In this week’s episode of the Womenkind Collective Podcast we have a very special Book Club episode as we Spill the Tea with the brilliant author of this season’s book club pick, The Book of Secrets, Anna Mazzola.Anna is an award-winning writer of historical, gothic, and crime fiction, and our book club choice for this series, The Book of Secrets, is her fifth superbly written novel and is based around a story of true crime and women in 1659 Rome. She also writes gripping legal and political thrillers under the name Anna Sharpe, the first of which, Notes on a Drowning, was published in January 2025. Anna also works as a human rights and criminal justice solicitor acting for survivors of crime.We are absolutely thrilled to have her with us today to dive into The Book of Secrets, Anna answers some of our (and your) burning questions. We uncover the inspiration behind The Book of Secrets, explore the real-life history that shaped it, and discuss the powerful themes of women’s resilience, oppression, and survival—themes that, heartbreakingly, still resonate today. Plus, we dig into Anna’s writing process, the true spells and remedies woven into the story, and how she brings her unforgettable female protagonists to life. As every day is a school day we tell you what we have learned this week, there’s a new WI which we have changed to stand for (weekly inspiration) to give you some good news stories that you might have missed, and there’s a beautiful quote to send you off into the week.It’s an episode brimming with chat and all the usual sweary shenanigans! So, go and get the kettle on and settle in for our weekly collective chat while we spill the tea! If you’ve enjoyed our Podcast you may like to consider buying us a Ko-Fi at https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcastHere you can find updates, photos and some inclusive content we won’t post anywhere else and your donation will help us ensure we continue to bring you great quality of content and sound.You can watch the full unedited interview on our YouTube channel: Womenkind Collective. Anna Mazzola:Website: www.annamazzola.comI: @annamazzolawriterF: Anna MazzolaBooks: Anna Mazzola. The Unseeing. 2016. Published - Tinder Press The Story keeper. 2018. Published - Tinder Press. The Clockwork Girl. 2022. Published - Orion. The House of Whispers. 2023. Published - Orion. The book of Secrets. 2024. Published - Orion Anna Sharpe. Notes on a Drowning. 2025. Published - Orion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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