#167: Megan Nolan, novelist and journalist

<p>In this episode Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist and journalist <a href="http://megannolan.org/" target="_blank">Megan Nolan</a>. Her essays and reviews have been published by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/09/confessions-of-a-university-dropout" target="_blank">Guardian</a><em> </em>and the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/opinion/finger-biting-dermatophagia.html" target="_blank"><em>New York Times</em></a>, among other publications. Her debut novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/441626/acts-of-desperation-by-nolan-megan/9781529113013" target="_blank">&quot;Acts of Desperation&quot;</a>, was published in 2021 and received a Betty Trask Award, was shortlisted for the <em>Sunday Times </em>Young Writer of the Year award and longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Her second novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/244832/megan-nolan" target="_blank">&quot;Ordinary Human Failings&quot;</a>, was published in July. We spoke to Megan about getting started in journalism in her early twenties, balancing essay-writing with fiction-writing and about &quot;Ordinary Human Failings&quot;.<br></p> <p>You can find us online at <a href="http://alwaystakenotes.com/">⁠alwaystakenotes.com⁠</a>, on Twitter @takenotesalways and on Instagram @alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is <a href="http://patreon.com/alwaystakenotes">⁠patreon.com/alwaystakenotes⁠</a>. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.</p>