Lynn Crosbie reimagines A Clockwork Orange's Malcolm McDowell in new novel Chicken

Lynn Crosbie is a Canadian author and poet who's no stranger to repackaging reality. From Paul's Case, a fictionalized account of one of Canada's most notorious serial killers, to her Kurt Cobain fantasy Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Crosbie draws a lot of her inspiration from real people, transforming them into fictional characters to see where their story might lead.

For her latest novel, Chicken, Crosbie was inspired by the English actor Malcolm McDowell, who is maybe best known for his role in A Clockwork Orange. She reimagines McDowell as a washed-up actor in his 50s who falls deeply in love with a mysterious 21-year-old woman. Together, they embark on a tumultuous relationship filled with sex, violence and a lot of drugs.

Crosbie talks to guest host Laurie Brown about why she wanted to tell this story, and explains more about her relationship to the actor who inspired it, starting with the first time she saw A Clockwork Orange. Crosbie's latest novel, Chicken, is out now.

— Produced by Tayo Bero