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Vianne

Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, Writers on Writing

Jul 01: Joanne Harris Returns to the World of Chocolat with Vianne

July 1, 2026

Secrets, love, betrayal, magic, & storytelling

Vianne – A Novel with author Joanne Harris

Few writers have woven magic into everyday stories quite like Joanne Harris. The multiple award-winning, internationally bestselling author, enchanted millions with her signature blend of magical realism – including the revered Chocolat, the novel that introduced the world to Vianne Rocher.

In Vianne, Harris returns to France where it all began. Her long-awaited prequel leads us on a journey into the untold origins of one of contemporary fiction’s most unforgettable characters.

On this episode, Joanne talks craft: How she builds characters that linger long after the final page, what it takes to move fluidly across genres without losing her voice, and the storytelling instincts that have defined a career spanning decades. Plus, we learn a few surprising, fun facts about the woman behind the magic.

Meet Joanne Harris

With a French mother and English father, maybe it was a given that Joanne Harris (OBE, FRSL) would blend both worlds to create magic. While teaching fulltime Joanne published three novels, including Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche.

Since then, she has written more than 20 novels, plus novellas, short stories, game scripts, the libretti for two short operas, several screenplays, a stage musical (with Howard Goodall) and three cookbooks. Her books are published in over 50 countries and have won a number of British and international awards.

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Fiction, Mystery, Writers on Writing

Sep 10: Vianne with Award-Winning Author Joanne Harris

September 10, 2025

Spellbinding prequel reveals secrets, magic, & the making of a heroine

Vianne with author Joanne Harris

Joining us today, a multiple award-winning writer who is often called one of contemporary literature’s most beloved voices, Joanne Harris — an internationally bestselling author whose magical realism enchanted millions of readers worldwide.

You may know Joanne best for her novel, Chocolat, which introduced us to Vianne Rocher and later became an Academy Award–nominated film.

In Joanne’s latest work, Vianne, she takes us back in time to explore the origins of her unforgettable character in a much-anticipated prequel.

We explore the rich storytelling that makes Joanne’s work so compelling. We discuss character development, the craft of writing, and how Joanne has managed to successfully navigate across so many genres. We also learn a couple of fun facts about the author herself.

Meet Joanne Harris

Joanne Harris (OBE, FRSL) was born in Barnsley, of a French mother and an English father. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at Cambridge and was a teacher for 15 years, during which time she published three novels, including Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche .

Since then, she has written over 20 more novels, plus novellas, short stories, game scripts, the libretti for two short operas, several screenplays, a stage musical (with Howard Goodall) and three cookbooks. Her books are published in over 50 countries and have won a number of British and international awards.

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