Just before Christmas I was in the virtual audience for a night of poetry headlined by John Cooper Clarke. There were eight poets on the bill that night. One of them stole the show. And her name was Toria Garbutt.

In this conversation, recorded down the line, I talk about writing and life with Toria.

We chat about what it was like growing up in a close knit northern town in the aftermath of the miner’s strike; Toria tells me how poetry has enabled her to come to terms with some of the toughest episodes in her life; she explains how she’s overcome getting stuck with her second collection; and she shares a technique for making your wildest dreams come true.

Oh, and we discuss Sonic the Hedgehog as a metaphor for the creative process.

You can explore Toria’s work on her website. Her first collection is The Universe and Me. Available here.

Also available to listen to on iTunes, Spotify and Soundcloud.