This is the Roaring Twenties: an era full of glamor and shimmer, petting parties and transgression, secret passwords and wild nights on the town. So we’re going to start by spending time with the most iconic lady of her age: the flapper. Bold, fun loving, independent, daring, shocking, the flapper might just be the most enduring icon of the 1920s. A woman who loomed large in the public’s imagination, capturing the spirit of the times. But who is she, exactly? Let’s have her introduce us to...

Let's time travel back to the 1920s! But first, we're going to revisit a vintage Exploress episode that explores something momentous that happened in the year 1920, when American women finally won the right to vote. You can pre-order my novel, NIGHTBIRDS, wherever print, ebook, or audiobooks are sold! If you do, make sure to claim the exclusive Nightbirds pin by February 27th. If you order from One More Page Books, you'll get your copy signed and personalized AND get some special character...

Shakespeare is one of the most famous English writers of all time, and yet some people still debate who the Bard truly was. Some even ask the rather tantalizing question: was Shakespeare actually a woman? Was his Dark Lady the genius behind his pen after all? Thanks to my lovely supporters over on Patreon for bringing us this special bonus episode. If you want to help support the show, consider becoming a patron. 

I had the privilege of interviewing Jennifer Kranz, the producer of The King's Wife, a musical that reimagines the relationship between Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Come behind the scenes with me on this still-developing musical, which gives us a heartfelt, feminist version of the story of two of Tudor England's most infamous queens, and find out what it takes to make a show about women in history. Make sure you listen through to the end to hear one of show's beautiful songs, "I Know...

I enjoyed my chat with our special guest from Fashion with Anne Boleyn so much that I've decided to publish it in full. Natalie gives us such an interesting glimpse into what life was like for Anne Boleyn at the Tudor court, and into her ultimate downfall. So let's dive in. Find out more about Natalie's work and her upcoming book at her website, or On The Tudor Trail. Make sure to listen to Talking Tudors, too! You can find show notes, images and transcripts for all my episodes on Tudor...

Let Henry VIII's most fabulously fashionable queen be your guide as we glide through the halls of the Tudor court, exploring why fashion was so important in Tudor England, especially for members of the royal family, and how women could use dress to achieve some of their most important aims. For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The Exploress website. To support the show, become a patron. 

Religion lives at the heart of Catherine of Aragon's story, and at the center of Tudor life.  Let's continue our journey with our queen as she finds herself faced with a divorce crisis and the English Reformation. How will it change things for women in England? And how will Catherine of Aragon use her moral authority to fight for what she knows to be true? For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources, music/voiceover credits and more, go to my website. To explore the treasure...

Religion lives at the heart of Catherine of Aragon's story, and at the center of Tudor life.  Let's walk beside this regal queen and find out what role it played in her life and tumultuous times. These episodes aren’t going to be straight birth-to-death biographies. Instead, the six wives of Henry VIII are going to be our guides as we dive into different aspects of womanhood in the Tudor era.  For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources, music/voiceover credits and more, go to my...

I'm excited to announce the new podcast I'm making with my friend Amie Kaufman. It'll take you behind the scenes on the making of our books, The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds, which are both coming out in 2023. Think of it as your backstage pass to our characters, our worlds, and all the stories of their making. I can't wait to introduce you to my debut novel full of magic and intrigue, historical inspiration, and - of course - powerful women.

Ever wondered about the origin stories of the titles Mrs., Miss, and Ms.? They're more than likely to surprise you.

For years, China's ancient Shang Dynasty was almost a myth, but its stories were lying in wait in the Yellow River plain, where it had been hiding for centuries. And at the heart of it all, an almost lost queen. Let's meet the Shang and their impressive warrior queen.

This month, I'm pulling three bonus episodes from the Patreon vault to share with everyone. Happy holidays! I LOVE me some sequins. It’s hard to feel anything but celebratory when you’re sparkling like a mirror ball. The shiny plastic disc you’re picturing is a relatively new invention, but sequins have a surprisingly long and interesting history. 

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Scotland and England saw witch panics sweep through the land. Many people were tried, and some were put to death because of changes of witchcraft. The vast majority of them were women. In this Halloween special, we try and understand where these witch panics came from and see them through the eyes of the women who suffered.

This is one of my earliest Halloween-inspired bonus episodes, finessed and remastered, to get you warmed up for our Tudor-era Halloween special next week. It will take us from the ancient world into the Tudor and Victorian eras and beyond, exploring that age-old link between women and poison. It's a perfect companion to the spooky season! And it'll teach us some bizarre and fascinating things about the Tudor monarchs' paranoia about poison.

We Tudor ladies have done a lot of work in this series. So let's prepare a meal, then take our place at the table and enjoy it. We'll find out what kinds of food we might be enjoying, how to make sure we mind our manners while feasting, and find out what kinds of things we do for fun in Tudor times.

We've talked a lot about the kinds of work Tudor women were doing inside of the domestic sphere. But what about out in the wider world? Let's see what professions were open to the ladies, talk about their rights under the law, and what kinds of punishments they might have encountered if they colored outside of society's strictly drawn lines.

In our last chapter, we found out just how much work we ladies have to do in Tudor England. Now...well...we’re going to work some more. Grab your linen basket and a sturdy accounts ledger, and let's explore how Tudors are doing their laundry, tending to the sick in their households, and more.