Author's Afterword

Charlie and Manda Scott (Any Human Power) discuss her book in terms of its Shamanist contexts, her informed ideas for how we can change and thus improve the UK political system, and playing Dungeons And Dragons with Terry Pratchett and Fay Weldon. We also discuss Mass Multiplayer Online gaming in the context of both Manda's book and, briefly, ourselves - this is an episode wherein two gamers meet.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Historical Writer's Association Accidental Gods Podcast Thrutopian Writer's Association Ursula K Le Guin's original quotation, "We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable - but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art" is from her speech in acceptance of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, 19th November 2014 Chauvet Cave artwork The writer Charlie couldn't remember is Max Porter, his book is Grief Is The Thing With Feathers World Of Warcraft Guild Wars 2 Doom The Accidental Gods membership program

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Isabel Harman: Why We Get The Wrong Politicians Manda Scott: Any Human Power Manda Scott: Boudica Max Porter: Grief Is The Thing With Feathers

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 11th March 2024; published 22nd July 2024

Where to find Manda online: Website || Twitter || Facebook

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:50 What was the very initial thought or kernel of this book? 08:52 What Manda would like to see happen in order to start accomplishing the environmental and political goals put forth in Any Human Power 14:13 Lan - why is she dead? 18:00 About the 'spirit guides' in the book, discussing crows 22:02 Lan not stopping the story thread in which Kaitlyn dies 25:42 Manda delves into all the political change in the book and her thoughts on our real UK world in this context 37:10 How far we're meant to like/connect with the characters and how flaws are important 41:16 At the end we have the sense of cycles; do we see a chance for things to change for Lan later on? 43:43 Manda talks about one of her influences, Taiwan's government system 46:22 Talking Manda's use of World Of Warcraft (WoW) in the book, which devolves into a short gaming conversation 50:21 Manda played D&D with Terry Pratchett and Fay Weldon - details 53:07 About Manda's podcast, Accidental Gods 56:30 What Manda's writing now, including book 2

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Celebrating 100 episodes of this podcast, Charlie is joined by Elissa Soave, Jenni Keer, and Chloe Timms for a general bookish chat. This one is big on writing, branding, and marketing, and, if Charlie dares says herself, is one of the most fun episodes of this entire show.

Please note there is a mild swear word in this episode.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Confessions Of A Debut Novelist Groundhog Day Elissa episode with me is number 80 Elissa's episode on Chloe's podcast Chloe's writer's club The Lake House

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Chloe Timms: The Seawomen Daphne Du Maurier: Rebecca Elissa Soave: Ginger And Me Elissa Soave: Graffiti Girls Eliza Clark: Penance Guillermo del Toro: The Shape Of Water Janice Galloway: Collected Stories Janice Galloway's The Trick Is To Keep Breathing Jenni Keer: The Secrets Of Hawthorn Place Jenni Keer: At The Stroke Of Midnight Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood: The Testaments Roget's Thesaurus

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 7th March 2024; published 15th July 2024

Where to find Elissa online: Twitter

Where to find Jenni online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram || TikTok

Where to find Chloe online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

02:21 What is your genre and what does it do, what's it for? 11:31 If you wrote in another genre, which would it be? 17:47 How is your social media strategy? 27:22 What's the best reader or fan encounter you've had? 33:01 If you could have written someone else's book, which book would you choose? 37:17 What is the best writing advice you've ever been given? 43:56 All three tell us what they're currently writing, soon publishing (in two cases), and Elissa also tells us about her November 2024 release

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Jacquie Bloese (The Golden Hour/The Secret Photographs) discuss early erotic photography, Victorian erotic stage performances, and the beginnings of bicycle use for women which had a huge impact on female agency.

Please note there are mentions of suicide and abuse in this episode

A transcript is available on my site

General references: The photograph of Marie Berin Marion Sambourne's diary I can recommend the keyword phrase 'early bicycle wear women' for lots of pictures of the outfits Jacquie describes Wikipedia's article on the history of women cycling (bicycling and feminism)

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Jacquie Bloese: The Golden Hour

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 3rd April 2024; published 8th July 2024

Where to find Jacquie online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:26 The whys of this book and the inspiration, particularly in the context of the photography 03:56 More about the model written about by Linley Sambourne, who committed suicide, and how Jacquie was influenced by it 05:47 Why Jacquie chose Brighton, and why she chose the Victorian period in that context also 09:00 About the female photographer, Marie Bertin, that Jacquie mentioned 09:58 About Holywell Street in London 11:30 The women points of view of The Golden Hour - Ellen, Clem, and Lily 16:23 Harriet (Harry) Smart and the music halls/theatres 20:28 More about The Vigilant Association 24:08 How Jacquie plotted her book and kept all the secrets straight in her mind 28:34 How Ottile had a bigger role in previous drafts 31:46 The importance of the questions of sexuality 34:53 Ellen and Reynold's mother, her story and the significance of her story 38:05 Women! Cycling! And the importance of cycling for women at the time 42:09 About Jacquie's inclusion of cats and the way they influenced the book 44:35 What Jacquie's writing now, her book that includes silent films

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Celebrating 100 episodes of this podcast, Charlie is joined by Alex Hay, Stacey Thomas, and Lucy Barker for a general bookish chat with a concentration on the writing. The trio toured together as debuts and we get to witness just how well they work together.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Downton Abbey Ocean's Eleven Mary & George (Julianne Moore) Zsolt's Instagram post on The Revels Euphoria Fear The Walking Dead Pride And Prejudice Persuasion

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Alex Hay: The Housekeepers Isabella Beeton: Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management Stacey Thomas: The Revels Lucy Barker: The Other Side Of Mrs Wood

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: Recorded 18th January 2024; published 1st July 2024

Where to find Alex online: Website || Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Stacey online: Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Where to find Lucy online: Website || Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

02:44 How the trio's debut novelist tour came about 05:42 Anecdotes about the tour 08:37 Will you do another tour? 09:40 Last discussion on the tour 10:39 What is historical fiction, what does it do, what's it for? 20:51 Was there anything particular that you liked in research but couldn't include in your book? 31:25 What is the best reader or fan encounter you've had? 34:25 If your book was to be adapted who would you want cast in it? 37:46 Tell us more about what you're writing at the moment

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Liz Fenwick (The Secret Shore) discuss the women cartographers who were fundamental in the Allies winning the Second World War and the way women at university at the time had to choose between their career and having a family. We also discuss Liz's love of Cornwall, her use of Dorothy Sayer's Gaudy Night, and we go back a few times to the people who were involved in the secret flotillas that preceded the Normandy landings.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: My previous interview with Liz is episode 35 Liz's TikTok plot walk on Frenchman's Creek The Woman's Hour episode including women's intuition

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Daphne Du Maurier: Frenchman's Creek Dorothy Sayers: Gaudy Night Ernie Pyle: The Best Of Ernie Pyle's World War II Dispatches Liz Fenwick: A Cornish Stranger Liz Fenwick: The Returning Tide Liz Fenwick: The Path To The Sea Liz Fenwick: The River Between Us Liz Fenwick: The Secret Shore Liz Fenwick: A Portrait Of You

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 25th March 2024; published 24th June 2024

Where to find Liz online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram || TikTok

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:45 You'd wanted to write about the secret flotillas for a long time? 02:58 Women's work in cartography in the Second World War 05:48 Furthering this discussion we go to Liz's character, Merry, or Dr Tremayne, and begin a discussion on what Liz left out of this book 09:42 More about Merry's work in the context of how a woman had to choose between a career and having a family, particularly in the context of Oxford University 16:06 Merry's mother, Elise, including her story in The Secret Shore 19:46 The romance in the book, including the love story 23:00 Liz's love and use in her novels of Frenchman's Creek, Cornwall 25:06 Ridifarne! 27:01 Is heart or head more important? 28:16 Liz's use of Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night and the character of Peter Wimsey 31:19 The real people in the book and how Liz made it all happen 33:38 All about Maurice Cohen and the mouse 35:22 The sacred wells in Cornwall 38:14 All about Liz's plot walks, which she releases to TikTok 41:03 Does it feel strange when you're not writing about Cornwall? 44:10 Liz's next book, A Portrait Of You

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Celebrating 100 episodes of this podcast, Charlie is joined by Gill Paul, Elizabeth Fremantle, Amanda Geard, and Maggie Brookes for a general bookish chat. We get all philosophical about genre, discuss film adaptations (Elizabeth's Firebrand is out), whose books we wish we could have written, and best fan encounters.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Firebrand - the UK release date it 14th June A Royal Affair House Of The Dragon Netflix's The Queen's Gambit Amanda's interview with me on The Moon Gate is episode 84 Elizabeth's appearance on BBC Front Row The Irish Times' article on Amanda's house (includes a photo of the room we discuss) Father Ted The Historical Novel Society 2024 Conference

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Amanda Geard: The Midnight House Amanda Geard: The Moon Gate Diana Gabaldon: Voyager Dodie Smith: I Capture The Castle Elizabeth Fremantle: Queen's Gambit Elizabeth Fremantle: Disobedient Elizabeth Fremantle: The Sinners (working title) Gill Paul: The Secret Wife Gill Paul: Another Woman's Husband Gill Paul: The Manhattan Girls Gill Paul: A Beautiful Rival Gill Paul: Scandalous Women Jenny Ashcroft: Echoes Of Love Kerry Fisher: The Secret Child Maggie Brookes: The Prisoner's Wife Maggie Brookes: Acts Of Love And War Maggie O'Farrell: I Am, I Am, I Am Paula McLain: The Paris Wife Walter Tevis: The Queen's Gambit

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: Recorded 26th September 2023; published 26th February 2024

Where to find Elizabeth online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram

Where to find Amanda online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram

Where to find Gill online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram || TikTok

Where to find Maggie online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

02:36 What is historical fiction - what does it do, what it is for? 06:09 If you wrote in another genre, what would it be? 08:29 If your book was to be made into a film or TV show, who would you want cast in it? 13:03 Can you describe your latest book without talking about the plot at all? 15:47 If you could have written someone else's book, whose would you choose? 18:38 What's the weirdest thing anyone's said about one of your books? 22:43 What's the best reader or fan encounter you've had? 26:11 Have you ever been mistaken for another author? 28:55 What is the best interview you've had excluding this podcast? 32:53 What is the best writing advice you've ever been given? 37:27 Can you remember any particularly interesting fact that you discovered in research that you couldn't include in your book? 42:48 What bookish event are you looking forward to in the next couple of years? 45:52 What is everyone's next book? (Except Gill - she mentioned hers earlier.)

Photo credit: Gill Paul, JP Masclet, Amanda Geard, Lyn Gregory

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ (Dazzling) discuss Igbo mythology, the differences between polygamy and monogamy in Igbo culture, and the social impacts of colonialism and military coups in Nigeria. Chịkọdịlị also talks about having her characters bother her when she's trying to shower, finding literature in rubbish heaps, and needing a literary residency - please let her know if you've one to spare!

Please note there are mentions of rape and general violence in this episode.

A transcript is available on my site

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ: Dazzling

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 7th February 2024; published 10th June 2024

Where to find Chịkọdịlị online: Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:43 The starting point of Dazzling 04:54 The original narratives and the hows and whys of Chịkọdịlị's choices in terms of points of view and tenses 07:41 Why Chịkọdịlị doesn't have a favourite character and how she knows her characters 09:23 Is Chịkọdịlị writing a sequel? Shhh... 14:13 Chịkọdịlị tells us about how she worked on world building, which includes information about her childhood in Nigeria and how it compared to her initial years in the UK. She also discusses colonial and Christian impacts on Igbo culture 22:03 Why it was important to include the lack of family - Chịkọdịlị talks about polygamy in her culture and the differences between that and a one-mother family 29:08 The spirits and Igbo mythology in the book 34:32 Chịkọdịlị's use of the leopard society, which is a factual society, and who they were in reality 39:47 The 'lost girls' in the book - the whys and hows and the connections to reality. And the 'use' of menstruation 44:15 The inclusion of politics and its importance - looking at the civil wars and coups 47:04 Bringing the Harmattan into what Chịkọdịlị's been saying 49:25 What Chịkọdịlị is writing now

Photo credit: The Visual Team

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Sarah Marsh (A Sign Of Her Own) discuss the lesser-known aspect of Alexander Bell's work - teaching deaf children to speak - in terms of both the real history and the fictionalised character she created in order to explore the events. This includes snippets about the manufactured rivalry between the two inventors of the telephone; Bell's wife, Mabel Hubbard (who was deaf); the Deaf community in London in the late 1800s; and the way Sarah employs language - written, signed, spoken - to excellent effect.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Wikipedia's page on Bell and Elisha Grey's rivalry

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Reuben Conrad: Deaf School Child Sarah Marsh: A Sign Of Her Own

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 1st December 2023; published 27th May 2024

Where to find Sarah online: Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:55 The inspiration for A Sign Of Her Own 03:27 Alexander Bell's work with deaf children, 'Visible Speech', and the reality of it all 07:08 The Deaf community in London at the time 08:13 The locations - America and London 09:21 The characters, particularly Sarah's fictional heroine, Ellen, and where bird names as surnames come into it 11:49 Talking about Mabel Hubbard, Alexander Bell's wife, who was deaf 13:24 The rivalry between Alexander Bell and Elisha Grey 15:30 The way Sarah uses different languages in her book 18:57 The romance in the book, between Ellen and Frank 20:48 Where Sarah sees Ellen going in her life beyond the book 22:34 Brief notes on what Sarah's writing now

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Natasha Solomons (Fair Rosaline) discuss Natasha's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, told from the perspective of Rosaline, wherein Romeo is a groomer and Juliet must be saved from him. We discuss as well Natasha's stylistic choices for her prose and the changes she made to the original ending.

Please note that there is a lot of discussion of sexually predatory behaviour and some explicit language in this episode.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: Mark Scott's rephrasing of Charles Dibdin's argument can be found in his 1987 publication, Shakespearean Criticism, page 419 Susan Calman's audiobook version of Pamela Butchart's To Wee Or Not To Wee

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Natasha Solomons: Mr Rosenblum's List Natasha Solomons: I, Mona Lisa Natasha Solomons: Fair Rosaline Pamela Butchart: To Wee Or Not To Wee Ros Barber: The Marlowe Papers

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 28th November 2023; published 13th May 2024

Where to find Natasha online: Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:39 The inspiration for Fair Rosaline - Natasha's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet as being darker than it's portrayed 06:18 How we never see Rosaline in the original, and how Natasha changes this 07:01 Shakespeare's own thoughts on his characters, and Natasha's interpretations here 10:29 How Natasha borrowed from other Shakespearean Rosalines and Rosalinds 16:32 The importance of Juliet and her relative relevance in the book, and how Natasha considered different types of readers when she wrote 19:39 We start talking about the changes Natasha makes to the ending 20:44 Romeo's copying Tybalt - the balcony and roses not being Romeo's original idea in Fair Rosaline 21:57 The theme of roses and thorns 24:54 How Natasha wrote her prose - similar but not the same as Shakespeare's 28:12 How Natasha changes (or, as she says, 'made it more explicit') Friar Lawrence 32:45 The men being in on it 34:17 The importance of the convent and the theme of women's freedom 40:25 Tybalt's death and why Natasha made the choices she did 42:29 How Natasha wrote with her young daughter beside her on Zoom in lockdown 44:34 What Natasha's writing now: Cleopatra, with the Shakespearean influence again 47:18 There will be a play of Fair Rosaline!

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Charlie and Lucy Barker (The Other Side Of Mrs Wood) discuss Victorian mediums both factual and fictionalised - their work, the spiritualism that led to their popularity, the social circles, the rivalry, the rumours of fraud, and the women's roles as early grief counsellors. We also talk about the early days of the Suffrage movement and various aspects of the book's ending.

Please note there is a very mild swear word in this episode.

A transcript is available on my site

General references: The Courtauld's exhibition of Georgiana Houghton's spirit paintings A preview of Tracy Ann Oberman's audio version of The Other Side Of Mrs Wood Lucy's blog post on the postal service in Victorian times One Night At McCool's Lucy's blog post on using Notting Hill

Books mentioned by name or extensively: Elizabeth Gaskell: Cranford George Gissings: The Odd Women Lucy Barker: The Other Side Of Mrs Wood

Buy the books: UK || USA

Release details: recorded 27th November 2023; published 22nd April 2024

Where to find Lucy online: Blog || Twitter || Instagram

Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

01:50 The real mediums who inspired the book: Agnes Guppy and Florence Cook 05:17 Lucy talks about how mediums in general were able to escape accusations of falsehood despite many being outed as frauds 08:53 The fickleness and loyalty of medium patrons 10:35 Why the Victorians were in to Spiritualism 14:00 The importance of the references to America throughout the book - America's own spiritualism 15:27 Mrs Wood, Miss Newman, and Miss Finch 19:07 The very early days of the women's suffrage movement 22:30 About Mrs Wood's circle of people 26:35 How Mrs Wood seeing herself as providing a service for grieving people, and the role of mediums in early grief counselling 29:34 The comedy in the book, and Lucy speaks briefly about her next book in the context of humour 30:58 Lucy's use of letters in the book, and Mr Clore's columns 33:23 The ending: why Lucy chose the ending she did for Mrs Wood and Mr Larson 35:32 Charlie thought it was going to be revealed that Miss Finch could really talk to spirits - Lucy discusses this point. Listen in! 37:24 The ending: Mrs Wood and Miss Finch and their terms 39:20 Lucy tells us about the locations in the book: Victorian-era Notting Hill, Portobello Road, Ladbroke Grove 42:32 Lucy gives us more information about her next book

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops