I interviewed Nancy Stevens, finalist for Best Radio Presenter 2018 and winner of the 2017 Milton Keynes Inspirational Award for her outstanding contribution to the arts. Born in Zimbabwe and now living in Milton Keynes, Nancy is an arts activist. She hosts ‘Stevens on Sunday’, a radio arts show, as well as writing theatre reviews, a monthly magazine column, lifestyle articles and, for many years, a style agony aunt column where she answered readers’ fashion dilemmas.

Leslie: Would you like to tell the story of your community radio show – how it came about, who you interview and your most memorable studio moments? Continue reading NANCY STEVENS – ARTS FM →

I interviewed Jane Rushton, an artist whose Scottish and Arctic landscapes capture a deep and subtle sense of innerness. I asked her about her trips to Greenland and Svalbard, her relationship to maps, geology and atmospheric scientists as well as to climate change. Jane also talked in depth about her ‘slow art’ and unique compositional methods.

Leslie: How has working as an artist in the Arctic regions changed you and your expressive work? Continue reading JANE RUSHTON’S ‘SLOW ART’ →

This review of Violet first appeared in the American journal of the arts Cutthroat 24.

Quiet Courage                                      by Emma Claire Sweeney

The final novel in the Lavender Blues trilogy by British author Leslie Tate moves us beyond the earlier books’ explorations of free love, traditional courtship and open marriage into a lyrical and poignant meditation on late-life love. Continue reading ‘VIOLET’ REVIEWED BY EMMA CLAIRE SWEENEY →

Photographer James Gentle, interviewed by Leslie Tate, describes how he aims to capture people ‘at their natural best’ in his pictures. James runs Gentle Visions, a photographic business in Tring, Herts, UK, specialising in what he calls ‘Storytelling Photography’ – where he captures the authentic essence of his subject or tells the real story of an event or business.

Leslie: Where did your interest in photography come from? Continue reading GENTLE VISIONS: TELLING PHOTOGRAPHIC STORIES →

I interviewed author and poet Katie Munnik about what inspires her vividly-written stories. Katie‘s writings have appeared in The Cardiff Review, The Dangerous Women Project, Echoes of the City, and Geez Magazine. Her collection of short fiction, The Pieces We Keep was published by Wild Goose Publications, and her debut novel, The Heart Beats in Secret, is published by The Borough Press, a Harper Collins imprint.

Leslie: Can you expand on these phrases from your Twitter bio, please: ‘Knitter, Immigrant, Writer. Canadian Pilgrim’?
Continue reading KATIE MUNNIK – INVENTING STORIES TO FILL IN THE GAPS →

Chris Ogle talks to Leslie Tate about how Link4Growth, a not-for-profit networking organisation, supports personal, community and business growth. As Chris says: “Link4Growth could be considered a playground to try new things out in a supportive, nurturing environment without fear of being judged. Anything from sharing our own skills (presenting), taking responsibility for an event, public speaking, or even honing social media skills by helping out Link4Growth before applying to your own projects.” Continue reading LINK4GROWTH: EVERYTHING STARTS WITH CONVERSATION →