For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer and poet Charlie Roy about her debut novel 'THE BROKEN PANE', which we consider one of the books of the year so far. The two discuss why this was the story Charlie wanted to tell, how the structure of the novel developed, her close relationship with, and the duty of care she felt for, her central character 'Tam', the importance of redrafting, creating believable and memorable secondary characters, and the complex nature of family secrets.
Charlie also talks about the themes of mental health, women's lives, and family, and why they are important to all her work, as well as explaining the central role her dog played in the writing of 'THE BROKEN PANE'. It's an interview which offers real insight into the life of a writer and what writing a novel entails.