Emma J. Lannie

Emma J. Lannie was born in Manchester and now lives in Derby. Her work has been published widely, and her first short story collection Behind A Wardrobe In Atlantis was published in 2014 by Mantle Lane Press. A founder member of literature collective Hello Hubmarine, she helps run Derby Writers’ Hub, organises spoken word and live literature events, leads workshops, and drinks a lot of tea. Emma is currently working on her novel The Path From You Back To Me.

Credentials

Emma J. Lannie in 60 seconds

When did you start writing?

Manchester

What do you love about short stories?

I love short stories because they give a brief snapshot of other lives, ideas, feelings, places, and allow for wonderful experimentation. Short stories can be captured whole inside you - there are stories I've read ten, twenty years ago that I still think about now.

Do you write in other forms?

I'm writing a novel right now, and I've also written for a smartphone app, and worked on site-specific pieces as part of installations.

What distracts you from writing?

The internet.

Outside of writing, what are your other passions?

Book arts and papercutting, travel, psychogeography, music, wandering round forests.

What is your favourite book?

If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things by Jon Mcgregor

Who are your favourite writers?

Douglas Coupland, Aimee Bender and Richard Brautigan

Where is your dream location?

Iceland

What one item would you put into Room 101?

People who stand and chat in the middle of swimming pools.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Read lots, figure out what works and take it apart to figure out why and how, then use that to experiment in your own writing.