Charlie and Michael Stewart (Black Wood Women) discuss the persecution of Irish people in the 17th century, the loss of and possible reintroduction of wolves in Britain, and 17th century hippies.
Please note that there is discussion of drugs in this episode.
General references:
The Bronte Writing Centre
Books mentioned by name or extensively:
Elizabeth Fremantle: Honey And The Sting
Ian D Rotherham: Yorkshire's Forgotten Fenlands
Michael Stewart: King Crow
Michael Stewart: Walking The Invisible
Michael Stewart: Black Wood Women
Michael Stewart: Surrounded By My Enemy
Stacey Thomas: The Revels
Release details: recorded 14th April 2025; published 11th August 2025
Where to find Michael online: Website || Instagram
Where to find Charlie online: Website || Instagram || TikTok
Discussions
01:25 The inspiration for Black Wood Women. We continue on the subject of wolves and their loss and reintroduction
06:50 What having three narratives allowed Michael to explore
08:29 The persecution of Irish people in the 1600s
11:08 Michael talks about the 1600s communities that we might today call hippy
16:14 World building, making it all so real
19:19 The language of the novel - a mix, Charlie found, of old and new
21:54 On Michael's witches taking substances
23:52 Michael's interest in ravens
29:14 The men, particularly Johanne the Swedish wolf hunter who Charlie reckons is more witch than anything else
34:53 Was the questioning in Black Wood Women of what was going on with witch accusers drawn from the history?
39:31 More about Alice
42:16 About the ecology in the book and how this relates to our present day
45:28 Is it difficult writing such a dark book?
50:19 What Michael's writing now, Surrounded By My Enemies
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