About this episode

The episode features a discussion with Madeline Martin about her novel 'The Secret Book Society' and the historical context of women's reading in the Victorian era.

What happens when historical fiction dares to challenge the rules? On the True Fiction Project, host Reenita Hora welcomes New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin, whose latest novel, The Secret Book Society, uncovers the radical act of women reading books in the Victorian era. A three-times-widowed Countess builds a secret book club, defying a culture that viewed literate women as dangerous. Madeline shares her extraordinary path through self-publishing, traditional publishing, and deep historical research, writing over 40 books along the way. Rich with Victorian women's history, hatpin fighting, seances, and the language of flowers, this episode is a love letter to storytelling. Tune in to hear the author read the prologue, in which a street boy delivers a single boot as proof that a woman may have been wrongfully taken to a lunatic asylum. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why historical fiction set in the Victorian era continues to captivate readers, and how the rigid etiquette of the period creates a rich backdrop for subversive, empowering storytelling rooted in women's history. ✅ How self-publishing works in the romance novel market, including why authors must…

People in this episode

Host: Reenita Hora

Guest: Madeline Martin

Topics covered

• historical fiction
• Victorian era
• women's history
• self-publishing
• storytelling

Keywords

• historical fiction
• Victorian women
• self-publishing
• literacy
• book club

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Secret Book Society

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