The Cuckmere Valley.

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Jacqueline Wilson who made up stories and dreamed that one day she would be interviewed as a famous writer. In this story Cole goes to do exactly that - and asks how it was that little Jackie’s dreams all came true.

Today is she is a phenomenally successful writer of children’s books and young adult fiction including the Tracy Beaker series, which has been such a massive hit on CBBC. Hettie Feather, The Primrose Railway Children and Love Frankie are others among her 100 titles.

Not many authors can claim to have had a greater influence on the imaginations and character of generations of children, many of whom have now become adults. Jacqueline Wilson has sold 50 million books, met an American president, become a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and been made a dame. How does it feel to have imagined all this into being just by making stuff up in her head?

'I know,' she says. 'Isn’t it weird?'

Cole’s own story takes us to meet her at home in a magical valley in Sussex and together they explore the roots of storytelling, the power of play and the ability humans have to completely reinvent their own stories: including Jacqueline’s discovery after thirty years of marriage to a man that she was now deeply in love with a woman. Her thoughts on this will touch anyone interested in how society’s ideas about love and sexuality have changed and are changing and what that means for real lives.

This episode is another first-person, beautifully told short story in Cole’s series reflecting on meetings with extraordinary humans and what we can learn from them about how to live.

Can We Talk? is based on the belief that we are better when we share our stories, so explores our human desire to connect with each other, with ourselves and with the divine, if we believe in that.

This is a series for all those with an interest in human connection, spirituality and better living, interviewing or storytelling. Or maybe you just want to be told a darn good tale that makes you laugh, feel and think a bit about life. Imagine David Sedaris meets Richard Rohr…

Acclaim for Can We Talk?

‘Cole proves in this series how we all need stories in our lives. Proper stories. Well told. In a world of clips and clicks ad shortening attention spans, this hits just the right spot’

Fi Glover, co-host of Fortunately … With Fi and Jane

‘A brilliant, sensitive storyteller, Coe Moreton produces perfectly formed mini epics that are both thought-provoking and hugely entertaining’

Bestselling author and broadcaster Anita Anand

Cole Moreton writes for national newspapers, makes programmes for BBC Radio 4 and is a regular contributor to Pause For Thought on Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 breakfast show. A former Interviewer of the Year at the Press Awards, he has won gold at the Arias, the radio industry Oscars.

As an author his debut Hungry for Home was shortlisted for the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for a first book in any genre, alongside White Teeth by Zadie Smith.

Cole would love to hear from you so please do get in touch to tell him what you think of these stories and share your own encounters with remarkable people.

And you can pre-order Cole’s new book which accompanies the podcast, out in May 2023: bit.ly/ColeMoretonOffer

Produced by Emily Jeffery with sound magic by Andy Partington.

Thank you to Andy Lyon and all the team at Hodder Faith.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Details

HM The Queen

More from Cole Moreton's Can We Talk?