Have you ever wondered what it actually takes to write a book? Not just the romantic idea of it, but the raw, day-to-day reality of moving from a blank screen to holding a finished copy in your hands?

In this episode of the Independent Authors podcast, broadcast from our studio in Derbyshire, we are joined by an extraordinary creative collective dialling in from North Wales.

We sit down with published authors Lyn Asquith, Mike Leaver, and Sid Stephenson, alongside their invaluable agent and editor, Ian Spindley.

What follows is a wonderfully candid, deeply human conversation about the unique paths that lead us to creativity, and the sheer determination required to survive the journey.

• The Spark of Inspiration

  Discover how unexpected life disruptions—from an enforced national lockdown to a lovesick motorbike trip across the Alps—can unexpectedly unlock the stories buried inside us.

• Three Compelling Tales:

  Get a firsthand look into the themes of three incredible featured books: the profound moral and wealth dilemmas in Lynn’s Time to Fly, the universally acclaimed, five-star battle for survival in Mike’s Newspaper Curtains, and the highly visual, cinematic political tension of Sid’s Nemesis.

• An Off-Grid Philosophy

  Meet Mike Leaver, a wonderfully eccentric author who rejects modern electronics entirely, typing his novels in the local library and living a peaceful, candlelit existence that costs just £12 a week.

• The Masterclass for Budding Writers

  If you have an aspiring novel tucked away in your head, this episode is gold dust. Our guests share practical advice on using mind mapping to structure chaotic plots, how to handle structural timelines, and the harsh realities of avoiding "vanity publishing" traps.

• "Get what’s in your head onto paper. Don’t concern yourself with punctuation or structure at first. Give your ideas space, sit down, and love the process." — Sid Stephenson

  Ready to dive into their worlds?

  You can support our independent guests by exploring their featured works below:

  • Lynn Asquith – Time to Fly (and look out for her upcoming sequel!)

  • Mike Leaver – Newspaper Curtains

  • Sid Stephenson – Sinkhole & Nemesis

  Links to purchase all books and explore the authors' wider collections can be found on our website here:

  https://independentauthors.uk/our-authors

  Hit play now to pull back the curtain on the independent writing world—and perhaps find the precise inspiration you need to start your own first chapter.

  
  

Is the world we live in a trial run for something much darker?

In this episode, we sit down with first-time author and holiday resort mogul Ian Goddard to discuss his provocative debut novel, 2034.

For 40 years, Ian lived the high-energy life of international sales and marketing, managing sun-soaked resorts in Spain and Tenerife. But when the 2020 pandemic turned the streets of Spain into a "properly dystopian" landscape of checkpoints and timestamped receipts, Ian stopped looking at the tourists and started looking at the puppet masters.

In this episode, we dive into:

The Orwellian Spark: How a sailing trip to Africa and the eerie silence of a global lockdown birthed a thriller about the Great Reset.

Punk Rock Publishing: Why Ian ditched the "progressive rock" style of long-winded literature for a punchy, three-minute-hit approach to writing.

Fact vs. Fiction: Are the tech-giants and "Masters of the Universe" in 2034 a warning of where our current world is headed?

The Independent Voice: Ian’s mission to help fellow writers bypass the "unscrupulous" gatekeepers of the publishing world through the Independent Authors platform.

From forbidden love stories to the "boiling frog" theory of government control, this conversation is a candid look at what happens when a straight-talking businessman decides to stop talking about writing a book and finally "gets it done."

"S**t. I didn’t realise that was going to happen." – That’s the reaction Ian wants from his readers. Listen in to find out why.

Can a single, silent moment change the course of a life?

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew (Andy) Goss - a man whose rich tapestry of a life has seen him transition from the front lines of international aid work to the solitary desk of a novelist. Long before he was an author, Andy was a journalist, a labourer, and a carer; he has known the heights of happiness and the crushing weight of homelessness.

We dive into the searing image that started it all: a traumatised, wordless boy in a relief tent following the devastating 2005 Kashmir earthquake. This encounter birthed his debut novel, The Humanitarian, a story of compassion and political intrigue set against the backdrop of the Taliban and the CIA.

In this episode, we explore:

The "Live Your Life" Manifesto: Why Andy believes you cannot write from an ivory tower and why he refuses to romanticise the craft.

Fact vs. Fiction: How he navigates the "fusion" of real-world geopolitics with fictionalised characters.

From Eritrea to Scotland: The journey behind his second novel, Cold Coffee, Asmara, and why his third book took an unexpected turn toward the rugged Scottish Highlands.

The Writer’s Toolkit: Why he still reaches for a 1935 Royal typewriter to combat "word blindness" and the agony of self-doubt.

Whether you are an aspiring writer struggling with your first 400 words or a reader fascinated by the "common humanity" found in the world’s most fractured places, Andy’s story is a masterclass in resilience.

"Writing is a mountain to climb... the only way up is taking the next small step."