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‘I went down a rabbit hole!’

It’s a common cry in historical fiction author circles, especially among writers trying to balance historical fiction research with getting words on the page. Sometimes cried in dismay about lost hours in chasing down information, and at other times, it’s a cry of delight about an afternoon lost to the magic of research.

I personally don’t feel like research rabbit holes are a bad thing for historical fiction writers. There’s always a little piece of knowledge...

Ballrooms and banquets may dominate traditional historical romance, but today I am celebrating the stories rooted in the working and professional classes. While many historical romance novels focus on dukes, debutantes, and the glittering upper class, there’s a rich world of love unfolding among clerks, governesses, shopkeepers, labourers and artisans.

Historical Romance has firm foundations in the lives of the rich and titled—there’s a majestic escapism to a world that is not only outside of...

As far as sources of entertainment go, books are really excellent value for money. For less than the cost of a movie ticket, even for a new release from an independent bookstore, you can expect hours and hours of entertainment. However, I do understand that sometimes there just isn’t enough money left over at the end of the day to justify purchasing another book.

Authors work hard on their stories and rarely see out the cost of their investment. ‘Earning out’, a term used to describe the...

I am an accidental historical romance author.

Which sounds a little odd. How can you accidentally start writing in a genre?

In 2022, I had been writing fiction for a few years. Mostly historical fiction, and a mix of time-travel and literature. I had written a few short stories, along with trying to write a novel, but I kept coming up against a wall when trying to write steamy scenes. Not so much writing the scenes themselves, but in getting constructive feedback. Part of it was the people...

I gave this speech at a screening of the Pride and Prejudice movie, at an event hosted by the wonderful Riverina Readers Festival. This is a community group that I have been involved with for a few years now, and I absolutley love being part of this community of readers.

After the welcome and hello, we begin...

Jane Austen was born on this day in 1775, the seventh of eight children born to her parents George Austen, an Anglican rector, and her mother Cassandra. Jane began writing in her early...

Last summer, their aunt had purchased one in an identical stretch of five white stucco-clad townhouses in a quiet part of London. A dedicated bluestocking and proud spinster, the townhouse represented the independence their aunt valued. She had written gushing letters detailing how elegant and modern her new home was—fitted with cast-iron pipes, a kitchen with a hot water boiler that also serviced the bathrooms, and gas lamps in every room.

-A Song and a Snowflake

Right from when I first had...