Writer's Routine
357 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 263 ratingsIn every episode we look inside the daily diary of a writer, to peak at the secrets of their success. How do they plan their day and maximise their creativity, in order to plot and publish a bestseller?Some are frantic night-owls, others roll out of bed into their desks, and a few lock themselves away for days in the woods - but none have a regular 9 to 5, and we'll find out how they've managed it.
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Episodes
Shaun Bythell, author of 'The Diary of a Bookseller' - Scotland's most famous bookseller discusses editing diaries, why everyone loves a bookshop, and style guides
June 13, 2024 23:02 - 47 minutes - 65.1 MBShaun Bythell runs 'The Bookshop' in Wigtown, it's Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop, and is now incredibly popular. Back in 2017, Shaun published, 'The Diary of a Bookseller', a book filled with his daily experiences running the store. People fell in love with his wry musings, the life of a bookseller, and it became a Sunday Times bestseller. He's followed it up with 'Confessions of a Bookseller', and 'Remainders of the Day', in the 'Bookseller Series'. We talk about why everyone ...
Jonny Sweet, author of 'The Kellerby Code' - Screenwriter and Author discusses jokes influencing novels, why guilt is useless, and dealing with praise
May 30, 2024 23:12 - 45 minutes - 62.6 MBJonny Sweet won the 'Best Newcomer' Prize at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, created a sketch group with 'The Inbetweeners' Simon Bird and Joe Thomas, and appeared in many TV Comedies, including 'Chickens' and 'Him and Her'. He wrote the movie 'Wicked Little Letters' starring Olivia Colman, which was released this year. He has also just published one of the most acclaimed novels of the year. 'The Kellerby Code' tells the story of Edward, living in a world he can't afford and to which h...
Kate Storey, author of 'The Memory Library' - Book Club author discusses why a change of genre means a change of name, whether outlining curbs creativity, and why she watches for jokes
May 23, 2024 23:33 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBOur special guest this week is Kate Storey. Under the name Lisa Timoney, she's published 3 books, 'Her Daughter's Secret', 'Her Mother's Lies' and 'His Secret Wife'... but a change of genre means a change of name. Kate's back with book club fiction now, and has published, 'The Memory Library'. It's all about Sally Harrison, who has been building a library for 43 years. Every year she adds a new book to it, dedicated to her estranged daughter Ella who has fled to Australia... however, when d...
Alina Khawaja, author of 'Maya's Laws of Love' - How to avoid tangents which block your ideas, dealing with rejections, and trying to get better
May 16, 2024 23:57 - 48 minutes - 66.3 MBAfter writing around 7 books and getting many rejections or near-misses, Alina Khawaja finally has a published novel. It's called 'Maya's Laws of Love', and tells the story of Maya on her way to Pakistan for an arranged marriage she hopes will end with love. Only, after a disastrous journey, she begins to wonder if Mr. Right might actually be someone else she meets along the way. Alina is well read and decorated, with a degree in English, History and Creative Writing, and a Masters in Liter...
Samuel Burr, author of 'The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers' - Mystery writer talks about learning from making TV, spying for inspiration, and how the business actually works
May 09, 2024 23:44 - 1 hour - 84.6 MBSamuel Burr has worked as a TV executive, creating shows like 'The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds', 'Eight Go Rallying', and 'The Secret Life of Cleaners'. Many years ago he worked on a documentary in a retirement home, now it's given him the basis for his debut novel. 'The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers' looks at Clayton Sumper, an enigma who was abandoned at birth on the steps of the puzzlemakers, ending up being raised by some of the sharpest minds in the country. The hope is that he's learned f...
Caz Frear, author of 'Five Bad Deeds' - Thriller writer discusses the pressures of doing everything, getting into the right mindset, and making your day better
May 02, 2024 23:18 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBCaz Frear was launched to debut success after winning the 'Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller' competition. Her novel, 'Sweet Little Lies', won the prize and found the bestselling status they searched for. What happens next? How do you follow up on debut success? Caz discusses how she dealt with that writing her 2nd and 3rd novels, and why she's constantly looking to make her day better and improve how she works. We talk about the tech problems she attempts to deal with, how the proc...
Chioma Okereke, author of 'Water Baby' - Poet and Author discusses writing without genre to explore, changing how you plot, and performing poetry
April 25, 2024 23:10 - 54 minutes - 74.6 MBChioma Okereke's writing career started as a performance poet, even though she was terrified of performing poetry. From there she wrote short fiction, and was a highly placed runner up in the Costa Short Story Award, for 'Trompette de la Mort'. Her move into long-form began with her debut 'Bitter Leaf', which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer's Prize. Her new novel is 'Water Baby', which looks at a 19 year old woman trying to escape her community in Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria. It e...
Chioma Okereke, author of 'Water Baby' - Poet and Author discusses writing without genre, changing how you plot, and performing poetry
April 25, 2024 23:10 - 54 minutes - 74.6 MBChioma Okereke's writing career started as a performance poet, even though she was terrified of performing poetry. From there she wrote short fiction, and was a highly placed runner up in the Costa Short Story Award, for 'Trompette de la Mort'. Her move into long-form began with her debut 'Bitter Leaf', which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer's Prize. Her new novel is 'Water Baby', which looks at a 19 year old woman trying to escape her community in Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria. It e...
Paul Carlucci, author of 'The Voyageur' - Acclaimed author discusses moving from short stories to novels, by inspired by fact, and learning grammar
April 18, 2024 23:15 - 57 minutes - 78.8 MBPaul Carlucci has published 3 short story collections and works as a copywriter, making other peoples work read better. He's just released one of the most hotly anticipated debuts of the year, it's called 'The Voyageur'. It tells the story of Alex, a motherless stockboy in 19th century Montreal, who is taken in by Serge, a drunken fur trader. After heading out on an expedition into the wilderness which goes awry, Alex must fend for himself at the mercy of stranger men, and a seemingly brill...
Kerry Andrew, author of 'We Are Together Because' - Award winning composer and writer discusses the search for the perfect word, imagining the worst, and finding what you really want
April 11, 2024 23:14 - 54 minutes - 74.7 MBKerry Andrew is an all-round creative. As a composer, they've won 4 British Composer Awards, as a writer they've been nominated twice for the BBC National Short Story Award. Kerry has published 2 novels, 'Swansong', 'Skin', and is back with a third, 'We Are Together Because'. It's all about siblings Luke, Connor, Thea and Violet, spending their first summer in their estranged father's house. Truth is, they don't even know each other too well, and when the worst happens, they discover if the...
Daisy Goodwin, author of 'Diva' - TV producer and screenwriter discusses thorough research, historical fiction, and creating legendary TV shows
April 04, 2024 23:07 - 52 minutes - 71.7 MBDaisy Goodwin has created some legendary television shows. She's the brains behind 'Grand Designs', 'Escape to the Country', and the historical drama, 'Victoria', based on Queen Victoria, which was sold in 146 countries. She's published poetry, had 3 bestselling novels, 'My Last Duchess', 'The Fortune Hunter', and 'Victoria, which together have been translated into 17 countries. Her newest novel is 'Diva'. It tells the story of Maria Callas, one of the world's greatest opera singers, who f...
Max Moyer, author of 'Zodak - The Last Shielder' - Fantasy author talks world-building, stopping for 18 years, and why you don't need to be completely original
March 29, 2024 00:00 - 51 minutes - 70.6 MBOne of the most frequent requests to writersroutine.com is for fantasy authors. World builders. Authors with the ability to take you on an adventure across times, dimensions and brand new maps. This week's guest, Max Moyer, has figured a way to do that. His new book 'Zodak - The Last Shielder', is the first in a new series, 'Tempest Rising'. There is a prequel novella already out, 'Throne Born', and this properly sets up a new world that's been in Max's head for 30 years. It started as an i...
Mari Hannah, author of 'The Longest Goodbye' - Crime award-winner discusses planning across a series, her Murder Wall, and the book she never wanted to write
March 21, 2024 08:35 - 43 minutes - 60 MBMari Hannah is a prolific writer. Over the last 12 years she's won the Northern Writer's Award, the Polari First Book Prize, the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, and Capital Crime's Crime Book of the Year. She's a series authors, publishing books in the 'Stone and Oliver' series, the 'Ryan and O'Neil' novels, and the 'Kate Daniels' thrillers. Her newest novel is 'The Longest Goodbye', and it sees Kate Daniels involved in a case incredibly close to her. It's the story Mari never wanted to wr...
Triona Campbell, author of 'The Traitor in the Game' - Young Adult writer talks moving countries to write, moving from TV to novels, and moving obstacles
March 15, 2024 00:50 - 1 hour - 89.7 MBTriona Campbell worked as a TV producer and writer, creating many dramas and comedies for teens, and picking up 3 Emmy nominations. Through Lockdown (capital L?) she started writing a novel for teens... thus, a whole career change. Her debut, 'A Game of Life and Death' went down very well, and she's followed it up with 'The Traitor in the Game'. It's about Asha, who enters an eSports tournament in New York, when it becomes harder to keep the game under control. Triona has written radio pla...
Yangsze Choo, author of 'The Fox Wife' - New York Times bestseller talks about streaming pressure, debut success, and how we think differently
March 08, 2024 00:00 - 49 minutes - 68 MBYangsze Choo's debut novel 'The Ghost Bride', was released 10 years ago, and has been adapted by Netflix. Her follow-up 'The Night Tiger', was a BBC 2 'Between the Covers' pick, a Reese Witherspoon Book Pick, and was selected for the UK's Big Jubilee Read. She's a New York Times bestseller. Her 3rd novel in the last 10 years is 'The Fox Wife'. Set in 1908 Manchuria, it weaves in folklore and myth, it's a quest for love, and a murder mystery. We discuss changes in her routine over the last...
Mandy Robotham, author of 'The Hidden Storyteller' - Historical Fiction writer discusses the rules of genre, needing a deadline, and stopping when it gets good
March 01, 2024 00:54 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBMandy Robotham has had many careers, and is busy. She's worked as a midwife, a journalist, and now is an author across genres. Her newest novel is 'The Hidden Storyteller', tells the story of reporter Georgie Young who, in 1946 returns to Germany and finds it unrecognisable post-war, she then teams up with detective Harri Schroder to catch a killer. We talk about historical fiction, how she knows the rules of the genre, and how much she thinks about the style of the writing. You can hear a...
Caroline Dunford, author of 'The Augmentors' - Prolific writer discusses plotting over a series, switching genres, and reaching for the perfect novel
February 23, 2024 00:49 - 58 minutes - 79.9 MBCaroline Dunford has published over 30 books across many genres. Her best loved is the 'Euphemia Martins' Mysteries', which solves crimes set one hundred years ago. Her latest release is 'The Augmentors', a Young Adult novel published under the name Gemini Gibson. We get quite philosophical, talking about the big picture of writing, and why she feels the need to carry on. She has a story-telling infection, and has published many books, even though she's never got down that 'perfect' novel ...
Orlando Murrin, author of 'Knife Skills for Beginners' - Chef, writer and all-round doer discusses the perfect keyboard, going on tangents, and why kitchens make the perfect place for murder
February 16, 2024 00:32 - 52 minutes - 71.8 MBOrlando Murrin has had many careers. In the early 90's he appeared on 'Masterchef', reaching the semi-final on a show watched by 12 million people. From then, he's worked as a chef and hotelier, written cookbooks, edited magazines, made podcasts, and now has a novel out. 'Knife Skills for Beginners' sees Paul Delamare investigating murders at a high-end cookery school in Belgravia, London. We talk about why the kitchen has the perfect recipe for crime. You can hear why his protagonist very...
Maura Cheeks, author of 'Acts of Forgiveness' - Debut writer discusses free-writing, how journalism affects novel-writing, and important stories
February 09, 2024 00:00 - 47 minutes - 65.2 MBThis week we chat to Maura Cheeks, who has written pieces and columns all over the place, being featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic and the Harvard Business Review. Her debut novel is called 'Acts of Forgiveness', and is out on the 13th February. It tells the story of Willie Revel who gives up a career as journalist in New York to help run her family's struggling company in Philadelphia. When the President prepares to pass a bill allowing black families to claim reparations if they...
Sarah Marsh, author of 'A Sign of Her Own' - Debut writer discusses finding the truth in history, taking 12 years to write a debut, and thorough research
February 02, 2024 00:18 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBThis week, we're joined by Sarah Marsh. Her debut is 'A Sign of Her Own'. It tells the story of Ellen Lark, who discovers a side to Alexander Graham Bell, one of history's most famous figures, that few other people know. Sarah was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavenish Prize in 2019, selected for the London Library Emerging Writer's Programme, and has a Masters in Creative Writing. She is also deaf, as is her protagonist Ellen, and we discuss why this story was so important to write. You can ...
Rebecca Thorne, author of 'The Grief House' - Writing without a genre, how pseudonyms help switch between tasks, and a strictly-planned day
January 26, 2024 00:48 - 58 minutes - 80.1 MBRebecca Thorne's new novel is 'The Grief House', it's about the ex-tarot reader Blue, who escapes to a grief retreat on a beautiful country estate. Only, when the weather closes in, and someone disappears in the night, Blue wonders whose grief might hide a deeper secret. Rebecca published 2 psychological thriller books under the name Rebecca Tinnelly, and we discuss why she swapped names and how it helped her break up her day, and switch between tasks. You can hear why her date is structur...
Helen Fisher, author of 'Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life' - Writer discusses the rocky road to publication, writing when you're not writing, and the plot road map
January 19, 2024 00:02 - 55 minutes - 76.1 MBHelen Fisher's debut, 'Space Hopper' was acclaimed as one of the most unique debuts of 2021, recommended by Cosmopolitan, Woman's Weekly', Marian Keyes, and many more, it looked set to launch her to a glittering career. Things weren't that simple for Helen. In the following 2 years, she wrote 3 novels which were all turned down and rejected. At an incredibly low point, she almost gave up. It was only the story of Joe, along with her editor, that gave her enough strength to carry on for one ...
Professor Emma Smith, author of 'Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers' - Academic discusses commercial non-fiction, who Shakespeare really was, and why we can't throw books away
January 12, 2024 00:32 - 57 minutes - 78.6 MBProfessor Emma Smith teaches Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford. She has published some academic non-fiction works before, but this is her first work of real commercial non-fiction. 'Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers', looks at why books are so importantly culturally - why can't we throw them away? What is it about a physical copy that means more than a digital file? What is the history of this phenomenon? We discuss the idea for the book, how she began to re...
D.V. Bishop, author of 'Ritual of Fire' - Historical fiction author talks his rules of writing, planning in the past, and tie-in novels
January 05, 2024 00:25 - 1 hour - 105 MBHappy New Year! Let's start 2024 with a bumper episode from a fantastic historical fiction author. D.V Bishop has published 3 'Cesare Aldo' novels, and the 4th is on the way. He's won the CWA Historical Dagger Award, and his novels are highly commended across the board. His newest novel is 'Ritual of Fire'. It takes you to 1538 Florence, where a rich merchant is found hanged and set ablaze in the centre of the city, as a warning to put the fear of God into Florence... only Cesare Aldo can d...
Jane L. Rosen, author of 'On Fire Island' - Turning screenplays into novels, the balance of writing and promoting, and how to capture a sense of place
December 22, 2023 08:47 - 38 minutes - 52.3 MBIn our last episode of 2023, we chat to Jane L. Rosen, whose new boook 'On Fire Island' is out now. It’s all about Julia, a book lover that lives on Fire Island in New York, who… dies, and then we follow the different lives of those she loves, and how her life affects theirs. Julia is also a screenplay and columnist, and we chat through how she turned a screenplay which didn't quite make it, into a novel. Also, you can hear how Jane captures a perfect sense of place in her writing, and how ...
Amanda Prowse, author of 'All Good Things' - Prolific bestseller discusses creating a universe of characters, completely pantsing and why creativity helps trauma
December 15, 2023 00:12 - 47 minutes - 64.6 MBAmanda Prowse has written over 30 books. Her newest is 'All Good Things', which tells the story of life-long neighbours, the Kelleways and the Harrops, who couldn’t be further apart. However, when they celebrate a big anniversary, huge secrets are revealed and change everything. She has written fiction, non-fiction, novellas, short stories, and memoir. Her novel 'A Mother's Story' was Sainsbury's eBook of the Year. Her work, 'The Boy Between' is a compelling memoir written with her son, det...
Femi Kayode, author of 'Gaslight' - CWA nominated writer discusses writing through a Nigerian lens, chapter titles giving control, and being in the perfect place
December 08, 2023 00:23 - 40 minutes - 56.2 MBFemi Kayode's debut 'Lightseekers' was a book of the month in many national newspapers, it was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award, and was a commercial success. His follow up is 'Gaslight', it's the second in the Phillip Taiwo 'Whydunnit' series. Following the investigative psychologist who has been urgently called in to investigate the disappearance of the 'First Lady' of a Nigerian mega-church. We discuss why he's interested in the why, rather than the who or what, also what he's ...
Katie Marsh, author of 'How Not To Murder Your Ex' - Crime writer talks about switching from romance, trying to clear distractions, and taking 2 months before starting
December 01, 2023 00:23 - 50 minutes - 69.1 MBThis week, we're chatting to Katie Marsh. Katie has published 5 romantic fiction novels, ‘Unbreak your Heart’, ‘The Rest of Me’, ‘The Beautiful Life’, ‘A Life Without You’ and ‘My Everything’, and has now completely switched genre. You can find out why in the podcast. Her new novel is 'How Not To Murder Your Ex', and tells the story of Clio, who opens the door to find her hated ex Gary dead on the lawn in front of her. It's no accident, and the eyes of blame quickly fall on her. We discuss...
Terry Hayes, author of 'The Year of the Locust' - Acclaimed bestseller talks about using song lyrics, cutting hundreds of thousands of words, and the pressure of the second novel
November 24, 2023 00:56 - 49 minutes - 68 MBTerry Hayes started his career as a journalist before heading to Hollywood. He found real success there, writing on 'Flight Plan', 'Payback', and penning, 'Mad Max II'. In 2013, he published 'I Am Pilgrim' to international acclaim and success. 10 years later, he's written his second novel, 'The Year of the Locust'. It tells the story of Kane, a CIA spy who can go where other's can't. We discuss the pressure of following huge success, why he's taken 10 years to publish a new book, and why th...
Freya Berry, author of 'The Birdcage Library' - Bestseller discusses writing hard and often, leaving space in the story, and giving yourself a year to write
November 17, 2023 00:07 - 40 minutes - 55.4 MBFreya Berry's debut, 'The Dictator's Wife', was a bestselling, critically acclaimed hit, and was a BBC 2 'Between the Covers' pick. She's back with 'The Birdcage Library'. It tells the story of Emily Blackwood, a young adventuress tasked by an exotic animal hunter to track down a lost treasure hidden in a castle... it becomes a deeper, darker hunt into secrets best left untold. We talk about the article that gave her the inspiration for the novel, also the research around Scottish Castles ...
Denzil Meyrick, author of 'Murder at Holly House' - Bestselling writer discusses the baggy middle, avoiding distractions, and not being limited by genre
November 10, 2023 00:01 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBDenzil Meyrick has published 11 bestselling DCI Daley books, many standalones, and is back with, 'Murder at Holly House'. Set in 1952, it takes Inspector Frank Grasby despatched to investigate a strange body discovered at historic Holly House. When snow strands him there, and another body is found, we find ourselves in a locked room mystery. We talk about why Denzil doesn't like being limited by genre... he is a writer of all sorts, as that's what writers should be. Also, you can hear how ...
Dann McDorman, author of 'West Heart Kill' - Novelist and Emmy-nominated News Producer discusses twisting the genre, putting the reader in the mystery, and how news affects stories
November 03, 2023 00:22 - 51 minutes - 70.4 MBDann McDorman is an Emmy-nominated news producer, working for MSNBC in New York. His debut novel is 'West Heart Kill', which is something particularly unique. It places the reader at the heart of the mystery. Dann invites you in to an exclusive country club to be an active guest over a holiday weekend... when the bodies start dropping. We discuss the decision to put a singular twist on the crime mystery genre, and how it wasn't supposed to end up that way at all. You can hear how he began w...
D.L. Douglas, author of 'Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer' - Historical crime writer discusses switching genres and names, structuring challenges, and a busy year
October 26, 2023 23:59 - 48 minutes - 66 MBThis week, we're chatting to D.L. Douglas and Donna Hay at the same time. For D.L. see Donna, and Donna see D.L. Donna Hay has published many saga novels, and worked as a journalist across magazines. She's now dipping her ink into historical crime mystery, as D.L. Douglas and her novel, 'Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer'. It features the real life 1920's forensic pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. It's a golden age mystery that meets CSI. We discuss how structuring crime stories an...
Claire Daverley, author of 'Talking at Night' - Debut writer discusses forgetting genre, dealing with rejection, and preparing the mood
October 19, 2023 23:43 - 53 minutes - 73.7 MBThis week we're chatting to Claire Daverley. Her new novel is 'Talking at Night', which tells the story of Will and Rosie, two polar opposites who fall in love and are destined to be together forever, until a tragedy shatters their future. We discuss how much Claire thought about genre, and how she learned from working in the industry. Also, you can hear how she dealt with rejections and went to a writing course which helped her move into a new frame of writing mind. We run through why she ...
Sarah Moorhead, author of 'The Treatment' - Speculative fiction writer discusses keeping busy, thinking of genre, and the classic What If?
October 12, 2023 23:05 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBSarah Moorhead is busy. She's a doer who wants to achieve. She's been a teacher, a Chaplain, started youth-groups, has a black-belt in kickboxing, and writes novels. She published 'Witness X' in 2020, and is back with 'The Treatment'. The novel is all about the future of law enforcement. It looks at how ground-breaking technology could alter what we think of criminals... only psychiatrist Grace Gunnarsson discovers it could let people get away with murder. We chat through the 'what if?' th...
Nick Hunt, author of 'Red Smoking Mirror' - Travel writer discusses blending experience into fiction, debut novels, and how to travel and write for a living
October 06, 2023 15:14 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MBThis week, we're joined by Nick Hunt. He's worked as a journalist and travel writer, publishing 'Outlandish', 'Where the Wild Winds Are', and 'Walking the Woods and the Water'. We discuss how he fell into becoming a travel writer, and how in reality it got in the way of his novel writing. He's published 'Red Smoking Mirror', an alternate history set in 1521, in the Mexican City of Tenochtitlan, in which 29 years earlier, Islamic Spain never fell to the Christians, and Andalus launched a voy...
Diana Janney, author of 'A Man of Understanding' - How poetry influences novels, exploring trauma, and whether your story needs a skeleton
September 28, 2023 23:48 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBDiana Janney is busy. She is a doer. She's worked as a barrister, a model, published two successful novels through the last 20 years, and has a new one out. 'A Man of Understanding' was named runner up for The People's Book Prize 2023. It tells the story of Horatio Hennessy, his orphaned grandson, and their journey together. It explores trauma which Diana has experienced, and she's used it as a way of understanding what it all means. We discuss her love of philosophy and poetry, and how t...
Alex Hay, author of 'The Housekeepers' - Historical fiction author discusses shifting gears through the day, a work-space battle, and changing your routine
September 21, 2023 23:47 - 1 hour - 83 MBAlex Hay's new novel is 'The Housekeepers'. It won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. It's all about Mrs King, a housekeeper from a world of con artists and thieves. She's dismissed from her position running the grandest home in Mayfair, and gets her revenge by recruiting an eclectic group of women to try and rob the house of its every position, right under the owner's nose. We discuss how he organises his writing around his day job, and how he manages to shift gears through different work. Al...
Susan Wiggs, author of 'Welcome to Beach Town' - Multi-million bestseller discusses the joys of research, how to find your voice, and the sweet-spot that makes a classic
September 14, 2023 23:50 - 51 minutes - 70.9 MBSusan Wiggs has written more than 50 books and sold more than 25 million copies in more than 20 languages. Her new one is 'Welcome to Beach Town'. It's a warm, summer read, about the idyllic beach town of Alara Cove. On graduation day, class valedictorian Nikki Graziola veers off script to reveal secrets that will break down the whole community, and have repercussions which never leave Nikki's life. We talk about the sweet spot of classics, how they blend literary language and an unputdown...
Sara Ochs, author of 'The Dive' - Thriller author discusses the path to publication, how impatience affects drafting, and making characters authentic
September 01, 2023 15:14 - 50 minutes - 69.9 MBSara Ochs is an attorney, law professor, and now author. Her debut is 'The Dive'. It's inspired by her own time travelling through Thailand, and hearing about a grisly murder near her hotel. We discuss why being an impatient person affects her drafting, also why getting an agent doesn't mean everything suddenly falls into place, and how she made characters feel genuine when they could so easily become stereotype. You can hear how splitting her time between the US and Sweden helped her writ...
Robert Thorogood, author of 'Death Comes to Marlow' - Mystery writer talks about making stories fun, cosy crime, and stopping the excuses
August 29, 2023 19:25 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MBRobert Thorogood's newest novel is 'Death Comes to Marlow'. It's the 2nd in the 'Marlow Murder Club Mysteries', about a group of amateur sleuths who solve crimes in a quintessentially British town. We talk about his love of cosy crime, why he is inspired by Agatha Christie's need to keep things fun, and why he wanted to write a mystery about where he lives. Robert created 'Death in Paradise', a tv series that has become a BBC institution, and is just wrapping it's 13th series. You can hear ...
Jack Jordan, author of 'Conviction' - Thriller writer discusses getting lost in the work, the business side of it, and making the most of success
August 10, 2023 23:42 - 50 minutes - 69.9 MBJack Jordan's 7th novel is 'Conviction'. It tells the story of Neve Harper, a barrister who must make a terrifyingly tough choice: betray every principle she has and put an innocent man in prison, or put those she loves in mortal danger. Last summer, his novel, 'Do No Harm', was a runaway success and became a Waterstones 'Thriller of the Month'. We discuss the moment he knew that was becoming big, and how he dealt with the pressure of that when writing new stuff. You can hear how much he h...
Fiona Valpy, author of 'The Cypress Maze' - Historical fiction author chats mixing fact with fiction, challenging yourself, and looking through the compost bin
August 03, 2023 23:18 - 49 minutes - 68 MBFiona Valpy is a historical fiction author who has sold millions of books, her work has been translated into more than 30 languages, and she's always up for a challenge. Her new novel, 'The Cypress Maze', is inspired by the true story of Iris Origo. An English-born woman in Italy, she sheltered refugee children and helped prisoners of war escape during World War II. It's a dual timeline novel, set across 1943 and 2015. We chat about the extensive research that goes into historical fiction, ...
Nick Bradley, author of 'Four Seasons in Japan' - Writer discusses going easy on himself, living in Japan, and intricate plot structure
July 21, 2023 14:28 - 51 minutes - 70.2 MBThis week, we're chatting to Nick Bradley. He's an author, a creative writing teacher, a translator, and his new novel is, 'Four Seasons in Japan'. It's about about Flo, a translator in Tokyo. She finds a book on the subway and tries to track down the author and translate it. We discuss his previous novel, 'The Cat and the City', which was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick. Also, how his time living in Japan transformed how he thought of novels, and how he spoke to his characters. You can hear ...
Jenna Clake, author of 'Disturbance' - Poet and novelist discusses writing spaces, keeping it tight, and how poetry helps novels
July 17, 2023 09:39 - 49 minutes - 68.5 MBThis week, we're chatting to Jenna Clake. Her new novel is 'Disturbance', it tells the story of a young woman who, with the help of her strange, witchy neighbour, seems to bring her boyfriends presence back to haunt her. It's eery, creepy, razor sharp and beautifully written. Jenna began writing with poetry. Her first collection 'Fortune Cookie' won many awards, and she teaches creative writing. We discuss how writing poetry influenced her storytelling, and how much it affects the way she w...
Kerry Chaput, author of 'Chasing Eleanor' - Historical fiction writer discusses dealing with anxiety, returning to writing, and ditching 80,000 words
July 06, 2023 23:19 - 50 minutes - 70 MBKerry Chaput is an award-winning historical fiction author. Her 'Defying the Crown' series has had much success, and her new book is 'Chasing Eleanor'. Set in 1935, it's all about Magnolia Parker, who must protect her sick brothers who get put in an Orphanage. She sets out to find Eleanor Roosevelt, the most famous woman in America, to help bring them home. We discuss how she researches novels set hundreds of years ago. Also, why she started writing again after putting her pen down, sufferi...
JP Reiger, author of 'Clonk!' - How to make detective fiction funny, mixing creativity, and writing out of order
June 29, 2023 23:11 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBThis week, we're joined by JP Reiger, whose brand new novel, 'Clonk!' is out now. Paul worked as an attorney, and now spends his time as an amateur musician, and writing novels. We talk about how his work as an attorney has affected how much he plans out novels, and why he's quite casual about where and when he writes. 'Clonk!' is about the Baltimore City Police Detective Kev Dixit, seeking the murder of a local artist, and the unique characters that he meets along the way. We run through ...
Rebecca McKanna, author of 'Don't Forget the Girl' - Debut writer discusses fictional true-crime, getting sucked into the story, and what being published feels like
June 22, 2023 23:36 - 48 minutes - 66.1 MBRebecca McKanna has published short stories in anthologies and quarterlies. Something about one idea made her want to write a full novel. 'Don't Forget the Girl' is about Bree and Chelsea, trying to discover what really happened to their best friend Abby Hartmann. Her presumed murderer, the serial killer Jon Allan Blue, is about to be executed when a flurry of interest in the case makes them turn to a true-crime podcaster to tell Abby's story before it's too late. We discuss the balance of ...
Tim Lott, author of 'Yes! No! But Wait! - The One Thing You Need to Know to Write a Novel' - Award-winner discusses why spaces don't matter, why plot is everything and dealing with guilt
June 16, 2023 13:45 - 51 minutes - 70.1 MBOver Tim Lott's 10 novels, he's won the Whitbread First Novel Award, been shortlisted for The Guardian Kids Book Award and the Costa Award. He's been published in 16 countries, works as a screenwriter, and has taught creative writing for over 10 years. He's got a brilliant Substack page, filled with tips and advice at timlott.substack.com. His new book is a writing guide, 'Yes! No! But Wait! - The One Thing You Need to Know to Write a Novel'. It takes you through much of the process in gett...
Corie Adjmi, author of 'The Marriage Box' - Award-winning writer discusses writing by hand, short stories, and should you always write what you know?
June 08, 2023 23:07 - 43 minutes - 59.7 MBCorie Adjmi's debut novel, 'Life and Other Shortcomings' won a whole bunch of prizes, and has steamrollered her towards the new novel, 'The Marriage Box'. It's all about Casey Cohen, a 16 year old in New Orleans, and in the 70s, her parents decide to return to their roots and move to the orthodox Syrian jewish community in Brooklyn. In time, Casey meets Michael and marries him at 18 thinking she can adjust to his Syrian ways, but starts to question things when Michael says he doesn’t want h...