Stu hit gold. Stu and I were talking about his novel KESHED @ortacpress What was the last book that really moved you? And where were you? .

His characters are flawed, in some cases deeply flawed, so he had to do a lot of work to achieve the effects he talks about here. You can hear how much Stu values when he moves a reader, and how much it means when do, when we consider it all comes from our heads and our pens.

In the episode, you’ll hear Stu talking about some of the different sections of the North he’s seen in film and TV. From Ken Loach to the Royle Family – Stu wanted to create something that was real but also that had pathos and tenderness.

😱How do we create an emotional response in a reader? And what’s it like when we do? @stuhennigan.bsky.social knows how, and perhaps it’s something to do with the way he writes his characters. We were talking about KESHED @ortacpress.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

We published The Fugitive of Gezi Park by Deniz Goran three years ago. Set between the London art world and anti-government protests in Turkey, it’s a love story of art, exile and political struggle. May-Lan Tan called it ‘an elegant and incisive novel from an incandescent talent’.

ICYMI.

Big up Liam for having us on here, what a great chat. And props to the lad for editing down about three fucking hours of StuSpiel into a coherent 45 min podcast. Rippling Pages is brilliant, highly recommend checking out the archive, some brilliant writers on there and Liam's a top host.

A lovely surprise to see Keshed by @stuhennigan.bsky.social reviewed by Amy Liprot in @thespectator1828.bsky.social this week. ‘In the tradition of literary lowlifes conceived by Charles Bukowski and Jean Rhys’ ‘The reading experience is like a sick compulsion’ @turnarounduk.bsky.social

Listen here or on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts! podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

And you can see what that meant to Stu Largely set in cities and towns that I know, this was an episode that struck a lot of personal chords, as we discuss Leeds and what it means to both of us

@stuhennigan.bsky.social is the latest guest on Rippling Pages with @liamhbishopwriting.bsky.social. A great, wide-ranging interview. Check it out!

Great chat about Keshed between @stuhennigan.bsky.social and Simon Crump at @huddlitfest.bsky.social. Two readings from the book follow the interview!

"Channels the entire history of British kitchen sink realism.....exhilarating, yet heartbreaking." - Andrew Gallix, Irish Times

Ever left a book event wishing they could talk properly about the book, without worrying about spoilers? If you’ve read Keshed by @stuhennigan.bsky.social, or plan to before July, this is for you. Stu and @heidijames.bsky.social will do a deep dive into the book + audience Q&A. Don’t miss this!

I am so looking forward to running 3 auto-fiction masterclasses with the brilliant @londonlitlab.bsky.social. Come and join us to discover the 'bad genre', write & imagine different selves, uncover auto-fiction à la française & break the rules. All welcome. www.londonlitlab.co.uk/course/autof...

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‘Clever, touching and captivating. I worked in brothels and lived in grungey apartments; I’ve been there myself, but still I couldn’t put The Bedevilments down.' — Kate Holden, author of In My Skin and The Winter Road

‘Hardcore, rueful, weirdly romantic; the spirit of Patrick Hamilton presides over this close-up tale of sex addiction in an obsessive world of unforgivable sins and anonymous virtues. A story that refuses to give up on hope.' — David Flusfeder, author of Something Might Fall and John the Pupil

THE BEDEVILMENTS by John Gay A bold, darkly funny novella about sex, dependency and human connection. 'Clever, touching and captivating.’ – Kate Holden, bestselling author of In My Skin Publishing 10/09/26 Find out more and pre-order from: tinyurl.com/wnu4u3xj @turnarounduk.bsky.social

This is an amazing take on Keshed by @stuhennigan.bsky.social. So cool to see the book resonating with American readers too. Thanks @radiofreebronx.bsky.social

When Push Process, my novel from @ortacpress.bsky.social, came out, I did an article about some of the book's fictional inspirations for Lunate journal. Since their site sadly seems to have fallen into the abyss of oblivion, I've put it up on my blog: jonathanwalkersblog.blogspot.com/2026/04/five...

Keshed by @stuhennigan.bsky.social spotted at The Notting Hill Bookshop yesterday.

@stuhennigan.bsky.social is heading to Huddersfield Lit Fest. 13th May with Simon Crump! Get your tickets, this’ll be great. www.huddlitfest.org.uk/event/keshed/

We've sold 1000 copies of Keshed in two months, with a press that only puts out a couple of books a year and has no marketing budget. So yes, it does. Problem is mainstream publishers think it doesn't so they keep knocking out homogenised retakes of stuff they know is safe bet.

A reminder that the @indiepressnetwork.bsky.social fiction showcase is happening this evening at 18:30. Calling readers, reviewers, bookshops etc! Please come along. The link to register is us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

@ortacpress.bsky.social 🙏😘🖤 open.substack.com/pub/stuhenni...

Keshed by @stuhennigan.bsky.social reviewed in @irishtimes.com by @andrewgallix.bsky.social 'Heartbreaking yet exhilarating ... Hennigan's unflinching fiction debut channels the entire history of British kitchen-sink realism.'

Apols for radio silence. See opening. open.substack.com/pub/stuhenni...

"Environment shapes people, language and stuff. But I am wary of publishing-speak ... Often these labels become restrictive, they mean you’re only allowed to write about one thing. Stay in your lane ..." @stuhennigan.bsky.social x @susannacrossman.bsky.social minorliteratures.com/2026/04/14/t...

read an extract from KESHED here: @stuhennigan.bsky.social @ortacpress.bsky.social minorliteratures.com/2026/02/18/k...

Up on @minorliteratures.bsky.social now, a brilliant chat between @stuhennigan.bsky.social and @susannacrossman.bsky.social about Stu’s debut novel, Keshed, which we published two months ago. You can order a copy from your local bookshop now. @turnarounduk.bsky.social tinyurl.com/wcxrs75b

I interviewed the brilliant @stuhennigan.bsky.social about his debut #keshed @ortacpress.bsky.social. We chatted about his process, the complexities of writing class & addiction, blistering sentences, T.Harrison, Dylan Thomas, Pat Barker, punk poets & more. All thanks @minorliteratures.bsky.social.

Thursday in Glasgow! This will be a great time and tickets are free.

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and coming up this week ... — @susannacrossman.bsky.social interviews @stuhennigan.bsky.social — an extract from Darker with the Dawn by @adamsteinerauthor.bsky.social

11th May! This is going to be a good one. Get your tickets.

We had a great time at the Alternative Book Fair in London on Saturday. @indiepressnetwork.bsky.social

There’s a Manchester event for Keshed next month! It’s at @blackwellsmcr.bsky.social where @stuhennigan.bsky.social will be in conversation with @workshy-fop.bsky.social. Grab a ticket while you can.

We’ll be at the Indie Press Fair tomorrow as part of the Alternative London Book Fair. So many great presses, authors and panels. If you’re in London, come along to Islington Central Library between 10-5pm. Tickets are free! @indiepressnetwork.bsky.social

Punk Rock Birdwatching in Glasgow! Join @richardjamesfoster.bsky.social for an evening at the brilliant @weare1of100.bsky.social next Thursday. Tickets are free. Link below! weare1of100.co.uk/special/an-e...

Fascinating meeting of minds chatting with Susanna, always. Looking forward to reading this myself and seeing what we were on about!

Editing an interview with the brilliant @stuhennigan.bsky.social about his amazing debut novel Keshed for @minorliteratures.bsky.social . We talk about language, class, women, substance abuse, Dylan Thomas, editing &more…

@stuhennigan.bsky.social justice finished your novel. Extraordinary writing, especially about the childhood and college experiences, & depression. The end has done me in. Wasn’t expecting that. Well done, Stu. #booksky

Join @stuhennigan.bsky.social at Drake the Bookshop in Stockton this June. Bound to be a good one!

Had some belting reviews but "like Joyce's Dublin with more cheap speed" is somewhere near the top of the pile 💪👍 @ortacpress.bsky.social @turnarounduk.bsky.social

Finished this beauty/ beast of a book this week by @stuhennigan.bsky.social . If you haven’t read it yet, you NEED to. It achieves the rare feat of being savage and tender at the same time, and being genuinely original in an era of literary blandness. Real, essential writing…. Also…

Tomorrow. Join us! Me n Naomi are a great double act. I've interviewed her at least four times but we've never done it this way round and i can't wait. Always nice to be in York too, booked the day off for a proper jolly.