It's Just Historical

A first for me—interviewing an author on the other side of the world! Australian author Meg Keneally got up at sparrow fart (5:45am her time) to talk to me about her fabulous novel, Fled. It's totally engrossing and exciting, and in case you thought the name was a bit familiar, her father is Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's Ark, the book on which the movie Schindler's List was based. (We talk about her childhood a bit too, which is fascinating!)

Tracy and I had a terrific conversation about the nature of writing series, and what ways it can be easier and harder at the same time. Her Fraser-Rannock historical mystery series is 19 volumes long! And she just keeps going with this smart, well-researched, intriguing stories. Enjoy!

Listen in while C.W. Gortner and I talk about his latest book, about the fascinating, larger-than-life Sarah Bernhardt. There have been so many great reviews, but I particularly loved this one: “A literal drama queen, the historical Bernhardt provides a great wealth of material—sleeping in a coffin, keeping pumas as pets, the circles in which she moved with the likes of Victor Hugo and Oscar Wilde—for the creation of a colorful melodrama, equal parts flamboyancy and pathos. Since Bernhardt loved to extravagantly mythologize her own story, she would doubtless delight in Gortner’s first-person fictionalization of her extraordinary life.”—Booklist What's not to like?

A fabulous conversation about research, writing craft, and her latest book, The Exiles—an instant New York Times Bestseller—with Christina Baker Kline. According to Library Journal, The Exiles is "Both uplifting and heartbreaking, this beautifully written novel doesn't flinch from the ugliness of the penal system but celebrates the courage and resilience of both the first peoples and the settlers who came after."-- "Library Journal (starred review)"

And the accolades keep coming.

Find out more about the history and the background of the book on Christina's Web site. And enjoy!

So, this episode is one for the books! Kris and I talked about writing and historical fiction and how her book came about, but we also talked about Tarot! Kris teaches Tarot for Writers, working with writers to use Tarot to spark inspiration, unblock, or just think of things differently in a writing project. Check it out! And Kris’s wonderful, gothic novel about a Victorian post-mortem photographer is available everywhere. Check out her beautiful new Web site for more info!

I'm wondering if this is where I put the Show Notes.

You'll find Janet here.