Nine To Noon Best-selling author Deborah Challinor on her latest novel
Mar 12, 2026
Deborah Challinor, best-selling historical fiction author and historian, shares her research-driven approach to storytelling. She talks about historical language and swearing, dressing in crinoline to experience the past, and the novel's themes of motherhood, baby farming and women's struggle for independence. She also discusses body snatching, colonial exploitation and why she includes detailed author notes.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Tati's Auckland Decision Changes Everything
- Tati faces a personal crisis after an event in Auckland forces a massive decision about her life and assets.
- The law would strip her assets if she remarried, so the choice reshapes her world and endangers her in ways she once investigated.
Plotter Surprised By Her Own Characters
- Deborah planned the plot carefully but an intended partner became an unexpectedly nasty character, forcing her to discard most of the original storyline.
- She discovered a peripheral character was a better fit and improvised a new plot despite being a habitual plotter.
Author Notes As A Research Outlet
- Deborah writes extensive author notes because research material would bog down the narrative if included in the story.
- The notes grew into 20% of the book and she enjoys adding entertaining historical details readers request.
