A feature in which we present an exciting new writer whom you should keep an eye on and ask them a few questions.

Questions by Dan Eltringham
The Literateur is delighted to present up-and-coming poet Michael McKimm.
Michael McKimm was born in Belfast in 1983 and grew up near the Giant’s Causeway. He graduated from the Warwick Writing Programme in 2004 and won an Eric Gregory Award in 2007. His poetry is most recently published in Dossier Journal (New York), Horizon Review, Magma, Oxford Poetry, PN Review, The Warwick Review, The Wolf and …

John Banville is the author of several novels including The Sea, which won the Man Booker Prize in 2005. After publishing three crime novels as Benjamin Black, he has returned with his latest work, The Infinities. He speaks to us about his new book, not despising the audience, lies, reality and pagan gods.
Interviewed by Katherine Wootton
TL: You write reviews and you were a literary editor and section editor for a while; how do you feel about things moving online and the newspaper books sections slowly diminishing or being put online?
JB: …

Every issue we find an exciting new writer (or publisher) whom you should keep an eye on and ask them a few questions.

An A-Z of Possible Worlds by A.C.Tillyer

The Literateur is delighted to feature new publishing house Roast Books and the author of their latest release, A.C.Tillyer.
Roast Books was established in 2008 by Faye Dayan to meet the demand for unusual fiction using innovative new formats. They launched with Great Little Reads, a series of individual little novellas.
Their latest release, An A-Z of Possible Worlds by A.C.Tillyer, is a …

Every issue we find an exciting new writer whom you should keep an eye on and ask them a few questions.

This issue we present Swithun Cooper, a young poet whose works have appeared in New Poetries III (Carcanet) and the magazines Time Out, The London Magazine and Acumen. He won the prestigious Eric Gregory Award from The Society of Authors this year.
The Literateur is very excited about this assured and brilliantly inventive new voice in poetry. We predict he will be snapped up for a debut collection soon…
Your poems are …

SIR FRANK KERMODE is the author of many influential works of literary criticism and has been a major presence in the critical landscape for the second half of the Twentieth Century. He talks to The Literateur about academic careers, the dubious pleasures of Theory, the role of the critic, and the end of the world.
Tom Bailey
The Literateur: Sir Frank, it’s a privilege to be here to interview you today. Thank you very much for giving your time.
First off, you have been some years outside of the academic machine now – …

Renowned Faber poet MARK FORD on his love of oddities, fear of clichés and a swimming pool full of peanuts.

Kit Toda
Mark Ford is a critically acclaimed poet, essayist and professor. His debut collection was Landlocked (Chatto & Windus 1992) and his second book, Soft Sift, came out in 2001 from Faber. He regularly contributes poetry, reviews and articles to the TLS and the London Review of Books. A pamphlet of new poetry entitled Six Children will be out “probably” this Autumn. He is a professor at the UCL English …

The world’s leading expert on Shakespeare, PROFESSOR STANLEY WELLS talks to The Literateur about the life portrait, loopy conspiracy theorists, his favourite play and his fondness for owls.
I.E.Sawmill
‘That’s a valiant flea that dares eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion’ (Henry V). And it is a foolish interviewer who puts her trust in time-tables and the materialisation of scheduled trains, only to find herself clutching research and hastily-glossed quotations on an empty platform. Not least when she should be boarding a train to meet one of the …

The retiring Poet Laureate, ANDREW MOTION on getting over writer’s block, the royal poems he regrets writing and his hopes on behalf of the next laureate.
Kit Toda
Any interview with Andrew Motion which describes the poet in person invariably mention his charm and his gentle voice. It is rather disappointing for an interviewer when she cannot write anything new or contrary about her subject. He is, I concur, charming with a mellifluous voice and impeccable manners.
As he shows me in to his small and surprisingly bare office in Bloomsbury, he …

Every issue we find an exciting new writer whom you should keep an eye on and ask them a few questions.

This issue we are happy to present Kathryn Simmonds, a poet and short story writer whose debut collection of poetry Sunday at the Skin Launderette was published to great critical acclaim and won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection.