Cassie McCullough

I felt like this need to stay on top of what was being published now and what was happening now.

And it was probably because I wanted to have a real sense of immediacy and nowness.

And I wanted to join in conversations online.

So if someone said that they'd

They'd read the new Hilary Mantel.

I wanted to have an opinion on that and I wanted to be able to join in a conversation because I certainly wasn't having many conversations at my own on my desk with my two cats meowing at me.

So they were obsessively current.

I loved reading the book A Long List, for example, and just seeing what the appetite is for now and just the incredible range of fiction which is being published.

So I found that I cannot read at the moment.

It's really troubling, actually, because I normally just rely on books so much.

I've genuinely read half a book in the last two months, which is absolutely pitiful.

And I probably haven't read that little since I was that very boring 14 year old self.

But I have managed to listen, which is something so as well as publishing this book, I

I'm also moving house and expecting a baby imminently.

So I suppose maybe I just don't have, I don't know that the presence to sit down with a page, but I've been loving the Women's Prize shortlist.

And I've been listening my way through that as I paint the walls and sand the cornicing and Transcendent Kingdoms.

by Yaa Gyasi is my favourite to win.

And I've just only just now finished listening to it.

And I think it's a work of absolute genius.

I love how she juxtaposes the ideas of faith and science and restraint and addiction.