A.L. Kennedy is known for her dark, razor-sharp novels, her no-nonsense attitude, and her ability to cut through literary fluff like a bare-knuckle boxer—which, coincidentally, her grandfather actually was. But beyond the awards, the Guardian blogs, and the stand-up gigs, who is she really?

In this brilliantly unfiltered episode, she opens up about brain fog, toxic thoughts, and chaos engineers—plus why baking her own bread, avoiding card sharks, and getting lost in nature have been essential for her mental health and creativity.

And, of course, there’s the kayak.

Paddling all the way from Essex to Somerset, A.L. moored outside the Shed for what turned out to be less of a Shed Talk and more of a wee shed chat—but one you won’t want to miss.