Meet Joanne Joseph, author of the historical fiction novel, Children of Sugarcane. Set against the backdrop of 19th century India and the British-owned sugarcane plantations of Natal, it paints an intimate and wrenching picture of indenture told from a woman’s perspective. In this episode, Joanne explores how the story of her own great-grandmother inspired the novel. She shares the importance of highlighting intergenerational trauma through fiction, and how to approach writing the more harrowing aspects of history. We also talk about her advice and tips for other historical fiction writer ..read more

Meet Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of the Sunday Times bestselling novel, Pandora. The story reimagines the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box against the backdrop of Georgian London, as an aspiring jewellery artist encounters an ancient vase that her villainous uncle is desperate to keep secret. The novel was previously shortlisted for the 2020 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and longlisted for the Bath Novel Award that same year. In this episode, Susan shares her journey towards becoming a published author, querying advice for writers who are currently seeking representation, the inspiration behind her ..read more

We speak with Graeme Johncock, a writer and storyteller. He’s also the creator of Scotland’s Stories, sharing tales from Scottish folklore and history. He also goes on regular story research trips, accompanied by his labrador, Molly! In this episode, we discuss how Graeme became a storyteller, the locations that inspire him the most in Scotland, and advice for writers who are going on research trips. Graeme also shares his key tips to building a strong platform, and tells us one of his favourite stories from Scotland’s past (which sounds like something straight out of a film)! To keep in touch ..read more

We chat with Cameron Brett, an Australian author of a young adult historical fiction series, set in Ancient Egypt. He’s also the creator and writer of the children’s series Meet the Quokkas, and is currently writing a new novel for adults. We’ll explore his advice on writing memorable historical adventures, how writers can successfully self-publish and market their books, and get a hint of Cameron’s upcoming writing projects! You can check out Cameron’s books and join his mailing list at www.thecameronbrett.com. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. Timestamps (00:24) - I ..read more

In this episode, we chat with Claudia Merrill, an Australian writer based in Vienna. Her genre is historical fiction with a bit of fantasy mixed in, and she’s currently writing a novel series set in ancient times. With her stories, she brings mythology and folklore to life through the lens of history. We discuss what it’s like to research and write historical fiction, including the best tools to use, how you can prevent burnout, navigating seasons when it’s difficult to write, and the key to building a strong author platform. You can keep in touch with Claudia on her Instagram account, or chec ..read more

In this episode, we chat with Helena Barnard, whose debut novel, ‘A Painted Winter’, has just been released. It tells the story of two Pictish brothers who conspire with the Ancient People from beyond the Great Wall to attack the Romans. Helena was born in Australia, and she now lives in northern England at the foot of Hadrian’s Wall.  We’ll find out what inspired Helena to write historical fiction, and we’ll discover her path to releasing her debut novel with an independent publisher. She’ll also describe her writing and researching process, including what it’s like to write about a civi ..read more

Bethany Hudson is a Seattle-based writer of historical literary fiction. She is seeking representation for her novel The Shadows of Tacubaya, whilst also writing her next work, a novel set in the 1910s exploring the murder of a young teenager and a miscarriage of justice. This episode explores how Bethany Hudson's experience as an actor has helped her to develop her characters and give a multifaceted view of history, how she navigates the research and writing process, and the advice she would give to herself when she was just starting out as a historical fiction writer. Timestamps: (0:15) - In ..read more

We'll explore why Writing The Past has been created, who the show is for, and what you can expect from each episode. We'll then explore the 3 things Isla learned from writing her first historical fiction novel: to prioritize the story, to silence her inner critic, and to have patience with the process.  Timestamps (0:17) - Introduction (0:37) - Meet Isla (0:45) - Why this podcast was created, who it’s for and what to expect (2:55) - The 3 things Isla learned from writing her first historical fiction novel (3:59) - 1. Prioritising the story (6:35) - 2. Overcoming symptoms of imposter syndr ..read more