Mike Gayle is a prolific author. He's published 20 novels, many of which land on the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and has been translated in over 30 countries. He was the first male writer, and writer of colour, to win the Romantic Novelist Association's Outstanding Achievement Award. He's back with a new novella called 'The One That Got Away'. It tells the story of Reuben and the love of his life who is getting married... only to someone else. He has a day full of activities planned to take hi...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 360
Barnaby Martin is a busy man. He works as a teacher, runs a successful YouTube channel with over 10 million views, as a composer he's had pieces performed across the world, and now he's released his first novel, 'The Quiet. It tells the story of a dystopian world covered by the Soundfield. A domer which surrounds the Earth and changes everyone's life. It brings deadly heat, ravages food and water supplies, and everyone lives with its constant background hum. When scientist Hannah learns her son ...
Jun 12, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 359
Caitlin Davies has always wanted to be a writer. It took her a long time to admit it to herself, let alone voice it aloud. She started writing as a journalist, covering stories across Europe and Africa, and now, finally, is a published author. She writes widely, switching genres and styles, releasing 6 novels and 8 narrative nonfiction books along the way. Caitlin tends to be inspired by forgotten women from history, and water. Her most recent book is 'Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Fe...
Jun 05, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 358
Heidi Perks is the bestselling author of 7 novels, 'Now You See Her', 'Come Back for Me', 'Three Perfect Liars', 'The Whispers', 'The Other Guest', 'The Next Girl', and her new one, 'Someone is Lying' It tells the story of Jess and her daughter, Issie. They have an unbreakable bond and for years it's just been the two of them. However, when a new boyfriend, Dylan, takes Issie travelling... and contact dries up, Jess needs to figure out who is lying. The story is told through mixed media, merging...
May 29, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 357
This week's guest is the phenomenally bestselling author, Simon Scarrow. He mainly writes historical fiction, best known for his 'Eagles of the Empire' series, and has written about Ancient Rome and Nazi Germany too. He's also published futuristic sci-fi, and began writing dystopian fiction and comedy, before realising he should write what he wants to read, not what he thought might sell. Simon has sold more than 6 million books, and has been translated into 25 languages. His passion for storyte...
May 22, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 356
Chris Bridges has worked as an NHS Nurse, a theatre reviewer, a columnist and now is a published author. It was his work as a nurse, coupled with his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, that gave him the inspiration and experience to get the novel done. The novel is 'Sick to Death', it tells the story of Emma who can't go to work because of a neurological condition. When her boyfriend won't finally leave his wife, she takes matters into her own hands. Emma is sick, but not in the way you think. WHAT A...
May 16, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 355
M.G. Leonard is the author of 16 children's books, which have won heaps of awards. She was awarded Sainsbury's Childen's Book of the Year, and the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2021. Meanwhile, as a child at school, she was told she'd never become a published author - that she simply wasn't smart enough. Before becoming a writer, she managed bands, ran an indie record label, and worked as a professional actor with some of the biggest names around. She now uses her performance e...
May 08, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 354
This week, we're taking a look inside the writing life of Hanna Thomas Uose, author of 'Who Whats to Live Forever'. Hanna won the Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour, was shortlisted for Orion and DHA's Space to Write project, selected for the Asian Women Writers Mentorship Programme, and went back to study for an MA in Prose Fiction. Her new novel is 'Who Wants to Live Forever', and it comes from the simple question - how would the world change if we didn't have to die? We discuss ho...
May 01, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 353
This week, we're chatting to Robert Whitlow, prolific writer of over 20 bestselling novels. His new one is 'Guilty Until Innocent', a legal thriller that looks an an old case being reopened, and the two lawyers who have to prove the convicted's innocence against the odds. His debut novel, 'The List', was adapted into a successful movie starring Malcolm McDowell. In fact, four of Robert's novels have been adapted for the big screen, and Robert still divides his time between writing and working as...
Apr 17, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 352
Jennifer Saint worked as an English teacher in a secondary school for thirteen years, when all of a sudden, with an unexpected confidence, she felt the urge to write a novel. It wasn't just the confidence she could do it that surprised her, but the belief that it would do well. She was inspired by Greek mythology, and wanted to emphasise their relevance for the 21st Century. Her debut was 'Ariadne', which tells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur from a female prespective. It was a Sunday Tim...
Apr 10, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 351
Paul S. Edwards is a lawyer, a family man with two children, and has just published his first sci-fi novel, 'The Triton Run'. He found time to write it... anywhere. If he was early at a football game, he'd get words down. If he was at a gig with a few minutes to spare, he'd write. On the sofa with his family watching TV, he will get down it it. His new novel is 'The Triton Run', the start of a new sci-fi series which spans planets and, Paul hopes, does something a bit different in the genre. We ...
Apr 03, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 350
Julia Raeside is a journalist and broadcaster, who has written for The Times, The Guardian, The Big Issue and many others, and appeared across the BBC. Her new novel is 'Don't Make Me Laugh', which looks at the culture within the world of comedy... an industry which is rapidly approaching a #MeToo moment. It tells the story of Ali Lauder, a radio producer enlisted to hire Paul Bonatti to host a show. It could be her career breakthrough. Bonatti is a comedian who is thought to be cosy, warm, cool...
Mar 28, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 349
This week, we chat to Rosaria Girorgi, a mystery writer whose life has been as busy as one of her plots. Whilst studying in Denmark, she got a job working for who she thought was an antique dealer. He turned out to be 'The Umbrella Assassin', a cold war legend, who assassinated the Bulgarian dissident journalist Georgi Markov, with a poison pellet discharged from an umbrella. It's inspired her novel,'The Less Unkind', which tells the story of Pico, a young woman making her way in the world and f...
Mar 21, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 348
James Alistair Henry has had a hand in writing some seismic shows across T.V. He is a BAFTA award winning writer for the comedy, 'Green Wing', worked on the sketch show, 'Smack the Pony', and his diverse career has seen him write for 'Bob the Builder', 'Hey Duggee', and 'Shaun the Sheep'. He's just published his debut novel, 'Pagans', which has already been optioned for Apple TV. It's set in an alternative Britain, threatened with political turmoil to unite the Celtic West, the Saxon East, and t...
Mar 14, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 347
This week, we're chatting to Maz Evans, a celebrated Children's author who has taken the plunge into Adult fiction, publishing her second cosy crime book. Maz is a Carnegie Award and CWA Golden Dagger Shortlisted writer. 'Who Let the Gods Out', 'Vi Spy', and her 'Scarlett Fife' series are loved by kids across the world. Her new adult novel is 'That'll Teach Her', it's a multi-media novel telling the story of a group of parents trying to solve a murder over their WhatsApp group. It's the perfect ...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 346
Imran Mahmood has 30 years experience as a criminal defence lawyer, working on all manner of high-profile cases. He's taken that knowledge and forged a successful 2nd career as a crime writer. His debut, 'You Don't Know Me', was presented as a closing argument to a jury. It was long-listed for the Theakston Crime Novel of the year, the CWA Gold Dagger in 2017, and was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice. It's been adapted for a BBC/ Netflix Crime Drama. He followed that up with 'I Know What I Saw', w...
Feb 28, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 345
Nick Newman is an award-nominated author, who as Nicholas Bowling has published 4 genre-defying books for children. Now, he's written his debut adult novel, called 'The Garden'. It's an other-worldly retelling of 'The Secret Garden', inspired by Cormac McCarthy. It tells the story of Lily, Evelyn and a nameless boy who wanders into their vast and flourishing garden. We discuss the balance of getting the plot down, whilst also writing some lovely words. Also, why he tells himself one thing about ...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 344
This week we chat to A.F Steadman, the bestselling author behind the phenomenal 'Skandar series'. The fantasy saga has taken the literary world by storm, was reported to have sold for a seven-figure deal, and was believed to be the biggest advance ever given to a debut childrens author. The series is praised as the biggest children's fantasy since Harry Potter. In this episode, we dive into her journey from practicing law to becoming a celebrated writer, explore the inspirations behind her imagi...
Feb 14, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 343
Laurie Dove is a do-er. She likes to keep busy. Alongside writing for numerous places like CNN, Animal Planet, the LA Business Journal, and many more, Laurie was elected local Mayor back in 2015, has a Masters Degree from Harvard, and has just published 'Mask of the Deer Woman'. It tells the story of Carrie Starr. Once a detective in Chicago, Carrie has hit rock-bottom after a personal tragedy and returned to the reservation in which she grew up to be their local Marshal. When a college student ...
Feb 07, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 342
Peyton Corinne is a love story enthusiast. As a teenager, she would write fan-fiction about her favourite series, then she self-published her own writing whilst working as a teacher, because she hit it big on TikTok. The episode is a full break-down on why if you market yourself smartly and keep up with social trends, your book will find an audience, and traditional publishers will find you. Her new novel is 'Unloved', it tells the story of star hockey player Matt 'Freddy' Fredderic, who can do ...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 341
This week we chat with Eowyn Ivey, the acclaimed author of The Snow Child and To the Bright Edge of the World, ahead of her new novel Black Woods, Blue Sky . We explore the inspiration behind her vivid Alaskan settings, her journey from bookseller to bestselling novelist, and the themes of resilience and wonder that thread through her work. Black Woods, Blue Sky , tells the story of Birdie and Emaleen, mother and daughter travelling through the Alaskan wilderness, until they meet the timid Arthu...
Jan 24, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 340
This week, we're chatting to Stephen Spotswood. Stephen is an acclaimed author and playwright celebrated for his mastery of mystery and suspense. Best known for his 'Pentecost and Parker' series, Spotswood reimagines the noir genre with sharp wit, dynamic characters, and intricate storytelling. He's a Nero Award Winner, a New Blood Dagger Award finalist, an Edgar Award Nominee, wrote the NYT Book Review Best Crime and Mystery of the Year. His new novel is 'Dead in the Frame', it's the 5th in the...
Jan 17, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 339
On this week's episode of 'Writer's Routine', the show that takes a look inside an author's working day, we're chatting to horror writer, Grady Hendrix. Grady is the bestselling author of "The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires", "Horrorstör", and "My Best Friend’s Exorcism". He blends horror and humour with incredibly inventive plots and creative ways of creating terror. His new novel is 'Witchcraft for Wayward Girls'. It tells the story of a home for unwed expecting mothers, who ca...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 338
This week, we're chatting to Cathy Hayward. Cathy is busy. She runs an award-winning PR agency, bought a bookshop in Brighton on a whim, runs a 5 AM writing club, and manages a creative writing programme. Amongst all that she's just re-released her debut novel, 'The Girl in the Midnight Maze', and has just published her new novel, 'The Secret of the Brighton House'. The novel is all about Jackie, who always thought her mother died in childbirth. However, when she's preparing for her own, much lo...
Dec 20, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 337
Daniel Sellers is the bestselling author behind the 'Detective Lola Harris' series. Each involves a mysterious crime set across Scotland. The new one is 'Murder on Skye', which sees Lola track a potential murderous reality TV star out to the remote, windswept island. It starts as Lola discovers the body of a woman pulled from the river. Instantly, she knows it's Kathryn Main, who has been missing for a while, and was on the juror which convicted reality star Carter Craig of a double murder. When...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 336
Nayantara Roy is a TV executive for the channel Starz over in Los Angeles, and now a published author. Her debut is 'The Magnificent Ruins'. It tells the story of Lila, on the verge of a massive career breakthrough, only to inherit her grandfather's home in Kolkata. She returns to face a resentful family and an unresolved childhood. We discuss learning from many sources and how she's grown from her debut. You can hear why with an office, she chooses to write in the sanctuary of the comfortable s...
Dec 06, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 335
This week, we're looking inside the writing routine of Niall Williams. He is an acclaimed Irish author whose evocative storytelling has captivated readers and audiences around the world. He loves to capture a sense of place Born in Dublin in 1958, his writing is rooted in the rich cultural and literary traditions of Ireland. Niall studied English and French at University College Dublin before moving to New York City, where he worked in publishing and honed his craft. He moved back home to 'see i...
Nov 29, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 334
This week, we chat to the historical fiction author and academic, Steven Veerapen. He's best known for his Anthony Blanke series, set in the Tudor period, about the son of a black trumpeter, John Blanke, who was a real figure in the court of King Henry VIII. There's 'Of Blood Descended' and 'Of Judgement Fallen', which are out in print and just released as audiobooks. He's also written 3 in the 'Simon Danforth' series, and a few about the playwright Christopher Marlowe as a spy. We talk about th...
Nov 22, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 333
Alex Pavesi spent a long time writing many debut novels. He would write a few thousands words, get struck by a brilliant new idea, get bored, stop writing and the cycle would continue. Finally, he landed upon a way of storytelling that allowed him to write a finished book. That became 'Eight Detectives', which was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year and a smash-hit. He's followed it up with 'Ink Ribbon Red'. It tells the story of a group of old friends who meet for an annual birthday weekend a...
Nov 08, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 332
Sarah Easter Collins is an all-round creative. Alongside being a painter, she's just published her debut, 'Things Don't Break on their Own'. It tells the story of Willa, whose life shattered into tiny pieces when her sister disappeared on the way to school, and she has never been able to put them back together again. Willa sees Laika everywhere: on buses, at parties, in busy streets. It’s been twenty-five years, and the only thing that has kept her going is her belief that her sister is alive, s...
Nov 01, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 331
