All Episodes

Anne Easter Smith on Six Novels, a Lifetime of Research, Richard III, and the Changing Face of Publishing

Elodie Harper | Boudicca's Daughter, The Wolf Den Trilogy & Writing Ancient Rome's Forgotten Women

Self-Help from the Middle Ages: Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life (with Peter Jones)

The Man Who Stopped the Sultan: Gabriele Tadino and the Siege of Rhodes – Edoardo Albert

Sophie Perinot on building a historical fiction career across two countries — and how publishing has changed along the way

Massacre, Resistance, and Love: Carolyn O’Brien on Peterloo and 1930s Britain

Sharon Bennett Connolly on Medieval Princesses, Power & the Norman Conquest

Vaseem Khan on Crime Fiction, Empire & Writing Action in The Edge of Darkness

Essie Fox on Retelling Wuthering Heights, Gothic Fiction & Writing from a Ghost’s POV

Historical Fiction Writers Reflect on 2025 & What Comes Next

GARETH RUBIN: Murder at Christmas, AI in Publishing, and The Joy of Structure

Decoding The Book of Kells — Dr Victoria Whitworth on Art, Faith & Mystery | Rock, Paper, Swords!

Michael Jecks on Medieval Murder, Writing 40+ Novels, and the Secrets of Historical Crime

Inside Literary Festivals: What Authors Really Think | Rock, Paper, Swords! with Matthew Harffy & Justin Hill

Sir Tony Robinson on House of Wolf, King Alfred & Finding New Purpose at 79

Harry Sidebottom on Gladiators, Rome, and Those Who Are About To Die

Beth + Boyd Morrison: Medieval Thrills, Templars & The Tales of the Lawless Land | Rock Paper Swords

Tacfarinas: African Rebel Against Rome | Dr Joanne Ball on Roman History & Rebellion

Simon Tolkien: Spanish Civil War Novels, Rings of Power & J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legacy

Angus Donald talks about his novel, Templar Traitor - Mongols, falling off horses, Conan the Barbarian and more!

J. C. Duncan talks Vikings, Bladesmithing, Publishing and more!

Adam Lofthouse talks all about Ancient Rome

Three Year Anniversary Episode!

Patricia Bracewell - author of the Emma of Normandy series.

Ale/beer consumption throughout history! Pete Brown tells us some drinking stories!

MJ Porter - Vikings, Saxons, swearing in historical fiction and much more!

RPS NEWS! Plus Dire wolves? We chat about bringing things back from earlier periods in history. What would YOU bring back?

Book cover design! Oliver Bennett from MORE VISUAL joins us to discuss current and future trends and the threat (or otherwise) of AI to creatives.

Jason Kingsley OBE - Modern History TV & Rebellion - Judge Dredd, 2000AD, Sniper Elite & more!

Donovan Cook - WODEN'S SPEAR! Vikings, Norse mythology and more...

Edoardo Albert - History, archaeology, Warhammer, swords, writing & more!

A Man Dies But Once - Matthew has a new novella OUT NOW!

Writing for videogames/writing exciting novels - we discuss two great topics today!

Long live the King! King of Wessex is out now.

Elizabeth Fremantle interview - FIREBRAND book/movie & lots more!

Giles Kristian - Camelot, Lancelot, Vikings, boy bands and more!

What other genres do historical fiction fans enjoy, and why?

The Trojan War with A.D. Rhine!

David Gemmell - LEGEND A Patreon Bonus Episode

Christmas 2024 greetings! Here's to 2025!

2024 Christmas Special - books, movies, music & more!

Lord of the Rings & lots more with publisher/author Jane Johnson!

Matthew's new book - Shadows of the Slain out Dec 5th!

Ian Mortimer - Time Traveller's Guides, oldest pubs in England & tons more!

The Heretic of Haltemprice Priory RELEASE DAY!

THE THICKET, Metallica & HP Lovecraft - Joe R. Lansdale talks to us today!

New Xmas song, OUT NOW! "Wassail The Night Away"

HP Lovecraft special! Cthulhu Mythos!

Guy Windsor - The Sword Guy talks to us about historical martial arts

The Vengeance of Merlin - Steven's new book is out on Monday!

Historic Building Mythbusting - James Wright gets medieval!

Diana Gabaldon! Outlander! - HNS 2024

HNS 2024 Roving Interviews 3!

HNS 2024 roving interviews part 2

HNS 2024 Roving Interviews part 1!

HNS 2024 - Three Roman ladies chat to us!

Jane Johnson - HNS 2024!

Elizabeth Chadwick - HNS 2024!

David Gilman, Master of War! - HNS 2024

MJ Porter interview - HNS 2024!

Bernard Cornwell! Big news about Uhtred/Last Kingdom! - HNS 2024

Michael Jecks - Knights Templar, Medieval England and 1920's Shanghai!

Ian Mortimer! Time Traveller's Guides! - HNS 2024

Clive Mantle - Robin of Sherwood/Game of Thrones/Casualty & Freddie Malone!!!

Dr Joanne Ball, Roman/battlefield archaeologist!

Kate Quinn - The Briar Club, Alice Network, HNS and more!

Historical fantasy author Shauna Lawless joins us today!

DV Bishop, author of the Cesare Aldo novels & also THARG from 2000AD!

Sword of the Saxons! Steven's new book is out NOW.

RPS to attend the Historical Novel Society Conference 2024!

Westerns & Cowboys - Dark Frontier with Matthew Harffy!

Dr Mark Deeks of metal bands Winterfylleth and Ard!

Age of Sail author Katie Daysh joins us to talk about LEEWARD!!

Todd Kerns of SLASH & the Conspirators puts the ROCK in RPS!

American Civil War author Cody C. Engdahl joins us for an entertaining chat today!

Historical research! What resources do we use for our own novels?

Commissioning Editor Kit Nevile joins us today!

What IS historical fiction? How do YOU define it?

Christian/Miles Cameron interview! CHIVALRY, CIA and more!

We wrote a book TOGETHER! It's out next week!

SHIELDWALL! Justin Hill, multi-award winning author, joins us today

SJA Turney - Rome, Caesar, Caracalla, Vikings & so much more!

Douglas Jackson! Nazis, Romans, mad emperors, serial killers & more!

Researching locations for authors

C.J. Box! Joe Pickett, Big Sky + lots more as we chat with the 10 million selling author!

Join us! A Patreon announcement!

Writing tools - Scrivener, Aeon etc. Can Matthew persuade Steven to adopt his writing tech?!

Griff Hosker, inspirational historical novelist, is our guest today!

Vikings, the Great Heathen Army & Alfred the Great! Steven talks his new book.

AI and Copyright for writers with the 'Copyright Waffle' podcast!

Author of Viking sagas, Eric Schumacher chats with us today!

Christmas Greetings 2023!

"Christmas is Coming" - our new song, OUT NOW!

Christmas 2023 Rock,Paper,Swords/A Slice of Medieval Crossover!

Not just Genghis Khan. The Mongol Invasion - Nicholas Morton interview!

Amazon KDP head Darren Hardy. Indie authors check this out!

Matt Lewis - we talk with the host of GONE MEDIEVAL!

A Savage Moon! We chat with Theodore Brun about Vikings & other good stuff

Matthew Harffy! A Day Of Reckoning & EXCLUSIVE REVEAL of his next book's title!

Angus Donald - Vikings, Robin Hood, and lots more!

Paul Finch - 1066, crime writing, being in a "shieldwall" & Black Sabbath!

Ethan Bale/Clifford Beal - The medieval action adventure author joins us today!

Alex Gough - Carbo Chronicles, ancient Rome, swearing in historical novels, music and loads more!

A couple of announcements!

Robin Warder/The Trail Went Cold - true crime inspiration for historical fiction tales!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it might have on writers, artists, and creatives in general. Scary stuff! Or is it...? Includes an AI-written song!

Ben Kane! Rome, Spartacus, medieval/ Richard the Lionheart, now Vikings in Ireland!

Viking Blood & Blade, and Kindle Storyteller WINNER Peter Gibbons chats to us today!

Norse/Viking mythology and RökFlöte with Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson

Book covers! What makes a great cover ? Also, Steven's new book's COVER REVEAL is today!

David Gilman, author of the Master of War series, chats with us today!

VIKINGS! Jethro Tull - RökFlöte album review.

Starting our new books! What are they about? - Episode 30

Big Big Train bassist/songwriter Gregory Spawton interview!

IAN ROSS - The Twilight of Empire author joins us today!

Listener Questions PART 2!

Listener questions PART 1!

Some news and big announcements!

TV historian & novelist DAN JONES joins us today! 2023 top episode!

Dr Who, Star Wars, 2000AD, hip-hop author, and games designer Steven Savile!

Simon Scarrow! We chat to the legend!

Happy New Year 2023 from Rock, Paper, Swords!

Christmas Special 2022! Merry Xmas one and all!

Jean Gill, author of The Ring Breaker!

BONUS Episode - Funny (and not so funny!) Amazon reviews of our books

Carol McGrath, author of The Handfasted Wife!

It's Hallowe'en! Join us to get in the spooky spirit...

Interview with Prue Batten

Music and the power it holds....

Bernard Cornwell, the Godfather of historical fiction!

Viking author Tim Hodkinson interview!

Rings of Power Episodes 1 and 2 and a review! BONUS EPISODE!

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies! Any good?

Robyn / Erin Young, author of The Fields interview!

Great beginnings in novels

Historical weapons and....food?! Episode 2

Episode 1 - Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords!

Rock, Paper, Swords! Trailer