Confessions of a Debut Novelist

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Ina Christova about her historical novel The Fabergé Girl. We discuss how much you can play with real figures in history, taking inspiration from Russian folklore and fairytale and how she overcame the challenges of bringing characters to life. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Fabergé Girl: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9786190113997Follow Ina: @Ina_ChristovaFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Sarah Brooks about her fantasy novel The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands. We discuss why her strange real-life experience on the trans-Siberian Express gave her the seed of an idea, how winning the Lucy Cavendish Prize changed her life and the incredible 11-way auction of publishers who wanted to buy her book.Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781399607537Follow Sarah: @Sarah_L_BrooksFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Juliana Adelman about her historical novel The Grateful Water. We discuss how a gap in her day-job research inspired her, treating the writing process as a homework assignment to get it done and what happens when an interested agent ghosts you. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Grateful Water: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781848409248Follow Juliana: @adelmanjulianaFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Emma Steele about her romance novel The Echoes of Us. We discuss why a real-life tragedy and a paranormal concept inspired her to write this novel, how she originally started writing a romcom before she realised her writing leaned sadder and more serious and the unusual story of how her novel was published a year earlier in Germany before the UK. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Echoes of Us: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781802795332Follow Emma: @EmmaSteele85Follow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Rufaro Faith Mazarura about her romantic comedy Let The Games Begin. We discuss how her love of the Olympics gave her the idea for a rom-com, why she left gaps in her first draft and wrote the witty dialogue last and why you should treat becoming a debut novelist like a wedding. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy Let The Games Begin: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781405965415Follow Rufaro: @rufarofaithhFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Ania Card about her literary novel Above Us The Sea.. We discuss how her novel began life as short stories that captured friendship, why it was so important to authentically capture the experience of Eastern-European immigrants in the UK and what it’s been like to work with a small independent publisher. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy Above Us The Sea: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781915368515Follow Ania: @aniacardFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Daniel Aubrey about his crime novel Dark Island. We discuss the importance of putting an authentic autistic character front and centre, why Orkney is the perfect place to set a crime series and the brave move Daniel made when he told his agent to pull an earlier novel from submission and start again with a new idea. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy Dark Island: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9780008624408Follow Daniel: @SpacemanDan13Follow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to LJ Shepherd about her psychological suspense novel The Trials of Lila Dalton. We discuss how to find high concept ideas, writing what you know but with a twist and why it's important to surprise smart and savvy readers. And right at the end of the episode, in a special spoilerific section we’ll be discussing the ins and outs of her twisty ending. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Trials of Lila Dalton: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781782279853Follow LJ: @LJShepherdwordsFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.

In this episode of Confessions of a Debut Novelist, I’m talking to Jack Anderson about his psychological suspense novel The Grief Doctor. We discuss exploring the concept of grief through a doctor who will go to extreme lengths to cure it, trying to scare the reader and how his writing journey began with a viral post on Reddit. Confessions of a Debut Novelist Bookshop*Buy The Grief Doctor: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10990/9781526667540Follow Jack: @neon_tempoFollow Chloe on Twitter: @clotimmsBuy Chloe's debut novel The Seawomen: https://linktr.ee/chloetimmschloetimms.co.uk *affiliate link - if you buy books linked to the Bookshop.org site, I may earn a commission.