Author Archives: Zoë Wells

Getting to know… Simon Tapping

(published 20/04/2021 on House of Dodge) You’ve seen the sweat and post-workout squints on Instagram. You’ve witnessed his jammy catches and powerful throws in that iconic purple jersey. Now meet Simon Tapping – Phantoms coach, captain, founder; England hopeful; lockdown hero and all round great guy – as he sits down with us for anContinue reading “Getting to know… Simon Tapping”

Mither Tongue – A love letter to translation

(published by Ink, Sweat and Tears 14/04/2021) Parallel translations always bring a certain kind of joy. I have fond memories of reading Pablo Neruda for the first time, original text on the left, English translation on the right. Feeling out the Spanish sounds out loud with no understanding, then checking the following page and findingContinue reading “Mither Tongue – A love letter to translation”

An Interview with Ryan Dennis, Author of ‘The Beasts They Turned Away’

(published 22/03/2021) Ryan Dennis is a former Fulbright Scholar in Creative writing, and has taught at several universities. He recently completed a PhD at the National University of Ireland, Galway. His work has been published in a number of journals, including the Cimarron Review, The Threepenny Review, and Fusion. He is also a syndicated columnistContinue reading “An Interview with Ryan Dennis, Author of ‘The Beasts They Turned Away’”

Podcast for New Writing S2E1: Food

Food: a growing issue. As a cultural foundation and a method of human connectedness, today’s episode discusses food’s prevalence in our reading and writing. Alienor Bombarde is joined by Ruby Martin and Zoë Wells to discuss reading and writing food. Ruby narrates her hilarious experimental piece ‘roadside jam’, while Zoë delves into the intrinsic beautyContinue reading “Podcast for New Writing S2E1: Food”

Review: The Beasts They Turned Away by Ryan Dennis

(published 15/03/2021) The old man and the young boy, struggling to make their way through an unforgiving environment. It’s a story you’ve heard before, likely read and enjoyed before, but in Ryan Dennis’s debut, The Beasts They Turned Away, everything familiar is made eerily different. [Read in full on Bandit Fiction]

Review: Ogadinma Or, Everything Will Be All Right by Ukamaka Olisakwe

(published 18/01/2021) There’s something unnerving about historical fiction that feels like it could have played out just the same today. Though set in a tumultuous Nigeria in the 1980s, Ogadinma’s themes are sadly, infuriatingly, entirely too relevant today. After a rape turns into an unwanted pregnancy, which in turn is resolved with a dangerous andContinue reading “Review: Ogadinma Or, Everything Will Be All Right by Ukamaka Olisakwe”