Quickfire stories: Joel Glover

Warwick already played a big part in Joel's life even before he came to study here.

Why did you choose Warwick?

My parents met at Warwick (they were the first people married in the chapel so it was always somewhere I was aware of. What sealed it was my visit to the campus though, where I saw it on a sunny day and could imagine living there.

What are you doing now?

Like a lot of people, the Covid lockdown prompted me to explore and invest in more creative and personal endeavours. For me this was writing and its resulted in a growing sideline in a much more literary field than my professional life as an accountant and buyer. This includes having poetry, short stories, and criticism published in some amazing venues, and I have a romantic fantasy novel being released imminently by an independent publisher.

What motivates you to do what you do? 

Each piece has its own motivations. When I am writing political poetry, I'm stimulated by the macro-environment. When I am writing children’s books, I am guided by the needs and tastes of my own children, and so on.

Overall, I want to write something which touches a reader, either echoing their own perspective or challenging them to think differently. That's even true of things like romance, which has underlying themes about familial love and gender roles.

How has your time at Warwick influenced what you do now? 

My time at Warwick has a big influence. I have a science fiction serial being published in a webzine, which includes oblique references to texts I read as part of wider engagement with my coursework. My self-published novel has an important plot thread about the political use of theatre, something which I wouldn't have thought about if I'd not read a lot of scripts from the late 18th century in the University library. And some of my favourite novels (ones which influence the way I write) were bought in the Warwick Arts Centre book shop!

Favourite memory? 

Too many to recount – from wins for the American Football team, to nights out in the Union, to silly things like falling in the snow on a walk down to Lakeside.

Best thing about the Warwick community?

I'm still in close touch with people I met on my first day on campus.

Favourite place on campus?

I love the Koan. I don't know why!

Joel Glover

BA French with International Studies, 2004