EP43: Plants, Enchantment and Wild Words

In Episode 43, "Plants, Enchantment and Wild Words," Robin and Zoe delve into the enthralling world of plant lore and explore how enchantment and folklore have shaped our connection with the natural world. Zoe shares her unique insights into the role of plants in mythology and how anthropomorphism and gender have influenced our understanding and stories of the plant world.

This episode also uncovers the magic of wordsmithing and the art of storytelling, revealing how the power of language can evoke a sense of wonderment and help us foster a closer bond with nature. Robin and Zoe discuss the significance of writing as a form of ritual and ceremony, demonstrating how creative expression can lead to a more profound connection with the earth and its stories.

Highlights:

• Uncover the mesmerizing world of plant lore, enchantment, and folklore.
• Delve into the role of anthropomorphism and gender in our understanding of plants.
• Learn about the magic of wordsmithing and storytelling as a way to connect with the natural world.
• Discover writing as a form of ritual and ceremony.

Join Robin Harford and Zoe Gilbert in Episode 43 of the Eatweeds Podcast, and let them guide you through a fascinating exploration of plants, enchantment, and wild words. Ignite your imagination and enhance your relationship with nature through the transformative power of storytelling and creative expression.

• Folk: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/folk/9781408884317
• Mischief Acts: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/mischief-acts-joyous-the-times-best-summer-reads-2022/9781526628800
• A Wild and Precious Life: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/a-wild-and-precious-life-a-recovery-anthology/9781783529643
• London Lit Lab: https://www.londonlitlab.co.uk/
• Zoe's website: http://zoegilbert.com/
• Zoe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindandlanguage

About Zoe Gilbert

Zoe's first novel, Folk (Bloomsbury), was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize and adapted for BBC Radio (read by the brilliant Samantha Spiro). She has just finished turning some of the chapters from Folk into a libretto, for a song cycle that will have its world premiere in 2023.

Her second novel, Mischief Acts (Bloomsbury), is released in March 2022, and is inspired by the past and future of the Great North Wood, which used to cover a large swathe of South London.

Since completing Mischief Acts, Zoe has moved from London to the Kent coast, which is (not surprisingly) influencing her third novel. It turns out that place - alongside folklore, nature and social history - is a starting point for her writing.

Besides novels, Zoe has been writing short stories for most of her adult life. You can find a few of them in anthologies by Comma Press, and they have also appeared in books and journals worldwide including The Stinging Fly, Mechanics' Institute Review, and the British Fantasy Society Journal. Some of her stories have won prizes, including the Costa Short Story Award.

Zoe is co-founder of London Lit Lab with Lily Dunn, where she teaches creative writing, and the co-editor with Lily of A Wild and Precious Life (Unbound 2021), an anthology of writers in recovery.