Meet the Judges: Oenone Forbat
Meet the judges! Podcaster, influencer and now a debut author, Oenone Forbat is the Host and Chair of Judges for the 2023 Nota Bene Prize. Her enlightening podcast Adulting has been downloaded over 4 million times, and she also hosts a monthly book club IRL that sells out in minutes. Oenone’s debut book, Bad Influence, is a mediation on influencer culture and content, and chronicles the pits and peaks of coming of age online. We sat down to chat with her about all things books!
“It's my absolute pleasure to be the host and chair of such an exciting new prize that seeks to champion rising authors and unmissable stories – something I'm really passionate about. Although it will be difficult to choose only one winner from such a stunning shortlist, I’m really looking forward to discussing these wonderful books with my fellow judges. Wish us luck!”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE ONLINE READING COMMUNITY?
I think the fact that talking about books acts as a vehicle to talk about ourselves and the world, unselfconsciously. Exploring themes within stories allows us to connect and share without feeling vulnerable or ignorant. I love the subjectivity of books, the way each reader has a different relationship with the characters or sees things in a different way. It’s so interesting to compare and contrast how books impact us. I think that all of those things are hard to come by online, but when books and stories are the subject, the conversational world is our oyster.
WHAT BOOK FIRST SPARKED YOUR LOVE FOR READING?
This is so tricky as I can remember reading a book about things found in a grandmother’s chest when I was maybe 4 or 5, and then all of Roald Dahl and I particularly remember reading The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark and The Greatest Store in The World. So many books I would read over and over again until the pages were yellowed and battered. My parents never really used to let us watch TV and as I grew up in the Lake District until I was eight I often read a lot of Beatrix Potter in the garden. I can’t remember books not being a part of my life, so it would be hard to choose one.
WHAT DEBUT AUTHOR SHOULD WE BE KEEPING OUR EYES ON?
I absolutely loved Rosewater by Liv Little, and Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors. There have been so many incredible debut British authors recently, and I want to read them all!
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED TO WRITE?
Oh my gosh, everything. My notes app is packed with lines that I jot down on the tube or just before I fall asleep, at the time thinking they’re perfect for a story, but when I revisit them I often have no idea what I was trying to say. I love people watching and eavesdropping, I find society and culture fascinating, and so living in London and always being surrounded by the hustle and bustle and conversations and interesting people, I often wish I had an invisibility cloak so I could just follow people around and see inside their lives.
IF YOU COULD GO FOR DINNER WITH A CHARACTER, WHO WOULD YOU PICK AND WHY?
Right. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and this is a bit out of left field so forgive me… but The Big Friendly Giant. I just have to try a snozzcumber for myself and also I’d like to be transported out of reality and visit his cave and have him make me feel like miracles and magic and sentient creatures outside of humanity exist.
DO YOU HAVE ANY READING RITUALS?
When I’m being good, I always read before bed. It’s the best way to get a good night’s sleep, and it keeps you off your phone and getting into a scroll hole.
Otherwise, I always read on public transport, reading at the front of the top deck of a bus, with rain pattering on the windows or sun beaming through, is a little slice of heaven.
ALL TIME FAVE READ
This is one of those impossible questions, but one that has stayed with me and that I adored is City Of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.
CURRENT READ
The List by Yomi Adegoke
NEXT ON TBR
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
