<![CDATA[Writers in the Dark]]>
malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/s/writers-in-the-dark-podcastSubstackTue, 16 Jun 2026 02:33:23 GMThttps://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/2780375/s/391122.rssMalikaA podcast where I interview other authors about the emotional labour that goes into writing.episodicMalikamalikanwrites@substack.comNo<![CDATA[In the Dark with Mhairi McFarlane]]>They say you should never meet your heroes? Well, they are wrong. I had the best time chatting to romcom queen Mhairi McFarlane. I’m not a big romance reader, but I will buy whatever she writes, no questions asked.

We talk about her deep love of writing, the complex themes she explores in her writing and her excellent meme game on Instagram.

And if that wasn’t enough: Mhairi announces that two of her books are being adapted for the screen! Listen to the episode to find out which ones!

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.

xx

PS: this episodes contains spoilers for some of Mhairi's older novels, and a spoiler for my own novel (Hold on to Your Heart)

Guest

Mhairi McFarlane

Instagram: @mhairimcf

Novels

- You had me at hello

- It's not me, it's you

- Who's that girl

- After hello

- Don't you forget about me

- If I never met you

- Last Night

- Mad about you

- Between us

- You belong with me

- Cover Story

- Hopeless Romantics (out Feb 2027)

Host

Malika Nekhla

Instagram: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-mhairi-mcfarlanesubstack:post:200732281Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2788<![CDATA[Episode 11: In the Dark with Rebecca Taylor McKay]]>Guest

Rebecca Taylor McKay

Novel: The Honeymoon Suite

Insta: @rebeccataylormckay

www.rebeccataylormckay.com

Host

Malika Nekhla

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/episode-11-in-the-dark-with-rebeccasubstack:post:200150183Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2344111full<![CDATA[E10: In the Dark with Bobby Palmer]]>This episode containts spoilers of David Nicholls' One Day.

Bobby Palmer is the author of Isaac & The Egg, Small Hours and the upcoming Main Characters. He's represented by Millie Hoskins at United Agents, and published by Headline Books.

Guest

Bobby Palmer

Insta: @thebobpalmer

www.bobbypalmer.co.uk

Novels:

Isaac & The Egg

Small Hours

Main Characters

Host

Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel - Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned:

David Nicholls

Kazuo Ishiguro

Yann Martel

Sally Rooney



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/e10-in-the-dark-with-bobby-palmersubstack:post:199457054Wed, 27 May 2026 12:56:37 GMTMalikaNo2959110full<![CDATA[In the Dark with Zoë Rankin]]>Zoë Rankin is the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Place. She is represented by Stephanie Glencross at David Higham Associates, and published by Berkley.


Guest

Zoë Rankin

Insta: instagram.com/zoerankinwrites

Novel: The Vanishing Place


Host

Malika Nekhla

malikanwrites.substack.com

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Also mentioned

David Nicholls

Charlotte McConaghy




This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-zoe-rankin-d6dea7b48df-28f6-42d6-b983-8e173c8fc02eTue, 19 May 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2526<![CDATA[In the Dark with Hayley Dunlop]]>Hayley Dunlop is the author of It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, and I'm Dreaming of a New York Christmas, publishing August 2026.

Hayley is represented by Laura Williams at Greene & Heaton, and published by Hera Books.


Guest

Hayley Dunlop

www.hayleyjdunlop.com

substack.com/hayleyjdunlop

Interview with Malika

Insta: @hayleyjdunlop


Fake Snow

video Fake Snow


Novels

  • It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
  • I'm Dreaming of a New York Christmas



Host

Malika Nekhla

malikanwrites.substack.com

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart



Also mentioned


The New Yorker

Gilmore Girls





This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-hayley-dunlop-8ac9601e240-079c-4283-b9c2-1cbc1cd645b2Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2541<![CDATA[In the Dark with Kate Greathead]]>Guest: Kate Greathead

www.kategreathead.com

Novels: The Book of George, Emma & Laura


Host: Malika Nekhla

Substack: The Geriatric Millennial

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

Insta: @malikanwrites, @writersinthedarkpod


Also mentioned:

Alison Espach - The Wedding People, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

The Before Trilogy




This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-kate-greathead-40f478ecebc-c661-4f8c-90ae-87d811dc5c37Tue, 05 May 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2383<![CDATA[In the Dark with Samantha Dooey-Miles]]>Samantha Dooey-Miles is the author of Under the Hammer. She is represented by Caro Clarke @ Portobello Literary and published by Verve Books.


Guest: Samantha Dooey-Miles

insta: @samanthadooeymiles

www.samanthadooeymiles.com

Novel: Under the Hammer


Host: Malika Nekhla

insta: @malikanwrites, @writersinthedarkpod

Patreon: patreon.com/writersinthedarkpodcast

malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart


Also mentioned:

Jamie Dornan

Bella Mackie - How to Kill Your Family



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-samantha-dooey-miles-6332a98035d-0e15-4baf-9a0e-04107c16d84cTue, 28 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2546<![CDATA[In the Dark with Simi Sidhu]]>Guest: Simi Sidhu

Insta: @simisidhu_writes

Substack: simisidhuwrites.substack.com

Represented by Louise Buckley @ HS Literary Agency


Host: Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

Substack: malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart




This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-simi-sidhu-1ac3e4a51dd-d2d1-4f12-b3fb-626389871dfaTue, 21 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2384<![CDATA[In the Dark with Emily Buchanan]]>Emily Buchanan is the author of Send Flowers. She's passionate about climate action and also works as a freelance creative campaigner for sustainable organisations.


Guest - Emily Buchanan

Insta: @emilyebuchanan

www.emilybuchanan.co.uk

Novel: Send Flowers


Mentioned:

Charlotte McConaghy - Migrations

writing retreat: insta @steviemackenziesmith


Host - Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites; @writersinthedarkpod

www.malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart


Join the Patreon for early access, bts, weekly write-ins and a free e-copy of Hold on to Your Heart.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-emily-buchanan-ddfffac1f21-ca71-46bb-bcbc-d0d500141f1eTue, 14 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2481<![CDATA[In the Dark with Elaine Hastings]]>Elaine Hastings is the author of When We Were Young and Everyone Knows Her Name.


Guest - Elaine Hastings

Insta: @ehastingswrites

www.elainehastingsauthor.com

Novels: When We Were Young - Everyone Knows Her Name



Buying from indie bookshops:

https://www.hive.co.uk/

https://bookshop.org/


Host:

Insta: @malikanwrites

www.malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart


Join the Patreon






This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-elaine-hastings-f083bbff988-c373-4ee9-b55c-a1f8949b079aTue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2246<![CDATA[In the Dark with Sophie Hamilton]]>Sophie Hamilton is the author of More Than Nothing, Every Reason Why and Edge of Falling, a romantic suspense series set in small town USA.




Guest - Sophie Hamilton

Insta: @sophiehamiltonauthor

www.sophiehamiltonauthor.com

Novels: More Than Nothing, Every Reason Why, Edge of Falling



Host:

Insta: @malikanwrites

www.malikanwrites.substack.com

Novel: Hold on to Your Heart

All links


Join the ⁠Patreon⁠







This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-sophie-hamilton-9b3329aa6b8-47a6-4246-b64c-d25ef3467108Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2424<![CDATA[In the Dark With Madicken Malm]]>Madicken Malm was born and raised in Finland where she published her first novel, Falskt Spel, in 2005. Afterwards she moved to the UK to do an MA in Screenwriting and Playwriting. She is currently working on her second novel.


Guest

Madicken Malm

Insta: @madicken_malm

www.madickenmalm.com

Substack: In Flux with Madicken Malm


Host

Malika Nekhla

Insta: @malikanwrites

Substack: The Geriatric Millennial


Also mentioned:

A pair of Bookends Podcast



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/in-the-dark-with-madicken-malm-a956b1fb073-6431-421a-967a-8d22461341b1Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMTMalikaNo2366<![CDATA[00 - Trailer]]>Coming soon!



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malikanwrites.substack.com]]>https://malikanwrites.substack.com/p/00-trailer-f85be9eb046-ed13-4f6f-ab6e-fd786fa4b7ebFri, 27 Mar 2026 16:40:28 GMTMalikaNo24