Writer, creative writing teacher and now novelist, Belinda Lyons-Lee, joined the program to discuss her debut novel, ‘Tussaud’. Topics discussed include:

- Her fascination with the era and how it fuelled this daringly imaginative novel.

- Writing a story with real-life historical figures, the basis for which her creativity catapulted from.

- Research – including the exquisitely described building of the automaton, Marie’s hands becoming her hands and so on.

- The juggling act of including just enough the research – if it’s supposed to be the ‘wallpaper’ of the narrative, what about if the of-era wallpaper was riddled with arsenic?

- Delving into themes featured in the story – the creation of artificial life and playing god, the moral quagmire that elicits and the motivations the character Marie felt in the need to ‘protect’ her latest creation.

- Loneliness as a driving force for a character.

- Penning a decidedly gothic tale that nevertheless featured the realistic oppression of women of the time, exemplified in several of the male characters. Including the oft used technique of declaring someone to be a ‘hysterical woman’ and carting them off to an asylum to do away with them.

- How Belinda’s career has in some ways informed her writing, the appreciation for the human condition and how that has enabled her to create such densely-layered characters.

- And much more!

Thanks so much to Belinda for appearing on the program, you can purchase a copy of ‘Tussaud’ from her brilliant publisher, Transit Lounge, here:

https://transitlounge.com.au/shop/tussaud/