i found an error on your website. will you fix it?
Of course. I strive for accuracy and correctness in my histories, always, and take pride in my research, but I’m not a historian, and inevitably I get some things wrong. I’d be grateful if you would go to the Contact page and drop me a line.
where'd you get the idea for the show?
I LOVE learning interesting things about ladies in history. But so many of the (delightful) women's history podcasts I follow focus on biographies of specific women. When I listen to them I'm often thinking: yes, but what kind of undies was she wearing? How did she manage to pee with so many layers on? What did her world FEEL like? And I knew from the get go that I wanted to explore not just specific lives, but different eras and the myriad ways women lived within them. I wanted to know what it would be like to BE them; I wanted to do some creative time traveling.
The other piece of the puzzle for me was going to Sleep No More in NYC. It’s an incredibly immersive piece of theater; a kind of choose your own adventure that puts you INTO the story. It made me feel like I’d stepped back in time, back to the 1920s, and I can’t remember ever being happier. I wanted to try and give listeners THAT experience as much as I could over audio.
how often do new episodes come out?
I shoot for fortnightly while a season's going, but sometimes life gets in the way. These babies take a lot of time to produce! I try to publish at least one exclusive bonus episode over on my Patreon a month, as well.
have you been featured on any other shows i can check out?
Yes indeed! I had the privilege of being interviewed on What’s Her Name about the life of Macedonian badass Olympias, as well as twice on Ancient History Fangirl, where I talk about women in history more generally (and may share an embarrassing story or two).
what equipment do you use?
I use a Rode-N1 microphone, a Focusrite Scarlett Solo Audio Interface, a Macbook Pro, and a coffin-like recording booth that Mr. Exploress built with contributions from wonderful patrons.
how long does each episode take to create?
Research takes weeks or months, writing the episode takes several days, recording takes a few hours, and editing audio takes a few (or many) hours more. I feel strongly about thoroughness and accuracy, so research and writing the scripts is what takes the longest. It is a labor of love, to be sure.
how thoroughly do you research things?
I don't like to leave a thing half finished, but reading everything that exists on any one of my topics would take the rest of my life. I'm not a historian - just an enthusiast who is in awe of, and indebted to, the researchers and writers who do the hard yards. I try to read at least one book on each topic, reference LOTS of online material, and chase down primary sources when I can. I do a WHOLE lot of cross-checking. However, I’m sure to get a thing wrong now and then, and if you ever catch me out do be sure to let me know.
what 5 ladies would you invite to a dinner party?
This changes daily, but at this moment: Cleopatra, Edmonia Lewis, Elizabeth I, Zenobia, and Zelda Fitzgerald.
how can I support the show?
I'm so glad you asked! Check out the 'Become A Patron' page and the ‘Merchandise’ page. It would mean the world to me if you want to support what I do. I don’t currently do ads on the show, and your contributions really do help me keep the show going.
do you take episode suggestions?
You know it! I'm always excited to hear about new topics and fascinating ladies, and would love to hear from you. So fire away.
I hear you also write books. Tell me more.
I sure do! My debut YA Fantasy novel, Nightbirds, is coming out in 2023. You can learn more about it over at my author website. But why not check out my new podcast, Pub Dates, where my friend Amie Kaufman and I take listeners behind the scenes on both our upcoming novels?
