Faber Poetry Podcast episode five: Holly Pester & Sam Riviere

In the penultimate episode of our first series, Rachael and Jack are joined in the studio by Holly Pester and Sam Riviere, plus a pat of butter and a set of nail clippers, which inspire conversations about poetry writing and its relationship to research, archives and procrastination.

Audio postcards this episode come from Will Harris, Zaffar Kunial and Monica McClure.

Show notes

Studio guests

Photo: Anne Tetzlaff (2017)

HOLLY PESTER’s recent poetry can be found at Poetry Review and The Believer Logger. Her book, go to reception and ask for Sara in red felt tip is a collection of ‘archive fanfiction’ (Book Works 2015) and her album, Common Rest (Test Centre 2016) is a collection of collaborative lullabies and sound poems. She is lecturer in Poetry and Performance at University of Essex. She is currently working on a full collection of poetry exploring abortivity and latent stuff like bog butter. @hollypesty

©gesischilling

SAM RIVIERE is the author of 81 Austerities (Faber, 2012) and Kim Kardashian’s Marriage (Faber, 2015). Limited-edition publications include Standard Twin Fantasy (Egg Box, 2014) and True Colours (After Hours, 2016). Safe Mode, an ‘ambient novel’, was published by Test Centre in 2017. He lives in Edinburgh and runs the micropublisher If a Leaf Falls Press.

Talismen

Holly’s pat of butter and Sam’s nail clippers.

Audio postcards

‘Pathetic earthlings’ written and read by Will Harris. Will Harris’s debut pamphlet of poems, All this is implied, was published by HappenStance in 2017. His poem ‘SAY‘ is shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem 2018.

‘Sparkhill’ written and read by Zaffar Kunial. Zaffar Kunial’s debut collection, Us (2018) is published by Faber & Faber.

‘Nude in the Cat House’ written and read by Monica McClure. Monica McClure’s first full-length collection TENDER DATA (2015) is published by Birds, LLC.

About the presenters

RACHAEL ALLEN is the poetry editor at Granta magazine, co-editor at the poetry press clinic and of online journal tender. A pamphlet of her poems was published as part of the Faber New Poets scheme, and her first collection will be published by Faber in 2019. She has published two books in collaboration with visual artists, Jolene with Guy Gormley (Matchsticks Books) and Nights of Poor Sleep with Marie Jacotey (Test Centre). She is the recipient of an Eric Gregory award and New Writing North’s Andrew Waterhouse award. @r_vallen 

JACK UNDERWOOD is a poet, who also writes short fiction and non-fiction. A recipient of the Eric Gregory Award in 2007, he published his debut pamphlet in 2009 as part of the Faber New Poets series. His first collection Happiness was published by Faber in 2015 and was winner of the 2016 Somerset Maugham prize. He is a lecturer in creative writing at Goldsmiths College and is currently writing a non-fiction book about poetry and uncertainty. Two pamphlets, Solo for Mascha Voice and Tenuous Rooms will be published by Test Centre in 2018. @underwood_jack 

The Faber Poetry Podcast is produced by Rachael Allen, Jack Underwood and Hannah Marshall for Faber & Faber. Editing by Billy Godfrey at Strathmore Publishing. Special thanks to Will Harris, Zaffar Kunial, Monica McClure, Holly Pester and Sam Riviere.

Catch up on our previous episodes here or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you like our show you can subscribe on iTunes so you don’t miss forthcoming episodes in our first six-part series and please rate and review us, if you feel inclined to do so, we’re very grateful for the support of all our listeners – thank you!