Welcome to the online hub and/or home of Scott Manley Hadley’s online video interview online series, Triumph of the Now TV, #TotNTV. Now with loadsa #lofi episodes to choose from!
TECHNOLOGY & THE INTERNET
Faruk Šehić, Eley Williams and Aleksandar Prokopiev discuss the challenges that technological change and social media pose to the contemporary writer. Solid Bald debuts his first wanderings into original material with a post-apocalyptic love song titled ‘Doggo Memes (At The End of the World)’.
FARUK SEHIC
Extra long episode of the show where Bosnian novelist, poet and former soldier Faruk Šehić discusses many topics. Some are very serious – such as his experiences fighting in a civil war – but some lighter ideas are discussed including the value of pop culture and the importance of nature.
Sehic is the author of Quiet Flows the Una and has won the EU Prize for Literature.
STAGES OF LIFE
Two Balkan writers, Faruk Šehić and Aleksandar Prokopiev, discuss stages of life, especially in relation to the huge events that happened during their lifetime in their part of the world.
MEMORY & LOSS
Four writers discuss memory and loss, how objects and language influence the way we think about ourselves and our experiences. Quite intellectual, this one. Featuring Andrej Nikolaidis, Faruk Šehić, Eley Williams and Aleksandar Prokopiev (in that order).
TRUTH
Faruk Šehić & Andrej Nikolaidis discuss what “truth” is in relation to literature. Nikolaidis discusses the literary value of apocalypse narratives:
READING (THE VERB)
Chris Jones reads a poem called ‘The Reading’, Faruk Šehić chats about Henry Miller, Harry Gallon names his favourite Kurt Vonnegut novel, Eley Williams chats about changing reading habits, Solid Bald performs an extract from an old Hip-Scott song. Eight minutes of literary mayhem!!!
ANDREJ NIKOLAIDIS’ OPEN ENDINGS
Montenegrin author Andrej Nikolaidis (author of The Coming, The Son, Till Kingdom Come) discusses the importance of open endings in fiction.
HOW DO PEOPLE WRITE?
Where do writers go for inspiration? What do they do once they’ve got it? Four writers (Ella Frears, Faruk Sehic, Andrej Nikolaidis and Harry Gallon) talk about the writing process.
WHY DO PEOPLE WRITE?
Steven Kay, a mystery publisher and Andrej Nikolaidis tell us – quickly – why they think people write.
POLITICS
Andrej Nikolaidis, Faruk Sehic and Aleksandar Prokopiev discuss politics.
WHY IS SO MUCH LITERATURE SAD?
Short episode where Eley Williams and Andrej Nikolaidis discuss why they write about sadness and loss.
ALEKSANDAR PROKOPIEV’S FAIRY TALES
Macedonian writer and former rockstar Aleksandar Prokopiev chats fairy tales and his collection Homunculus, published in the UK by Istros Books:
FERNANDO SDRIGOTTI ON SHORT STORIES
Fernando Sdrigotti returns for a brief spiel on short stories. Why aren’t they more popular?
FORM
Several writers who use different forms and styles discuss why a piece takes the form it takes. Speaking here to Faruk Sehic, Aleksandar Prokopiev, Eley Williams & Andrej Nikolaidis, writers published by Istros Books & Influx Press. Again, thanks for Burley Fisher Books for letting us use their basement for some of the filming:
ELLA FREARS ON POETRY & SCIENCE
Ella Frears has recently become poet in residence for the Cassini Space Mission (the one orbiting Saturn). Here she discusses the differences between poetry and science, and the motivations that led her to get involved with this project. Solid Bald returns to end the show:
WHAT IS POETRY?
Ella Frears and Faruk Sehic discuss what is poetry. What’s it for and why is it popular?
ELEY WILLIAMS ON SYNAESTHESIA
Bonus, short, episode where Eley Williams discusses synaesthesia:
MUSIC & LITERATURE
Aleksandar Prokopiev, Faruk Sehic & Honor Gavin discuss the impact of music on their work:
ELEY WILLIAMS
Eley Williams reads ‘Alight at the Next’ and discusses success, language and giant sumatran rats:
ARE EDUCATION & CRITICISM CREATIVE?
Contributions from Honor Gavin and Ella Frears:
READ WOMEN OR THE WHITE MALE NOVEL HASN’T CHANGED SINCE THE 20S
Featuring Eley Williams, Honor Gavin, Ella Frears and David Ralfe on great books being written by women:
BATCH TWO TRAILER
EPISODE FOUR: FERNANDO SDRIGOTTI & XANTHI BARKER
Fernando Sdrigotti, editor of Minor Literature[s] and the author of Dysfunctional Males chats about London, booze, writing in a second language and the risks of masturbation. Xanthi Barker reads her stories ‘If I Was You’ and ‘The Problem Is’ and that sequinned weirdo #SOLIDBALD performs a fast, raucous, cover of Leonard Cohen’s slow and peaceful ‘Tower of Song’.
EPISODE THREE: HERMIONE EYRE & MAX SYDNEY SMITH
Hermione Eyre, journalist and author of Viper Wine, chats about modernism, postmodernism, alchemy, beauty and Truth, while Max Sydney Smith reads his short stories ‘We Did It’ and ‘The Boy Who Bit His Nails’, the second of which was published by Limehouse Books in The Open Pen Anthology. #SOLIDBALD performs ‘Over At The Frankenstein Place’ over them thur credits.
EPISODE TWO: ROS BARBER & HARRY GALLON
Ros Barber discusses Shakespeare authorship controversies and Harry Gallon reads from his new novel, Every Fox Is A Rabid Fox (published by Dead Ink Books). #SOLIDBALD performs ‘It’s Not Unusual’.
EPISODE ONE: B.S. Johnson Plays & Nell Osborne
Interview with the director (Carla Kingham) and cast of ‘You’re Human Like The Rest of Them’, a night of plays by B.S. Johnson performed at the Finborough Theatre in March 2017, plus a reading from Nell Osborne. #SOLIDBALD performs ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby?’.
SERIES TRAILER
Trailer, accompanied by #SOLIDBALD performing ‘Hand In My Pocket’.
Triumph Of The Now 