Heyer Today: a podcast about Georgette Heyer
Last year, we won bronze for our season 1: The Sugar Baby Confessionals. This year, we’ve given ourselves a massive challenge: we’ve created a series twice as long, with over 39 participants, original music, a cinematic investigation and a book club rolled into one.
And guess what? Episode 1, featuring Stephen Fry, is already out now!
From February 2020, we’ll be releasing half our epic season on a weekly basis. What’s it like? Try a mash up of You Must Remember This, Unspooled and the Guardian Books Podcast. It’s hilarious, poignant, insightful, historically fascinating, smart and full of fabulous guests (who? Glad you asked… only Stephen Fry, Joanne Harris, Harriet Evans, Mary Jo Putney…to name but three).
What’s it about?
“I think myself I ought to be shot for writing such nonsense.”
As a bestselling author, Georgette Heyer hasn’t been out of print since 1921 – so why hasn’t Hollywood snapped up her plots for a big screen franchise?
- Jane Austen – 6 best-selling Regency romances; 6 major screen adaptations.
- Georgette Heyer – 34 best-selling Regency romances; 0 major screen adaptations.
One major film producer has been trying to get the first big screen adaptation of Heyer’s ‘The Grand Sophy’ made for years, but what’s been standing in the way? We’ll investigate the difficulties facing film makers when it comes to period work.
Plus, find out what the uber-Heyerites think of Sophy’s choice. We chat to Peter Buckman (agent for Heyer’s estate) about his struggles with trying to get a Heyer film made, and we chart his journey towards adapting one of her books himself.
Join our Regency romance book club!
Every alternate week, we’ll attempt to convert people who’ve never heard of Heyer, including comedians Emma Moran, Glen Tickle, Dom Patmore, Rhiannon Shaw and Kate Hinksman.
Discover what Hollywood producers, Australian biographers, British national treasures and worldwide readers think about Heyer’s popularity. And join super-fans and newbies as they discover and discuss some of the top-selling novels of our time – in Heyer Today.
Highlights include:
- Actor Stephen Fry on how he came to be hooked on Heyer
- Author Joanne Harris on why adapting books into film can be problematic
- Producer Andy Paterson discusses a mystery project and the difficulties of bringing Heyer’s work to the screen
- Best-selling historical romance novelist, Mary Jo Putney, on writing Regency romance through a 21st century lens
- Peter Buckman on his joy in adapting Heyer’s work
- Romance novelist Harriet Evans lists her all-time favourite Heyers and why
- Susannah Fullerton, head of the Jane Austen Society in Australia, compares Austen and Heyer
- Acclaimed biographer Jennifer Kloester shares some anecdotes about her journey in discovering never-before-seen letters from Heyer and doing Heyer justice
- Blogger Eleanor Turner (Jane to Georgette) discusses Heyer related on-dits and crim cons
- Comedians who’ve never read Heyer, fall in love (or not!) with her work
- Author Jane Holland and literary agent Alison Bonami from LBA on Heyer’s greatest romantic heroes
- Audio drama inspired by Heyer’s life
- Music from the incomparable Emma Gatrill and Message to Bears, plus original music composed especially for the podcast
PLEASE RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE TO KEEP US GOING…
About
FABLE GAZERS - TURNING FACT INTO FABLE…
We produce well-researched and crafted narrative podcasts, with our own special twist. We build stories we love, with an edge and sense of fun – packed full of intriguing insights, original music, heart-rending life choices, cinematic and literary mysteries, and more. Season 1: The Sugar Baby Confessionals won bronze at the 2019 British Podcast Awards!
We are Sara-Mae Tuson, Senior Producer …
Sara-Mae Tuson does the scriptwriting, editing and all the other bits and bobs that go along with putting a serialised podcast together. She’s also a writer and editor with nine years of editorial and copywriting experience working for charities and advertising agencies. Additionally, she’s had short fiction, poetry and articles published in a range of publications, including: the Salt anthology Overheard, Scouting Magazine, Ink, Sweat and Tears, The Emma Press Anthology of Mildly Erotic Verse, Obsessed with Pipework, 433, Trespass, The London Magazine, Inky Needles, Rising and more.
Working with InkTears as Editorial Director, she edited and managed the publication and production of several collections of short stories, as well as producing a number of video interviews with writers. She loves music and it was recording songs for her band, Scarlet Starlings, that made her think she might like to try this podcasting lark. She also sings backup for a variety of indie folk bands whenever she can. Sara-Mae is currently working on her debut novel, a hilarious YA adventure with a captivating romance at its core. Read more about her here.
… & Beth Keehn, Producer
Beth helps with research and managing our web presence.
She’s also a writer, editor, street photographer (and learner-drummer), and has been producing digital and print content for more than 15 years in London and Australia – with clients ranging from small charities to global giants. She has even worked for the House of Lords. Her photographs have been published by Paris Lit Up magazine. She has written articles for Scouting Magazine, Womankind, EPDA Plus, blogs for Speak Media, London Short Film Festival and the Encounters International Film Festival and helped produce vox pop stories for multimedia projects for government agencies.
Michael Mandalis, TV Audio Director and Sound Designer for short and feature films, provides audio expertise.
Mike Scott – podcast production assistant
Mike has worked in the charity sector for many years, but also happens to be a bit of a sound whizz as well.
Geraldine Elliot – social media consultant
Geraldine is Director of Meerkat Communications, specialising in SEO-driven web copy and copy editing. She is also an instructor @BCIT and a writer. Catch her on our second season, Heyer Today, when we try and convert her to Regency romance.
Katherine Hofmeyr – podcast production and social media consulting
Katherine is a copyeditor with 10 years’ experience in the digital sphere. She’s written for all kinds of audiences on all sorts of topics: investment advice, engineering, book and film reviews – even jokes. You can hear her dulcet tones on episode 12 of The Sugar Baby Confessionals when she steps in for Sara-Mae as narrator on the feminist episode.
Find us on Instagram