A ‘folk horror’ that spans 40 years – awash with intrigue, magic and dark secrets! That’s what awaits you in this episode as we meet British author Olivia Isaac-Henry and discuss her latest suspense novel, Sorrow Spring. Olivia shares what inspired the location and themes, how she blended historical events with fiction, and the challenges of straddling two time periods and different character narratives.
00:00 Introduction 02:22 Nat Newman's writing tip: You’re not ‘bad’ 10:17 WIN! The Last Days of Kira Mullan by Nicci French 12:10 Word of the week: ‘Wolver’ 15:41 Writer in residence: Olivia Isaac-Henry 18:47 Olivia’s inspiration for her story and themes 19:59 Setting the scene: Time periods and locations 21:35 Character backgrounds and motivations 23:40 Crafting distinct voices for characters 26:03 Incorporating real-life events into fiction 26:58 Writing process and challenges 28:19 Upcoming projects and future plans 32:37 Olivia’s tips for aspiring writers 33:56 Final thoughts
In addition to writing novels, Olivia Isaac-Henry is a crime drama lover, occasional keyboard player, and backing vocalist in the band The Protaganist. She grew up in Worcestershire but now lives in London, where she loves the theatres, food markets and festivals.
