Can a single, silent moment change the course of a life?

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew (Andy) Goss - a man whose rich tapestry of a life has seen him transition from the front lines of international aid work to the solitary desk of a novelist. Long before he was an author, Andy was a journalist, a labourer, and a carer; he has known the heights of happiness and the crushing weight of homelessness.

We dive into the searing image that started it all: a traumatised, wordless boy in a relief tent following the devastating 2005 Kashmir earthquake. This encounter birthed his debut novel, The Humanitarian, a story of compassion and political intrigue set against the backdrop of the Taliban and the CIA.

In this episode, we explore:

The "Live Your Life" Manifesto: Why Andy believes you cannot write from an ivory tower and why he refuses to romanticise the craft.

Fact vs. Fiction: How he navigates the "fusion" of real-world geopolitics with fictionalised characters.

From Eritrea to Scotland: The journey behind his second novel, Cold Coffee, Asmara, and why his third book took an unexpected turn toward the rugged Scottish Highlands.

The Writer’s Toolkit: Why he still reaches for a 1935 Royal typewriter to combat "word blindness" and the agony of self-doubt.

Whether you are an aspiring writer struggling with your first 400 words or a reader fascinated by the "common humanity" found in the world’s most fractured places, Andy’s story is a masterclass in resilience.

"Writing is a mountain to climb... the only way up is taking the next small step."