The Knowing offers a compelling snapshot of Camille’s life in just one day. As she faces intense period pain, a toxic boss, and the absence of her phone, the story delves into her internal struggles of figuring out who she is and what she truly wants. Madeleine Ryan is a master at keeping the narrative engaging (no mean feat when the book straddles just one workday) making it impossible to put down. In a world where we’re so reliant on our phones, the forced break shakes up Camille’s life, highlighting how disconnected from our feelings we’ve become and how even the smallest disruption can lead to moments of self-discovery and change. I had a chat to Madeleine about writing, phone addiction and what’s next.
The Knowing is set over the course of a single day in Camille’s life. What inspired you to write a novel spanning just one day, and how did you keep it so diverse and creatively engaging?
Well I find the present moment to be a very dynamic place. It’s filled with the past, present and future, as well as all different physical sensations, imaginings, emotions, fears, intuitions. It’s a portal to an entire universe. So I think to follow someone like Camille through each beat of her day can be really rich and revealing. Although, covering absolutely everything she sees/feels/thinks would be impossible ~ that’s how infinite it is.
The novel addresses our dependence on phones. Did you draw from your own experiences in writing about this theme?
Ah, yesssss. My phone shapes my day-to-day life. Because a phone is more than a phone, isn’t it? It’s a BFF, a magic wand, a planner, a comfort food, a drug. I actually wrote the first few chapters of The Knowing in a notebook I happened to have on me when I left my phone at home while racing to make a train into the city one day, which was, perhaps, a small example of the power of what can happen and/or be created when a ‘phone’ isn’t readily available.
The character lives in my hometown (I worked it out pretty quickly with the clues!). How do you approach writing about a specific place while keeping it anonymous for readers who may not be familiar with the area? And is there a reason you don’t name the town?
Nice work. Yeah, it didn’t feel right to name the town for some reason. I can’t explain why. There’s so much in the book about friggin’ Armadale! Part of me regrets not naming it. But maybe one day I’ll better understand why it didn’t feel right.
Can you tell us a bit about your writing practice? Where do you write, when do you write, and what fuels your creativity? How do you overcome writer’s block?
Omg. I’m always writing. I never switch off. My dreams end up in my work. The guided meditations I do to ‘unwind’ find their way into things. There’s no escape. I often do my best writing/thinking when I’m exercising, talking to my partner, washing dishes, having a bath, walking the dogs. Then I’ll be at my desk.
And I didn’t believe in writer’s block before this book. I was like “whatever, it’s real if you believe it’s real”. I felt the same way about a second book being particularly difficult for an author. “Yeah, ok, not me.” Cut to four years later and I finally have a second novel to my name because it was literally the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. The Knowing pushed every mental, physical, emotional, social and spiritual nerve I have.
Though the novel takes place in just one day, it touches on a range of themes such as toxic relationships, our reliance on technology, and the struggle between following our dreams versus staying in jobs we don’t want. How did you weave these complex themes together so seamlessly?
Magic! Lol. Thank you for saying that. But seriously. I work quite intuitively. I try to let the story tell me where it wants to go, rather than imposing rules on it. So I’ll have a sense of what I want it to capture, but then I want it to show me how to do it. It’s like going on a ride and this one was bumpy!?*@Y*!& but in the end I think it does what I wanted it to do * wipes sweat from brow *
The book feels like a relatable, messy life story, and I felt a strong connection to Camille as she navigates a mix of inconveniences. How do you go about creating such a well-rounded character who feels so real and relatable?
Oh, I’m so glad Camille feels real and relatable. I delved into my own problems in order to create hers and I think there can be a real universality in doing that. I also wanted to bring insight and transcendence to a character struggling with the everyday. Ergo, Camille.
What’s next for you?
Minutes after finishing The Knowing I wrote my third book, love, honour & obey. It took a month, which was crazy after wrestling with The Knowing for the best part of four years. love, honour & obey is coming out in 2026. I’m also working on different screen projects that have been in development for months in some cases and for years in others, so I’ll keep holding their hands until they find their way in the world.
The Knowing is out Feb 7th through Scribe Publishing.
The Knowing is set over the course of a single day in Camille’s life. What inspired you to write a novel spanning just one day, and how did you keep it so diverse and creatively engaging?
