Declan and Silvan are joined by author Dorian Ravenscroft to talk about their debut novel, The White North Has Thy Bones, a queer Victorian Gothic horror story involving a doomed Arctic expedition, unreliable narrators, morally questionable characters and more than a few ghosts.

Dorian takes us behind the scenes of the novel, from its unlikely beginnings after watching The Terror to the rather chaotic process of plotting a story in which nobody can quite be trusted to tell the truth. We also discover how much of the horror was inspired by real historical events.

We talk about queer representation in historical fiction, why queer characters shouldn't always have to be likeable or morally exemplary, and how shame, class and masculinity shape the lives of Dorian's wonderfully complicated characters. We also get into the fascinating question of whether every character really needs a redemption arc.

One of the most thought-provoking moments comes when Dorian reveals the deeper inspiration behind the novel, their experience working at the Old Bailey and the uncomfortable questions it raised about our fascination with true crime. When does telling someone else's story become exploitation? And who has the right to turn another person's trauma into entertainment?

There's some questionable childhood reading choices, Victorian fashion scandals, a possible collaboration with Taylor Swift, and Dorian's excitement about the novel's four-narrator audiobook.

We also get a sneak peek at Dorian's next book, which sounds every bit as dark and unsettling as their debut.

The White North Has Thy Bones was released on 22 October 2026 and is available in print and audiobook formats.

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Listen to the Podcast on:

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Spotify:

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Watch it on youtube: https://youtu.be/JJShSwYSCOY

Listen to Silvan’s ‘Silvates’ podcast on mental health and wellbeing here:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/silvates/id1531620495

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xMX59teVzpf6M86Cv7WG9?si=016f5477aed14697

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Long Game Podcast

00:17 Dorian Ravenscroft's Debut Book Inspiration

02:22 Childhood Reading Influences

05:33 Synopsis of 'White North'

07:37 The Unreliable Narrator

09:52 Creating a Historical World

12:52 Researching Historical Fiction

16:40 Pitching to Publishers

18:28 Character Development and Morality

23:15 The Thrill of Book Launches

23:15 Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Literature

27:22 Queerness and Historical Context

29:17 Character Development and Redemption Arcs

35:14 Crafting Mystery and Pacing in Storytelling

40:53 Character Perspectives and Author Intentions

48:37 Crafting Historical Prose

52:29 Fashion as Storytelling in Historical Fiction

54:19 The Journey of a Debut Novel

01:00:14 Ethics of True Crime and Storytelling

01:05:09 Teasing the Next Project