Folklore and circus 'freaks' with Nydia Hetherington

Nydia Hetherington grew up in Leeds in the north of England and moved to London in her twenties to start an acting career. She studied at a renowned French theatre school and went on to create her own theatre company. Her debut novel, A Girl Made of Air, was published in September.Interview starts at 12 minutes. Caitlin recommendsLove Struck by Bronwyn SellPerfect for pretending you were allowed to travel to an exotic tropical location for summer this year. Michelle recommendsThe Science of Storytelling by Will Storr (with an extra cheeky recommendation for Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller)Perfect for anyone who is fascinated about why we as humans love a good story. In this interview, we chat about:Folklore and myths from Nydia’s childhood on the Isle of ManHow Nydia developed the novel over 6 years through short pieces while studying creative writingThe unusual storytelling format of A Girl Made of Air and how it became an obsession for NydiaHow Nydia’s writing was influenced by her experience and life as a performerPulling back the curtain on the world of circusThe research Nydia did into the world of Freak Shows and Coney IslandWhat Coney Island is like nowCreating during UK lockdown and feeling distanced from any writingShielding in the UK lockdown and living with anxietyBooks and other things mentionedThe Tin Drum by Günter GrassGeek Love by Katherine DunnFreaks by Tod BrowningFollow Nydia @nydiamadeofair. A Girl Made of Air is available now in the UK and Australia. Follow us on Instagram @betterwordspod*Note: Michelle received a PR copy of A Girl Made of Air from Quercus Books.

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