Writing The Past Megan Douglas

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 writers—from creating meaningful connections with characters, all the way to the craft of plot twists!

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 novel, Pandora, and more!

To keep in touch with Susan, you can visit her website at https://www.susanstokeschapman.com/ and sign up to join her mailing list. She also has a blog, including a helpful guide to the agent submission process. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Meet 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)!

Meet 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!

Claudia Merrill is 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.

Helena Barnard has just released her debut novel, 'A Painted Winter'. 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.