As a freelance journalist, writer, editor and presenter, I have enjoyed many years meeting and interviewing fascinating people, and visiting wonderful locations worldwide.

I regularly conduct on-stage interviews with authors and personalities at festivals and events, and for more than 10 years co-hosted a monthly on air book club with Lesley Dolphin at BBC Radio Suffolk.

Details of my events, book reviews and recommendations can be found on my website moreaboutbooks.com and all the latest information is available in my weekly e-newsletter which you can receive by signing up here or read recent issues here.

Or follow me on Twitter @catherinelarner

In the press

Magazine cover pagesAs a journalist I contribute lifestyle features and profiles for regional and national newspapers and magazines. Earlier in my career, I was the launch editor of what became the leading business journal for the fitness industry in Europe, and I regularly contributed articles about the market for a US publication.

published articles

On the radio

For more than 10 years I co-hosted an on-air book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with Lesley Dolphin. Listen to past discussions here.

In addition, my print articles and author interviews often feature as podcasts. You can listen to an interview with former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams for Premier Radio here.

view archive on moreaboutbooks.com

At events

Hosting book launches and talks for festivals and events throughout Suffolk, I regularly interview authors on stage with audiences from 30 to 300. I have been in conversation with Esther Freud, Salley Vickers, Victoria Hislop, Rev Richard Coles, Elly Griffiths and Patrick Gale (pictured).

view event listings on moreaboutbooks.com

Recent articles

in 'This England', November 2024
Catherine Larner explores the colourful work of Margaret Rope
in 'Suffolk', November 2024
James and Katie Jenkins left their careers, and armed with an 1860 letterpress and an unerring eye for detail, launched a Suffolk-based stationery business founded on traditional techniques and sustainability.
in 'Suffolk', November 2024
Gainsborough's name is synonymous with Suffolk, but it was his daughters, one who suffered from mental illness and the other who cared for her, who grabbed Emily Howes' imagination and inspired her to write a novel about them.
in 'Coast', November 2024
A tranquil, secluded corner of Suffolk is home to a designer-maker studio, producing stunning stationery and running traditional craft courses. Catherine Larner finds out more.
in 'East Anglian Daily Times', October 2024
Catherine Larner meets star cartoonist - Matt Pritchett - ahead of his visit to The Riverside Woodbridge
in 'Jarrolds magazine', October 2024
Daniel Dawson-Gordon is bringing the unloved back to life at his reclamation yard in Norfolk, and his one-of-a-kind treasures for the home are now available in Jarrolds.

Knitting ideas

When I'm about to write an article, or find a theme for these newsletter messages, I need to have an opportunity for my mind to wander. And I have discovered that inspiration often strikes when I'm driving. (These are easy-to-navigate journeys with relatively light traffic and when I'm not carrying any passengers, you understand.) It's regularly proved a very productive time - I solve all sorts of problems while I'm moving along. The trick is remembering them all when I get to the destination.

But I haven't had reason to get in the car in the past few days so have looked to other means of triggering my thought processes. And I've found that knitting can do the trick!

For the past couple of years I've been knitting socks. They're small projects which are very satisfying, easily transportable with no complicated instructions to follow so I've taken them with me when I know I'll be somewhere with a lot of downtime (or when I'm watching television which doesn't require full concentration).

I've found, though, that without other stimulus, the rhythm of the needles and the progress of the project helps me think. And it seems I'm not alone.

The Olympic diver Tom Daley has attracted a lot of attention for knitting on poolside as he waits for his turn in various competitions and an exhibition of the garments he's created has just opened in Japan.

However I'm finding that knitting is also quite a thing for authors. The crime writer Josephine Tey even called her writing her 'weekly knitting'.

I remember some time ago that a children's book was about a knitted character called Milo Armadillo and the author-illustrator Jan Fearnley had written a knitting pattern so that you could make your own Milo Armadillo - which I did!

I've recently been introduced to the author MJ Robotham with her fictional memoir 'The Scandalous Life of Ruby Deveraux' and found that on Instagram @robothammandy she has posted lots of images of knitted dolls she has created, often modelled on booksellers or her publishing team, and garments themed around the characters of her novels.

And Barbara Kingsolver, the author of 'The Poisonwood Bible' and more recently 'Demon Copperhead', has published a knitting pattern for mittens reflecting her book 'The Lacuna'.

But a friend recently sent me a link to an episode on BBC Radio Four series Shedunnit which was about crime writers who were also knitters (and many of their sleuths were knitters too!). The programme included an interview with a designer who has created a new book of knitting patterns inspired by the writing of Margery Allingham, but unfortunately it's sold out so I can't report back on it yet. I don't need any more projects though - still a few more socks to knit!

Thank you for reading.

More about books

Catherine LarnerFor my book reviews, event information and blog, please visit moreaboutbooks.com