Ep.29: CLAIRE FULLER
Show notes
Host Elena Lappin in conversation with novelist CLAIRE FULLER about her latest novel Hunger & Thirst, weaving themes of art, memory, and the supernatural, in a 1980s setting. Claire Fuller shares insights into her creative process, her fascination with horror, and how her background as a sculptor influences her writing.
Key topics:
- Claire Fuller’s transition from artist to novelist at age 40
- The significance of physical books and the joy of making something tangible
- How her novel explores the link between art and perception, especially through sculpture
- The symbolism of the lithopedian—a calcified fetus—and its relevance to themes of trauma and the body
- The importance of self-contained readings and moments that can stand alone from the main narrative
- The influence of horror films like Rosemary’s Baby, The Shining, and The Stepford Wives on her storytelling
- How visual detail shapes her prose and enhances storytelling
- The role of domestic spaces and traces of the past in shaping identity and memory
- Her approach to writing horror and the necessity of foreshadowing and buildup
- Themes of interconnectedness, ghosts, and historical echoes in her characters’ lives
- Her inspiration from place, notably Winchester and her childhood home—a bungalow
- The emotional significance of personal memorabilia and the act of holding onto objects
- Her advocacy for other writers through social media and her Substack newsletter
- The enduring joy of creating physical books and the unique experience of writing in physical form
Timestamps:00:00 - The magic of making and sharing books across the world
00:34 - Claire Fuller introduces Hunger and Thirst and reads a fragment of her novel
01:34 - The significance of a standalone scene and its thematic relevance
06:23 - Why Hunger and Thirst encapsulates the novel’s themes and character development
08:08 - The symbolism of medical conditions like the lithopedian in her narrative
09:11 - The narrative layer of contemplating mortality and the question of being "ever gone"
10:15 - Visual storytelling and the influence of her artistic background
11:48 - Observing the world through a detailed, almost forensic lens
12:49 - The "Hamlet" space of ambiguity in her storytelling and horror influences
13:27 - The horror films Rosemary’s Baby, The Shining, and The Stepford Wives and their thematic significance
15:09 - The appeal of domestic horror and slow-building tension in her work
16:38 - Character profiles: Ursula’s background and psychological makeup
17:46 - The relationship between memorabilia, memory, and storytelling
19:27 - The balance between inspiration and clutter in an artist’s physical environment
20:07 - The ethical and emotional considerations of reading private family letters
21:29 - How old photographs and ephemera inspire her writing and prompts
22:22 - The ghosts of strangers and the idea of collective memory—reflections from W. G. Sebald
23:47 - The role of horror in her storytelling and why it’s essential to her artistic expression
26:40 - How characters’ obsession with horror films serves as a reflection of their fears and anxieties
28:35 - The setting of the former crime scene house and the traces of the past in our environments
29:21 - Personal memories of living in a house full of history and its influence on her writing
https://clairefuller.co.uk
32:54 - Comparing her experience as a sculptor and novelist: the physicality of creation
34:22 - The flow state in sculpture versus writing—overcoming self-imposed barriers
36:26 - The surprising journey to becoming a published author and her early art-based roots
37:16 - The inspiration behind her depiction of Winchester and her use of place in storytelling
38:39 - The mysterious Vince character and the significance of early connections among characters
40:42 - Themes of lineage, traces, and the past’s influence on present identity
44:50 - Why Claire Fuller writes: a desire to create and make tangible objects in storytelling
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