True confessions, I was not an avid reader of books by English authors when I was in high school. In fact, it wasn’t until after college and because the books had been made into movies that I took a fledgling interest in Pride and Prejudice (1995 mini-series, of course!) and Jane Eyre (the Timothy Dalton as Mr. Rochester version). My limited knowledge pertaining to the Regency period initially … [Read more...]

My Publicist recently asked, "What inspired you to write a story set in Painswick, England, and how did you research this English village?" So I thought I would share my answers with you here as well. My husband and I first visited Painswick (a Cotswolds village in Gloucestershire) a few years ago and were both charmed by the village and especially by its beautiful church (St. Mary's) and … [Read more...]

I’ve recently had the privilege of reading early copies of a few friend’s Regency, Regency-Inspired, and Victorian era novels, and thought you might want to pre-order some of these for your own reading pleasure! The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall by Syrie James (Available now) A Victorian mystery crafted with impressive skill, style, and lovely echoes of Jane Eyre. Conflicting clues, mounting … [Read more...]

I have said it before, but if you ever have the opportunity to see a presentation by Candice Hern (in person or online) don’t miss it! Candice is an award-winning author and passionate collector of Georgian and Regency era antiques. As she and I are both members of the Minnesota chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America, I have been able to hear her with some regularity, and always learn … [Read more...]