Welcome to episode 194 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat.

Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library.

Here I had a conversation with Fergus Barrowman. He is the boss at VUP – so we talked books and publishing and literary events and creative writing courses; we talked through his life and work. A bookworm in a very happy place, surrounded by books and writing and successful authors.

I don’t know when I first met Fergus, but we’ve chatted a few times over the years – I remember him speaking at a university class I was in, telling a version of the VUP story. And we’ve been at many book launches and music gigs where we’ve said hello and sometimes a little bit more. But this was easily the biggest – and best – chat we’ve had to date.

I was pleased to have Fergus over to talk through his life – including the creation of the literary journal Sport (its latest issue just about the launch as you hear this podcast) and his relationship as both partner and publisher to Elizabeth Knox – her latest book was brand new when we recorded this conversation.

We talked about the IIML and VUP’s relationship to the Vic Uni creative writing courses and the talented authors that have been published – which includes many previous podcast guests.

Towards the end we got to have a bit of a ramble about jazz too, since we’re both big fans of the form.

I hope you enjoy this conversation. I certainly did.

Here now is episode 194 of Sweetman Podcast – my chat with Fergus Barrowman.

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