Writing Podcast Episode 729: Ilona Bannister discusses her darkly thrilling novel, 'Five'

Train platforms are fascinating people-watching locations. And if you’ve ever sat and imagined the lives of the strangers standing next to you, UK-based author Ilona Bannister’s new psychological thriller Five may be for you. In this podcast episode, Ilona discusses her inspiration for the book and her own path to writing, along with insights into her daily writing practice. 00:00 Welcome03:09 Writing tip: Hobbies help you write better07:38 Writers in the wild09:06 WIN: Nutcote: Home of May Gibbs by Fiona Starr11:45 Word of the week: ‘Irredentism’12:42 Interview with: Ilona Bannister13:16 The premise of Five15:56 Why a train platform?18:15 Building the five characters20:20 Creating a strong narrative voice23:30 Morally ‘grey’ characters24:52 Writing for readers26:33 London versus New York28:20 Finding the ending30:21 Ilona’s path from lawyer to novelist36:09 Publishing during lockdown38:10 Writing routines as a parent39:48 Networking and its benefits43:10 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.