Cakes & Ale Episode 33: An Interview with Daniel M. Bensen

In this episode we chat with author Daniel M. Bensen about his new speculative biology novel Interchange.

In this sequel to 2019’s Junction, a group of humans attempt to travel across the many biomes of the alien planet beyond the wormhole on Earth. Daniel discusses how his worldbuilding process leant itself to creating the geography and biology of multiple planets spilling into and evolving on a single shared world. We also talk about writing and publishing in lockdown and his recent co-authored comic book First Knife from Image Comics.

Interchange, and it’s prequel Junction, are out now from Flame Tree Press.


Direct download: Episode 33: Daniel Bensen

You can find out more about Daniel and his work on his website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Goodreads.

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe to the Time for Cakes and Ale podcast, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Cakes & Ale Episode 31: Book Club – Origamy by Rachel Armstrong

Welcome to the the Cakes & Ale Book Club! Every month we will be bringing you a mix of discussions and interviews about recent genre fiction we’ve been reading. This month, we cover Origamy by Rachel Armstrong, published by NewCon Press.

Origamy is the story of Mobius, an extra-dimensional being who is part of a ‘circus troupe’ of weavers able to explore and manipulate the fabric of space-time.

This original and surreal science fiction tale follows Mobius’ attempt to learn the mysterious art of origamy and face down the dark menace which has appeared to threaten the very threads of the universe.

Origamy fuses mythic modes of storytelling with cutting-edge scientific concepts. Beautifully written and brimming with ideas, this book is unlike any other we have read in a long time.


Direct download: Episode 31 Book Club: Origamy by Rachel Armstrong

We give you our thoughts on the novel and bring you an interview with Rachel, who tells us about her academic research as Professor of Experimental Architecture at Newcastle University and how her multi-disciplinary approach imbues both her science and her science fiction. You can find out more about her research work on her faculty website and follow her on Twitter. You can also watch some of her fascinating Ted Talks below:


Stay tuned to our Twitter feed to find out what our next book club choice will be!

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe to the Time for Cakes and Ale podcast, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Cakes & Ale Episode 29: Interviews from Eastercon 2019

We’ve just returned from Ytterbium, a.k.a Eastercon 70, the annual UK science fiction convention. During the convention we had the great pleasure of chatting to a wonderful range of con-goers to create a snapshot of the kind of conversations you’d hear down at the bar, from writers to publishers, fans, reviewers, academics and con-runners. We wanted to catch the atmosphere of a con and we certainly captured the background sounds of one! We had tremendous fun putting this episode together and we hope to bring you another one of these bumper convention episodes from Worldcon 2019 in Dublin. Enjoy the episode!


Direct download: Episode 29: Interviews at Eastercon 2019

Below is a list of our guests with links for where to find out more about them and their work.

Juliet Kemp: Twitter / Website

Ali Baker: Twitter / Website

Dave L Clements: Twitter / Website

Emma Newman: Twitter / Website

Daniel Bensen: Twitter / Website

F. D. Lee: Twitter / Website

Claire Rousseau: Twitter / Radio Free Fandom Podcast / YouTube 

Noel Chidwick (Shoreline of Infinity): Twitter / Website

Emil Minchev: Author page

E.M. Faulds: Twitter / Speculative Spaces podcast / Website

Ruth E. J. Booth: Twitter / Website

Ian Whates (NewCon Press): Twitter / Website

A previous episode that may be of interest is our 2017 Small Press Day special – featuring Shoreline of Infinity, Mayamada and NewCon Press – which you can listen to here.

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe to the Time for Cakes and Ale podcast, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Cakes & Ale Episode 28: Book Club – Paris Adrift by E. J. Swift

Welcome to the the Cakes & Ale Book Club! Every month we will be bringing you a mix of discussions and interviews about recent genre fiction we’ve been reading. This month, we cover Paris Adrift by E. J. Swift, published by Solaris Books.

Paris Adrift is the story of Hallie, a student who runs away from her life in England to seek escape and adventure in Paris. Taking a job on the night shift at Millie’s, a rowdy bar staffed by misfits and drifters, she begins to find a new family. But there is something strange in the keg room: a presence that draws Hallie in, an anomaly in time, waiting to send her spinning into the Paris of the past, and of the future. And as Hallie comes to terms with this new reality, other forces are in play around her – seeking to influence the fate of the whole world.


Direct download: Episode 28 Book Club: Paris Adrift by E.J.Swift

We give you our thoughts on the novel and bring you an interview with E.J. Swift who tells us about writing Paris Adrift and her upcoming projects. E.J. Swift is the author of many novels and short stories including the Osiris Trilogy. You can find out more about her work on her website and follow her on Twitter.

Stay tuned to the end to hear what our next book club choice will be!

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe to the Time for Cakes and Ale podcast, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Cakes & Ale Episode 27: Book Club – The Loosening Skin by Aliya Whiteley

Welcome to the first episode of the Cakes & Ale Book Club! Every month we will be bringing you a mix of discussions and interviews about recent genre fiction we’ve been reading, and we’re kicking things off in style with The Loosening Skin by Aliya Whiteley, published by Unsung Stories.

The Loosening Skin is set in a world where, every seven years, people shed their skin – and with it shed aspects of their personality, even their love for one another. Those emotions and memories remain bound up in the old skin, to be kept, or burned, or sold. Rose Allington, a former celebrity bodyguard whose relationship with client-turned-lover Max Black ended abruptly with her last moult, falls back into his world when his old skins are stolen and he doesn’t know who else to trust to get them back. But as the world around her turns to medication to keep their skin from ever shedding again, Rose is determined to be true to herself – even when that means leaving behind everything she used to be.


Direct download: Episode 27: Book Club – The Loosening Skin

We kick off with a discussion about this wonderful book, with comments from listeners who have been reading with us this month, followed by a interview with Aliya Whiteley about her work and career. Aliya is the author of many novels, novellas and short stories in the realm of weird and speculative fiction, including the BSFA award-nominated The Arrival of Missives and Saboteur award-nomiated The Beauty. You can find out more about Aliya’s work on her blog and follow her on Twitter.

Stay tuned to the end to hear what our next book club choice will be!

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe to the Time for Cakes and Ale podcast, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

The Tally Ho – Episode 2: The Chimes of Big Ben

Welcome to The Tally Ho, a new podcast about the classic TV series The Prisoner.

In this episode we look at THE CHIMES OF BIG BEN, the second episode of The Prisoner. Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan) faces the new Number 2 (Leo McKern) as a mysterious new resident is brought to the Village (Nadia Gray). Number 6 hatches a daring plan to escape back to London under the guise of cooperating with Village life. But as with everything in The Prisoner, nothing and no one are what they seem. Join us as we discuss the episode and take a few tangents into the Lewis Chessmen and the story of Prometheus!

We also get a news round up from Rick Davy of The Unmutual on what’s happening in the world of The Prisoner and preview part two of our interview with Chris Rodley, which focuses on the world of David Lynch, coming next week in our Time for Cherry Pie and Coffee podcast. Listen to part one here.


Direct download: Episode 2: The Chimes of Big Ben

As discussed in this episode, here is a comparison between Number 54’s King chesspiece, styled as Leo McKern’s Number 2, and one of the kings from the 12th Century Lewis Chessmen. A striking similarity!

The Lewis Chessmen are a collection of chess pieces carved from walrus tusks and whale teeth, made sometime between 1150 and 1200 in either Norway or Iceland. They were found buried on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in the 1830s where they had laid hidden for hundreds of years.

You can read more about the Lewis Chessmen at the British Museum’s pages in Google Arts & Culture and the National Museum of Scotland. We’d love to hear your theories about why these ancient Nordic chess pieces were referenced in The Chimes of Big Ben!

To follow our podcast, there are several places to find The Tally Ho. Episodes will be available through our main stream – called Time for Cakes and Ale – from all the usual places including iTunes, Pippa, Stitcher, TuneIn, Android, or directly via our RSS feed . Updates will be posted on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Of course, our episodes will also be available for direct download on this website.

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, Facebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Be seeing you!

The Tally Ho episodes will run concurrently with our regular Time for Cakes and Ale ones and are available via our main podcast feed. Find out more here.

The Tally Ho – Episode 1: Arrival

Welcome to The Tally Ho, a new podcast about the classic TV series The Prisoner.

In this episode we look at ARRIVAL, the first episode of The Prisoner and one of the greatest TV openings of all time. Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan) resigns his government job and wakes up in a mysterious and dangerous place known only as The Village. Beneath its quaint and colourful exterior lies a sophisticated mechanism of psychological torture and control. Who can you trust? How can you escape? Who is in charge? Arrival is the first chapter of this groundbreaking show that remains as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

We also preview our bonus two-part episode coming next week spanning our interests in both The Prisoner and Twin Peaks (listen to find out!), and get a news round up from Rick Davy of The Unmutual on what’s happening in the world of The Prisoner!


Direct download: Episode 1: Arrival

To follow our podcast, there are several places to find The Tally Ho. Episodes will be available through our main stream – called Time for Cakes and Ale – from all the usual places including iTunes, Pippa, Stitcher, TuneIn, Android, or directly via our RSS feed . Updates will be posted on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Of course, our episodes will also be available for direct download on this website.

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe, leave us a review, and let us know what you think by getting in touch on TwitterFacebook and here on the website. We’d love to hear from you!

Be seeing you!

The Tally Ho episodes will run concurrently with our regular Time for Cakes and Ale ones and are available via our main podcast feed. Find out more here.

Episode 22 – An Interview with Michael Cobley

This week we are joined by Science Fiction and Fantasy author Michael Cobley.

Mike is the author of the Humanity’s Fire space opera series and the Shadowkings epic fantasy trilogy. He is also the author of many short stories including the collection Iron Mosaic. We talked to Mike about his long career as a writer, current projects and his advice for new writers.

Direct download: Episode 22

You can find our more about Mike and his work on his website.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Pippa, Stitcher and more!

Episode 21 – An Interview with Donna Scott

This week we are joined by author, editor, stand-up comedian and Chair of the British Science Fiction Association, Donna Scott.

Donna is a professional editor who has worked with many SF and Fantasy authors including the legendary Alan Moore. Her short fiction has been widely published in magazines and anthologies, and she has been given the official title of the first ‘Bard of Northampton’. In addition to her stand-up comedy she is also involved in Arts Lab Northampton and in campaigns to save local libraries from closure.


Direct download: Episode 21

You can find our more about Donna and her work on her website. Click here to learn more about the campaign for Northamptonshire libraries.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Pippa, Stitcher and more!