Sarah Bainbridge and I met at the IIML in 2007 when we were in the same MA class and I’ve really enjoyed her company since. She is an amazing writer and has a good friend.

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to read, and hear Sarah read, sections from the pieces she is writing about the human heart. These works, which I guess you could call creative non-fiction, are tender and also extremely tough in their mix of lyrical and technical language. What I love about them is that they make me re-see things I take for granted and because this work focuses on an organ which rests in my body, there is an odd opportunity through her work to re-feel as well as re-see.

Sarah is also an amazing short and long fiction writer. She was the Pacific regional winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Short Story competition. Her works been published in Hue&Cry, Pasture, and JAAM and Emma and I are very excited to be publishing a short piece of her ‘heart’ work in the upcoming Regectamenta which will be launched at the Wellington LitCrawl on the 15th of November.

Sarah and I got together at my house, in my loft on quite a sunny day as I remember it. Sarah brought her vegan banana loaf, which is pretty much unbeatable, and we talked about Legend of a Suicide. I mention in my introduction a review, which is by Lorrie Moore which I think unpacks the book in an interesting way. You can read it here.

As well as being fans of this book Sarah and I were also taught by David Vann at a masterclass which was run through the IIML, we talk a bit about that too.

So, yeah, here is our chat about Legend of a Suicide, hope you enjoy it.

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In a fortnight, I talk to David Fleming about Moby Dick.