This month my guest is Nigel Featherstone, chatting about the writing of his latest novel My Heart is a Little Wild Thing.

Even though he’s already such an accomplished writer across different genres and formats, Nigel learned some new things writing this novel including the importance of leaning into setting, being more ambitious with the writing and about harnessing the concept of duende - the trickster muse that encouraged him to be less cautious, less polite and to go to places with his writing that he’d normally shy away from.

We talked about structure and his approach to backstory, how he harnessed the voice of memoir to capture character and we also discussed sex scenes - the who, the what and most importantly, the why.

So much great stuff in this interview. Enjoy!

You’ll find links to buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing below.

ABOUT THE BOOK

My Heart is a Little Wild Thing tells the story of Patrick who has always considered himself a good son. Willing to live his life to please his parents, his sense of duty paramount to his own desires and dreams. But as his mother’s health continues to deteriorate and his siblings remain absent, he finds the ties that bind him to his mother begin to chafe.

After an argument leads to a violent act he travels to a familiar country retreat to reflect on what his life could be – and through a chance encounter with a rare animal and an intriguing stranger Patrick starts to wonder if perhaps it is not too late to let his heart run wild.

ABOUT NIGEL

Nigel Featherstone is an Australian writer who has been published widely.

His latest novel, My Heart is a Little Wild Thing, is out now from Ultimo Press (Hardie Grant).

Nigel’s war novel, Bodies of Men, was published by Hachette Australia in 2019. It was longlisted for the 2020 ARA Historical Novel Prize, shortlisted for the 2020 ACT Book of the Year, shortlisted in the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards, and received a 2019 Canberra Critics Circle Award.

Visit Nigel Featherstone’s website - https://www.nigelfeatherstone.com.au/

Buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing by Nigel Featherstone paperback or ebook.

A big thank you and shout out to Joanna Nell and Laura Boon for your lovely reviews of the podcast. Check out both authors here:
Joanna Nell - https://www.joannanell.com/
Laura Boon - https://www.lauraboon.com/

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com