Writing Podcast Episode 737: Award-winning author Emily Howes reimagines 'Mrs Dickens'

Imagine being married to one of literature’s most famous wordsmiths and having him describe your life as “a blank”. This is the reputation that Charles Dickens’ wife Kate of 22 years – with whom he had 10 children – has endured for 150 years. But in author Emily Howes’ new novel Mrs Dickens, she seeks to fill in those blanks. In this episode, Emily shares her inspirations for choosing this historical figure and the challenges of reimagining history.

00:00 Welcome08:28 Writing Tip: Try something new11:55 WIN: The German Ward by Pip Williams13:16 Word of the Week: “Pertinacious”14:14 Interview with Emily Howes15:02 Why Mrs Dickens matters16:50 Inspirations for the novel22:23 Researching her life24:01 Turning facts into fiction25:35 What stayed and what was cut30:02 Second POV character: Anne35:57 Balancing work and writing38:48 Emily’s writing breakthrough43:22 What’s next?45:48 Writing tip47:31 Final thoughts

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