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Stories Behind The Story: Amy Matthews on Her Journey Through Historical Romance and Romantic Comedies
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Description: Amy Matthews talks to Cheryl about her journey through historical romance and romantic comedies. She discusses how her writing evolved from slow pre-writing to fast drafting once the characters and plot are set. The conversation also touches on the emotional depth of characters, the balance between commercial and literary fiction, and the creative challenge of juggling multiple writing projects. Her latest novel, Best, First and Last, is out now.
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Stories Behind The Story: Renee Salt and Kate Thompson on the Importance of Sharing Stories to Honour the Past
28:31|Renee Salt and Kate Thompson talk to Cheryl about Renee’s harrowing experiences during the Holocaust, her survival, and the lasting impact of trauma and resilience. Kate discusses how she captured Renee’s vivid memories through recorded conversations, exploring both the pain and the significance of remembering. Co-written by Kate Thompson and Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, A Mother’s Promise is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Patricia Wolf on How the Australian Landscape Becomes a Character in Her Latest Book
27:24|Patricia Wolf talks to Cheryl about identity, belonging, and the power of landscape in storytelling, as Patricia reflects on her two-decade-long life away from Australia and how the distance has changed her perspective on home. Her latest novel, Opal, is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Jessie Burton on How Storytelling is a Compulsion and an Artistic Escape
28:09|Jessie Burton talks to Cheryl about her fascination with World War I and its impact on ordinary people, the pressures of deadlines, and how storytelling is both a compulsion and a form of artistic escape. Her new novel, Hidden Treasure, is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Andrea Thompson on The Challenges of Embracing her Identity and Finding Her Voice
31:50|Andrea Thompson talks to Cheryl about her writing process, the challenges of embracing her identity and finding her voice, and how her personal experiences as a gender-diverse woman influenced her debut novel, Geraldine, which is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Ronni Salt on The Power of Social Media in Connecting with Readers
32:53|Ronni Salt talks to Cheryl about her journey to publication, tahe feedback that led to the creation of her debut novel Gunnawah, the importance of social media in connecting with readers, and how her experiences with editors and publishers have shaped her writing. Her latest novel, Gunnawah, is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Emily Paull on the Importance of Authentic Historical Details
26:31|Emily Paull sits down with Cheryl to discuss her journey into writing historical fiction, exploring how research and feedback play a crucial role in shaping her stories. She also shares insights into the freedom she feels being outside the constraints of a contract and the process of revising her debut novel, The Distance Between Dreams, which is out now.Stories Behind The Story: Mary-Lou Stephens on Her Journey From Radio to Writing
30:58|Mary-Lou Stephens talks to Cheryl about her journey from radio to writing, the joy of slow travel, and how her experiences inspire her creative projects like jam-making and crumpet-baking. Her latest novel, The Jam Maker, is out now.Stories Behind The Story: Ashley Kalagian Blunt on How Illness Has Shaped Her Creative Practice
32:26|Ashley Kalagian Blunt talks to Cheryl about how her illness has shaped her writing, her love for true crime, and the challenges of drafting new novels. Her new book, Cold Truth, is out now.