Chapter 25 Book Club

About Chapter 25 Book Club

Welcome to the Chapter 25 Book Club Podcast. This is our bonus chapter, featuring exclusive conversations with authors. Each of these episodes features an in-depth, hour-long interview, followed by a live question-and-answer session powered by our community members. From thrillers to romance, we cover a diverse range of genres, all delivered in the same gently welcoming tone. Chapter 25 is here to spark great conversations about books and authors, as we look for fresh perspectives and celebrate the joy of reading together. Join us at https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/

Publisher

Sian Russell

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jun 2026

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Q&A with Chris Whitaker - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   In this episode, Charlotte sits down with bestselling author Chris Whitaker for a wonderful, wide-ranging chat about his remarkable novel, All the Colours of the Dark. Chris shares the book's initial spark, explaining how the idea of two abducted teenagers forming an unbreakable bond in pitch darkness grew into a sweeping, multi-decade story about love, friendship, and family. We explore the realities of managing a 100-city book tour, the pressure after breakout success, and why readers are truly his favourite people. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

2. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Q&A with Alice Winn - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Join our host Neha for a cosy and insightful chat with author Alice Winn as they discuss her acclaimed First World War novel, In Memoriam. Alice reflects on her journey as a writer, opening up about facing hundreds of agent rejections before finding the inspiration for her masterpiece. She shares how old school newspapers, literary rivalries between trench poets, and visits to military cemeteries shaped her understanding of the era. It is a deeply moving and honest conversation about history, class, memory, and the power of storytelling. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Summerween Special with Joss Wood & Heather Spellman

   Welcome to a very special Summerween episode of Chapter 25! Host Paige Pickering Middleton is joined by authors Joss Wood and Heather Spellman to celebrate all things spooky, sunny, and romantic. We dive deep into Joss's Halloween-obsessed town in Summerween and Heather's gently magical beachside setting in Cruel Summer. From discussing fast writing schedules to navigating pen names and favourite tropes, this conversation is packed with warmth, laughter, and brilliant bookish insights. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter?utm_source=gemini)

4. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Q&A with Clare Leslie Hall - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Welcome back to the podcast, bookish friends! This week, we are sitting down with the wonderful Clare Leslie Hall to chat about her breakout novel, Broken Country. Clare shares her deeply relatable 15-year journey from journalism to publishing success, detailing the emotional roller coaster of changing agents mid-manuscript and learning to trust her instincts. We dive into the dark, emotional layers of her writing, the grief and love triangle at the heart of her book, and why stepping away from your desk might just be the best writing advice ever.

5. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Q&A with Phoenicia Rogerson - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Welcome back to another cosy episode of the Chapter 25 Podcast! This week, we are joined by the wonderful author Phoenicia Rogerson to chat about her brilliant novel, Aphrodite. Phoenicia opens up about her lifelong obsession with Greek mythology, her unique name, and why she felt compelled to challenge the trope of Aphrodite as just a superficial flirt. Grab your favorite warm drink and join us for a delightful discussion on ancient translations, complex power dynamics, and the joy of giving forgotten mythological figures a voice. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

6. 

   4 Sept 2026

   Q&A with Penn Cole - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   In this cosy bonus episode, we sit down with Penn Cole, the brilliant mind behind the hit Kindred's Curse Saga, to discuss her bestselling fantasy novels. Penn shares her journey from growing up in Texas libraries to living in Paris and becoming a full-time author. We explore her meticulous plotting process, the heavy themes of power and cost within her magic system, and her deep appreciation for the passionate romance community. KEY TAKEAWAYS Penn is an extreme plotter who plans every chapter and scene before drafting to find the most creative story solutions. Why magic and choices must carry a real, lasting cost to ground fantasy in emotional reality. A passionate defence of Henry as the vital mortal voice in the political conflict of the series. The power of self-publishing and how indie authors and readers are reshaping the publishing landscape. THE BONUS CHAPTER PROMO ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

7. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Q&A with Beth O’Leary - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Grab a warm cup of camomile tea and settle in for a cosy chat with the wonderful Beth O'Leary! In this episode, we explore the creation of her romance novel, Swept Away, which features two strangers stranded at sea on a tiny houseboat. Beth opens up about her unique writing process, how she balances darker emotional depth with comforting lightheartedness, and gives us an exclusive glimpse into her exciting upcoming novel, The Name Game. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

8. 

   21 Aug 2026

   Q&A with Kate Dramis - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Welcome back to the Chapter 25 podcast! In this episode, our host Paige catches up with the lovely Kate Dramis to discuss her hit contemporary romance, The Odds of You, alongside her popular fantasy series, The Curse of Saints. Kate takes us behind the scenes of her writing process, sharing how a flight to San Diego Comic-Con turned into a full-length novel and how her real-life Scottish road trip inspired Sage's adventures in the Isle of Skye. We also talk about female friendships, writing authentic ADHD representation, favourite romance tropes, and what it is like balancing double writing deadlines.

9. 

   14 Aug 2026

   Q&A with TM Logan - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

   Welcome back to the Chapter 25 podcast! In this episode, our host, Tara, sits down with bestselling thriller author T.M. Logan for an amazing, warm chat about all things writing. We explore how his background in journalism influences his fast-paced plotting, what really goes on behind the scenes of a TV adaptation, and where he gets his wild story ideas. Grab a warm drink and settle in as we unlock the mind behind some of your favourite page-turners! KEY TAKEAWAYS T.M. Logan relies on his journalism background to strip away unnecessary words and keep readers hooked from the very first line. Story ideas often strike during the most mundane moments, like going on a neighbourhood run or washing the dishes with music on. His Google search history for book research has actually triggered automatic warnings when researching dangerous chemicals! TV adaptations of books like The Holiday and The Catch are separate visual interpretations rather than line-by-line copies of the text. His upcoming 2025 release, The Family, follows a 17-year-old boy trying to prove his father's innocence when everyone else believes he committed a horrific crime. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

10. 

    9 Aug 2026

    Q&A with Jessica Knoll - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to the Chapter 25 podcast, your cosy bookish sanctuary! In this episode, host Charlotte is joined by the fantastic Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women. Jessica opens up about shifting the spotlight away from infamous killers to focus entirely on the brilliant, high-achieving women at the heart of her stories. We also chat about her days as a senior editor at Cosmopolitan, her morning writing habits, and her top bookish recommendations. KEY TAKEAWAYS Centring the Women: Jessica discusses why it was vital for Bright Young Women to refuse to give the perpetrator centre stage, focusing instead on the extraordinary lives and potential of the victims. Reclaiming the Narrative: How uncovering lesser-known facts about well-documented cases fuels Jessica's drive to correct public misconceptions through fiction. The Power of Revisions: Jessica shares the reality of writing hundreds of pages that never see the light of day to find the true heart of a novel. Craft Recommendations: The two writing guides Jessica regularly revisits for inspiration are Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Writing by Stephen King. Screenwriting vs Novel Writing: Why collaborating on set and in editing suites for film adaptations provides a welcome break from the solitary nature of writing books. THE BONUS CHAPTER PROMO ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

11. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Q&A with TJ Klune - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to the Chapter 25 podcast, your cosy spot for all things bookish! In this episode, we sit down with the incredible TJ Klune to chat about the beloved world of The House in the Cerulean Sea, his powerful sequel Somewhere Beyond the Sea, and the deep beauty of found family. TJ shares his honest thoughts on navigating the publishing industry, crafting authentic queer characters, and the hilarious, real-life moments that inspire his heartwarming stories. Grab a warm drink, settle in, and join us for a brilliant conversation full of heart, hope, and plenty of laughs. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

12. 

    24 Jul 2026

    Q&A with Chelsea Curto - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to another cosy chat! In this episode, we are joined by the incredible Chelsea Curto to talk all about her swoon-worthy romance In Stormy Weather. Chelsea gives us a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at writing her book during a real hurricane, balancing academic rivals with authentic weather science, and creating unapologetic women in STEM taking centre stage. We also dive deep into her DC Stars series, the science behind pacing spicy scenes, and what she has planned for her readers all the way through 2030. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

13. 

    17 Jul 2026

    Q&A with Lucy Vine - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    In this episode of the Chapter 25 Book Club podcast, we are having a friendly chat with the wonderful Lucy Vine to celebrate the release of her brilliant eighth romantic comedy, Good for You. Our host, Paige, sits down with Lucy to chat about everything from a viral TikTok meltdown over tiramisu to the deep importance of exploring female rage in modern commercial fiction. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and join us for the ultimate bookish chat with one of our absolute favourites. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

14. 

    10 Jul 2026

    Q&A with Claire Daverley - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to Chapter 25! Today, we are settling in for a wonderfully cosy chat with the brilliant Claire Daverley, author of Talking at Night and People in Love. Claire opens up about her journey to becoming a full-time author, sharing how her fine art background helps her create detailed word drawings on the page. We also dive into her time working in publishing, the importance of protecting your ideas, and why she considers her debut to be a rich life story rather than a simple love story. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

15. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Q&A with Grace Alexander - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to Chapter 25! In this special bonus episode, we are sitting down with the wonderful Grace Alexander to chat all about her incredible debut novel, The Low Job. Described as a prestige family drama unraveling in real time, the story dives deep into celebrity scandals, sisterhood, and the performance of modern womanhood. Grace shares her fascinating journey of writing this buzzy, high-energy book during her maternity leave, the reality TV and media trials that inspired the Low family, and why she embraces messy, unapologetically ambitious female characters. KEY TAKEAWAYS Writing in the pockets of time: Grace wrote the entirety of her debut novel whilst on maternity leave from her job in finance, learning to become incredibly efficient by powering through writing sessions whenever her daughter went to sleep. Reality TV and royal inspirations: The core inspiration for the novel came from Grace's fascination with the dislocation of fame on reality television, as well as observing the intense, binary media scrutiny faced by women in the spotlight like Meghan Markle. The power of non-linear writing: As a proud "pantser" who does not plot her books, Grace describes her first drafts as a beautiful shit show where she writes herself into massive holes, letting the characters guide the story organically. Unapologetic female complexity: It was deeply important to Grace that her characters, especially the protagonist Lily and matriarch Lydia, were allowed to be messy, impulsive, and ambitious without being softened or forced into traditional "likability" for the reader. The bond of sisterhood: Drawing loosely from her own relationship with her two sisters, Grace wanted to show that while sisters can pull each other down to the absolute lowest lows, they are ultimately the safe space and stable unit you return to when everything else collapses. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

16. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Q&A with Florence Knapp - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to the Chapter 25 Book Hub, your favourite cosy literary corner. In this episode, we are sitting down with the wonderful Florence Knapp to chat all about her incredible debut novel, The Names. We dive deep into her personal journey through literary rejection, the fascinating concepts of fate and happenstance that shape our lives, and the profound responsibility of writing complex, sensitive themes with true care for the reader. Grab a warm cuppa and join us for an inspiring, heartfelt conversation that will make you look at your own identity in a completely new light. KEY TAKEAWAYS Florence shared that her road to publication took over twenty years, revealing that a year of reading commercial fiction and crime novels after a major rejection served as an unwitting education in narrative pacing and tension. The concept of the novel was inspired by how much identity is tied to our names, which Florence describes as a collection of letters acting like an opening filing cabinet for everything people associate with us. The specific seven-year time jumps between chapters were chosen because the human body naturally renews its cells in seven-year cycles, symbolizing a literal re-growing of the characters. When tackling the heavy theme of domestic abuse, Florence intentionally chose to keep the perpetrator barely sketched in, focusing entirely on the emotional perspective, resilience, and levers of control experienced by Kora and her children. To overcome the fear of the blank page, Florence recommends using scruffy, unintimidating notebooks and practicing Julia Cameron's Morning Pages to keep the pen moving without the weight of expectation. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapters (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

17. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Q&A with Ellis Hunter - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Welcome back to the Chapter 25 Book Hub, your favourite cosy corner for all things bookish! In this episode, we are sitting down for an incredibly authentic and deep conversation with the brilliant co-author duo, Katie and Becky, to celebrate the release of their phenomenal fantasy romance novel, Blood Bound. We chat about everything from the intense realities of co-authoring and why their dragons do not actually breathe fire, to the powerful real-world political themes and vital mental health representation woven into their characters. Grab a warm cup of tea and get ready for an exclusive look behind the scenes of a truly magical partnership. KEY TAKEAWAYS Passion and Friendship as a Foundation: Katie and Becky reveal how their co-authoring journey began over shared late-night conversations and a deep love for the fantasy genre, navigating the massive sacrifice of writing while balanced against full-time jobs and busy family lives. Collaborative Creative Process: The duo share their distinct writing methods, detailing how they divide character points of view (Katie writing Astrid and Becky writing Skyler) while maintaining a strict feedback loop and joint plotting sessions to ensure a seamless, non-jarring experience for the reader. Subverting Classic Tropes: The authors intentionally avoided a copy-and-paste fantasy world, introducing elemental and celestial dragons that manipulate shadows and sunlight rather than breathing fire, alongside creating a slow-burn friendship that holds equal weight to the romance. Empowering Real-World Representation: Katie speaks beautifully and candidly about writing her own experiences into Astrid's journey by providing authentic representation of panic attacks and a misunderstood mood disorder, showing readers that you do not have to be neurotypical to be strong. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

18. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Q&A with Brynne Weaver - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Grab a warm drink, get comfy, and join your bookish best friends for a wonderfully chaotic chat with the brilliant Brynne Weaver, author of the beloved Ruinous Love trilogy and Seasons of Carnage series. In this episode, Brynne takes us behind the scenes of Cape Carnage, explaining how her background in forensic anthropology and biology helps her blend laugh out loud comedy with deeply disturbing horror elements. We dive into her journey as a dedicated pantser who has written every single day for six years straight, exploring her love for intense emotional pain, the surprising things she has had to look up on Google, and why she absolutely loves torturing readers with massive cliffhangers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Brynne shares her journey as a hardcore pantser who writes entirely by following the vivid movie playing in her head, having successfully written every single day for six years straight after abandoning rigid outlines. We get a fascinating look into her forensic background, which allowed her to accurately build the body farm setting in Marrow and weave realistic medical details into her darkest scenes. Brynne opens up about the unique experience of hearing her dark romcom dialogue come to life during a professional table read for the Butcher and Blackbird film adaptation, realising just how intense it sounds out loud. She provides a hilarious look behind the curtain at her research process, including a frustrating battle with Google search results that forced her to use a tape measure on her own torso just to figure out the depth of a human coffee table. For aspiring writers, Brynne shares incredible wisdom about turning off the noise of outside opinions to find your own voice, focusing on building strong networks, and prioritising the legacy and joy you want to give to readers. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨ Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

19. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Q&A with Aamna Qureshi - Chapter 25 Book Club's The Bonus Chapter

    Grab a warm drink, get comfy, and join your bookish best friends for a wonderfully cosy chat with the brilliant Amna Qureshi, author of the beloved Baby Dragon series. In this episode, Amna takes us behind the scenes of Starshine Valley, explaining how she flipped traditional, scary dragon lore on its head to create adorable, chaotic little sidekicks inspired by real life toddlers. We dive into her journey from a young girl writing with glitter pens to becoming a published author of ten books, exploring her love for intense romantic tension, her transition into darker fantasy, and her essential advice on why authors should never read their own book reviews. KEY TAKEAWAYS The inspiration for her mischievous baby dragons came from a mix of classic Disney animal sidekicks and the pure chaos of watching her young nephew throw himself off his mother's lap. Amna shares a vital piece of advice for aspiring writers, urging them to focus on their own paper and write authentic stories that make them proud, rather than shifting their work to chase market trends. To protect her mental health, Amna strictly avoids reading reviews of her own work, noting that human nature causes us to remember one negative comment over ten beautiful compliments. We get an exciting sneak peek into her upcoming release, Rider of Dragons, which features illegal dragon races and explores a darker, faster paced, and sexier side of the Starshine Valley universe. When facing writer's block, Amna fills her creative well by revisiting her absolute favourite comfort stories, including period dramas like BBC's North and South or the brilliant novels of Melina Marchetta. ✨ JOIN THE BONUS CHAPTER ✨Love our podcast? Join our digital community, The Bonus Chapter, for just £5 a month! https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter (https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/thebonuschapter)

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Spotify

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