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.

Long Game Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/LongGamePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Join our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCC

Find us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.pod

Write to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.com

Find Declan:

Instagram: declan712

Tiktok: declanmccallion1

Find Silvan:

Instagram: Silvates

Tiktok: silvates1

Listen to the Podcast on:

Apple podcast:

Spotify:

Amazon podcast:

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

Declan is back for Part 2 of our Common Goal discussion, and is joined by Brittany from the Long Game Book Club to finish unpacking Rachel Reid's fourth Game Changers novel.

This time, we're asking some bigger questions, like does the age gap between Eric and Kyle really matter? Why is Eric so emotionally self-aware but so terrible at communicating? And did Common Goal miss an opportunity to explore the realities of retiring from professional hockey and coming out later in life?

Brittany makes a surprisingly convincing case for changing the reading order of the entire series. Should Common Goal actually come before Tough Guy?

Things get a little competitive as we put our favourite Game Changers couples head-to-head. From chemistry and emotional intelligence to grand romantic gestures and long-term compatibility, we're ranking Shane and Ilya, Scott and Kip, Ryan and Fabian, and, of course, Eric and Kyle. Some couples come out looking considerably better than others.

Join the conversation in our Long Game Book Club on Fable, and check out our Patreon for early access, exclusive newsletters and more.

As a note, we will be moving our scheduled weekly drops to every 2 weeks. This is to give us more time to balance editing and recording with life stuff so that we can keep the quality high. Thanks for your understanding.

Long Game Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/LongGamePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Join our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCC

Find us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.pod

Write to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.com

Find Declan:

Instagram: declan712

Tiktok: declanmccallion1

Find Silvan:

Instagram: Silvates

Tiktok: silvates1

Listen to the Podcast on:

Apple podcast:

Spotify

Amazon podcast:

Watch it on youtube: https://youtu.be/DjZ4LJQrWwY

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

Declan is joined by Kirsty from the Book Hashira as we move on to Common Goal, the fourth instalment in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. This is one of the most divisive books.

In Part One, we dive into Eric and Kyle’s relationship and ask whether their romance really feels like a happily-ever-after, or whether “happy for now” might be a better fit.

We explore the book’s significant age gap, Eric’s anxieties about retirement and getting older, and whether the story misses an opportunity to dig deeper into what leaving professional hockey might mean for someone whose life has revolved around the sport.

We also unpack Kyle’s lingering feelings for Kip, his difficult past and the unresolved questions surrounding what happened to him at 18. We discuss if Common Goalgives Kyle enough space to work through his own story, and if we are we actually convinced that he wants Eric more than he ever wanted Kip?

There’s plenty of discussion about third-act breakups, miscommunication, the evolution of Rachel Reid’s writing across the series, why alot of poeple love Role Model and how Ilya continues his unofficial second career as the Game Changers resident lurker, matchmaker and dispenser of unsolicited relationship advice.

Find Kirsty:

Instagram: thebookhashira_

Long Game Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/LongGamePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Join our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCC

Find us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.pod

Write to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.com

Find Declan:

Instagram: declan712

Tiktok: declanmccallion1

Find Silvan:

Instagram: Silvates

Tiktok: silvates1

Listen to the Podcast on:

Apple podcast:

Spotify

Amazon podcast:

Watch it on youtube: https://youtu.be/VrffkZ_Eix0

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

hashta

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Common Goal and the Game Changer Series

02:19 Character Development and Themes in Common Goal

05:08 Comparative Analysis of the Game Changer Series

08:18 Standout Characters and Their Arcs

10:22 The Complexity of Eric's Character

13:06 The Third Act Breakup and Its Implications

14:36 Realism in Age Gap Romance

18:45 Power Dynamics in Age Gap Relationships

21:45 The Impact of Past Trauma on Characters

26:29 Unresolved Themes and Character Arcs

34:06 Character Development and Unresolved Threads

38:30 The Impact of Miscommunication in Relationships

42:37 Retirement and Its Emotional Toll

48:06 Unrequited Love as a Plot Device

54:33 Character Arcs and Redemption Themes