Licensed Poetics

I SPELLED HER NAME WRONG! It’s Can Xue. Sorry!This week, FL and Derek discuss what a hot person would do in any given situation. They also mention a video game, a few books, and One Battle After Another.

Recovering from their respective crash outs, the hosts of LP returns with an unexpected printer story, two reading updates, and a film update.

This week, the hosts discuss with some very French topics. FL begins her Annie Ernaux phase again. Derek watches a film and gets fascinated by its lesbian author. Finally, FL reveals she had a dream about Derek that made her sob.

LP's favourite guest Eva returns!! She tells us about acting, screenwriting, fundraising, producing, everything she learned from making her short film We're not here to Fuck Turtles. Derek and Fung-Ling have different opinions on Jacqueline Harpman's I Who Have Never Known Men. Derek is reading a F Scot Fitzgerald book.

TOW Derek and Fung-Ling are joined by Tom the amazing author and they discuss Borne by Jeff VanderMeer together.

FL and Derek go through the books they read in 2025, some are all time favourites, some are huge disappointments, others are film and poems and TV shows.

Derek talks us through The Exorcist, a perfect Halloween novel, while FL goes over her writing year of 2025.

In this succinct episode of LP, Fung-Ling and Derek try out a new format, the Teaser Section. FL gives an old-fashioned reading update on a fantastic non-fiction book, From the Ruins of Empire: the Revolt against the West and the Remaking of Asia, by Pankaj Mishra. Derek talks about his favourite movie to watch on airplanes.

Writers react to Taylor Swift's most recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, and discuss why it's not great.

This day is finally upon us... Licensed Poetics react to the biggest instagram poet of them all, Rupi Kaur. Rupi, if you are listening, we're sorry.

This week, FL comes back with a good old-fashioned reading update, talking about Junji Ito’s adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s classic novel No Longer Human. Then the hosts pivot to reading lyrics/poetry. Derek reads John Cooper Clark’s Full-time Loser. P.S. if you noticed the lack of outro, leave a comment! :D

No intro music this week! The reason will become apparent as you listen :)LP film club continues!! One host watched this film during high school, the other host wishes she did. One host is still impressed by Fincher's cinematography after all these years, but less impressed by the message of the film. The other host was surprised by how literary (and wanky) this film is.

BFL emerges from her reading slump with some fantastic reading updates. Derek picked the film Office Space, which inspires an interesting discussion on their philosophy of work.

Unfortunately the LP team didn’t like the second half of the book as much as the first half - maybe it went downhill right after the main character and the love interest started having sex? Sigh. Jokes aside, reading this book has taught us important lessons, and for that, author Emily Henry, we’re grateful.00:00 Intro11:17 Sexual tension41:05 The fantasy of safe love54:53 Contrived endings

Take a shot every time we say porn in this episode… Derek asserts that people who think they’re better than this book should read this book. LP’s first venture into the romance genre generated such a productive discussion that we’ve had to split it into 2 episodes!

The title of this episode is to be taken literally. Shoutout to Story Games at https://perchance.org/storygames for providing us with prompts.Chapters00:00 Intro11:29 Improv begins!01:04:06 Outro

Long time LP collaborator Sofi dials in from Melbourne and discusses American Fiction, a satire-drama film about a Black author ironically using familiar, reductive tropes about the African American experience and end up producing a bestselling novel.00:00 Intro10:19 Synopsis01:06:00 Horny metaphor :)01:08:00 Outro

This is a special episode of LP where famous poetry hater Derek reads a poem by American writer Charles Bukowski for the first time, and what do you know, he loves it. Support LP on Buy me a coffee!

LP’s hosts reveal more about themselves than they ever have before. Fung-Ling was nearly laid off, Derek is in enormous pain, but both have decided to show up despite it all. FL dropped the most ludicrous phrase on LP yet, ‘intellectual interior’, which she is prepared to give up in order to have real friends. Who would have thought living your life would be actually fulfilling?Chapters00:00 Intro01:13 Aspiring or not?13:55 Good quality convos19:57 P and P watch party27:59 Corporate sucks33:34 The popular kids42:49 Outro

It’s time! LP’s first ever anime club pick is, of course, the industry-defining, culture-shifting, legendary Eva. We began with the 26 episodes available on Netflix, and discussed its themes of abandonment, self-loathing, and daddy issues. Fun! Oh and Derek used to be a member of his university’s anime club.Chapters00:00 Intro08:43 Synopsis40:46 Spoilers01:08:12 Outro

Author SR Stuart appears on LP to discuss his debut novel, Mr Muerte, a mystery/thriller written during a two-year journey backpacking through the Americas. He shares the inspiration behind his novel, a controversial recent read, and inspires Derek and Fung-Ling to be better writers and to, like, actually start writing?!Buy Sean’s book Mr MuerteChapter00:00 Music01:49 Sean’s bio04:59 Reading update12:13 Synopsis of Mr Muerte30:50 Writing routine57:00 Outro

Why does the main character look like? In this very writerly discussion, Derek dissects tropes and wishes he could use them. BFL laments her past resistance to the Great Man History way of writing, because making a main character an idolise-able hero freaking works.Chapters00:00 Intro01:42 Reading update13:00 the lone genius16:04 main character must be extraordinary42:09 Nolan & great man history50:25 outro

This week, BFL and Derek get real personal and delve into their love lives. What if your partner doesn’t like reading? What books would you performatively read in public to pull your type? What books are red flags? Green flags? How fast should you run when you meet a guy who likes Murakami? or High Fidelity?Chapters00:00 Intro02:47 Derek’s recent dates11:26 High Fidelity27:07 Red and green flags58:05 Outro

This week, BFL and Derek read a musician’s memoir, Just Kids by Patti Smith, which is famously referenced in The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift. They start off the episode by discussing BFL’s relationship struggles (?!?!), then they open up about the conceit of being an artist, before reacting to some scornful Goodreads reviews of their new favourite book. It’s a special episode.Chapters00:00 Intro04:21 Why this book?31:40 XYZ question46:43 Artist’s conceit55:20 Goodreads reviews

[Split into spoiler-free and spoiler sections] In LP’s first ever TV club, Derek and Fung-Ling dissect the TV show that everybody is talking about, Severance, created by Dan Erickson. They talk about the show’s pacing, themes, acting, set design, and plot, while relating it to their own experiences working in corporate jobs. This episode is about Season 1.Chapters00:00 Music02:14 Synopsis02:38 Showrunner bio14:30 Corporate satire32:55 Spoiler51:40 IMDB reviews

LP sits down with Kwame, a friend from FBi Radio, and discuss Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. HP Lovecraft advanced the comic horror genre, but also left some racist and terrible impact on literature. Does this new take on 1950s America subvert Lovecraftian racism? Join Fung-Ling, Derek, and Kwame in their very nerdy discussion.Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee!Find Kwame @kwameslusherChapters00:00 Intro01:02 Guest bio06:25 Synopsis22:50 Structure36:00 XYZ question54:52 If I was the writer…01:00:10 Goodreads01:10:31 Outro

In this casual episode, LP takes a break from book clubs and reminisce on an author who has a special place in many people’s hearts, John Green. BFL and Derek dive into his novels, podcasts, educational videos and philanthropic work, after they give an update on their chaotic writing life.Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee!chapters00:00 Intro00:11 Writing update09:50 John Green's work and influence19:17 JG work we have consumed28:00 JG fiction formula31:40 Crash Course50:05 JG’s general life advice

In line with LP’s new branding as the BEST book podcast for writers, Derek and BFL discuss The Art of the Novel by the patron saint of literary wankers, Czech-French author Milan Kundera. He has had an enormous impact on BFL’s writing, and maybe even transmitted parts of himself to her, oh my god. Meanwhile, Derek has a love hate relationship with this book, and shares his delightful meta spirals. Chat, you’re welcome.BFL’s piece link hereSupport LP link here00:00 Intro00:51 Table of contents04:46 Why this book?09:06 Five Words or Less11:05 Synopsis and Author Bio16:19 The XYZ question BFL33:30 The XYZ question Derek41:55 Recommend to whom?51:40 Roadmap: chapters of thebook01:00:59 Takeaways from the book01:05:24 Goodreads Reviews01:10:00 Outro

Derek’s best friend and ex-landlord Jeremy recommended The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu, the translator of The Three Body Problem, so of course LP had to read it. What did they think? Who, if anyone, would they recommend it to? Finally, they also react to some truly unhinged Goodreads reviews. PS, please, Ken, I want to be your friend.Support LP hereChapters00:00 Intro09:18 Five word summary26:03 About the author35:21 The XYZ question01:10:34 Recommend?01:16:56 Spoilers!01:26:59 Goodreads reviews01:45:02 Outro

Sound expert Ivy Xu joins BFL for a book club episode on The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Previously, Ivy collaborated with LP on ‘A Literary Podcast Origin Story’ for All The Best podcast by FBi Radio, and she brings her experience in video game audio to her book club insights. BFL has read this book before, does she still love it on the second read? Disclaimer: this episode was recorded in December 2024 - sorry for the clickbait :D Find Ivy here Support LP here Chapters 00:00 Music 01:07 Ivy intro 04:18 Blurb 06:31 Neil Gaiman’s other work 11:30 Five-word summary 15:16 Spoiler Free 26:24 Who would you recommend this book to? 29:06 Spoilers from now! 31:33 Author’s goal 46:19 Jack Ma lmao 51:35 Criticism 01:15:01 Outro

Discussing wanker aesthetics and toxic soft boys, LP opens the first episode of 2025 by firmly positioning the itself as the book podcast for writers. BFL followed up on end-of-year promises to read Nick Hornby and Murakami, whereas Derek shares his love for music references in literature. Then, both are very outraged by reviews attacking their favourite books on Goodreads. Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee! Link 00:00 Music 01:58 Remote Recording Setup 04:36 Table of Contents 05:34 Barnes and Noble and other DC bookshops 09:43 Librarie Avant-Garde in Nanjing, China 12:25 RU: Sputnik Sweetheart 21:27 RU: Set My Heart on Fire by Izumi Suzuki 29:03 RU: High Fidelity by Nick Hornby 42:56 RU: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Hartman 47:19 Funny One Star Reviews on Goodreads 49:30 Whiny Wanker in High Fidelity 56:16 Ready Player One and Two 01:05:36 Piranesi 01:11:35 Area X Series by Jeff VanderMeer 01:17:21 Interlude Eslite Bookshop in Hong Kong 01:20:19 Die Orwell Die 01:25:41 The Vegetarian 01:34:29 Conclusion 01:36:32 Blooper

Use the Chapters to navigate this episode! It's the end of 2024, Derek and BFL look back on their year of books and art. Derek drops some opinions about Colleen Hoover and Murakami that will offend most people in the world. BFL talks about a hormone-induced nervous breakdown and (surprisingly) passes a Turing test. Thank you for your support this year! link Works mentioned Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh Passing by Nella Larsen All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque American Psycho and Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis The Color Purple by Alice Walker On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong The Southern Reach Trilogy (Area X) by Jeff VanderMeer The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh Galveston and other short stories by Nick Pizzolatto Sense and Sensibility, screenplay and diaries by Emma Thompson The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Community (TV series) created by Dan Harmon The Hobbit by Peter Jackson Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Simple Passion by Annie Ernaux The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu Prophet Song by Paul Lynch Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan Ready Player One by Ernest Cline National Treasure starring Nicholas Cage The City & the City by China Miéville Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote The Vegetarian by Han Kang Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by Kanehito Yamada The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami High Fidelity by Nick Hornby The Nice Guys directed by Shane Black I, Robot starring Will Smith In Bruges directed by Martin McDonagh 00:00 Intro 01:51 Blooper reel of radio play 08:05 How many books? 10:20 Surprise favourite books 14:45 Disappointing books 22:26 Books you wish you have written 30:03 Books that most inspired you 35:28 Books that broke you 38:49 Trends you hate 41:00 Stories that comforted you 44:23 Beginner-friendly books 49:53 Favourite author 53:58 Least favourite author 57:00 DNFs 01:01:22 Fave LP episode 01:03:17 Least favourite books 01:08:19 Favourite books! 01:14:42 Books that made us cry 01:18:42 What to read before end of year 01:19:54 Conclusion 01:23:21 Bloopers

This week BFL and Derek read a classic American novel by Truman Capote. It’s a very writerly novel, so of course the hosts both loved it. BFL also dishes out some strong opinions about a famous romance novel, meanwhile Derek’s epic musical fail can be forgiven because he’s just moved countries. Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee! Link here Chapters 00:00 Music 01:12 Why Derek picked this book 06:30 Let him ride me anywhere 08:32 book club no spoiler 24:37 book club spoiler

BFL and Derek face off in an epic game of Quotes Off: how well do they actually know their favourite books? Also included in this episode is some snippets of conversation with Angela Wu, a talented comic artist based in Singapore. If you are looking for recommendations to get into comic books and graphic novels, look no further! Follow Angela on Instagram @li_vermin_il Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee! Link here Chapters 00:00 Music 00:40 Derek’s turn Hiruka Murakami 23:53 BFL’s turn Daphne du Maurier 43:40 Angela

BFL claims to love The Catcher in the Rye. Derek claims to love Community by Dan Harmon. But can they identify lines from the book/show? Or have they been pretending to be fans this entire time? Also, Marlene returns for another bookclub about a woman falling down a hole. The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada is the best book for unemployed people! Collab with All The Best by FBi Radio ‘A Literary Podcast Origin Story’ Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee! Read Marlene’s Substack here Chapters 00:00 Music 00:23 Housekeeping 01:10 Episode structure 01:58 Quotes Off rules and expectations 05:22 Derek’s turn Community by Dan Harmon 26:04 BFL’s turn Catcher in the Rye 42:25 Bookclub on The Hole with Marlene

BFL read his poem during lockdown and has wanted to meet him ever since - it’s the incredible Chinese Australian poet Eric Jiang! In this very spicy episode, Derek talks about ‘tickling the yellow’ and his 4am emergency book buying advice; BFL categorises some of her favourites books into Incest, Racism, and Misogyny; and Eric shares his very hot take on poetry readings. Stick around for the blooper at the end! Find Eric @squeric_ and https://ercjng.tumblr.com/ Support Licensed Poetics on Buy Me a Coffee! Chapters 00:00 Music 01:08 Eric bio 02:53 4am book advice 10:21 BFL story time 15:37 Eileen Myers 23:05 Problematic faves 47:47 six inches (sorry) 55:49 Murakami 59:18 Blooper

This week, BFL chats with Angela Wu, a comic artist based in Singapore! We hit you with Hamilton horror stories, opinions on Lord Andy (Andrew Lloyd Webber), Phantom of the Opera, and Ursula K Le Guin! Angela is contesting Derek’s title as LP’s resident TV person with her riveting review of the Australian show Wolf Like Me. BFL announces her latest on-screen crush. Find Angela on Instagram @li_vermin_il Support Licensed Poetics! Link Works mentioned Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton animatics by szin on YouTube Phantom of the opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng Beef starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun Wolf Like Me starring Isla Fisher and Josh Gad Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Chapters 00:00 Music 00:52 Angela bio 02:02 Hamilton Storytime 13:08 Phantom of the opera 18:16 Ursula K Le Guin 23:50 Beef 31:03 Miss Peregrine’s Home 36:46 Wolf Like Me 40:57 The Great Reclamation

In this Singapore edition of Licensed Poetics book club, BFL and Marlene discuss Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, the perfect book for misfits, newbie readers and experienced readers! In the new section LP story time, BFL shares a bookish wedding she went to! Marlene has found the literary scene in SG already? Read Marlene’s Substack: Link Support LP on Buy Me a Coffee! Link Theophilus Kwek (Singaporean poet) Chapters 00:00 Music 02:54 Marlene bio 04:12 BFL story time 13:18 Marlene story time 21:29 Convenience Store Woman NO spoiler 39:12 Spoiler section 59:59 Outro

The makers of the indie short film Looking For Haberfield sit down with Licensed Poetics and talk about their process. Also, they answer one of Derek’s burning questions: what did he miss out on by not going to film school? Follow the film @lookingforhaberfield Support Licensed Poetics on Buy Me a Coffee! Books Mentioned White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky Gilmore Girls (TV) Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors Araby by James Joyce On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Breaking Bad (TV) Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy F Is For Family (TV) Chapters 00:00 Music 00:54 Guest bio 03:03 Reading updates 22:30 Interview 48:11 Film school

You know you’ve found a literary nerd podcast when the hosts prefer reading the script over watching the play/film. Licensed Poetics is collaborating with All The Best Podcast! Phoebe and Isabella share their reading update and how they get involved with FBi radio. BFL and Derek are writing a story for All The Best! Stay tuned! Guests: Phoebe Adler-Ryan, Isabella Lee Follow All The Best on Instagram @allthebestradio Follow LP on Instagram @licensedpoetics Buy Me a Coffee! click here Books Mentioned On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney Chapters 00:00 Music 00:40 All The Best and FBi Radio bio 05:08 Storytime with BFL 14:00 Ocean Vuong opinions 21:06 Sally Rooney 34:00 Jez Butterworth 46:42 Being story-makers 50:56 Isabella’s project with ATB

This episode is perfect for literary nerds. Writer Tina Huang chats to BFL about lowering the perceived entry requirement to poetry, her publish writing, and glaciers in New Zealand! Follow Tina on Instagram @tennisjock http://tinahuang.com.au/ Follow LP on Instagram @licensedpoetics Buy me a coffee! link Tina's work On the Verge https://www.tinahuang.com.au/writing/on-the-verge Phantom feelings https://meanjin.com.au/fiction/phantom-feelings/ Books mentioned Passing by Nella Larsen Peter Gizzi Marilyn Abildskov Michelle Dicinoski Louise Gluck Elizabeth Gilbert ‘Poetry’ by Marianne Moore Chapters 00:00 Music 01:06 Tina bio 01:42 BFL reading update 05:09 Tina reading update 11:32 Shoutout to Steph Niu 14:09 Why poetry and creative non-fic? 17:04 Don’t be cared of poetry 26:46 Tina’s pieces 35:04 Essayists 38:20 Writing funny! 44:15 Getting published

LP bookclub returns! Interim host Derek chats to BFL about My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, the biggest title in the very popular unhinged women literary fiction genre. One host loved this book, the other not so much. Does it have anything to do with how self-destructive they are? Things get a little personal. Buy Me a coffee! link here Follow LP on Instagram @licensedpoetics Books mentioned Big Swiss by Jen Beagin Fleabag (TV) Girls (TV) Xxx At the end of the world Japanese book - can't remember :( Araby by James Joyce The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Crash Course literature videos by John Green Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:45 Structure of episode 19:29 Jeremy!! 30:40 Spoiler section 44:36 Books vs vlogs

A real Hollywood star joins LP in the studio!! Eva Chen talks to BFL and Derek about acting, auditioning, improv, standup, and her experience working on set for Marvel's Shang-Chi! BFL met her at a reading event and has since been convinced that actors should always do the reading, never the writers. This is also Derek's first episode as LP's interim host. Exciting! Find Eva on Instagram @eva0765 Buy Me a Coffee! buymeacoffee.com/licensedpoetics Books mentioned The Handmaiden by Park Chan-Wook (film) Prophet Song by Paul Lynch With Love, and Labour by Chelsea Hart (zine) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson The Hitman by Richard Linklater (film) Barry by Alec Berg and Bill Hader (TV) New Girl (TV) Baby Reindeer (TV) Space Force (TV) Chapters 00:00 Music 01:12 Eva Chen bio 02:20 BFL reading update 10:02 Derek reading update 15:26 Improv and standup 24:34 How BFL met Eva 34:40 Booking a job 37:43 Eva is in Marvel’s Shang-Chi 47:16 Writer on set

LP is going out-of-studio! In this very special episode recorded between Shanghai and the Blue Mountains, a few recurring guests and new voices share their recent reads! We talk about a book that should have remained a Twitter feed instead of being published, Derek's penchant for disappearing because he's totally fictional, and the fact that meaning is awesome and Abby loves it. Guests in order of appearance: Cady, Marlene, Eezu, Maja, Derek, Abby Marlene's substack https://marlenejo.substack.com/ Find everyone on LP's Insta @licensedpoetics Buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/licensedpoetics Books mentioned The Worlds I See by Fei-Fei Li The Almanack Of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Winter Recipes from the Collective by Louise Gluck All Things Are Too Small by Becca Rothfeld Never Closer by Grace Chapple (Play) POV by Mark Rogers and Solomon Thomas (Play) Introducing Sartre: A Graphic Guide by Philip Thody On the Road by Jack Kerouac Babel by RF Kuang A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Butter by Asako Yuzuki Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:09 About audio quality 02:51 Cady 20:38 BFL 24:25 Marlene 29:34 Eezu 38:46 Maja 42:00 Derek 47:10 Abby

The first ever Licensed Poetics book club is a roaring success. Recurring guests Anya and Derek join BFL in the studio to discuss The Vegetarian by South Korean writer Han Kang, winner of the Man Booker Prize. This stunningly original book asks important questions: what does the pursuit of art justify? What takes away women’s autonomy? What type of tree would you like to be? Anya: @lasagnevallentin Derek: @daonationspls Follow LP on Instagram @licensedpoetics Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/licensedpoetics Books mentioned Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck The Vegetarian by Han Kang The Last Duel by Ridley Scott (film) The White Book by Han Kang The Handmaiden by Park Chan-Wook (film) The Prestige by Christopher Nolan (film) 00:00 Intro 02:59 Guest intro 07:00 Picking a book 10:55 Overview of The Vegetarian 13:07 Five word summary 14:13 Mongolian Mark 20:38 Becoming a plant 43:31 From a Western perspective

In BFL's first episode since going solo, she delivers a personal message. Then, she and the guest Joe, a wonderful writer and journalist, delve into In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, discussing perspective and narrative voice. Joe then shares his experience organising grassroots arts initiative like the live music and poetry hub Debaser Events. BFL dreams about being a historian. Follow Joe on Instagram @joehwilson Follow LP on Instagram @licensedpoetics Buy Me a Coffee! buymeacoffee.com/licensedpoetics Books Mentioned In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky Ulysses by James Joyce Catch-22 by Joseph Heller Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco Qian Zhongshu Chapters 00:00 Music 00:24 Personal Msg from BFL 03:11 Joe’s bio 03:53 In the Dream House 17:25 Huge reading announcement  23:21 Grassroots arts initiatives  34:06 Student journals in university 37:17 Writing about memory and nostalgia  40:25 Creative writing VS academic study 47:34 Writing for journalism 

Angelic harp music opens a very special episode - Achim’s last as the host of Licensed Poetics. Ying, a dear friend of LP’s, is a spoken word poet and musician. She joins LP in the studio to discuss discovering your inner artist and activist, showing up for what’s beautiful, and naming your instruments (or in BFL’s case, her rolling pin) after your favourite artist. Books mentioned Politics and the English Language by George Orwell Dearly by Margret Atwood The Sandman by Neil Gaiman The Flame by Leonard Cohen Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés Chapters 00:00 Reverie harp 01:20 Ying’s bio 02:16 BFL reading update 08:24 Achim reading update 17:25 Ying reading update 18:43 Reverie harp II 19:40 Naming instruments 25:56 How Ying got started with poetry 35:08 Musicality and poetry 41:40 Nature poetry workshop 51:54 Achim’s announcement 53:28 Reverie harp III

BFL giddily chats with Claire, a writer whose work she has admired for some time, about reading widely, editing fiction, and note-taking for TV. This episode is a must-listen for any aspiring artists out there. Also, please do not be butthurt if an editor makes a suggestion or a critic writes a negative review. Wow. Follow Claire on insta @clairecao https://clairecao.com.au Follow LP on insta @licensedpoetics Books mentioned Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Happening by Annie Ernaux Simple Passion by Annie Ernaux Birds of America by Lorrie Moore The Pisces by Melissa Broder Milkfed by Melissa Broder Death Valley by Melissa Broder Gideon the Ninth by Tamsin Muir Here Out West (film) Chapters 00:00 Music 02:27 Claire bio 03:48 BFL reading update 17:54 Claire reading update 22:46 Selection and editing process 38:34 Writing for big publications 40:39 Being a critic 45:05 Long term goal for writing 48:08 Claire’s advice 51:30 Note-taking for TV

This week, Licensed Poetics is joined by Malena, a wonderful Argentinian reader, writer, and songwriter. They talk about a famous Australian book about parent-children relationship, before BFL discusses misogyny in science fiction. Malena shares the book that she carries in her bag everywhere, and talks about being an artist as a way of life. Find Malena on Instagram @malenafiorito and @nopiensoperoexisto Follow Licensed Poetics on Instagram @licensedpoetics Books mentioned Cold Enough For Snow by Jessica Au The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (Mujeres que corren con los lobos) The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Chapters 00:00 Music 00:25 Malena intro 01:38 How Achim met Malena 02:30 Achim reading update 09:52 BFL reading update 21:43 Malena’s reading 35:37 Writing every morning 37:04 Take yourself on a date 45:41 Malena’s commercial experience 48:40 Malena’s songwriting 52:05 Synesthesia

Incredibly Accomplished Filmmaker Vonne Patiag sits down with Licensed Poetics to talk about the film industry, writing on commission, and having a strong business background as a creative. Achim received Stephanie Niu’s chapbook all the way from America, and BFL finally read The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu! Find Vonne on Instagram @vonnepat www.vonnepatiag.com Follow Licensed Poetics on Instagram @licensedpoetics Works and artists mentioned Survived By by Stephanie Niu The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Louise Bourgeois Tomgirl by Vonne Patiag Halal Gurls by Vonne Patiag My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Here Out West (film) Barbie (film) King Richard (film) Charles Bukowski Chapters 00:00 Music 00:27 Vonne Intro 01:53 Achim reading update 06:52 BFL reading update 15:10 Vonne reading update 18:40 Transmutation 25:50 Vonne’s short film Tomgirl 34:41 Vonne’s series Halal Gurls 45:13 Heal before you write 58:36 Music influence