About this episode

Jo Harkin discusses her novel 'The Pretender' and the life of Lambert Simnel, exploring historical fiction and research insights.

Author Jo Harkin joins Talking Tudors to discuss her novel 'The Pretender', which imagines the life of Lambert Simnel — a farm boy thrust into Yorkist plots, crowned in Dublin, and swept through courts from Oxford to Burgundy and Ireland. Jo explains her five-year research process, the vivid locations and powerful women who inspired her, and her approach to balancing historical fact with imaginative storytelling. She also shares reading and viewing recommendations, a glimpse of her next project set in Spain, and practical insights into writing historical fiction. Find out more about your host: https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!

People in this episode

Host: Natalie Grueninger

Guest: Jo Harkin

Topics covered

• historical fiction
• Yorkist plots
• Lambert Simnel
• research process
• storytelling
• writing insights

Keywords

• Lambert Simnel
• historical fiction
• Jo Harkin
• The Pretender
• Yorkist plots
• writing process
• research

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Pretender

Places: Dublin, Oxford, Burgundy, Ireland, Spain

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