...2022-09-2702 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanPRETI TANEJA, AuthorToday's episode is with Preti Taneja, award-winning author of debut novel WE THAT ARE YOUNG and her current release, AFTERMATH. This book contends with the pain of unspeakable loss set against public tragedy, as Preti draws on history, memory, and powerful poetic predecessors to reckon with the systemic nature of atrocity. She cites political; historical and social context as well as writings from other respected authors in order to build this world for us. AFTERMATH has been described by Max Porter as a "major landmark in British narrative non-fiction. It is fearless in the way it shows its agonised...2022-06-201h 09Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanVALERIE BRANDES, Publisher & FounderToday's guest is Valerie Brandes. A force of nature and a woman who has worked tirelessly and with such determination to create a publishing house that thrives on amplifying and uplifting diverse voices and thought. In 2020, Jacaranda introduced the initiative #Twentyin2020 an unprecedented initiative to publish 20 titles by 20 Black British writers in a single year. In 2021 Jacaranda formed a historic partnership with Hachette UK, expanding their sales and distribution to support the flourishing global market for readers of books by diverse voices. As Valerie says, it allowed them to grow without losing their framework to work as an Indie p...2022-06-061h 15Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanKASIM ALI, Assistant EditorWe're back with podcast regular Kasim Ali. Today we speak about his role as Assistant Editor at Cornerstone, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Kasim is honest and frank in today's conversation as we discuss how books are taken from submission into acquisition and also the multiple reason why manuscripts can be turned down. We also touch on the larger fight that non-white authors have to write something they purely love and for that not to be politicised. Kasim also enlightens us to the realities of publishing roles and their salaries, taking time to compare that of his peers...2022-05-241h 08Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanAMY BAXTER, Editor-in-Chief & Assistant EditorToday's episode is with Amy Baxter, EIC and owner of Bad Form Review and Assistant Editor for Dialogue Books and a few other Hachette imprints. We talk frankly about the industry as it is and Amy's drive to change the things she finds issue with.Amy offers practical advice for those wanting to make their start in publishing as well as those wanting to shift the problems and realities seen within the industry. She has had her fair share of failures and rejection but with a constant sense of wanting to do better, she has already...2022-05-091h 03Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanNELLE ANDREW, Literary AgentToday's episode features a frank, honest and at times hilarious discussion with Nelle Andrew on the state of publishing. We speak about her persistence in this field and where her drive stemmed from as she entered rooms that were filled predominantly by others who had found themselves there through connections and networks.Nelle represents an array of internationally bestselling and award-winning authors across both fiction and non-fiction. Among those on her list are Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, Sara Collins (winner of the Costa Debut fiction award), Jing-Jing Lee (a longlistee for the Women’s Fiction Prize and Wa...2022-04-191h 05Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanJESSICA GEORGE, AuthorToday's episode features the ray of light that is, Jessica George. Her infections laughter and spirit help us understand how she came to write her compelling debut novel MAAME, using her diary entries, following the passing of her father. She shares how she was able to write such a tender and witty novel on a topic that is so close to home, how she understands the editing process to be an enriching experience for both herself and her characters as well as when she knew she had to break up from her first agent. MAAME is Jess' sixth novel...2022-04-041h 19Make It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanBONUS EPISODE: KASIM ALI, Author*BONUS CONTENT* from my two-hour long conversation with Kasim Ali, author of Good Intentions. We touch on his US and UK book covers, how he decided to write from the point of view of Nur and not Yasmina, as well as the pretty obvious origin of her name that he only came to realise once his mother learned the book was going to be published. Kasim speaks about the importance of writing about an interracial couple and anti-blackness in the South Asian community. Carrying on from the second episode, we talk more about his mastering of dialogue and his...2022-03-2834 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanKASIM ALI, AuthorSureka speaks with British-Pakistani author Kasim Ali whose debut novel GOOD INTENTIONS is a heart wrenching novel about love; family obligation and anti-blackness within the South-Asian community. We speak about the multiple manuscripts and multiple rejections Kasim had to get through and the one that made him stop writing for a while. He shares how he picked himself up again and what he suggests other writers ask themselves when trying to build resilience to rejection within the industry. We also touch on the editing process and his tips for being a better writer by reading and writing constantly. We...2022-03-1548 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanLIZZIE DAMILOLA BLACKBURN, AuthorSureka speaks with British-Nigerian author, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn whose debut novel YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? is set to be an era defining debut. We speak about her goal of writing the stories that her and her friends never saw in books and film, the use of sensitivity readers. Lizzie helps make sense the editing process when you have US and and UK editors, tackling the Marketing and PR side as an introvert. Lizzie also helps to make sense of second book syndrome and what she does to overcome it to keep writing.Follow us on...2022-02-2858 minMake It Make Sense with Sureka Thanenthiran-DharumanTRAILERIt's here! A new podcast for writers and publishing hopefuls to make sense of an industry that is less than transparent. Every week, I will be joined by an author from historically excluded backgrounds, in order to learn how they made sense of the process. I'll also be joined by agents, editors and other professionals from the industry to help paint a more complete picture of publishing.Follow Us on Twitter @mimspodArtwork by Coline TinevezSound Design By Jane Arnison Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...2022-02-0901 min