February 6, 2019 - 10:06am by Anonymous

As a freelance journalist, writer, editor and presenter, I have enjoyed many years meeting and interviewing fascinating people, and visiting wonderful locations worldwide.

I regularly conduct on-stage interviews with authors and personalities at festivals and events, and for more than 10 years co-hosted a monthly on air book club with Lesley Dolphin at BBC Radio Suffolk.

Details of my events, book reviews and recommendations can be found on my website moreaboutbooks.com and all the latest information is available in my weekly e-newsletter. Sign up here.

Or follow me on Twitter @catherinelarner

In the press

Magazine cover pagesAs a journalist I contribute lifestyle features and profiles for regional and national newspapers and magazines. As the former editor of the leading business journal for the fitness industry in Europe, I continue to write about the market for a US publication.

published articles

On the radio

For more than 10 years I've co-hosted an on-air book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with Lesley Dolphin. Listen to past book club discussions with Lesley here.

In addition, my print articles and author interviews often feature as podcasts. You can listen to the latest, an interview with former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams for Premier Radio here.

view archive on moreaboutbooks.com

At events

Hosting book launches and talks for festivals and events throughout Suffolk, I regularly interview authors on stage with audiences from 30 to 300. In the past year I have been in conversation with Victoria Hislop, Simon Mayo, Diane Setterfield, Julia Blackburn, Elly Griffiths and Nicola Upson at events throughout Suffolk.

view event listings on moreaboutbooks.com

Recent articles

A dog's best friend
in 'Suffolk', May 2021
Writer and journalist Simon Garfield, who has an eclectic range of book titles to his credit, turns his attention to our relationships with dogs.
Shakespeare on bikes
in 'Suffolk', May 2021
It's fun, it's original, it's energetic and possibly a bit mad...it's the Handlebards cycling to an outdoor venue hopefully near you.
Danny Wallace: 'I'm a big fan of Suffolk'
in 'Suffolk', April 2021
Since he made his home here, the county has provided Danny Wallace with space to create his inspirational mix of books, tv programmes, podcasts, songs, documentaries and humour. Now he's brewing another 'secret' project.
Wrekin Rowers: from indoor rowing to the Atlantic
in 'British Rowing website ', March 2021
Four rowers from Shropshire are training for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge later this year.
Keeping it in the family
in 'Suffolk', March 2021
Helen Oxenbury's book illustrations have charmed young readers for decades and inspired her own children's creative careers.
Forgiveness is just the start
in 'Church Times', February 2021
Frank Cottrell-Boyce finds modern lessons in the stories of scripture. Interview by Catherine Larner.

Online Event: Sunday 23rd May

THIS WEEK
Simon Garfield
in conversation with Catherine Larner
The Cut, Halesworth, online fundraiser
Sunday 23 May, 3pm

The journalist, editor and writer, Simon Garfield, has investigated subjects as diverse as maps, typeface, wrestling, design in miniature and the colour mauve, all through entertaining and illuminating storytelling.

In his latest book 'Dog's Best Friend' he explores how, through hundreds of years, we've delighted in the comfort and companionship of dogs, and benefited from the skills they've brought in military and medical uses.

Tickets available here. 

You can read more about Simon in this month's 'Suffolk' magazine.

 

The reset button

Another milestone in the further easing of lockdown tomorrow is being met with some trepidation as we contend with variants of the virus.

But as we hope to move forward, it's been interesting to read articles and listen to discussions exploring the new challenges being met by society slowly coming together again.

Yesterday I caught Thought for the Day on Radio Four, presented by writer and journalist Martin Wroe. You can listen to it here (after 50 minutes).

He suggests that we are now entering the 'new awkward'. We've been given advice on how to hug safely, for example. And we are seeing the polarisation of character traits in different responses to the ongoing situation. Some people find rules bring freedom through clarity, while others find they are constraining.

He goes on to describe how the past year has given us an opportunity to consider the future. Was lockdown pressing pause or was it an opportunity for a reset button, he asks. If the new normal is not going to be just a vaccinated version of the old normal, we might need some different ways of living.

One consequence of the past year, of course, has been the rise in dog ownership!

If your new normal features a four-legged companion, you might be interested in hearing Simon Garfield speak about his latest book 'Dog's Best Friend' next Sunday. This is a fundraising event for The Cut in Halesworth. You can join online for free, but donations are encouraged to help support the reopening of this marvellous arts centre. Scroll down for details.

But with many things still in limbo and new behaviours to take on board, some people are naturally feeling uneasy about mixing freely again, as numerous articles about anxiety are addressing.

So I was interested to read a throwaway line in one magazine which stated that research has shown poetry may be a surprisingly effective antidote. Medical sociologists in the USA have been investigating its therapeutic effects in health conditions for the past decade. I haven't been able to discover more details or suggested poems or poets to try. Perhaps we need to devise our own list?!

Thank you for reading.

More about books

Catherine LarnerFor my book reviews, event information and blog, please visit moreaboutbooks.com