A podcast which finds learning opportunities for writers in the most unlikely of places. Hosted by Mark Heywood. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon.
S11E12 Who Wants to Live Forever: Hanna Thomas Uose on love and life without death
“This drug feels incredibly likely. There are all sorts of mad men doing trials on themselves. And they have not put any thought into the societal implications of it” ~Hanna Thomas Uose
AI is enabling rapid advancements in technology and drug discovery - unlike anything we’ve seen before. And with humankind’s obsession with longevity only deepening, some believe it’s only a matter of time before we have access to “live forever” drugs.
But would eternal human life really be a good thing? This is the central premise of Hanna Thomas Uose’s debut novel, Who Wants to Live Forever. Throughout the book she explores the lives of soulmates Yuki and Sam, who both choose different paths when a miracle drug is released.
In an imagined world which could very well become reality, Hanna takes us on a journey through the morality of eternal life and questions of what it means to die.
In this episode, you will learn:
How writing can help you grapple with problems you can’t seem to solve
To consider world-building first, before thinking about creating your characters
Why it pays to think outside of a Western perspective of the world
Find out more about Hanna here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
Follow inkjockey on Substack here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
10 Dec 2025
S11E11 Green Ink: Stephen May on the mysterious story of Victor Grayson
“He went down for a drink, did not come back. Nobody was found, but no one even started looking for him” ~Stephen May
The story of the UK Labour politician Victor Grayson is a mysterious and thrilling one. Full of holes and unknowns that have never been solved. He went missing in the 1920s following a major political scandal - so what happened?
In ‘Green Ink’, the author Stephen May imagines what might have happened to Grayson, taking this gap in our historical knowledge, to craft a compelling story that skirts between historical fact and fiction.
Though it’s a story about a politician of the past, Green Ink raises prescient questions about the modern world, the behaviour of today’s politicians, and what people will do for just a hint of power and prestige.
In this episode, you will learn:
How there’s no richer starting point for a work of fiction than reality
Why it pays to be a bit pedantic when writing in the history genre
Why writers that don’t write will always be miserable
Find out more about Stephen here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
Follow inkjockey on Substack here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
3 Dec 2025
S11E10 Behind Women’s Football: Beatrice Rogers on sacrificing for the game
“ I’ve received death threats from people just for posting about women’s football, which is wild” ~Beatrice Rogers
Public support for women’s football has skyrocketed in recent years - and yet many of the female athletes still struggle to gain the recognition of their male counterparts. So just how much of the success of the pro game has trickled down to the lower tiers and grassroots leagues?
Beatrice Rogers started playing football at the age of 6. She’s now a semi-pro footballer and Under Armour athlete, playing for AFC Sudbury. She’s also a content creator, sharing her experiences on social media, in the hopes of inspiring and empowering others to join the women’s game.
From being kicked off of school teams to receiving death threats online, Beatrice has faced many challenges in her journey. That’s why she’s determined to raise awareness, so young girls don’t go through the same confusion and frustration she has experienced.
In this episode, you will learn:
That the dominant narrative of the day doesn’t always paint the full picture
How to deal with haters and negativity
Why representation is the #1 goal when reaching for equality
Find out more about Beatrice here.
Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.
Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production, and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up to the newsletter here.
Follow inkjockey on Substack here.
You can buy copies of our anthology series here.
You can view the full transcript here.
Connect with the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine
Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
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