In this four-part series, we're time traveling back to Tokugawa Japan (1603-1868) to find out what life was like there for the ladies. If you've been binging Shogun lately, then this one's for you! For show notes, including a list of sources and some cool images, go to The Exploress website (If you're dying for a full transcript, you'll find it ove…

In this four-part series, we're time traveling back to Tokugawa Japan (1603-1868) to find out what life was like there for the ladies. If you've been binging Shogun lately, then this one's for you! For show notes, including a list of sources and some cool images, go to The Exploress website (If you're dying for a full transcript, you'll find it ove…

In this four-part series, we're time traveling back to Tokugawa Japan (1603-1868) to find out what life was like there for the ladies. If you've been binging Shogun lately, then this one's for you! For show notes, including a list of sources and some cool images, go to The Exploress website (If you're dying for a full transcript, you'll find it ove…

Once upon a time, back in the Middle Ages, four sisters would come to shape the Crusader States called Outremer. One would rebel (several times) against their father; another would come to rule more or less in her own right. All would see a healthy heaping of conflict while living in a chaotic time and place. In Part 2, we'll rejoin our royal siste…

Once upon a time, back in the Middle Ages, four sisters would come to shape the Crusader States called Outremer. One would rebel (several times) against their father; another would come to rule more or less in her own right. All would see a healthy heaping of conflict while living in a chaotic time and place. In Part 1, we'll explore the many roles…

There’s something stirring about a warrior woman: one who refuses to bow down to the forces against her, no matter how vast they may be. And when they win out? Even better. Let’s talk about three sword-wielding females who went up against the Romans, terrifying all who looked on: Teuta, Amanirenas, and Mavia (Mawiyya). Want more Exploress bonus epi…

In this last episode of Season 4, we're going to find out more about the Black female entertainers who lit up the stages of 1920s America: who they were, the (many) struggles they faced, and all the ways they absolutely slayed. We'll meet blues singers like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, and Mamie Smith, as well as dancers like Josephine Ba…

Today, we’re going to the film industry of the 1920s and the ladies who came to define them. We’ll find out more about the movies of the era, their young female stars, and just how they influenced so many. Grab your girlfriends, your favorite fan mag, and your ticket…It's movie night. You can buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at th…

By Kate J. Armstrong

Last time, we found out what stay-at-home wife life was like in the 1920s. Now we're going to go out on the town. Let's explore all the fun we were getting up to: dancing, nightclubs, amusement parks, swimming, and girls in automobiles. We'll even dive into the world on 1920s dating. You can now buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at…

Settle in for a tale of passion, jealousy, corruption, and the lady killers who entranced 1920s America. Grab your gun, your best fur coat, and a flask of bootleg gin. Let’s go traveling. You can now buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at the Exploress shop. Also, did you know I’ve got a novel out? NIGHTBIRDS is a 1920s-tinted fantas…

Remember back in 2021 when the amazing Elodie Harper told us all about the sex workers of ancient Rome, and also her novel The Wolf Den? She's back to talk to us about The Temple of Fortuna, the epic conclusion to her immersive trilogy about a woman just trying to survive in ancient Pompeii. Join us as we talk about courtesans, an ancient queen, fe…

I hope you enjoy this spooky minisode bonus from the dark days of 2020! Let's meet one of history's most prolific female poisoners. You can now buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at the Exploress shop. Also, did you know: I’ve got a novel out! NIGHTBIRDS is a 1920s-tinted fantasy about girls who will gift their magic with a kiss...f…

Last time, we headed to the office as 1920s working women; now let's give the stay-at-home wife life a spin. Grab your brand new vaccuum and your fave home economics book: let's go traveling. You can now buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at the Exploress shop. Also, did you know: I’ve got a novel out! NIGHTBIRDS is a 1920s-tinted f…

It's time to grab our sensible heels and head to the office to find out about a woman's work in the 1920s. Let's find out about college life, then dive into some of our trials, triumphs, and tribulations in the workplace. Nothing's going to hold us down! Let’s go traveling. You can now buy my ladycentric timelines, maps, and art prints at my Printa…

Rise and shine! It’s time to get up and start our day in the life of a 1920s American gal. Let’s find out some things about life in the period, from what we’re wearing on a casual Saturday to what we’re eating for breakfast, where we’re getting our food from, and (of course) how we’re dealing with that time of the month. Pull up your stockings and …

We’ll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. When I got a question about how to turn a character idea into a story idea, I knew Lili was the person to answer it. Listeners, you can find Lili on Instagram at @liliwilkinson, or online at her website, wh…

Let's revisit the tragic story the Titanic, but focus on the women aboard. Who were they? What was it like, to ride on this infamous luxury liner? What did they see and feel, that fateful night? As always, you'll find show notes for this episode, includng images and a list of my research sources, at my Exploress website. If you want to support the …

We’ll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. First up, we're going to hear from James Sutter. James is the co-creator of the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games—if you’re not a tabletop gamer, they’re similar to games like D&D. He’s also an au…

Season 4 is taking an intermission for the moment; I hope to have us traveling back to the 1920s soon. Until then, I’ve got something fun for you: a chat with the wonderful Genn McMenemy and Jenny Williamson of Ancient History Fangirl about their new book, Women of Myth. It’s a beautiful compendium of stories from all around the world about a diver…

Creating a magic system that really works takes effort. Every time you think you’ve got it working, someone points out some what-if hypothetical, and you’re back to the drawing board, trying to plug more leaks in your logic bucket. When it does work, though – well, all of us have been swept away at one point or another by the feeling we’re truly in…

I started writing an episode to answer a question about worldbuilding and research—and then I realised that I already have the perfect resource for you. All of you know by now that my lovely producer Kate is also Kate J. Armstrong, author of Nightbirds, a brilliant book about girls who can gift magic to you with a kiss. Kate and I host the Pub Date…

In this episode, we’re jumping back to 1910s Chicago, which is the setting for my friend Krystal Marquis’s New York Times and Indie bestselling novel The Davenports. This heartwarming historical romance introduces us to four young Black women navigating life at the turn of the century, falling in love, taking risks, and carving their own paths thro…

The way a character narrating a book—or even just a character whose point of view we share—is going to describe someone they see every day is going to be really different to the way they describe a newcomer. Let's break down some of techniques you can use to describe a familiar character in a way that serves the story and feel true to the person de…

I LOVE maps: I think they really add something to a world—when done well, everything from the style in which the map is drawn, to what’s included can contribute to the story. Today I'm going to give you my three best tips for creating one for your story. I have a new book out in a week! The Isles of the Gods is a fantasy novel set on the high seas,…

Last episode, we learned about drinking culture in the leadup to America's Prohibition and met some of the women who helped shove the law into being and enforce it. Now we're shimmying into our most scandalous dresses and going out on the town to meet the ladies who defied it. My novel, NIGHTBIRDS, is out now wherever good books (or audiobooks) are…

All my books are romances. I love them: the yearning, the will-they-won’t-they, and sometimes just the how-on-earth-can-they of it. Whether it’s a tortured, star-crossed love affair or a cosy romance set somewhere sweet, I’m here for it. Today I’m going to give you three tips I keep in mind when writing my own romances. I have a new book out in jus…

Lots of women fought to make America dry. They stood at the forefront of the temperance movement, campaigning to get rid of alcohol. They were a big reason why Prohibition became a Constitutional Amendment. They fought for it in speeches and marches and helped police it as law enforcement agents. What was it about the cause that called to so many w…

Join me for a fun-filled interview with my friend and fellow debut author, Lyssa Mia Smith, whose novel, REVELLE, came out last month. Described as MOULIN ROUGE meets THE GREAT GATSBY, it’s one the fantasy-romance fans amongst you don’t want to miss. Much like my novel, NIGHTBIRDS, it takes a lot of inspiration from history, and I loved this chat a…

I am thrilled to share a juicy snippet of the NIGHTBIRDS audiobook with you, listeners! Please enjoy the prologue and first chapter, brought to life by the incredibly talented Saskia Maarleveld. You can buy the full audiobook wherever they're sold. My novel, NIGHTBIRDS, comes out TODAY! It is a 1920s-tinted YA Fantasy about a world with a prohibiti…

I'm thrilled to be in conversation with Amie Kaufman, fellow author, friend, and co-host of my other podcast, Pub Dates, about taking inspiration from history and weaving it into fantasical worlds. Her novel, The Isles of the Gods, and my own both take certain aspects of the 1920s and use them as springboards into fictional exploration, but we've u…

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. …

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 Nig…

Let's wrap up Season 3 by sitting down to tea with Elizabeth I and explore some of her tips for successful Tudor queenship.By Kate J. Armstrong

Let's join Henry VIII's final queen, Katherine Parr, as we explore what education looked like for women in Tudor England. We'll discover how much they learned, what kinds of things they studied, and all the ways her education got Katherine in - and out - of trouble. For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The…

When I got a question about writing apocalyptic worlds, I knew that London should be the one to answer it. She has so much wisdom on this subject to share. Find out more about London at her website. You will find a transcript of this episode on my website, which is also where you can sign up for my new newsletter and find out about my other podcast…

In this episode, Queen Catherine Howard is going to be our guide as we explore all things sex for Tudor women. We’ll walk through the era’s expectations and understanding of a woman’s virtue, how a lady might keep from getting pregnant should she choose to risk her reputation, and what happens if a woman gets pregnant out of wedlock. It’s bound to …

When I recieved a question on how to create a compelling cast of characters, I knew M.K. England was the person to answer it. M.K. is a pro at building a dynamic ensemble cast, and this episode is jam-packed with their practical advice on how to make sure your cast of characters are all distinct, unique, and play well off each other. Find out more …

What connects a sorceress, a murderess, a mistress and a French king? Let's find out in this special Halloween bonus. 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. To find out more about Elizabeton Norton's fanstastic work, check out her website.…

Murder, mystery, and WWII code girls: oh my! Join me as I chat with Ellie Marney, the New York Times bestselling author of the new YA historical novel The Killing Code. Atmospheric, compulsive, and deliciously dark, it’s the perfect book to kick off the spooky season, and it’ll introduce you to a slice of women’s history you might not know that muc…

Like most royal women, Anne didn’t have much of a choice when it came to whom she married. It was considered her “duty” to honor the needs of her family and her kingdom over whatever her own might be. But what about everyone else - non-royals. Did they get to pursue their hearts a little more freely? Let’s take a walk with Anne of Cleves, who’ll sh…

Join me as I sit down with author Sylvia Barbara Soberton to talk about a Tudor queen's ladies-in-waiting: who they were, what they did, and what kind of impact they had on the women they served and the court at large. As always, there are lots of ways to support the Exploress: tell a friend about the show, leave a review wherever you listen, becom…

Henry VIII's third wife will take us on a journey through all things fertility and childbirth during the Tudor period: getting pregnant, staying pregnant, and getting through the delivery ordeal in (we hope) one piece. For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The Exploress website. To support the show, become …

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.…

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 fi…

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…

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 …

I get a lot of questions about co-authoring, and so I'm dedicating the last three episodes of the season to answering them. This week’s question is by far the most frequently asked question I get about co-authoring. What to do when you and your co-author disagree? You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my …

I get a lot of questions about co-authoring, and so I'm dedicating the last three episodes of the season to answering them. If you missed last week’s episode, it was about the practicalities of preparing to co-author a book. This week, I’m talking about the writing itself. A transcript of this episode is available on my website. You can sign up for…

The most frequent questions I get are about how co-authoring works. So I’m going to devote the last three episodes of this season to co-authoring, answering one question each week. This episode kicks us off with some advice on how to set up a co-authoring relationship for success from the outset. A transcript of this episode is available on my webs…