“The Tower” by Flora Carr
In this episode of Narratives & Nightcaps, Brie sits down with Flora Carr to dive into her debut novel, "The Tower", a deeply atmospheric reimagining of Mary, Queen of Scots’ imprisonment. Their conversation blends historical insight, behind-the-scenes writing process, and plenty of personal stories that bring the Tudor and early modern periods to life. It’s a warm, witty, and thoughtful discussion that fans of historical fiction won’t want to miss.
The narrative: about The Tower
The Tower follows Mary, Queen of Scots during her 11 months of captivity—an intimate, character-driven retelling that illuminates not just Mary herself, but the overlooked women who attended her in the shadows. Flora Carr spotlights the nuanced relationships, political tensions, and emotional unraveling that take place behind closed doors, highlighting the voices and experiences of the women history forgot. The novel blends meticulous research with imaginative storytelling, offering a powerful, feminist framing of a well-known yet rarely humanized chapter of Mary’s life.
The nightcap
Flora’s “nightcap” is humorously not a nightcap at all — she admits she brought an iced coffee, given the time difference between US & London, and the fact that a heat wave had settled over London at that time.
In the episode
This episode explores Flora’s creative process, the challenges of writing historical fiction, and the unexpected freedom she found in crafting the quieter winter scenes of Mary's captivity. Flora shares travel stories, London life with no AC during a heat wave, and her upcoming writing fellowship in New England. Brie and Flora also discuss women’s power, forgotten female narratives, current reads, and the anticipation surrounding Flora’s second novel. We talk about:
How The Tower re-centers Mary, Queen of Scots and the nearly invisible women who surrounded her, revealing overlooked relationships, emotions, and power dynamics
Flora’s writing process: crafting tension, handling historical “spoilers,” balancing research with invention, and the technical challenges of pacing
Fun, personal anecdotes about London heat waves, travel recommendations, Viking museums, author life, juggling jobs while drafting book two, and her upcoming New England fellowship
Reflections on women’s history, female friendships, what Flora hopes readers will discuss after finishing The Tower, and book recommendations she’s currently loving
Listen to the full author interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts
Purchase your copy of THE TOWER here (Narratives & Nightcaps is an Amazon Affiliate)
Connect with Flora on her website and social media!