Molly Green writes wartime novels that celebrate the women who stayed home and served their country. Her new novel is 'Courage for the Cabinet Girl'. Set in 19412, with Britain in the throes of the Second World War, it's about Katharina Valentine who feels sidelined. Employed as a shorthand-typist in the War Office, she is transferred to the basement below – home of the top-secret Cabinet War Rooms. Unexpected staff shortages present an opportunity to work directly for Winston Churchill himself, and Katie jumps at the chance. We talk about her working writing under 3 different names, why a job she had 40 years ago still makes her start early, and why she gets angry when people think she's wrong. To save money on one of the biggest writing retreats of the year, head to writersrising.com and use the code 'wr10'. Support your favourite authors, local bookshops and this podcast by buying books on our dedicated site over at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this engaging conversation, Jodi Picoult, a bestselling author with over 40 million books sold, delves into the intricate process of writing, exploring how personal experiences shape creativity. She shares how her latest novel, inspired by Amelia Bassano, highlights historical struggles for voice and identity. Picoult discusses the therapeutic power of writing during the pandemic and reveals insights about writing schedules amid her busy life. Plus, she raises intriguing questions about Shakespeare's authorship and the role of women in literary history.

Ciar Byrne, a gardening journalist with 25 years of experience, shares her intriguing journey to becoming an author. Despite her extensive background, it took six books and a random email for her to land a publishing deal for 'A Deadly Discovery.' Ciar discusses the balance between her freelance work and novel writing, the unique process of transforming journalistic skills into fiction, and the challenges of merging grief and mystery in her debut. She also offers advice on overcoming bad writing days and emphasizes the importance of starting early.

Jack Strange's debut is 'Look Up, Handsome'. It's a festive rom-com about bookshop owner Quinn, who is trying to save his business, only when romantic novelist Noah comes to town, he might provide an unwanted distraction.It's far from the first book he's written, having tried his hand at mysteries, crime, thrillers, but it's rom-com that's landed him a publishing deal, and we try to unpack why.We discuss why representation across sexualities and nationalities is very important to him, also why he's considered and planned in life, but perhaps not in writing. You can hear how spirituality helps him get to work, what it was like being submerged in Christmas for most of the year when writing this novel, and how he was inspired by those Hallmark holiday movies.You can support and sponsor the show at patreon.com/writersroutinewritersroutine.com@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Gray, an award-winning journalist and author, discusses her fascinating transition from non-fiction to fiction. She dives into creating authentic characters, emphasizing flexibility and personal experiences. Catherine also shares how sobriety enhances her creativity and focus, along with the challenges of balancing writing with family life. Additionally, she reflects on her debut novel 'Versions of a Girl' and the importance of self-criticism in the writing process, all while navigating the complexities of motherhood and storytelling.

J.M. Hall is a former primary school teacher and playwright turned cozy crime novelist, known for his recent work, 'A Clock Stopped Dead.' In this engaging conversation, he shares how retirement reshaped his writing routine and reveals his preference for the tactile process of writing long-hand. Hall discusses how his teaching background enriched his storytelling skills and the emotional journey behind his latest novels featuring retired teachers turned sleuths. He reflects on using personal experiences to fuel his creativity and the journey from playwriting to novel writing.

This week, we're joined by Santa Montefiore. A bestselling author, published across the world, who has sold millions of copies of her 31 novels. She's known for her richly drawn characters, intricate plots, and a deep sense of place, often set in the countrysides of England, Ireland, and Argentina.Her books, including The Deverill Chronicles series and The Beekeeper’s Daughter, have been translated into more than 25 languages, captivating audiences worldwide. Beyond her novels, Santa is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and spirituality and often explores themes of love, loss, and redemption in her work.Her newest novel is 'Shadows in the Moonlight', which tells the story of time-shifter Pixie Tate, who needs to solve a mystery in the past, using her unique gifts.We discuss why her writing space is determined by her dog, also why a change of publisher finally landed her success in the UK, and why she's a pretty committed panster.You can hear hear why Santa's biggest problem is getting to her desk, also how she felt with immense European success, but not much at home, and what happens if your characters don't take you down the right path.This episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Their flagship, 'Writing a Novel' course is taking admissions for their new 6 month programme. Find out more at https://faberacademy.com/writing-a-novel/If you enjoyed the episode, please do watch a new visualised version on our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@writersroutineSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rhode is a busy man. Working as a lawyer, with a full family, he's recently self-published his first novel. It's called 'The Eagle and the Cockerel', and was shortlisted for a 2024 Selfie Award.We discuss why Alan was so keen to become a published author, and he is very open about his reasons for wanting to be a novel, and what his ambitions are in the next few years. You can hear why concentration is subjective, why nature helps his writing, and why writing in a second language can make things tricky and a bit slow.'The Eagle and the Cockerel' is a political thriller based on a true story, of a plan to unite Germany and France after WWI, and create a new European superpower. We discuss the birth of the idea, how it grew, and what inspired him in the political thriller genre.This episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Their flagship, 'Writing a Novel' course, is starting in October in person or remotely, and you can find out more at faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Steadman had a very successful acting career, starring in 'Downton Abbey', 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen', 'Fearless' and many more. In her early 30s, she started to think about how her future as an actor might pan out. It's been well documented that roles for older women are depressingly stark, and often frustratingly uninspired. Giving that some thought, Catherine decide to switch things around, and trusting that her story-telling and improvisational abilities learned from acting would transfer well, started writing fiction.Her debut was 'Something in the Water', it became a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, which launched her to success. She's a New York Times Bestseller, has sold millions of copies and been published around the world. Her newest novel is 'Look in the Mirror', which looks at the lives of Nina and Maria, and how their lives become entangled with a huge house in the British Virgin Islands. It's a mysterious thriller which Catherine was keen to keep speculative, and not let it creep into being gritty or grimy.Catherine talks about how acting has helped her writing, why she feels able to understand the nuances of characters well, also why novelty is key to her day, and how she keeps grounded after sudden success.You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Milly Johnson is one of the top 10 Female Fiction authors in the UK, with over 3 million sales in the country alone, and many more across the world as she's been published in more than 20 different countries. She's been honoured with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award, and has just published her 21st novel in 20 years.It took her a long time to finally get published, and we discuss her desperate quest to become a novellist, and how it, at last, happened. Also, you can hear how she spent her time before in an incredibly unique job, and how it hugely helped her aspirations to write novels.Her newest novel is 'The Happiest Ever After', which tells the story of Polly Potter... someone taken for granted by everyone in her life. The only place where things are working is in her evening classes learning to write a novel - there she has created Sabrina Anderson, someone who has their life together. Yet, when Polly suddenly finds herself in a seaside hospital, with no recollection of why she is there... she finds her identity changing. She starts to believe she is not Polly, but Sabrina… her fictional character. It’s a novel about whether she can move on and get the life she's always dreamed of... or will the past catch up with her?You can hear about how Milly keeps herself concentrating, whilst being surrounded by the best things. Also, why she still feels like everything might slip away tomorrow. We talk about the pressure of the 2nd and 3rd books, after finally securing a publishing contract, and why you have to be good at switching train tracks through the year.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.