Episode 51: Interview with author Anna Bailey

In this week’s episode, Susie sits down with bestselling author Anna Bailey to talk about their novel, Our Last Wild Days. Set in the humid, eerie landscape of rural Louisiana, the book blends literary fiction with the pace and atmosphere of a thriller, exploring small-town secrets, loyalty, and the places we run from but never quite escape.Anna opens up about why the American South has always pulled at their imagination, how they build layered, deeply human characters, and why authenticity, right down to a character’s name, matters so much in their writing. They also shares their writing process, from the messy early drafts to the satisfaction of a final manuscript that feels true to its emotional core.We also get an exclusive sneak peek at Anna’s upcoming short story collection, Wasteland Girls (coming July 2026), a powerful exploration of outcasts, misfits, and remote landscapes. Plus, Anna offers candid advice for aspiring writers and shares some brilliant book recommendations.Follow Anna here: https://www.instagram.com/annabaileywrites/Buy Our Last Wild Days: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/our-last-wild-days-anna-bailey/7722623?ean=9780857527400&next=tPre-order Wasteland Girls: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wasteland-girls-anna-bailey/014e188821b0f8de?ean=9781529962062&next=tBooks recommended in this episode:The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-loney-full-of-unnerving-terror-amazing-stephen-king-andrew-michael-hurley/c1032761075264ea?ean=9781473619852&next=tWinter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/winter-s-bone-daniel-woodrell/297797?ean=9780340897980&next=tDark Rooms by Rebecca Hannigan: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/darkrooms-rebecca-hannigan/7827913?ean=9781408733783&next=t