120: Amy Engel (I Did It For You)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Amy Engel (I Did It For You) discuss her literary thriller wherein the killer did it but it isn't that simple, wherein both the victim's and killer's families are given empathy, and wherein the sister of the victim and the brother of the killer start a romance. Please note that whilst there are no references to detailed violence, this episode looks at various issues surrounding murder cases. General references: It was indeed Elmore Leonard who said, "You take out the parts that people skip when they're reading". Books mentioned by name or extensively: Amy Engel: The Familiar Dark...
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119: Nydia Hetherington (Sycorax)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Nydia Hetherington (Sycorax) discuss the witch Shakespeare's Prospero hates so much and Nydia's reimagining slash prequel to The Tempest. This involves conversation about chronic illness, attitudes to women in regards to the occult, and on a seemingly unrelated subject, the tendency of pirates to leave problematic people on isolated islands. General references: W H Auden: The Sea And The Mirror Books mentioned by name or extensively: Libby Colman: Trixie - The Childhood Of Sycorax, Witch Of Algiers Margaret Atwood: Hag-Seed Marina Warner: Indigo Nydia Hetherington: A Girl Made Of...
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118: Gill Paul (Scandalous Women)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Gill Paul (Scandalous Women) discuss Jackie Collins, Jacqueline Susann, and the way the 1960s publishing industry treated women. General references: My other episodes with Gill are 42 and 86 I spoke to Èric Chacour in episode 115 The three books with a Mira in them were Eliza Chan's Fathomfolk, Èric Chacour's What I Know About You, and Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing Books mentioned by name or extensively: Dale Carnegie: How To Win Friends And Influence People Gill Paul: Another Woman's Husband Gill Paul: The Second Marriage (Jackie And Maria) Gill Paul: A Beautiful Rival...
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117: C J Wray (The Excitements)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and C J Wray (The Excitements) discuss the WW2 women her book about fun-loving nonagenarians is based on and her views on modern and historical adoption as an adoptee herself. We also discuss the Peter Jones (John Lewis) department store, using Morse Code, and Diamond Doris, a jewel-thief who got away with quite a bit. Please note there are a couple of mild swear words in this episode. Please also note we talk of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry which is commonly shortened to FANY. General references: The Yoga teacher Chris mentions is Dorothea Barron. It isn't the same lady Charlie...
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Live 01: Alex Hay, Lucy Barker, Stacey Thomas
Author's Afterword
Charlie is joined by Alex Hay, Lucy Barker, Stacey Thomas, and a wonderful audience at Goldfinch Books in Alton. You want a writing deep dive? You've got it! Please note that this episode has a whispered swear word in it - we were all adults! The next live event will be at P&G Wells in Winchester on Friday 4th April. If you can't click the link, go to pgwells.co.uk Full show notes and a transcript to follow shortly.
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116: Maggie Brookes (The Prisoner's Wife)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Maggie Brookes (The Prisoner's Wife) discuss her stunning story which was inspired by a real happening - a woman who hid in plain sight as a British soldier in a prisoner of war camp. General references: Maggie's previous episode with me is episode 92 The party episode with Maggie is Milestone 01 (also with Elizabeth Fremantle, Gill Paul, and Amanda Geard) Books mentioned by name or extensively: Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre Maggie Brookes: The Prisoner's Wife Maggie Brookes-Butt: Wish John Nichol and Tony Rennell: The Last Escape Buy the books: || Release details: recorded...
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115: Éric Chacour (What I Know About You)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Éric Chacour (What I Know About You) discuss Egypt in the 1970s for the Levantine community and LGBT people, the famous French-Egyptian singer Dalida, Romeo and Juliet, Éric's use of the second person, and author and translator working together on writing that had been in place for 15 years. General references: Books mentioned by name or extensively: Éric Chacour: What I Know About You Buy the books: || Release details: recorded 20th September 2024; published 10th February 2025 Where to find Éric online: || Where to find Charlie online: || || || Discussions 02:09...
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114: Edward Carey (Edith Holler)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Edward Carey (Edith Holler) talk at length about the arts and the theatre in the context of his book and in general. They also talk about Norwich as Edward's book is his love letter to the city. Please note there is a mild swear word in this episode. General references: Edward's previous episode on this podcast is number 52 My episode with Melissa Fu is number 59 Books mentioned by name or extensively: Edward Carey: Edith Holler Gaston Le Roux: The Phantom Of The Opera Jeanette Winterson: The Passion Julian Of Norwich: Revelations Of Divine Love Robert Louis Stevenson:...
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113: Chloe C Peñaranda (The Stars Are Dying)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Chloe C Peñaranda (The Stars Are Dying) discuss the incident wherein her heroine stabs the hero, getting around her hero's ability to run amok via deus ex machina, and becoming a hybrid author after success as a self-published writer. Please note there are brief mentions of abuse in this episode. General references: Books mentioned by name or extensively: Chloe C Peñaranda: An Heir Comes To Rise Chloe C Peñaranda: A Throne From The Ashes Chloe C Peñaranda: A Sword From The Embers Chloe C Peñaranda: The Stars An Dying Chloe C Peñaranda: The Night Is Defying Sarah J Maas: A...
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112: Eliza Chan (Fathomfolk)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Eliza Chan (Fathomfolk) discuss many questions of immigration in both reality and her fantasy fiction, the different mythological creatures she used and decisions in regards to location inspiration, and Fathomfolk's controversial ending. Please note there is a spoiler in this episode for N K Jemisin's The Fifth Season. General references: Books mentioned by name or extensively: Eliza Chan: Fathomfolk Eliza Chan: Tideborn N K Jemisin: The Fifth Season R F Kuang: Babel Rhonda Parrish (ed.): Sirens Buy the books: || Release details: recorded 14th August 2024; published 23rd...
info_outlineCharlie and Mark Stay (The Witches Of Woodville) discuss writing humour into wartime, using period-correct language as well as slang, why community is important and how much we've lost over the decades, and the metric ton of projects he has on the go.
Please note there are various uses of very minor curse words.
A transcript is available on my site
General references:
The Bestseller Experiment
Claire Burgess' YouTube video about jam roly polyThe Fortean Times
Mark's newsletter
The Witches Of Woodville website
I spoke to Jacquie Bloese in episode 101
I spoke to Lucy Barker in episode 96
A Canterbury Tale (Powell and Pressburger)
Went The Day Well
Threads
The Day After
When The Wind Blows
Chernobyl
The Last Of Us
The transcript for Scriptnotes episode 403
Ben Aaronovitch's episode on The Bestseller Experiment
Unwelcome
Nautilus
Books mentioned by name or extensively:
Becky Brown: Blitz Spirit
C K McDonnell: The Stranger Times
Constance Miles: Mrs Miles's Diary
Dennis Knight: Harvest Of Messerschmitts
Mark Stay: The Crow Folk
Mark Stay: Babes In The Wood
Mark Stay: The Ghost Of Ivy Barn
Mark Stay: The Holly King
Mark Stay: The Corn Bride
Mark Stay: The End Of Magic
Mark Stay: The End Of Dragons
Mark Stay and Mark Oliver: Back To Reality
Nella Last: Nella Last's War
Release details: recorded 19th June 2024; published 28th October 2024
Where to find Mark online: Website || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram || TikTok
Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok
Discussions
02:25 Where the series might go in terms of number of books
03:14 Jam roly poly, getting bell ringing correct, and the forthcoming inclusion of the Morris Dancers in a pivotal role
05:34 The very first beginnings of the Witches of Woodville series
10:05 All about Faye and her relative immaturity
13:10 Widening the scope beyond humour to be more serious
16:02 Creating Miss Charlotte and Mrs Teach
18:10 Does Mark have future plots in mind?
18:49 The characters of the community of Woodville, starting with a question about the librarian
22:45 On Bertie's Battle of Britain diary
26:35 The language in the books - repetitions, and old-fashioned phrases
30:34 Mark's inclusion of the work of German artist, Hannah Höch
32:57 Grief as a theme
36:39 Miss Charlotte's sight and not wanting to make people invincible
41:19 Mark's use of real people in the series, and where you might find pieces of himself in his work. Mark also talks about how we've lost a sense of community
48:05 Mark's time co-hosting The Bestseller Experiment Podcast, why he moved on, and the various projects he's planning
53:54 More about Mark's current film project
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