Former journalist, lawyer, writer and now novelist, Lyn McFarlane, joined me on the show to discuss her debut children's novel, ‘The Scarlet Cross’.

TRIGGER WARNING: Topics discussed include schizophrenia, mental health/illnesses, self-harm, suicide.

Topics discussed include:

- The process of creating the fictional hospital - St. Jude Hospital - its backstory and architecture, its patients and doctors and their workplace culture and everything else that went into the immersive setting.

- The robustness of the crime genre - the freedom it affords to write and weave in societal issues and histories, without detracting from a fast-paced, thrilling story.

- The sister relationship at the core of the story - that of Meredith and Bella - how Lyn always wanted to write a unique care-giver story role.

- The writing of Bella’s character - Lyn’s need to make her a fully dimensional and accomplished person in her own right - not someone singularly defined by their schizophrenia.

- And so much more!

Thanks heaps to Lyn for talking with me on the show. Grab a copy of ‘The Scarlet Cross’