We talk about:
classic gothic literature
what elements make a story gothic
southern gothic vs. gothic from the southern hemisphere
famous gothic books
the overlap between gothic & horror
the gothic aesthetic
19 Oct 2026
Episode 13: Designing a Monster for your Story
We talk about:
different kinds of monsters
the history of monsters
best monster books
how to design a monster for your story
11 Oct 2026
Episode 12: The House as a Character
We talk about:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Green Knowe
Arcane Houses of London
The Haunting of Hill House
Howl’s Moving Castle
Hogwarts
Baba Yaga
The Hobbit
Grail Legends
Condor Peak
4 Oct 2026
Episode 11: Designing Characters
We talk about:
the interplay between plot & character
how to get character to do unusual things & stay in character
what 'breaks' a character
how to design interesting characters
28 Sept 2026
Episode 10: Things that Make Readers Skim Your Novel
We talk about:
Ursula le Guin
Tolkien
Genre conversions
LOTR and Figwit
Surprising & delighting readers - without losing them
Stringing people along for the payoff
21 Sept 2026
Episode 9: Pet Peeves that Break the Story
We talk about:
the different levels of pet peeves
how you can't please everybody (so don't try)
the curse of knowledge (and how it can ruin an otherwise good read)
the rule I use when parsing beta reader feedback
and many more peeves...
14 Sept 2026
Episode 8: How Background & Training Shapes Your Writing
We discuss:
how our previous jobs (architecture, theatre) shaped our writing
how hobbies (classical music, surfing) shapes writing
the role of the narrator/director in a story
the architecture of story
7 Sept 2026
Episode 7: Creating Shippable Couples
We talk about:
Fan fiction
Harry Potter, Draco/Hermione, Draco/Harry Potter
Pride and Prejudice
The Da Vinci Code
The disco ball of theme
Dark romance, Damseling, & Stockholm Syndrome
Vorkosigan Saga - Aral Vorkosigan and Cordelia Naismith
BBC Sherlock & Queerbaiting
Greek concept of multiple forms of love
The Hobbit movie
31 Aug 2026
Episode 6: Comedy of Manners & Writing Process
Things we talk about:
Pride & Prejudice
A Civil Campaign
Pygmalion
Steering the Craft - Ursula le Guin, Left Hand of Darkness
Gaslamp Fantasy vs Comedy of Manners vs Fantasy of Manners
Oscar Wilde
Gaudy Night
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
The Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin
The Secret of Monkey Island
Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall
Daily Rituals by Mason Currey
Embodying the characters while writing vs method acting
24 Aug 2026
Episode 5 - Children's Books & Magical Realism
We talk about:
Dr Seuss - Cat in the Hat
Maurice Sendak - Where the Wild Things Are
Judith Kerr - Mog Books, Tiger Who Came for Tea
Not now, Bernard
Shirley Jackson - The Lottery, Jack the Ripper
Quentin Blake
Alan Lee
John Howe
Tolkien
Calvin & Hobbes
Terry Pratchett
Star Wars
CS Lewis - Narnia
17 Aug 2026
Episode 4: Your Story's Theme
We talked about:
RWNZ conference
Keynote speakers TL Swan, Jennifer Hilt, Nalini Singh
Shannon Curtis on theme
Aesop's Fables
Stephen King's 'On Writing'
'The Lottery' & 'The Witch' - Shirley Jackson
The Merchant of Venice
Pride and Prejudice
A Room with a View - E.M. Forster
Willa Cather - My Mortal Enemy
The Titanic
In this video, we discuss:
The Word Loss Diet - https://amzn.to/4wVqAxI
Filter words
Narrative occasion
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Amateur Theatrics
Using RPG's as a way to create a story / world build
Basque legends & words informing the story's cosmology
Responsibility of an author to create a story that shapes your world
A Christmas Carol
Challenges of taking a story from one genre into another
3 Aug 2026
Short Stories, Twists, & Fooling Readers
Books & Stories mentioned:
- The Retired Assassin's Guide to Amateur Theatrics
- The Lottery - Shirley Jackson
- The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
- Chivalry - Neil Gaiman
- Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak
- The Tiger Who Came for Tea - Judith Kerr
- Agatha Christie
3 Aug 2026
Epidsode 2: All things cosy (+ jump scares!)
Books & movies mentioned:
The Famous Five - Enid Blyton
Dorothy Sayers
Sherlock Holmes
Ngaio Marsh
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Agatha Christie
Thursday Murder Club
cat steals the show: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/15Wy9kj3bNE
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening
Victoria's as-yet unnamed book!
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