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A new start: Viv Albertine on how a house move led to a band, a book – and a divorce

Published: 6:00 AM
A new start: Phil Wang on how a coffee grinder with 12 settings changed his life

Published: 1:00 AM

A new start: Jilly Cooper on the night in a Kama Sutra room that led to her book Riders

While struggling to write the novel that would transform her career, she discovered the country pile that would prove inspirational

Published: 6:00 AM
A new start: Guy Gunaratne on how painting gives him courage to write more freely

The award-winning novelist says immersing himself in another art form has brought clarity and creativity to his work

Published: 1:00 AM

A new start: Esi Edugyan on meeting her grandmother on her only trip to Ghana

The Canadian author visited her parents’ homeland thinking she would find her home. She left feeling less Ghanaian than ever

Published: 6:00 AM
A new start: Suzi Ruffell on growing up dyslexic and discovering the joy of writing

School was a daily struggle for the standup. Now that she can write on her own terms, doing so serves as a release from life

Published: 1:00 AM

A new start: Sarah Hall on trauma and the unexpected tonic of extreme reading

The birth of her child, the death of her mother and the breakdown of her marriage hit the author at once. Then she was asked to judge the Booker prize

Published: 6:00 AM
A new start: the moment Ahir Shah saw his father's face in the mirror

A few deaths in the family had already made the comedian feel older. Recognising his dad in himself took it a step further

Published: 1:00 AM

A new start: Jess Phillips on her decision to stop feeling envious

After the death of her mother, the Labour MP learned to stop comparing herself with others and get on with living her life

Published: 6:00 AM
A new start: Piers Torday on how Judy Garland helped him to come out

While his friends at school were listening to Pink Floyd, the author was struggling to find his place. That was, until he discovered Meet Me in St Louis

Published: 1:00 AM