Episode 102 with Tice Cin, Interdisciplinary Artist, Aesthete, Wordsmith, and Author of Keeping the House-Called” a cult classic in the making” by The Guardian

Episode 102 Notes and Links to Tice Cin’s Work 

 

     On Episode 102 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Tice Cin, and the two discuss a wide range of topics, from Tice’s youth in the warm and multilingual communities of north London to her love of music and its impact on her writing (as well as the reverse), to her artistic inspirations and muses (hint: Scorcese and Barry Jenkins are a few), her depictions of immigrant life, intergenerational trauma, cabbages (so cleverly and skillfully rendered in her writing!), and crime. The bulk of the conversation revolves around the exquisite pacing, structure, and understatement coupled with sheer beauty that propels her wonderful and unique Keeping the House. 

  

 

    Tice Cin is an interdisciplinary artist from north London. A London Writers Award-winner, her work has been published by Extra Teeth and Skin Deep and commissioned by places like Battersea Arts Centre and St Paul’s Cathedral. An alumnus of Barbican Young Poets, she now creates digital art as part of Design Yourself – a collective based at the Barbican Centre – exploring what it means to be human when technology is changing everything. A producer and DJ, she is releasing an EP, Keeping the House, to accompany her debut novel of the same name.

 

 

Buy Tice Cin's Keeping the House 

 

Tice Cin's Keeping the House Playlist

 

Los Angeles Review of Books Review for Keeping the House

 

The Guardian Review for Keeping the House (called “a cult classic in the making”)

At about 1:25, Pete describes his perfect record in reading standout books published through And Other Stories, including Annie McDermott’s (Episode 91 guest) translation of Levrero. 

 

At about 2:30, Pete asks Tice about growing up in North London, and she talks about gentrification’s role in her childhood environs, as well as her relationship with the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot languages

 

At about 4:45, Pete registers his awe that Tice has done such marvelous and critically-acclaimed work at such a young age, similar to S.E. Hinton and Christopher Paolini. 

 

At about 5:35, Tice discusses how the Turkish Cypriot language informs the way she writes in English

 

At about 6:35, Pete and Tice discuss the skill and beauty of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, particularly with its Ibo proverbs, which helped inspire Tice to use proverbs and flowery language in her book 

 

At about 7:10, Tice responds to Pete’s wondering about what she was reading as a kid and into high school; Tice talks about her different cultures and representation, including ways in which writers succeeded and didn’t succeed 

 

At about 9:25, Tice explains how she looks back at some of what she read as a kid as “Orientalist,” including Dune 

 

At about 11:20, Pete wonders about “those who got it right” and whose work spoke to Tice; she highlights Samuel Delaney and Octavia Butler 

 

At about 12:45, Pete wonders what moment/s provided inspiration for Tice to become a writer-she cites J.G. Ballard’s work as one inspiration  

 

At about 14:05, Pete asks Tice about her relationship with music, and how music informs her writing, and vice versa; she talks about battle raps/community, and more

 

At about 18:25-another “ATLiens” shout out! It’s at least the second-check out 40:00 in this episode with Alan Chazaro

 

At about 19:40, Tice talks about the varied music she listens to as she writes

 

At about 20:45, Tice details her path to becoming a “professional writer.”

 

At about 23:50, Tice talks about building her craft and style, and how she is influenced by Delaney, and made her work more “gully”

 

At about 26:30, Tice talks about contemporary work that thrills and energizes her, including fellow Tottenham-ite Derek Owusu's That Reminds Me

 

At about 27:15, Tice explains what she means that the book was written for the “under the kitchen table kids”

 

At about 29:45, Tice describes the variety of structures in the book and her structures

 

At about 32:25, Tice describes the “light blue” color she is chasing in charting particularly noir-ish part of her book

 

At about 33:15, Pete makes yet-another Henry Hill comparison in fleshing out Damla’s role as observer in Keeping the House, and the Scorcese talk moves onto The Irishman, as Pete gives kudos to Tice for her treatment of aging and guilt (or lack thereof) in her book

 

At about 36:30, Pete shouts out some memorable and skillful lines from Tice’s writing

 

At about 37:30, Tice describes the ways in which the pacing of her book was inspired by Moonlight and “the gentle eye of the director”

 

At about 40:25, Tice responds to Pete wondering about how she has been able to “say goodbye” to the characters from the book

 

At about 41:25, Pete inquires about Tice’s incredibly-creative and successful method of footnotes/side-notes, thanks to some great help from Alex the typesetter

 

At about 45:15, Tice speaks to Damla and the ways in which she was raised, in addition to the connections to the book’s title; Pete asks about a double/multiple meaning for “keeping the house”

 

At about 48:00, Pete and Tice discuss the idea that the women in the book are often cleaning up after men, in more ways than one, including the ways in which mother and daughter deal with stress/trauma 

 

At about 51:00, Tice and Pete discuss themes of community in the book, and Pete asks Tice about her impressive lack of moralizing when writing about the drug trade; she references misunderstandings/misreadings of her book and shouts out fellow UK standout Graeme Armstrong and his ideas of “holding up a mirror to society”

 

At about 54:55, Pete and Tice enjoy the beautiful scene between Cemile and Damla and discuss Cemile’s role in the book; Pete wonders who Cemile is for Damla, and Tice discusses methods of coping

 

At about 58:15, the two discuss intergenerational trauma, and how the 1974 Cypriot civil war was a quiet but powerful specter over the story’s characters/events

 

At about 1:02:50, Tice discusses the myriad meanings of cabbage in her book and its symbolism

 

At about 1:03:35, Tice’s cat has entered the chat!

 

At about 1:06:20, Pete gives a prospective future blurb for 

 

At about 1:06:50, Tice reads from the chapter “Ayla”

 

At about 1:12:45, Tice talks about interesting future projects 

 

At about 1:16:50, Tice gives her social media information, including mentioning her new Tik Tok page

     You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for the next episode, Episode 103 with Tracey Thompson. Tracey is a woman after my own heart-a voracious reader of short stories, who has read a short story a day for over a year. The episode with Tracey will air on February 8.