Acclaimed writer Sarah Perry’s surprise (to her) best-seller The Essex Serpent has been adapted to a six-part Apple TV series, starring Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes (we know). Could there be a better excuse – not that we needed one – to get her on the Zoom, for a natter? Our Jen was giddy as a kipper to chat to Sarah, about having a book fly off the shelves, what it’s like to have a Hollywood star play your protagonist, the fetishisation of women’s trauma, and – of course – being an Essex girl.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/standardissuespodcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices