In this episode of Rock, Paper, Swords!, Justin Hill and Matthew Harffy are joined by historical novelist Sophie Perinot for a wide-ranging conversation about writing, research, and the realities of the modern book industry.

We discuss:

• Moving from the United States to the United Kingdom

• Adapting to life in Britain, including experiences with the NHS

• The importance of the Historical Novel Society conferences

• How historical research has evolved in the digital age

• Changing trends in historical fiction

• What’s shifted in traditional publishing over the past decade

• Navigating today’s historical fiction market

This is an honest and thoughtful look at writing as a profession — community, craft, career longevity, and the changing landscape of historical publishing.

🎧 Discover more episodes:
https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwords

❤️ Support the podcast on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/c/RockPaperSwordsPodcast

#HistoricalFiction #PublishingIndustry #WritingLife #HistoricalNovelSociety

In this episode of Rock, Paper, Swords!, Justin Hill and Matthew Harffy talk with historical novelist Carolyn O’Brien about protest, power, and forgotten voices in British history.

From the Peterloo Massacre to the rise of fascism in 1930s Britain, Carolyn explores how radical politics, women’s lives, and working-class resistance shape her fiction. We discuss writing politically engaged historical novels, the responsibilities of historical storytellers, and why history’s margins often hold its most urgent truths.

🎧 Listen now and discover how history, fiction, and resistance collide.

📚 The Song of Peterloo:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14768/9781789550757

🔗 More episodes & links:
https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwords

❤️ Support the podcast:
https://www.patreon.com/c/RockPaperSwordsPodcast

In this episode of Rock, Paper, Swords!, Justin Hill and Matthew Harffy speak with historian Sharon Bennett Connolly about medieval princesses, royal daughters, and women’s power in the Early Middle Ages.

Drawing on Princesses of the Early Middle Ages, Sharon explores how women shaped dynasties through marriage, diplomacy, and inheritance, and why their influence has often been overlooked in traditional histories of the Norman Conquest.

A fascinating conversation for anyone interested in medieval history, women’s history, and the realities behind popular myths.

🔗 https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwords

Buy the book, Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14768/9781399091022