Rachel Louise Driscoll: 'I firmly believe in writing the book that you want to read, especially if that book is missing from the market'
BY Alessia Quaranta
6th Feb 2025
Rachel Louise Driscoll was the winner of the Write From Home Scholarship in 2020 and a student on our Edit & Pitch Your Novel course in 2019 and three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2020. We caught up to discuss her debut novel, Nephthys – out now from Harvill Secker.
Read on to discover what inspired Rachel's novel and her advice for writing fiction that seamlessly blends historical and mythological elements.
After winning the Write From Home Scholarship in 2020 you studied on our Writing Your Novel – Three Months course. How did studying with us impact your approach to writing Nephthys?
I learnt so much from our tutor, Andrew Michael Hurley, and from my fellow students, it’s hard to pick just one thing to mention. When we were considering description, I found the reminder to make the most of all five senses really useful, something that I carried forward into writing Nephthys. The glare of the sun on a minaret in Cairo, the smell of coffee being brewed in a bazaar, the feel of gritty sand, the taste of ‘lumps of delight’ melting in the mouth, the sound of black kites screaming overhead … setting is as much a character to me as the people, so I really found this tip helpful in making Egypt come alive in my novel.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met on our courses?
I am indeed! About ten of us have stayed in touch on Slack and social media, and we regularly message each other with updates about our writing in our virtual pub, ‘The Write Inn’. Our course was online, but a few of our group have managed to meet in person, and a couple are hoping to come to my launch at Waterstones Kingston. It’s been wonderful to see our group getting agents and signing deals. I feel honoured to be part of such a talented bunch. I’ve also kept in touch with a few writers from the 6-week course I did in 2019, thanks to Facebook, and one writer in particular has been a kind friend to me through all of the ups and downs.
Your debut novel Nephthys tells the story of two women, Clemmie, a young Egyptologist from Victorian England, and Nephthys, an ancient Egyptian goddess. How did the two stories come together?
I firmly believe in writing the book that you want to read, especially if that book is missing from the market. The Greek myths are everywhere, and we love them, but I still felt like it was time for the Egyptian myths to have a return. I didn’t want to write a straight retelling, however. I’ve always adored the Victorians and classics like Jane Eyre and My Cousin Rachel, so I was keen to write a Victorian Gothic novel. Marrying the two periods through the 19th century Egyptian Revival seemed like the answer, and both Clemmie’s and Nephthys’ stories came together completely naturally during my plotting. In the story, Clemmie has grown up on the myths of Isis and Nephthys instead of fairytales, and sees a reflection of herself in Nephthys’ overlooked character. When tragedy strikes her family time and again, spurring her on a secret quest to Egypt, Clemmie sees how closely the myth of Nephthys links with her own life.
The protagonist of your book, Clemmie, has the unique ability to read hieroglyphs, a talent which her father utilizes during his Egyptian relic parties. How did you approach your research into Egyptian mythology and history?
I do a lot of research when I approach a new project, and then I plot everything thoroughly in notebooks and on spreadsheets. Only when I know my subject, I have my chapters plotted, and I can hear my characters’ voices in my head, do I start writing. My best resource was the 19th century memoir A Thousand Miles Up the Nile by Amelia Edwards. That really helped with getting my facts right about river travel and the state of the ruins at the time. I read portions of Plutarch’s Moralia and some translated Ancient Egyptian texts to help with the mythology, such as The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys, and examined lots of artwork and lithographs for the visuals. I also studied old books which Clemmie would have used on deciphering hieroglyphs. Historical accuracy is so important to me, so I would often pause my writing to double check something before including it in the book.
Sisterhood is a central theme in Nephthys. The relationships between Clemmie and her sister Rosetta, as well as Nephthys and her sister Isis carry a lot of emotional weight in the story. What tips do you have for writers who want to construct relationships that feel genuine and human between their characters?
I could go into so much detail on this subject, but I’ll try and summarize a few thoughts. I have a sister, and that played a vital part in writing about sibling relationships. Personal experience is a rich resource, so make the most of it if you have it. If you don’t, then observation is a great tool to see how people interact with each other, perhaps in a café or on the bus. To write people you need to meet people. I know this can be hard, as we like to hide away and spend more time with fictional people than real people, but I do believe that experience really is a writer’s best friend. Consider who the relationship is between. I once worked in an all-female environment which was sometimes lovely, and sometimes toxic. People are flawed, we have emotions, and we respond accordingly; as such, relationships can be messy. Characters should have arcs, and relationships often do too, growing stronger or fading over time. Remember that different people react in different ways. My husband once pointed out to me that if a woman asks her girlfriends if she looks fat, they’ll quickly jump in to reassure her that she’s beautiful (even if they don’t believe it) – but if a man asks his mates if he looks fat, they’re more likely to respond, ‘Bro, I know three fat people, and you’re two of them’. Consider who you are writing about and how they tick in order to write authentic relationships.
Readers of mythological retellings (Elodie Harper and Madeline Miller) and fans of The Mummy (1999 film) alike will be intrigued by your book thanks to its blend of historical elements from Victorian England and Egyptian mythology. Do you have other book recommendations with a similar blend?
When I was on submission to agents, I was told that I’d nailed my comparison titles. I pitched Nephthys as Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman meets Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal meets Circe by Madeline Miller. Early readers have also said that my book would be perfect for fans of Stacey Halls.
Finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I have some events lined up for Nephthys across February in London, Edinburgh, and Durham, where I’ll be chatting about the book and signing copies. US publication is set for the 10th of June under the title The House of Two Sisters, so it will be wonderful to see my book reaching a whole new part of the world. I’m also busy working on my next novel which is another historical gothic fiction about a different aspect of Victorian fascination, once more weaving in some myths and legends. It delves into a part of history that has captivated me for years, whilst exploring some themes close to my heart. I’m really excited about my second book, and I can’t wait to be able to share more about it!
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