Heartwarming moments around the dinner table with three friends, and the horror and suspense driven by a ghost from the past. Wahala is a book that walks between two genres seamlessly and masterfully. The debut novel from author Nikki May was almost locked away for good. But the strength of her characters meant she couldn’t give up on them, and we’re glad she forged on. This book follows the stories of three mixed-race women, but culture isn’t at the forefront of the storytelling - serving as texture, rather than foreground.

In this episode discover the importance of a strong set of characters - and why you shouldn’t fall too deeply in love with them, learn how to give some of your own personality over to your characters, and find out why it’s important, as a writer, to set your ambitions high.

Behind The Spine is the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon - you can sign up to the newsletter here.

Read the full transcript here.