February 6, 2019 - 10:06am by Steve

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

Reimagining Rebecca
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
Ahead of her new novel 'The Housekeeper', inspired by Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', Rose Tremain reflects on a life in writing rooted in Norfolk and returning to Mandeley.
Inside Lowestoft's new creative hub
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
Once an empty shell on Lowestoft's high street, Messums East is bringing the Post Office back to life - this time with art, community and creativity.
Ashley Hickson-Lovence - Man on a Literary Misson
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
We chat to the East Anglian author, performer and book festival patron on grief, ambition and why books are for everyone - ahead of his appearance at Ipswich Book Festival.
Walking through words
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
In author Jacky Colliss Harvey's new book 'Thoughtlands', she walks Suffolk's forests, coasts and fields, tracing the footsteps of writers past and rediscovering what moves the imagination.
Extraordinary friendships
in 'Woman's Weekly', August 2026
Three women describe how they've created special bonds through challenging circumstances.
For the love of the game
in 'Suffolk', August 2026
From him home in Woodbridge, former Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks discusses the club's glory years, his love of Suffolk and how he's navigating an unexpected health battle.

More about books

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

 

 

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You be the judge

Tomorrow evening is our much anticipated Booker Book Group 2026!

For a number of years now, we've each read a book from the Longlist and shared our response with the group, creating our own Shortlist and potential overall winner from our discussion.

This year we've had more people sign up than ever before and, arguably, it's been a very readable Longlist. We'll see just how readable when we meet tomorrow night. If you'd like to join in the meeting, to listen in to the reviews, you'd be very welcome, just let me know before 12 noon tomorrow and I'll send you the details.

And I'll endeavour to compile a report on the discussion for next week's newsletter. Then we'll wait with great anticipation for the official Booker Judges' Shortlist, revealed on 23 September.

This is another date for my diary which is filling up again now that the summer has ended and a new term has begun. Lots of festivals coming up which I'll be highlighting week by week, but I'm also pleased to announce two author events which I've just had confirmed for Woodbridge.

And one of these is pleasingly appropriate for our Booker theme.

On Monday 23 November, at 2pm, the acclaimed biographer Hermione Lee will be with us at Woodbridge Library to talk about her new book, looking at the Art and Life of novelist Anita Brookner, winner of the Booker Prize in 1984.

The favourites to win the prize that year were JG Ballard and Julian Barnes, but Anita Brookner triumphed with 'Hotel du Lac'.

It's many years since I last read that, or any of Brookner's other novels. In fact I was surprised to see how many I have on my bookshelf still. It has always felt a significant book for me, though in 1984 I wouldn't have been an obvious demographic to appreciate her characters, plots or style of writing. But I loved her work and I'm very excited to read Hermione's biography and to find out something about the process of pulling together this account of a woman who really didn't want to be known. Scroll down for more details about this event - and take a look at who's coming to The Riverside, too...

Thank you for reading.