Writer's Routine

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.

Jodi Picoult is one of the world's most successful authors. She's written over 30 books, been translated into 34 languages, and has sold more than 40 MILLION books. Her novel, 'My Sister's Keeper', was turned into a huge film starring Cameron Diaz, and she's written as a librettist, with pieces performed across the world.

Her new novel is 'By Any Other Name', which tells the story of Emilia Bassano, who back in 1581, like most women of the day, isn't allowed a voice of her own. When she starts writing dramatic masterpieces, she decides to pay a man for the use of his name... then what happens 500 years later, when the man becomes one of the most famous who ever lived?

We discuss her thorough research which hasn't changed much in 30 years, also how she divides her time with so many projects going on and so many book tours planned. You can hear about the book she wrote as therapy during lockdown and never thought would release, and why she has a voodoo doll of her competitors.

The book is released in the UK on October 10th, get a copy with our brand new Bookshop.org Writer's Routine store! Find lots of books we've featured on the show too - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine

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Ciar Byrne has worked as a journalist for 25 years, usually as a gardening journalist, she's written for The Independent, The Guardian, Private Eye and many more. It turns out that all that experience, didn't make it easier to get published.

Ciar wrote 6 books before she got a deal. When it eventually arrived, it came through the strange route of a random email after a Twitter Submission Window she'd entered half-heartedely. After waiting so long to get a contract, when she was finally offered one, what did she do? How did she immediately get to work to make her project the best it could be? We try and find out.

The debut is 'A Deadly Discovery', which stars Virginia Woolf and her sister, Vanessa Bell, from the Bloomsbury Set, as a pair of unlikely amateur sleuths. It's set around the historic country town of Lewes, in the south of England, where Ciar lives, and incorporates murder, historic buildings, and a touch of gardening too.

You can hear why she's had to slow down her writing to forget some journalistic practices, also the brilliant advice she's got about bad writing days, and why she likes to start 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.

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Catherine Gray is an award-winning journalist who has written for The Guardian, Stylist, The Telegraph, Grazia, and many more. She's published 4 non-fiction books, which have sold over a million copies and been translated into 9 languages.

She's best known for her book, 'The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober', which takes you through the benefits of going alcohol-free, and how it can positively impact your creativity.

Her debut novel is 'Versions of a Girl'. It's a classic sliding doors story, which tells the tale of Fern, whose mother is a former ballet dancer and formidable social climber, while her father is a layabout who lives hand to mouth in Californian motels. When Fern is 14 she needs to chose who she is living with... and we follow both of those narratives. It's the ultimate nature v nurture questions - do we become who we are because of our parents, or in spite of them?

We talk about avoiding stereotypes when writing characters, also why working as a journalist has helped her write on cue, and why it's vital to be critical of your own work.