Hannah Kate

poet, short story writer and editor based in Manchester

March 13, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special, Saturday 16 March, 2-4pm

Coming up on Saturday at 2pm on North Manchester FM, it’s the Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special. Join me for a special seasonal edition of the show! Here’s what’s coming up…

Original seasonal short stories from Jenny Sanders, Peter Barnes, Carmen Walton, Lisa Williams and Allison Symes.

Plus some seasonal reading recommendations and some Spring-inspired music!

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

March 6, 2024

Performers Wanted for Live Poetry Special 2024

Want to perform your poetry on the radio?

The annual Hannah’s Bookshelf Live Poetry Special is back!

On Saturday 23rd March, Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM will be broadcasting its annual Live Poetry Special. And once again, I’d like to invite poets and spoken word performers to get involved and perform their work on the show.

I’ll be inviting poets into the North Manchester FM studio to perform their work live on the show from the studio in Harpurhey! Whether you’re a veteran performer or new to reading your work, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line via the Contact page, tweet me or message me on Facebook if you’d like to perform or would like more information about how to take part. Slots are limited, and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Performance slots are 6 minutes long.

The Hannah’s Bookshelf Live Poetry Special will be going out on North Manchester FM on Saturday 23rd March at 2-4pm. It will be broadcast on 106.6FM (in the North Manchester area) and online (for the rest of the world).

March 6, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 9 March, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm for more Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM. This week, I’m talking to the fab Clár Ní Chonghaile.

Irish author Clár grew up in An Spidéal, County Galway before leaving after college to join Reuters in London as a trainee journalist. Clár has been a reporter and editor for over 30 years, living and working in Spain, France, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Kenya.

She now lives in St Albans, UK with her husband David, daughters Lucy and Rachel, and golden retriever Simba. Her works include Fractured (2016), Rain Falls on Everyone (2017), The Reckoning (2018) and No Good Deed (2023).

I’ll be talking to Clár about No Good Deed, her writing and work in general. And, of course, she’ll be sharing her selections for this week’s Apocalypse Books.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

February 26, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 2 March, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm on North Manchester FM for a Pick and Mix episode of Hannah’s Bookshelf. Here’s what’s coming up on this week’s show…

An interview with Isabelle P. Byrne I first interviewed Isabelle back in October 2022. Isabelle is a published poet whose work focuses on ‘ruined’ identities, mental health, nihilist thought and sociological thinking. Her debut book Pandora’s Ruin is a mythological journey through mental illness, hospitalisation, Electro-Convulsive Therapy and navigating a ruined identity in recovery. In case you’re curious, Isabelle’s selections for Apocalypse Books were Candide by Voltaire, Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan and Escape by Carolyn Jessop.

A review of a new book by Adrian Slatcher I’ll be reviewing Loners by Adrian Slatcher, with images by Steven Heaton (out on the 7th March from Cōnfingō Publishing).

An interview with Gill James I first interviewed Gill in October 2021. Gill is published by The Red Telephone, Butterfly and Chapeltown and runs Bridge House publishing and its sister imprints. She edits CafeLit and writes for the online community news magazine, Talking About My Generation. She teaches Creative Writing and has an MA in Writing for Children and PhD in Creative and Critical Writing. And in case you were wondering, Gill’s choices for Apocalypse Books were The Horses by Elaine Walker, A Children’s Literary Christmas, edited by Anna James, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

Library Haul!… I’ll be talking about the books I’ve checked out this month from Central Library in Manchester.

And What Are You Reading?… the section of the show where I ask writers about the books they’re reading at the moment. This week I’ve got another selection of reviews and recommendations. And if you’re a writer who’d like to take part, check out this post with details of how to join in!

Plus… you can hear my round-up of news from the World of Words. If you’ve got a news story you’d like to share, please use the News Form to submit it to the show.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

February 18, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 24 February, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm on North Manchester FM for another episode of Hannah’s Bookshelf. This week, my guest will be the fantastic Catherine Wimpeney.

Catherine is a Mancunian psychotherapist turned novelist. She retired from her psychotherapy practice eight years ago, to work in her family Lightning Protection business. Her writing keeps her connected to the field of mental health and she is drawn to reading and writing in the genre of moody psychological suspense. She lives in South Manchester with her husband and two British Blue cats called Jake and Ellwood.

Three years ago, she joined the South Manchester Writers Workshop where she gets to listen to other authors and receive constructive feedback on her writing efforts. This paid off, as her first book, Her Sister’s Shadow, was published by Northodox Press in 2021. She’s currently editing her second novel, in the ‘Cosy Crime’ genre, titled A Cat Lovers Guide to Murder, which will be published within the next few months.

I’ll be chatting to Catherine about Her Sister’s Shadow, her new novel, and her writing in general. And, of course, she’ll be sharing her selections for this week’s Apocalypse Books.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

February 12, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 17 February, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm for more Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM. This week, I’ll be talking to the lovely Carmen Walton.

Carmen is a freelance writer and workshop facilitator from the North West, living in Oldham. Her decades of work have included play writing, articles, course content, advertising copy and fiction. She has been published and broadcast in the UK and abroad and occasionally blessed with prizes. In July 2007 her play Love Stories from the Old Country was given a script in hand performance at Oldham Coliseum’s studio. In July 2006 her play Pineapple Jam was given a script in hand performance at Oldham Coliseum’s studio. It received substantial script development. In August 2015 her one act play Large White Loaf and a Tin of Rice was played at the Irlam Fringe Festival organised by Jane McNulty.

Her current projects are a workbook for creative writers and a short story collection. As a creative writing tutor she has worked with developing writers and performers, people in rehabilitation, English language students and storytellers. Her varied experiences in the world of writing have been a source of joy and continuing inspiration.

I’ll be talking to Carmen about her most recent book, Mrs Fitz’s Taxi Company and Other Stories of Grandmothers (written under her pen-name, Florence Moss) and about her other writing projects. And, of course, she’ll be sharing her selections for this week’s Apocalypse Books.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

February 12, 2024

Spring Equinox Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this March!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Spring) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 16th March, I’ll be hosting the first Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 11th March.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button below to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special at 2pm on Saturday 16th March, on digital radio and 106.6FM.


February 6, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 10 February, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm for more Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM. This week, my guest will be the brill Peter Raposo.

Born in London to Portuguese parents, Peter was only two years old when his parents decided to return home, but in 1991 he finally returned to London. He wrote his first story at the age of 6, followed by many short stories throughout the years, but then he quit writing for a long time before resuming in 2006. His work has appeared in magazines and bulletins, and his first book dUst, a classic dystopian science-fiction novel, came out in 2021, followed shortly afterwards by The Illusion of Movement, the first of his Darkness trilogy, a novel that he wrote while going through a divorce and a severe case of depression. His latest book is The Mechanical Tears of the Immortal Being, which came out this January.

Coventry is now Peter’s permanent home, and when he’s not writing or reading you’re more likely to find him playing video games.

I’ll be talking to Peter about his novels and short stories, and about writing in general. And, of course, he’ll be sharing his selections for this week’s Apocalypse Books.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

January 29, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf, Saturday 3 February, 2-4pm

Join me on Saturday at 2pm on North Manchester FM for a Pick and Mix episode of Hannah’s Bookshelf. Here’s what’s coming up on this week’s show…

Library Haul!… I’ll be talking about the books I’ve checked out this month from Beswick Library, and this week I’m joined by special guest Cllr Irene Robinson.

An interview with Ceri Houlbrook I first interviewed Ceri back in November 2017. Ceri is a Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire. As well as researching ritual practices and popular beliefs, Ceri is a creative writer, and has recently published her debut novel Winter’s Wishfall, which draws on both her interest in magical realism and her folklore research. And in case you’re curious, Ceri’s selections for Apocalypse Books were The Odyssey by Homer, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, and The Boggarts of Boggart Hole Clough by C.K. Smithson and G. Sullivan.

A review of a (needs no introduction) book by Nadine Dorries after talking about it quite a bit on the last Pick and Mix show, I really felt I should review The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson by Nadine Dorries (out now from Harper Collins).

And What Are You Reading?… the section of the show where I ask writers about the books they’re reading at the moment. This week I’ve got another selection of reviews and recommendations. And if you’re a writer who’d like to take part, check out this post with details of how to join in!

Plus… you can hear my round-up of news from the World of Words. If you’ve got a news story you’d like to share, please use the News Form to submit it to the show.

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here:

January 25, 2024

North Manchester FM: Hannah’s Bookshelf Imbolc Special, Saturday 27 January, 2-4pm

Coming up on Saturday at 2pm on North Manchester FM, it’s the Hannah’s Bookshelf Imbolc Special. Join me for a special seasonal edition of the show! Here’s what’s coming up…

Original seasonal short stories from Tony Harrison, Lisa (aka noodleBubble!), Cath Barton, Bridie Breen… and yours truly!

Plus some seasonal folklore, reading recommendations and some Imbolc-inspired music!

Catch the show on Saturday at 2pm on 106.6FM (if you’re in the North Manchester area) or listen online (if you’re further afield).

Missed the show? You can catch it again here: