An interview with Caroline Barnard-Smith
The making of a Swamp Witch: Caroline's journey through motherhood & dark fantasy writing.
Good afternoon, ramblers, readers and friends. I recorded this podcast with Caroline a while back and with the debut of her new book: The Obsidian Druid, on the 25th April, it felt like the right time to release it. Caroline’s work is laced with dark humour, with her short stories taking pride of place in horror anthologies.
You can preorder The Obsidian Druid via this link (UK) or this link (USA).
Author Interview: Caroline Barnard-Smith
“Write what really interests you, I think. Don't chase trends and then just edit, edit, edit. It's really important.”
Audio Highlights
(00:00) Swamp Witch Talks Writing Journey
(07:29) Evolution of a Fantasy Novel
(14:26) Managing Writing Projects and Serials
(23:20) Tips for New Writers
Quick links:
Caroline’s SwampWitch - and her cover of The Obsidian Druid
Russell Nohelty’s Author Stack
The Juicy Details…
Welcome to the West Coast of England! Natalie and Caroline meet online, separated only by a few miles and the River Tamar. Caroline is a Devon writer, affectionately calling herself the Swamp Witch. She's not your average storyteller; her tales stem from a place where motherhood and the arcane collide, giving life to dark fantasy worlds that readers explore at their own risk. In this episode, Caroline, walks us through her transformation from a blogger to a Substack sensation, sharing the pivotal moments that shaped her path, including the birth of her vampire novel and the life-altering experience of becoming a mother to twins.
Moving into the present, we get a preview of Caroline’s latest work; "The Obsidian Druid," a novel that has been ten years in the making and testifies to her growth as a writer. She laughs with us about the trials of self-publishing, revealing how her characters evolved alongside her own life's milestones. Caroline's career is an adventure story in it’s own right, from self-publishing to online subscriptions.
We finish with a candid discussion on Caroline's daily juggling act, where she balances writing and family. She shares her strategies for managing a regular word count and staying enthusiastic about her projects, which includes her Substack, novels and short story collection.
Notes and transcript produced with the help of Podium. Recorded with Riverside FM.
Thanks so much for having me on your podcast (waves from across the river).