Dorian Ravenscroft on Queer Gothic Horror and The White North Has Thy Bones

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 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