Welcome back, wordsmiths and story seekers! In this episode of The Writer’s Chair, I sit down with Birmingham-based author J.D. Parker to talk about his debut dark historical novel, Ignis Sacer.

Jonny (JD) shares his journey from writing screenplays to finally tackling long-form fiction, why he considers his first unpublished novel the “first pancake,” and how Ignis Sacer became the book he was ready to share with the world.

We explore everything from medieval medicine and plague research to the pull of “sirens” (new ideas), balancing horror and hope, and why sometimes the most terrifying things are buried in history.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why JD draws a sharp line between his first novel and his debut novel
• How ergotism (Holy Fire) inspired the central horror of Ignis Saecer
• The challenges of weaving research, history, and dark fantasy into one story
• Why “prestige horror” filmmakers like Robert Eggers and Ari Aster shaped his writing style
• The balance between outlining and discovery in building sprawling stories

Links & Resources:

• J.D.’s website: https://wakeandwinslow.carrd.co
• Ignis Sacer on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ignis-Sacer-Nightmare-J-D-Parker-ebook/dp/B0F5MT5ZLP
• Connect with JD on Instagram: @j.d.parker_author

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