This episode was such a joy to record! I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Virginia Evans about her stunning debut novel The Correspondent; a book I truly loved. One of my favourite moments during our chat was hearing Virginia share the incredible story of how writing a letter to none other than Ann Patchett turned into a real friendship. Isn’t it just so heartening to know that someone as iconic as Ann Patchett would take the time to encourage and support a new writer?  

In our conversation, Virginia opens up about her writing journey—from early rejections to the sheer determination that kept her going (thank goodness she did!). We talk about what inspired The Correspondent, how her unforgettable protagonist Sybil came to be, and the enduring power of letter writing in an increasingly digital world.

We also reflect on what we might be losing as we move away from the handwritten word. I loved hearing how passionate Virginia is about this, especially as someone who’s always felt a bit self-conscious about my own handwriting. She’s inspired me to embrace the scrawl, good luck to anyone receiving my cards!

And of course, Virginia shares the five books that shaped her life which were:

Stoner by John Williams

The Firm by John Grisham (not currently available on bookshop.org)

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

One By One in the Darkness by Deirdre Madden

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Also mentioned in this episode:

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell

I also mentioned having my mum’s handwriting embroidered into a piece of art. See Ivy & Stitch for details.

I really hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. I’ll be back next week with the final episode in this Season (how have eight weeks flown by so fast).  

If you are enjoying the show I’d be so grateful if you could take the time rate, review, subscribe and most importantly tell your friends all about it.  

Thanks for listening and see you next week!