Sam, Kate and Ros fight it out for a liqueur chocolate over the "getting to know you" game, before getting to know some seriously inspiring women writers.

Kate shares her love of Harper Lee, the writer who brought us "To Kill a Mockingbird" and recently “Go Set a Watchman”. She talks about the life of this private but brilliant writer, from her partnership with Truman Capote to the controversies of mis-credited work.

We find out how Lee’s friends clubbed together to support her writing for a year, and this causes Sam and Ros to reflect upon the people who have supported their own budding careers in journalism and performance.

They discuss how Harper Lee’s sister guarded her business affairs and protected her work, provoking a controversy that means Kate has been unable to bring herself to read ”Go Set a Watchman".

Sam quizzes her guests on the period of history they’d visit if they could before discussing sexism in journalism and how female editorship in newspapers can influence our media massively. The pair share their shock at leaving university and encountering Fleet Street misogyny and Kate explains how @piersmorgan stood up for her when she was being intimidated by older, male journalists.

Ros introduces the indomitable Dorothy Parker, dubbed “the mistress of the verbal grenade”. This writer and journalist with a viper’s tongue built a composite career and wheelhouse of incredible quotes that inspired Rosamund with the power of the word.

They discuss the painful life experiences that led to Parker’s problems with alcohol and suicide attempts, her radical and blunt voice and verve in fighting for causes she believed in. Ros also reads us one of her hero's poems!

Follow our guests:

Kate Thornton

@k8_thornton (twitter)

@thekatethornton (instagram)

tbseen.com

Rosamund Urwin

@RosamundUrwin (twitter)

@periodspodcast

@samanthabaines

samanthabaines.com

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