Two thousand years ago in Britain, the historical figure of Boudicca famously revolted against the Roman Empire and carved a path across the land. This later sparked many myths and stories – including the new historical fantasy novel Nightshade and Oak by author Molly O’Neill. In this episode, Molly discusses her inspirations for telling this story and the experience of writing and editing it. She also shares her take on blending science and creativity and the joys of writing under contract.

00:00 Welcome
06:18 Writing tip: Block in time for your writing
08:12 WIN!: The Ironbark Promise by Léonie Kelsall
9:56 Word of the week: ‘Parvenu’
10:22 Writer in residence: Molly O’Neill
10:57 Molly explains her new book, Nightshade and Oak
12:42 Landing on the point of view character
18:08 How Molly fits writing into her geologist life
21:53 Balancing science and creativity
23:04 The importance of accurate physics in writing
23:53 Molly’s prolific reading and reviewing pastime
25:44 Backing yourself as an author
26:40 Landing her first publishing deal
28:10 The pressure of writing under contract
30:19 Engaging with readers and book clubs
31:34 Upcoming projects and genre exploration
33:23 A writing tip on editing
34:26 Final thoughts

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